4 Health Benefits Of Smoking Weed You Won't Get From A Glass Of Wine

According to research, a glass of red wine or two may be a little bit beneficial for your heart. Once you drink much more than that, though, you're on your way to heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer. Yikes.

If you happen to be more of a marijuana kind of guy or girl, I have much better news for you. According to the limited research we have on weed right now, your mild marijuana habit may actually be pretty good for you.

Hear that? The tiny plant you smoke that's only legal in some states is probably a lot better for you than that half a bottle of red wine you drink every night.

I'm personally not big on pot. But for those of you who enjoy getting stoned once in a while, you can chill out about whether or not it harms your health.

Although I'll never tell you filling your lungs with smoke is a good thing (try a vape pen!), smoking marijuana is hardly the worst thing you can do for your health.

Here are four ways marijuana may benefit your health.

It can decrease anxiety.

Can't seem to turn your brain off? Trust me, I've been there. According to a study conducted on medical marijuana out of Harvard University, a small dose of marijuana can decrease anxiety.

Be careful not to go overboard, though. Anyone who ever smoked a little too much can attest to the fact weed can lead to paranoia and increased anxiety.

So if you're looking for calming benefits, do your best to find a dose just right for you.

It might make your workout better.

If you're in the habit of lighting up before hitting the gym and think it's kind of weird, trust me, you're not the only one doing it.

While marijuana makes some people sleepy, paranoid and hungry, it helps other people have awesome workouts.

Although there's not a crazy amount of research to back this up, working out while high helps some people get "in the zone" and distracts them from just how painful exercise can be.

Weed helps with nausea.

Anyone who ever smoked a bowl to ease a queasy, hungover stomach can attest to this: Marijuana can seriously help with nausea.

According to a study conducted out of the University of Toronto, marijuana is effective in easing an upset stomach.

The study reads,

There is sound evidence from animal experiments and well-designed clinical trials involving humans that cannabis and cannabinoids are effective for the relief of nausea/vomiting and certain types of pain, as well as for the stimulation of appetite.

I'm going to guess marijuana can't cure the stomach flu, but it's good to know it has some healing powers when your stomach isn't feeling quite right.

It could speed up your metabolism.

Looking to lose a few pounds before summer? You could drink water. You could eat more protein and fewer carbs. You could count your calories. Or you could... smoke pot?

According to a study published in The American Journal of Medicine, marijuana users have lower rates of obesity and better insulin control.

While more research needs to be conducted on this and marijuana shouldn't necessarily be seen as a weight loss aid -- come on, you heard of the munchies, right? -- it is good to know your weed habit probably isn't making you fat.

Before I tell you to get out there and smoke a ton of weed in the name of your health, I should note too much marijuana can have negative consequences, like paranoia, anxiety and brain fog.

Also, remember to look out for your lungs. You only get one pair, so look into options that are better for them, like vape pens and edibles.