Just as the man lived, with grace, he also suffered the ravages of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Lou Gherig was diagnosed at the height of his legendary baseball career, at the age of 36. The prognosis was bleak: rapidly progressing paralysis, difficulty in eating and speaking, and a life expectancy less than three years.

“So I close in saying that I might have been given a bad break, but I’ve got an awful lot to live for — Thank you.” Lou Gherig’s Baseball ‘Gettysburg Address’

He died two years later, but left us with his gentle and elegant legacy.

ALS has also taken Stephen Hawking, Hall of Fame pitcher Jim “Catfish” Hunter, Senator Jacob Javits, actor David Niven, “Sesame Street” creator Jon Stone, boxing champion Ezzard Charles, NBA Hall of Fame basketball player George Yardley, golf caddie Bruce Edwards, musician Lead Belly (Huddie Ledbetter), photographer Eddie Adams, entertainer Dennis Day, jazz musician Charles Mingus, former vice president of the United States Henry A. Wallace, U.S. Army General Maxwell Taylor, and NFL football players Steve Gleason, O.J. Brigance and Tim Shaw. (Source ALS Association)

A lot of bright, shining stars taken too soon. We were honored by their presence and it is that same elevated energy that propels research ahead in the Medical Marijuana movement.

What Is ALS?

ALS affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord and it progresses as a result of nerve degeneration. This is also known as neurodegeneration — a term that comes up often in the realm of Medical Cannabis (or Marijuana) research.. It causes muscles to waste away as they are no longer receiving nerve impulses and other electrical nourishment.

We have an intricate system of nerves that reach from our brains to our spinal cords and then throughout our bodies to every muscle. When the motor neurons die, the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. People may lose the ability to speak, eat, move and breathe.

• Approximately 5,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with ALS each year.
• It is estimated there are more than 20,000 Americans may be living with ALS at any given time.
• ALS occurs throughout the world with no racial, ethnic or socioeconomic boundaries and can affect anyone.
• Military veterans are approximately twice as likely to develop ALS.
• The early stages of ALS often involve muscle weakness or stiffness. Increasing weakness, wasting and paralysis of the muscles of the limbs and trunk as well as those that control vital functions such as speech, swallowing and later breathing generally follows.

There are no effective treatments to halt or reverse the progression of ALS. However, there are treatments that help control symptoms and prevent unnecessary complications. One in particular, Riluzole, reduces damage to nerves by decreasing levels of glutamate — an amino acid that plays a key role in the neural pathways associated with learning and memory. This treatment prolongs survival by a few months but does not reverse any damage already done to motor neurons prior to a patient taking the medicine.

The Medical Cannabis Connection:

Cannabis Fights Neurodegeneration:

THC and CBD are both potent antioxidants, according to the U.S. government, which filed a patent on the antioxidant and neuroprotective properties of cannabinoids based on research from 1998. Once again, we encounter the hypocrisies of federal drug policy, which steadfastly maintains that cannabis has no medical value.

In another study entitled, Cannabidiol: a promising drug for neurodegenerative disorders? — done in 2009 by the Department of Experimental Pharmacology at the University of Naples, Italy and sponsored by the NIH, the scientists concluded:

“Nevertheless, among Cannabis compounds, cannabidiol (CBD), which lacks any unwanted psychotropic effect, may represent a very promising agent with the highest prospect for therapeutic use.”

Let’s explore how Cannabis affects neurodegeneration:

Oxidative stress and the creation of free radicals begins in the powerhouses of cells, known as the Mitochndria. Mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in virtually all disease, especially age-related neurodegeneration.

An estimated fifteen percent of all CB1 receptors in neurons exist on the mitochondria.

According to a 2016 report in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (London):

“Cannabinoids as regulators of mitochondrial activity, as anti-oxidants and as modulators of clearance processes protect neurons on the molecular level… Neuroinflammatory processes contributing to the progression of normal brain ageing and to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases are suppressed by cannabinoids, suggesting that they may also influence the aging process on the system level.”

Another study found:

Cannabinoid CB1 Receptors Are Localized in Striated Muscle Mitochondria and Regulate Mitochondrial Respiration (Frontiers in Physiology, Oct. 2016)

“In conclusion, CB1 receptors are localized in the mitochondria of striated muscles in a similar proportion to brain tissue.”

And finally, in promising new research out of Israel, where the endocannabinoid system was first discovered in 1963, scientists found that in people affected by the disease, the muscle secretes toxic free radicals and that in people with ALS, not only was the level of free radical toxicity higher, but there was also an increase in the number of receptors.

In addition, the researchers found that this higher toxicity occurred when there were reduced levels of one specific microRNA (miRs): the miR-126–5p, in ALS models. MicroRNAs are small molecules that regulate the translation of proteins and play an important role in many other cellular processes.

“We demonstrated in lab work and on mouse models that we can successfully ameliorate ALS symptoms using this miR as a potential drug,” Dr Eran Perlson of the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at TAU’s Sackler Faculty of Medicine, said in the statement. “We further demonstrated that muscle tissue — not only motor neurons — are undoubtedly involved in the progression of ALS.”

