Smoking weed is an activity enjoyed by many for its relaxation effect. However, one of the common side effects is increased hunger following a smoking session. It’s often referred to as “munchies” and is sometimes stressful for individuals who are concerned about following a strict diet, or those who are confused about why it is happening. Learn more about the cause of munchies and some tips to maintain them to deepen your understanding and have a better experience.
What Are Munchies?
If you’ve ever enjoyed smoking marijuana, you probably remember the feeling of intense hunger, even if you’ve recently had a full meal. The need to eat comes on quickly and is practically irresistible. This is called “the munchies.” Although many people experience this, everyone’s reaction to marijuana is different so some aren’t affected by weed munchies.
The cause of your post-smoke cravings comes from a chemical reaction that occurs when THC interacts with the brain. Marijuana also tends to stimulate the hormone ghrelin, which boosts your appetite. THC increases the brain’s dopamine level, which is responsible for pleasure. As your dopamine increases, it enhances both your sense of taste and smell, making food more appealing and eating it more pleasurable. These reactions are tied to the endocannabinoid system, which is responsible for regulating your brain, metabolism, mood, immune system, and sexual function. THC triggers the endocannabinoid system to spark various activities in the body. One of these is stimulating your appetite, particularly for fatty foods and junk food. This is why stoners get the munchies.
Getting the munchies isn’t dangerous in any way, but if you are a regular smoker, you may have concerns about the increase in calories and how to avoid changes to your weight. Continuously reaching for that bag of potato chips or a slice of pizza every time you finish a smoke adds up and may change your waist size. The cravings for snacks can also lead to an uptick in your food costs.
Can You Get Munchies From THC or CBD?
It’s possible to get the munchies from THC, but not CBD. Although both have the same cannabinoids, the composition of cannabidiol (CBD) is different than that of marijuana. CBD contains THC levels of less than 0.3% while marijuana typically has more than 30% THC. The low amount of THC means that you won’t experience a “high” from CBD. It’s also the reason that consumption of CBD doesn’t cause munchies.
There are some ways, however, that CBD may affect your appetite. Individuals that take CBD to help alleviate symptoms like nausea can eat food more easily, and in larger quantities. Someone who is ill may have difficulty keeping food down and worry about the implications of having a meal. The calming effect that CBD has on the digestive and nervous systems eases the way for an increased food intake. CBD use essentially enables you to return to normal and healthy eating habits.
How Can I Maintain My Munchies?
If you are concerned about overeating, you can learn how to stop the munchies and limit your food intake when smoking weed. There is no one way to go about this, but taking preventative measures generally works the best. Start with these tips and explore which methods work best for you:
- Eat regular meals: Develop a routine with regular meal times and stick with it. Eating full meals and snacks throughout the day can lessen the strength of any hunger pangs that strike after you smoke weed. If you discover that you are particularly susceptible to the munchies, smoke before a meal. When the munchies hit, you can eat your lunch or dinner instead of consuming extra calories.
- Stock your kitchen wisely: Stop buying junk food if you know you’re going to get hungry after using marijuana. You can’t consume it if you don’t have it available. Keep healthy snacks on hand so you don’t feel any regret if you’re tempted to raid your kitchen.
- Brush your teeth: Brushing after you smoke helps to eliminate the taste, potentially lessening the need to reach for something tasty to counteract the taste of the smoke. Tasting the fresh mint of toothpaste also deters from wanting a snack since the flavors usually don’t mix well.
- Stay busy: Distract yourself by doing something away from the sight or smell of any food that could tempt you. Keeping your mind and your hands busy is a great way to redirect your focus until the hunger passes. Any activity will do, just make sure it’s a safe way to participate in while you experience the effects of marijuana.
- Change your strain: The type of cannabis you smoke greatly influences your experience, including whether or not you get the munchies. Try some new strains to find one that doesn’t send you rummaging through your kitchen cupboards.
- Exercise more: Consider working out prior to indulging in marijuana. You can burn off some calories to counteract any post-smoke snack you have.
Your enjoyment of marijuana does not have to interfere with your lifestyle goals and attempts to lose weight or stick to a healthier diet. A little preparation goes a long way toward aiding your efforts to minimize or avoid getting the munchies.
How To Get Rid of the Smell of Marijuana
As any weed smoker knows, frequent use leads to the smell of marijuana becoming trapped in your furniture and clothes. Fortunately, Cannabolish has the solution to eliminate stale and unpleasant odors to keep every room of your home smelling fresh.
Browse the full range of weed smell eliminating products that Cannabolish has to offer. We have a variety of products, including candles and sprays, in popular and pleasing scents that you can use in any location and for any purpose. Our products work to eliminate bad smells instead of covering them up. Best of all, Cannabolish products are made from natural ingredients, so they are safe to use anywhere in your home, even around your family and pets.
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