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Marijuana Cannabinoids - Oral and Transdermal Methods

The research indicates that cannabinoids hold the secret to helping heal many of the chronic diseases we are facing. From cancer to diabetes, and from autism to Alzheimer's, medical marijuana helps, and sometimes dramatically so. Cannabinoid medicine holds a great power to alleviate human suffering. There are no words to describe how important this substance is for our race in terms of sanity, compassion and highly rational medicine.

Although medical marijuana is nontoxic, smoking it can be hazardous over the long term because toxic compounds are created in the combustion process. Fortunately there are options for the administration of cannabis but in general all different ways of administrating hemp oil or raw marijuana can be combined with no harmful side effects. Also there are vaporizers that allow for inhalation or what amounts to transdermal treatments into the lungs without burning the marijuana. It's a cool clean smoke of powerful medicine.

Smoking marijuana has limited medical value when used exclusively, especially when it is inhaled through burning. It can reduce blood sugar; it can also help reduce ocular pressure for people with glaucoma. Most people know of marijuana's ability to reduce nausea, and smoking marijuana will often reduce the pain associated with many medical conditions. Smoking "grass" does make a person relax, which in itself can be quite beneficial. Smoking does help reduce the symptoms of many conditions but in general it does not work on a curative level like oral consumption does.

Rick Simpson, the most courageous medical marijuana expert of them all, says, "Smoking is the least effective method of using hemp as a medicine. The power of hemp medicine is magnified many times when the concentrated essential oil of the hemp plant is produced. If you want to see the real medicinal magic in the hemp plant, start ingesting high-grade hemp oil.

When one starts ingesting the raw, unburned THC and its associated cannabinoids, medical miracles often occur. When a person smokes a joint, over 90% of the medicinal aspect of the plant material goes up in smoke. It's ironic to see people who have taken chemotherapy smoke hemp to reduce their nausea. They are smoking the very substance that, if taken properly, could cure them."

Cannabis, or marijuana, has been utilized as an ingredient in food and drink for thousands of years. Recipes were often recorded in rhyme, assisting in the memorization process. One such recipe, Bhang (a milk-based drink), dates back to 800 B.C. when it was first concocted in India. The Chinese use of cannabis as a staple food source -- for both humans and animals -- dates back to the 7th century B.C. Gathered for their exceptional nutritional value, cannabis seeds provided an exceptional source of protein and nutrients.

Oral Cannabis

When we ingest marijuana it is absorbed via the intestines and then passes through the liver, which processes the THC into a byproduct called 11-hydroxy-THC, which then travels to the bloodstream and then on to our brains. 11-hydroxy THC is thought to be four to five times more potent than regular THC. This is one reason why edibles are known to be more potent when compared to inhaled cannabis. Edibles are also thought to be strong sedatives and many patients use them for treatment of insomnia.

Marijuana taken in edible form usually takes from 40 minutes to one hour to start working and the peak effect is at two hours. The effects last though from six to eight hours, which is very convenient for those patients who want to sleep or have longer control of pain.

The key to proper use of oral marijuana is to know how much to eat so as to get the best medicinal effect without taking too much. The general rule is, if you buy an edible product from a registered marijuana dispensary, cut the edible product into four pieces and eat one piece to start. Wait at least one hour. If you feel braver start with half! If you feel the effects of the medication, do not eat any more. If you do not feel the effects of the medication, you can eat another piece. There have been patients who unknowingly have ingested too much and have felt "too high," nausea, vomiting, and very groggy, so it's best to start out slow in the beginning. If you do not feel much at a full dose than try a dose and a half or even two doses.

Transdermal Marijuana

Marijuana is lipophilic, which means that it can be dissolved into a fat-soluble substance and readily enter cell membranes. In other words, it can be effective when applied topically on the skin. Marijuana can be used transdermally to relieve pain from many conditions. Medical marijuana can be a balm, lotion, ointment or rubbing alcohol solution. In the old days when people only had plants to use for medication, many patients would soak marijuana leaves in alcohol and apply them as a poultice to an arthritic or swollen joint.

Many substances pass easily through the skin and that is why transdermal medicine has been more evident in contemporary medicine. When it comes to marijuana's anti-inflammatory effect people have long experienced this in action when they have applied marijuana to their skin. Patients with arthritis, muscle and joint pain can testify to the easing of the aches and pains that they feel on a regular basis. Topical marijuana preparations usually provide only local relief and do not have effect on the brain, meaning there is usually no high. This is helpful for those times when marijuana use is inappropriate (like when you have to drive your car) and you still need pain relief! Topical preparations can be purchased or made at home.

Transdermal medicine is ideal for pain management as well as sports and pediatric medicine. In fact it is one of the best ways to administer medicines quickly and effectively. Transdermal methods of delivery are widely used because they allow the absorption of medicine directly through the skin. Gels, emulsion creams, sprays and lip balm stick applicators are easy to use and are effective in getting medicine into the bloodstream quickly.

Traditional methods of administering medicine such as tablets or capsules get watered down and become much less effective due to stomach acids and digestive enzymes before they eventually get into the bloodstream. Bypassing the stomach and liver means a much greater percentage of the active ingredient goes straight into the bloodstream where it's needed.In many cases, transdermal methods are used to help avoid potential side effects such as stomach upset or drowsiness. The full potential for transdermal medicine has not been explored by modern medicine though it has been practiced for thousands of years in hot springs around the world.

Of course the use of magnesium oil for these same effects is also recommended and using topical magnesium and marijuana together in combination is excellent for difficult, stubborn pain. One of the main points for everyone to understand is that when we are thrust back to simpler lives, having access to versatile medicines without cost is important. If the governments would get off their people's backs, marijuana would be legal and virtually free because it's so easily grown.