In a study, Cannabinoid neuroimmune modulation of SIV disease, scientists linked cannabinoids to these same microRNA’s. (Molina, P.E., Amedee, A., LeCapitaine, N.J. et al. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol (2011) 6: 516.)

“Cannabinoids could also be modulating the expression of miRNAs, a novel class of endogenous, small, noncoding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression via degradation or translational inhibition of their target mRNAs. MicroRNAs are important regulators of cell differentiation, proliferation/growth, mobility, and apoptosis.” (Zhang, 2008)

In Conclusion:

We now know, through rigorous government sponsored testing as well as cutting edge research from Israel, that Cannabis has neurorengerative properties and affects cell respiration, fights free radicals and keeps cells from dying. Also, the existence of Cannabinoid receptors has been shown on striated muscle tissues. Putting these important discoveries together with the new thoughts on the synergies of microRNA’s and Cannabis has huge implications in treating and possibly even curing diseases such as ALS.

We are constantly being advised to seek balance in our lives. Whether it is eating a balanced diet consisting of a healthy ratio of vegetables, proteins and carbohydrates or in seeking the proper work/life balance, this ensures our optimal functioning.

When we apply the idea of balance to our biological systems, it is referred to as homeostasis. You might recognize this term as it is a common theme throughout all of our blogs concerning Medical Marijuana.

We are normally referring to the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) and the regulatory, balancing effects of the various cannabinoids present in Medical Marijuana by their uncanny ability to fit into the CB1 and CB2 receptors in our brains and on the tissues of our cells.

The broader definition of homeostasis refers to an organism’s ability or tendency to maintain internal stability to compensate for environmental changes. In terms of our bodies, this relates to resiliency. How we fight off infection, compensate for toxins and repair environmental insult.

We have intricate systems of atoms, molecules and receptors which make up the cells of our bodies. For those a little rusty on their biology, atoms contain protons and electrons. When two atoms attach together, they form a molecule. A collection of molecules grouped together creates cells.

Atoms usually contain equal numbers of protons and electrons and that atom is electrically neutral. If an atom has more or fewer electrons than protons, then it has an overall negative or positive charge, respectively, and it is called an ion. Other atoms with unpaired electrons are known as radicals and are highly reactive.

When oxygen molecules split into single atoms that have unpaired electrons, they become unstable free radicals that seek other atoms or molecules to bond to. If this continues to happen, it begins a process called oxidative stress.

Free radicals can cause large chain chemical reactions in your body because they react so easily with other atoms and molecules. Antioxidants are molecules that can donate an electron to a free radical without making themselves unstable. This causes the free radical to stabilize and become less reactive.

Oxidative stress is an imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in your body. These reactions are called oxidation. This imbalance leads to damage of important biomolecules and cells, with potential impact on our entire body. Oxidative stress can activate a variety of proteins that affect DNA, which leads to the expression of some genes involved in inflammatory mechanisms. This is how inflammation is triggered by oxidative stress.

Stress induced oxidative stress and the resulting inflammation play a major role in aging and development of various diseases. You think of a disease; oxidative stress and/or inflammation are believed to be one of their generative factors. Some of the important diseases in which oxidative stress and inflammation play an important role are:

• coronary heart disease (CHD)
• hypertension
• metabolic syndrome
• diabetes
• kidney dysfunction
• pulmonary insufficiency
• atherosclerosis
• rheumatoid arthritis
• inflammatory bowel disease
• neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and ALS
• age-related macular degeneration.

Oxidative stress is also thought to be involved in: ADHD, cancer, sickle-cell disease, lichen planus, vitiligo, autism, infection, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression and Asperger syndrome.

The Role of Medical Marijuana on Oxidative Stress

THC and CBD are powerful antioxidants — more powerful than vitamin C and E. In fact a U.S. Government Patent #6630507 is specifically for the neuroprotectant and antioxidant properties of cannabinoids. The government has known about this for some time.

Also, we talk a lot about the “entourage effect” and antioxidants have a “network effect,” too. In his book The Antioxidant Miracle: Your Complete Plan for Total Health and Healing, Lester Packer, a noted antioxidant researcher, explains that antioxidants work together to support each other and therefore are much more powerful together than on their own. They build on each other, working synergistically. Just like the orchestrations of the over 400 cannabinoids present in whole plant, full-spectrum marijuana products.

So although the government might think they have beaten us to the punch with their patent, they are taking a narrow minded approach by isolating certain compounds from the cannabis plant and deriving synthetic drugs.

The following studies bear up the federal government’s interest in cannabinoids as antioxidants:

Cannabidiol and (-)Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol are neuroprotective antioxidants (Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Regulation, National Institutes of Mental Health, 1998) The study concluded:

“Cannabidiol, THC and several synthetic cannabinoids all were demonstrated to be antioxidants by cyclic voltametry. Cannabidiol and THC also were shown to prevent hydroperoxide-induced oxidative damage as well as or better than other antioxidants in a chemical (Fenton reaction) system and neuronal cultures. Cannabidiol was more protective against glutamate neurotoxicity than either ascorbate (Vitamin C) or alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E), indicating it to be a potent antioxidant. These data also suggest that the naturally occurring, nonpsychotropic cannabinoid, cannabidiol, may be a potentially useful therapeutic agent for the treatment of oxidative neurological disorders such as cerebral ischemia.”

Another study done in 2000:

Neuroprotective antioxidants from marijuana (Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Regulation, NIMH, 2000) concluded:

“it was demonstrated that Cannabidiol, THC and other cannabinoids are potent antioxidants. As evidence that cannabinoids can act as an antioxidants in neuronal cultures, cannabidiol was demonstrated to reduce hydroperoxide toxicity in neurons. In a head to head trial of the abilities of various antioxidants to prevent glutamate toxicity, cannabidiol was superior to both alpha-tocopherol and ascorbate in protective capacity.”

That was twenty and eighteen years ago respectively folks. These studies go against the federal government’s militant stance on marijuana and its Schedule One designation.

Then in 2009 scientists studying diabetes and Cannabis in this study:

Beneficial effects of a Cannabis sativa extract treatment on diabetes‐induced neuropathy and oxidative stress (Phytotherapy Research, Wiley Online Library, Nov 2009) found that in rats with induced diabetes, Cannabis sativa decreased glutathione (one of our bodies naturally produced and most effective antioxidants, also known as the master antioxidant) loss in the liver while preventing nerve damage.

“These findings highlighted the beneficial effects of cannabis extract treatment in attenuating diabetic neuropathic pain, possibly through a strong antioxidant activity and a specific action upon nerve growth factor.”

In 2010 this was further investigated while also highlighting Medical Marijuana’s potential to treat heart disease in this study:

Cannabidiol Attenuates Cardiac Dysfunction, Oxidative Stress, Fibrosis, and Inflammatory and Cell Death Signaling Pathways in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Volume 56, Dec 2010)

“Collectively, these results coupled with the excellent safety and tolerability profile of CBD in humans, strongly suggest that it may have great therapeutic potential in the treatment of diabetic complications, and perhaps other cardiovascular disorders, by attenuating oxidative/nitrative stress, inflammation, cell death and fibrosis.”

These studies show pretty convincing evidence that cannabinoids may reduce oxidative stress by not only acting as powerful antioxidants but also by blocking the production of oxidative stress markers and increasing antioxidant enzyme activities while preventing glutathione depletion.

This knowledge has huge implications! With oxidative stress thought to be an underlying factor in everything from aging to cancer and almost every disease in between …aren’t you interested in whatever substance, working alone or synergistically with other compounds, has been shown to effectively address this condition?

And that is a more powerful antioxidant than both Vitamins C and E?

Now keeping our crash course in biology fresh in our minds, let’s turn our discussion to relevant studies that have shown cannabinoids to have anti-inflammatory effects, understanding that it is thought to be directly related to oxidative stress.

Cannabinoids as novel anti-inflammatory drugs (Future Medicinal Chemistry, Oct 2009).

“The fact that both CB1 and CB2 receptors have been found on immune cells suggests that cannabinoids play an important role in the regulation of the immune system. Recent studies demonstrated that administration of THC into mice triggered marked apoptosis in T cells and dendritic cells, resulting in immunosuppression. In addition, several studies showed that cannabinoids downregulate cytokine and chemokine production and, in some models, upregulate T-regulatory cells (Tregs) as a mechanism to suppress inflammatory responses. The endocannabinoid system is also involved in immunoregulation. For example, administration of endocannabinoids or use of inhibitors of enzymes that break down the endocannabinoids, led to immunosuppression and recovery from immune-mediated injury to organs such as the liver. Manipulation of endocannabinoids and/or use of exogenous cannabinoids in vivo can constitute a potent treatment modality against inflammatory disorders.”

And scientists in Switzerland studied an interesting, often overlooked cannabinoid — beta-carophyllene, which has a very different molecular structure to that of the classical cannabinoids and is non-psychoactive. It composes between 12 and 35 percent of the cannabis plant’s essential oil, and activates the CB2 receptor selectively.

In Why Cannabis Stems Inflammation (ETH Zurich/Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, July 2008), the scientists were not only able to prove that beta-carophyllene binds with the CB2 receptor in vitro but also in animal tests, where they treated mice that were suffering from an inflammatory swelling on their paws with orally administered doses of the substance. The swelling declined in up to 70 percent of the animals.

“Whilst the CB1 receptor in the central nervous system influences perception, the CB2 receptor in the tissue plays a crucial role in inhibiting inflammation. If the receptor is activated, the cell releases fewer pro-inflammatory signal substances, or cytokines.”

In a related study undertaken at the University of Milan, Italy, Oral anti-inflammatory activity of cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive constituent of cannabis, in acute carrageenan-induced inflammation in the rat paw (Naunyn-Schmiedeberg’s Archives of Pharmacology, March 2004), scientists found that CBD reduced induced inflammation in rat paws:

“There were decreases in PGE2 (prostaglandin E2) plasma levels, tissue COX (cyclooxygenase) activity, production of oxygen-derived free radicals, and NO (nitric oxide) after three doses of cannabidiol…In conclusion, oral cannabidiol has a beneficial action on two symptoms of established inflammation: edema (fluid retention) and hyperalgesia (increased sensitivity to pain).”

Another study found the effectiveness of yet another lesser known cannabinoid, CBC or cannabichromene, on fighting inflammation:

Inhibitory effect of cannabichromene, a major non-psychotropic cannabinoid extracted from Cannabis sativa, on inflammation-induced hypermotility in mice (British Journal of Pharmacology, June 2012)

“CBC selectively reduces inflammation-induced hypermotility in vivo in a manner that is not dependent on cannabinoid receptors or TRPA1.”

And finally, a study undertaken in 2004 by the Japanese Pharmacological Society, New Perspectives in the Studies on Endocannabinoid and Cannabis: 2-Arachidonoylglycerol as a Possible Novel Mediator of Inflammation (Journal of Pharmacological Sciences, Oct 2004) points to yet another of the lesser known cannabinoids, 2-AG, as a possible anti-inflammatory:

“it is apparent that 2-AG plays an important part during the course of a variety of inflammatory reactions, such as acute inflammation and allergic inflammation in vivo, yet the details of the mechanism as well as the mode of action of 2-AG remain to be clarified. Further detailed studies on the CB2 receptor and 2-AG are essential for a thorough elucidation of the precise regulatory mechanisms of various inflammatory reactions.”

In Conclusion

We have seen how Medical Marijuana, and more specifically, its bountiful array of cannabinoids, are instrumental in addressing homeostasis, or balance, at even the most micro levels of existence: on the subatomic level. Not to mention their efficacy on a more macro level in fitting into endocannabinoid receptors located throughout our bodies and brains.

There is undeniable evidence that cannabinoids function as powerful antioxidants which fight free radical damage, reducing oxidative stress and its resultant inflammation. The profusion of diseases attributable to these conditions warrants serious study of almost every element within what has been called one of the “most medicinal plants” on our planet.

The concern that we share is to maintain the freedom to choose the right delivery methods, strains and whole plant options without being confined to the federal government’s ideas around patented pieces of the whole which will then be highly regulated and sold to us through pharmaceutical companies.

Join the movement towards taking back your healing and preventative alternatives for ensuring optimal health. Become an educated Medical Marijuana patient today.

Wake up sleeping Goddesses!

Are you a magical person? Do you radiate a high vibe kind of beauty and shine in a Light of truth that no one can ignore? When you walk into a room does your presence uplift others?

Well, let me help you to step it up a notch. There is a whole new level of skincare ready to fortify, empower, strengthen, soothe and protect your largest and most vital organ — your skin. While also possibly allowing “unexplainable” synergistic healing of other aspects of your well-being.

Yes, it is TRUTH!

I’ll let you in on a little secret that A-Listers, alternative healers, elite athletes and every woman who wears high heels must know:

How to Activate Skin Ascension with CBD-infused Skincare Products and a CBD-Enhanced Gut Health Supplement:

You will need 3 ELEMENTS to ELEVATE

The Trinity of Divinely Beautiful Skin:

1. LOTS of Good Water (I like Kangen)
2. Good Sleep (7–8 hours minimum)
3. Pure, highest source CBD-fortified products to balance, restore, fortify and protect.

I’m assuming that we all eat the perfect diet, right? That kind of goes without saying as Hippocrates said: Food is our primary medicine.
So what you put in your body, as well as on your skin will reveal itself.

Purity, truth, wisdom…versus stress, junk food and toxins.

But what if you don’t have your own private Keto chef or home delivery service or organic garden? Your most powerful ally will be CBD-infused skin care products and supplements.

Phytocannabinoids: Keys to Total Healing.

It was the FEMALE Cannabis plant that led Israeli researcher Dr. Ralph Mechoulam, in 1963 to discover the cannabinoid CBD. Then in 1964, the chemical structure of THC was revealed. These discoveries have led to the understanding that humans have a unique and widespread network which seeks balance, or homeostasis, through interacting with phytocannabinoids.

This is known as the Endogenous Cannabis System or ECS..

Phytocannabinoids are prevalent in every living whole food, like mangoes, peppers, spinach, herbs, spices, and more exotic ingredients: kava, chocolate, black pepper. Every plant has a phytocannabinoid system, and we should be absorbing this from foods. But, the proliferation of pesticides and unhealthy additives have greatly reduced our ability to obtain enough phytocannabinoids from our highly processed food.

Your system has been literally craving these important phytocannabinoids because you have not been getting them from your food source — unless you are fortunate to have gone fully organic. Not the easiest choice in our current society.

“Food is medicine. But much of today’s food is not medicine. It is garbage.”

Dr. Jenny Wilkins is an expert on the endocannabinoid system (ECS) who lectures to medical professionals worldwide and has authored a number of papers on the ECS and on cannabinoids.

The Bridge to Your Higher Self:

There are a receptors called CB1 and CB2 located throughout our bodies — in our brains, throughout our nervous systems, in our guts and, not surprisingly, in every cell of our skin.

“The endogenous cannabinoid system — named for the plant that led to its discovery — is one of the most important physiologic systems involved in establishing and maintaining human health. Endocannabinoids and their receptors are found throughout the body: in the brain, organs, connective tissues, glands, and immune cells. With its complex actions in our immune system, nervous system, and virtually all of the body’s organs, the endocannabinoids are literally a bridge between body and mind.” Bradley E. Alger, Cerebrum, 2014: Getting High on The Endocannabinoid System.

Bam! Cherry on the Sundae…”a bridge between body and mind.” I know all the yogis and magical peeps out there already know this but it’s nice when science scurries to keep up with divine genius. And I’m going to go one step further and include the spirit. Cannabis is also widely reported to help users reach higher levels of spiritual awareness, open and enlarge the chakras and connect with others more empathically. It works with the divine trinity of true healing: body, mind, spirit.

What is CBD?

CBD (Cannabidiol) is a phytocannabinoid from the Cannabis Sativa or hemp plant.

One of the most effective ways to restore homeostasis, or balance, to your whole being is by enriching all the CB1 and CB2 receptors in your ECS with phytocannabinoids. The Cannabis plant in general has been named one of the most medicinal botanicals on the earth and the richest source of phytocannabinoids. It has been used medicinally in ancient Tibetan, Chinese, Egyptian and Indian cultures for thousands of years.

And CBD is the emerging superstar at the moment as, unlike THC, it has no psychoactive effects yet is dramatically effective.

Studies have shown that CBD is effective in these areas:

• Pain reliever
• Anti-inflammatory
• Nerve protector
• Gut Balancer
• Blood sugar regulator
• Increases blood flow
• Reduces seizures
• Relieves anxiety

CBD is also ideally suited for a host of other beneficial effects, such as stress relief, enhanced focus and cognitive abilities and even migraine relief.

Back in 2009, a study published in Trends Pharmacol Science, intriguingly suggested the existence of a functional ECS in the skin and implicated it in various biological processes.

“It seems that the main physiological function of the cutaneous ECS is to constitutively control the proper and well-balanced proliferation, differentiation and survival, as well as immune competence and/or tolerance, of skin cells. The disruption of this delicate balance might facilitate the development of multiple pathological conditions and diseases of the skin (e.g. acne, seborrhea, allergic dermatitis, itch and pain, psoriasis, hair growth disorders, systemic sclerosis and cancer).”

And if all this GOODNESS isn’t enough, Cannabis oil also:

1. Contains all 21 known amino acids.

2. Is rich in essential fatty acids such as Omega-3 and Omega-6, vital for our internal body and skin. These acids help combat daily problems that our skin is the first to take on, whether it be from inclement weather, sun exposure, dry climates, UV or other daily factors.

3. CBD is an antioxidant that is even more powerful than Vitamin C,E,A or omega 3 fatty acids.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:

I am currently testing some CBD Skincare products that are ELEVATING my being.

Within the first three days of using an indulgent body butter— a divinely conjured formulation of CBD and the highest source healing superstars like Shea, Babassu, Olive, Frankincense and Egyptian Myrrh — (I crafted my own organic skincare for several years and these are all stellar super healers that I would have chosen) — a constellation of irritated red bumps on my chest cleared up. I have been struggling with these strange flare-ups as a result of a yet undiagnosed autoimmune disorder. They know what it isn’t but can’t figure out what it is. So, they just kept slathering corticosteroids and prescribing really harsh medicines like Methotrexate. Nothing worked. For years.

Then in three days. Gone. I don’t need to know how at this point, I’m still kind of in awe. Something got balanced or fed, soothed, calmed, or healed very simply.

An anti-aging, lifting cream has given me that “I don’t need makeup” glow that I, at age 56, thought was gone for good. I mean, I ran out of foundation and realized I love my new healthy, natural glow. People, like my mom (who notices everything), have commented that I am looking RADIANT. My skin feels Nourished and Restored.

The roll on skin relief stick is a miracle worker for my temples and third eye. It also relieves my neck pain. And ooooooh…how could I forget? I use it on the soles of my feet when I’m going out in high heels and I no longer have to make the fashion/pain choice.

The Relaxing Massage Oil rocked both me and my partner’s worlds when we gave each other massages. We both noticed enhanced relaxation of muscles, soothed nerves and an overall feeling of uplifted enrichment.

I must note that I am also ingesting 20 mgs of full spectrum CBD oil orally daily and nightly, vape about 10mg of Sativa in the mornings, and micro-dose throughout long bursts of creative work, and 30mg Indica oil in capsule form at bedtime.

I have gone off all other pharmaceutical medications for the first time I can remember. I have never felt so ALIVE! The biggest surprise of all has been the awakening of my formerly nonexistent sex drive. Wow.

With the blossoming and nurturing of the female Cannabis plant to her fullest potential to heal, we are also allowing that energy to rise and heal the planet. It is healing me and elevating me in such ways that it is almost surreal.

And I used to be scared of this stuff because I never wanted to be branded a slacker or stoner. Alcohol, however, was offered as the more adult, socially acceptable option. It turns out, Cannabis is healing, enhancing and protective. Alcohol…well, not so much.

Intention. Awareness. Energy.

Anyone on a spiritual path has come to the realization that it is all about the intention behind an action or a substance. Will it be used to harm or to heal?

And hopefully all of the beautiful female Cannabis plants are being overseen by awesomely intentioned companies such as M3 Life, with the highest standards of botanical support, to fully express their magical healing capabilities.

In 1902 Thomas Edison said:

“There were never so many able, active minds at work on the problems of disease as now, and all their discoveries are tending toward the simple truth that you can’t improve on nature.”

Cannabinoid research is discovering this daily. Join in the exciting advancements ahead and allow your own healing, balancing, and ultimately elevating experience to then uplift others.

Even if you’re Jeff Sessions or a Big Pharma exec, you know that CBD is taking the health and wellness world by storm. This article will help CBD newbies and experts alike understand why it provides relief for so many conditions and how to find a good supplier.

Although it’s new to many people today, Cannabis aka “Marijuana” has been used in Chinese medicine since 10,000 BC! How’s that for a track record? And despite whatever propaganda we’ve seen, it has always been safe–unlike synthetic drugs which are killing and poisoning people daily.

In the mid-1960s, western scientists identified CBD and THC — the two main cannabinoids present in the cannabis plant. THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is a chemical compound that delivers the “high” that occurs from ingesting cannabis.

CBD, on the other hand, cannot make you psychoactive or “high.” Rather, this compound has much of the non-psychoactive properties of Medical Marijuana. In fact, you can use CBD to counteract THC’s mind-altering effects. Pretty amazing that the plant has a built-in safety mechanism!

Since the 60’s, over 400 individual cannabinoids have been discovered which show great symptom-relieving and disease-fighting abilities. They each have distinctly different effects within the body, and different potential uses for health and disease.

CBD, however, has captured the most attention for its wide-ranging health benefits. At our clinics across Florida we’ve seen thousands of lives positively impacted by this miraculous substance.

• CBD Oil Helps You Sleep

“Almost every clinical study that’s looked at cannabis-based medicines has shown an improvement in sleep. To say otherwise is to be staring in a deep hole — a deep hole of ignorance.” Dr. Ethan Russo, world renowned cannabis researcher.

Sleep disorders are pervasive, and 25%-30% of adults in the US have a disorder that results in some impact on their lifespan and overall health. From jet lag, restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea, narcolepsy to the most common — insomnia — our ability to get a good night’s sleep can be challenging.

Anxiety, stress, and depression are some of the most common causes of chronic insomnia. The majority of us have trouble sleeping sometimes. This is even more likely, though, if you have PTSD. Trouble sleeping and nightmares are two symptoms of PTSD.

And honestly, in these uncertain and stressful times, most of us probably fall somewhere on the PTSD spectrum. You don’t have to have fought in a war to suffer from the traumas of modern day life.

Enter CBD Oil.

Again, CBD Oil will not get you high! It is as safe as the Omega 3 Oil or other health supplements that you might take. But it packs an incredibly powerful punch when it comes to sleep disorders.

In one study, scientists found in healthy volunteers with regular sleep cycles, 600 mg of CBD induced sedative effects, whereas in subjects with insomnia, daily use of CBD (160 mg/day) was associated with an increase in total sleep time and less frequent awakenings. Daily CBD doses of 40, 80, or 160 mg were shown to reduce dream recall and did not cause ‘hangover’ effects compared to placebo. (Nicholson AN, Turner C, Stone BM, Robson PJ. Effect of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol on nocturnal sleep and earlymorning behavior in young adults. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 2004)

More recently, a study in 2014 investigated the effects of daily doses of CBD (75–300 mg per day for 6 weeks) in patients with Parkinson’s disease and found a reduction in symptoms of REM sleep behavior disorder. After discontinuation of the drug, the frequency of symptoms returned to baseline levels, prior to treatment with CBD. (Cannabidiol can improve complex sleep-related behaviours associated with rapid eye movement sleep behaviour disorder in Parkinson’s disease patients: a case series, Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 2014, NIH).

This has big implications in the treatment of PTSD, as a reduction in REM sleep reduces the nightmares associated with this condition.

Similarly, CBD-enriched extract was described as a safe treatment for reducing anxiety and improving sleep in a young girl with post-traumatic stress disorder. (Effectiveness of Cannabidiol Oil for Pediatric Anxiety and Insomnia as Part of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Case Report. Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Fall 2016)

Other studies investigating cannabinoids and obstructive sleep apnea suggest that synthetic cannabinoids such as nabilone and dronabinol may have short-term benefit for sleep apnea due to their corrective effects on serotonin-influenced apneas. “CBD may hold promise for REM sleep behavior disorder and excessive daytime sleepiness, while nabilone may reduce nightmares associated with PTSD and may improve sleep among patients with chronic pain.” (Cannabis, Cannabinoids, and Sleep: a Review of the Literature, Current Psychiatry Reports, April 2017)

• CBD Oil Provides Anxiety Relief

The scientific evidence for CBD’s ability to quell anxiety, dampen psychosis, and lift the mood is inconsistent at the moment, although the National Institute on Drug Abuse is optimistic: “CBD has shown therapeutic efficacy in a range of animal models of anxiety and stress, reducing both behavioral and physiological (e.g., heart rate) measures of stress and anxiety.”

In this study, Cannabidiol reduces the anxiety induced by simulated public speaking in treatment-naïve social phobia patients. (Neuropsychopharmacology, May 2011, NIH), scientists monitoring the anxiety levels of volunteers with Social Anxiety Disorder who had to give a mock public speech found that only one 600 mg dose of CBD significantly reduced anxiety, cognitive impairment and discomfort in their speech performance, and significantly decreased alert in their anticipatory speech. In fact, the study found that the high levels of anxiety experienced by the placebo group were almost abolished in the CBD group.

“I think there’s good evidence to suggest that CBD could be an effective treatment of anxiety, addiction and other disorders,” says Dr. Esther Blessing, a psychiatrist and researcher at New York University. “These results suggest that CBD reduces anxiety in SAD and that this is related to its effects on activity in limbic and paralimbic brain areas.”

Now, with funding from the National Institutes of Health, Blessing and group of collaborators are about to begin a clinical trial to test whether CBD can help people with post-traumatic stress disorder who also have moderate or severe alcohol use disorder.

During the study, 50 participants with PTSD coexisting with alcohol use disorder will be given either 400 milligrams of CBD daily, or a placebo. The goal is to see if the participants who take CBD end up drinking less and whether this leads to an improvement in PTSD symptoms.

And because anxiety and PTSD are often comorbid with addiction and substance abuse, another Phase 2 clinical trial is exploring whether CBD might help prevent relapse in opioid abusers by reducing cravings for the drug. The study is led by Yasmin Hurd, a neuroscientist who directs the Addiction Institute at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Hurd has been trying to rally other top scientists to study CBD’s effects and potential benefits in the treatment of substance abuse.

It may seem counterintuitive that a component of marijuana could be useful in treating addiction to another drug. But using CBD is very different from using marijuana in the mainstream view of getting high. Though CBD is extracted from cannabis, it does not lead to altered perception and cognition.

In a recent study linking the two conditions, Cannabidiol regulation of emotion and emotional memory processing: relevance for treating anxiety-related and substance abuse disorders. (British Journal of Pharmacology, Oct 2017, NIH), scientists found:

“Studies show that cannabidiol, the main non-psychotomimetic phytocannabinoid found in Cannabis sativa, reduces anxiety via 5-HT1A and (indirect) cannabinoid receptor activation in paradigms assessing innate responses to threat. There is also accumulating evidence from animal studies investigating the effects of cannabidiol on fear memory processing indicating that it reduces learned fear in paradigms that are translationally relevant to phobias and post-traumatic stress disorder. Cannabidiol does so by reducing fear expression acutely and by disrupting fear memory reconsolidation and enhancing fear extinction, both of which can result in a lasting reduction of learned fear. Recent studies have also begun to elucidate the effects of cannabidiol on drug memory expression using paradigms with translational relevance to addiction. The findings suggest that cannabidiol reduces the expression of drug memories acutely and by disrupting their reconsolidation.”

Once again, the use of CBD to treat the precursors to our current scourge of addiction is a huge deal and must be further investigated to help end this heartbreaking epidemic.

• CBD Oil is an Anti-inflammatory and Fights Oxidative Stress

CBD can be looked upon as one of the most efficient anti-inflammatory substances available! It even beats out traditional options such as Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Omega 3 supplements! Government sponsored research undertaken in 1998 bore out this discovery and led to a federal patent on both THC and CBD.

“Cannabidiol (CBD) was more protective against glutamate neurotoxicity than either ascorbate (Vitamin C) or alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E), indicating it to be a potent antioxidant. These data also suggest that the naturally occurring, nonpsychotropic cannabinoid, cannabidiol, may be a potentially useful therapeutic agent for the treatment of oxidative neurological disorders such as cerebral ischemia.” Cannabidiol and (-)Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol are neuroprotective antioxidants (Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Regulation, National Institutes of Mental Health, 1998)

According to a more recent cannabis related study published by the National Institutes of Health, it is now understood that cannabinoids exert anti-inflammatory properties as they go the extra mile in reducing the activity of the pathway most important to the inflammatory process. (Anti-inflammatory Properties of Cannabidiol, a Nonpsychotropic Cannabinoid, in Experimental Allergic Contact Dermatitis, The Journal of Pharamcology and Experimental Therapeutics, June 2018, NIH).

Furthermore, cannabinoids help stop inflammation as they contain beta-carophyllene, a terpene found in a variety of plants which are used for inflammatory diets.

Cannabidiol as an emergent therapeutic strategy for lessening the impact of inflammation on oxidative stress. (Free Radical Biology & Medicine, Sep 2011)

“However, growing evidence suggests that the endocannabinoid system, which includes the CB₁ and CB₂ G-protein-coupled receptors and their endogenous lipid ligands, may be an area that is ripe for therapeutic exploitation. In this context, the related nonpsychotropic cannabinoid cannabidiol, which may interact with the endocannabinoid system but has actions that are distinct, offers promise as a prototype for anti-inflammatory drug development. This review discusses recent studies suggesting that cannabidiol may have utility in treating a number of human diseases and disorders now known to involve activation of the immune system and associated oxidative stress, as a contributor to their etiology and progression. These include rheumatoid arthritis, types 1 and 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer disease, hypertension, the metabolic syndrome, ischemia-reperfusion injury, depression, and neuropathic pain.”

And in this study, Cannabidiol reduces intestinal inflammation through the control of neuroimmune axis. (Plos One, 2011, NIH) CBD was found to be a “new” therapeutic strategy to treat inflammatory bowel diseases.

• CBD Oil Lowers Blood pressure

According to an abstract from the, “Journal of Clinical Investigation,” Cannabidiol (CBD) was found to have numerous cardiovascular benefits, including a reduced blood pressure (BP) response to stress.

Nine healthy male volunteers were given 600 mg of CBD or placebo in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study.

“Our data show that a single dose of CBD reduces resting blood pressure and the blood pressure response to stress, particularly cold stress, and especially in the post-test periods. This may reflect the anxiolytic and analgesic effects of CBD, as well as any potential direct cardiovascular effects. … Further research is also required to establish whether CBD has any role in the treatment of cardiovascular disorders such as a hypertension.”

And further from the same study, A single dose of cannabidiol reduces blood pressure in healthy volunteers in a randomized crossover study (Journal of Clinical Investigation, June 2017):

“These findings build upon previous research that shows CBD is a vasodilator, which means it makes your arteries and blood vessels wider, allowing for greater blood flow with less pressure. There is a growing body of medical research showing that CBD’s neuroprotective effects are beneficial with cardiovascular diseases, especially in recovery from stroke and heart attack.”

• CBD Oil Regulates Blood sugar

CBD Oil is showing huge promise in treating blood sugar disorders, especially diabetes — another growing epidemic. This also has implications for diabetic complications and cardiovascular health.

The Impact of Marijuana Use on Glucose, Insulin, and Insulin Resistance among US Adults. (The American Journal of Medicine, July 2013) We found that marijuana use was associated with lower levels of fasting insulin and HOMA-IR, and smaller waist circumference.

Cannabidiol attenuates cardiac dysfunction, oxidative stress, fibrosis, and inflammatory and cell death signaling pathways in diabetic cardiomyopathy. (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Dec 2010) Ralph Mechoulam. Remarkably, CBD attenuated myocardial dysfunction, cardiac fibrosis, oxidative/nitrative stress, inflammation, cell death, and interrelated signaling pathways. Furthermore, CBD also attenuated the high glucose-induced increased reactive oxygen species generation, nuclear factor-κB activation, and cell death in primary human cardiomyocytes. Collectively, these results coupled with the excellent safety and tolerability profile of CBD in humans, strongly suggest that it may have great therapeutic potential in the treatment of diabetic complications, and perhaps other cardiovascular disorders, by attenuating oxidative/nitrative stress, inflammation, cell death and fibrosis.

Cannabidiol lowers incidence of diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice. (Autoimmunity, June 2006) We now report that CBD treatment significantly reduces the incidence of diabetes in NOD mice from an incidence of 86% in non-treated control mice to an incidence of 30% in CBD-treated mice.

ISA Scientific, an Israeli company, recently signed a worldwide collaboration and licensing deal to establish therapies containing CBD.

In a statement, ISA Scientific Chief Executive Officer Mark J. Rosenfeld said: “The licensing agreement is very well timed because our Phase 1 clinical trials on dosing and safety are now underway in Israel, and arrangements for Phase 2 trials on treating diabetes and chronic pain are in process.”

“Unlike insulin and other existing medications for diabetes, CBD may actually suppress, reverse and perhaps cure the disease,” Rosenfeld added.

• CBD Oil Fights Cancer

This is some of the most exciting research and anecdotal evidence emerging in the Medical Marijuana movement…Is marijuana not only effective in reducing the side effects of cancer such as pain, nausea and wasting…but could it also possibly be an important component of curing it?

We know from both lab testing, where Medical Marijuana and specifically the cannabinoids THC and CBD, and in tests in animals, that they were shown to have antitumourigenic properties. In other words, they inhibited the growth of tumors in five key ways:

CBD and THC

• hasten cell death or apoptosis.
• stop cancer cells from proliferating.
• reduce the ability of cancer cells to stick to other cells.
• cut off cancer cells nutrient sources by inhibiting angiogenesis (the development of new blood vessels).
• halt metastasis.

In this study, Cannabidiol inhibits angiogenesis by multiple mechanisms (British Journal of Pharmacology, Nov 2012) scientists concluded unequivocally that “CBD inhibits angiogenesis by multiple mechanisms. Its dual effect on both tumour and endothelial cells supports the hypothesis that CBD has potential as an effective agent in cancer therapy.”

This is huge! CBD has been shown to effectively starve the cancer cells which form tumors! Unfortunately, there have been no human trials as of yet because of the government’s militant stance — we kind of get tired of repeating this — yet many brave doctors, scientists and activists have been carrying the torch for decades.

Rick Simpson, Dr. Ethan Russo, Justin Kander, Dr. Jeffrey Hergenrather, Mara Gordon, Prof. Donald I. Abrams MD…the entire country of Israel…and so many others including our own Dr. Hashim are tirelessly presenting evidence and case studies from their own practices and observations.

Dosing regimens vary according to your specific diagnosis, genomic profile and sensitivity to THC but most doctors recommend a high dose combination of THC/CBD for cancer eradication with a maintenance program consisting of high daily doses of CBD Oil.

We encourage you to further educate yourself and decide if CBD Oil will become one of your most powerful health allies.

Purified by scalding upheaval, rebuilt with new light.