It is highly regrettable that the deficiency of such an inexpensive,
low-toxicity nutrient like magnesium results in diseases that
cause incalculable suffering and expense throughout the world.
Dr. Steven Johnson

Bottom line, when it comes to pain medications that work on the source of pain and disease, there is nothing like magnesium chloride and nothing like cannabinoid medicine. Together they are the Batman and Robin superhero medical team for the world of pain, heavy emotional upset, and the general treatment of disease. Add sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and iodine and you already have a full medical team at your fingertips.

Hemp Salves and Oils Offer Potent Solutions

One hospital pathologist cut his finger during an autopsy; bacteria resistant to antibiotics infected the wound and it seemed that an amputation was going to be inevitable. Then someone had the idea to ask Prof. Kabelik, who was known for his research on the medicinal use of cannabis, for help. He applied his hemp salve and two days later the wound was already healing and the amputation was avoided.

Topical Solution Uses

Arthritis ---------------------------- Pain
Dry/chapped skin ---------------- Rashes
Eczema ---------------------------- Rheumatism
Headaches or migraines --------- Swelling
Insect bites ----------------------- Sunburns
Burns ------------------------------ Stiff neck
Muscle soreness ----------------- Tendonitis

A Seattle company is reportedly developing a medical marijuana patch for pets, calling it a "question of quality of life." Jim Alekson's Medical Marijuana Delivery Systems, LLC has patented the patch, called Tetracan, and says it could be used on dogs, cats, and even horses. The patch would be available for human use as well. According to Alekson, "Dogs suffer from the same maladies that humans do," and pets can suffer greatly from pain -- everything from arthritis to cancer. He said that harsh pharmaceutical painkillers have proven harmful, sometimes fatal to animals.

In California an adult may grow, buy and smoke marijuana, all while remaining safely within the confines of state law. Dr. William Courtney tells his patients "Don't smoke the stuff. Eat it!" It won't get you high eaten raw, and juiced with a handful of carrots to cut the bitter taste, its leaves and buds may well offer an important contribution to getting people well.

Courtney juices carrots to cut the harsh taste of the ingredients
largely absent in the psychotropic variety of cannabis.
Karl Vick for The Washington Post

Kristen Peskuski summarized her return to near-full health -- including debilitating lupus, interstitial cystitis, rheumatoid arthritis and 40 medications a day -- after juicing fresh pot leaves over a 30-month period. Courtney's approach promotes marijuana as a good-for-you vegetable like spinach.

Raw bud has a high concentration of cannabinoids and is excellent for consumption. When consumed, raw marijuana generally does not make a person high. The main psychoactive compound in dried, aged cannabis is delta-9 THC, which is absent in the raw, fresh leaf. However, the other compounds, such as the terpenes, may have an effect on mood or energy levels. Raw leaf contains mainly THC acid (not THC) unless you are using a strain that is much higher in CBD. In that case, you will be getting some CBD from the leaf. Leaves are picked from a plant that is about three months of age. Buds should be at the state where the trichomes are fully present but not yet amber (i.e. cloudy).

Some of the benefits of raw cannabis include:

Immune modulating ----------- Anti-diabetic
Anti-inflammatory ------------- Neuroprotective
Antioxidant --------------------- Antispasmodic
Anti-tumor/anti-cancer ------- Anti-anxiety
Bone stimulation -------------- Antibacterial
Pain-relieving

What are the "active" ingredients in raw cannabis if there is no delta-9 THC?

Terpenes ---------------------- Cannabigerol (CBG)
Flavonoids -------------------- Cannabidivarin (CBDV)
Phytocannabinoids ---------- Cannabichromene (CBC)
Cannabinol (CBN) ----------- CBD Acid
Cannabidiol (CBD) ---------- THC Acid
Cannabigerol (CBG)

There are more than 525 molecules found in raw cannabis, some with synergistic effects. According to Dr. Courtney it takes about 4-8 weeks before full clinical benefit is reached. It takes that long to fully saturate the fat tissue with phyto-cannabinoids. Phyto-cannabinoids are fat molecules that are stored in the adipose or fat tissue similar to the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. It appears that a wheat grass juicer is probably the best method of breaking up the cannabis plant cells. Mix with a minimal amount of organic fruit or vegetable juice -- just enough to cut the bitter taste of the raw cannabis. Choose lower sugar juices to minimize your ingestion of simple sugars. Store leaves in a green bag in the refrigerator; do not rinse until immediately before using. Dr. Courtney recommends soaking leaves in water for five minutes before juicing.

Use organic cannabis that does not have any pesticides applied at any point in its life cycle. Dr. Courtney recommends using ten large fan leaves per day in juice, salsa, pesto, salad, etc. If you have access to fresh bud, he recommends one bud/day.

Cannabinoids and THCA are cleared rapidly from the blood, so frequent consumption of a small amount of juice is ideal. Split the juice into five parts for five divided doses per day.

Special Note:

Part two of this essay Rick Simpson on Hemp Oil and Marijuana Tinctures is coming soon.

For all the references, sources and more articles, please visit Dr. Mark Sircus blog.

About the author:

Mark A. Sircus, Ac., OMD, is director of the International Medical Veritas Association (IMVA) http://www.imva.info/.

Dr. Sircus was trained in acupuncture and oriental medicine at the Institute of Traditional Medicine in Sante Fe, N.M., and at the School of Traditional Medicine of New England in Boston. He served at the Central Public Hospital of Pochutla in Mexico, and was awarded the title of doctor of oriental medicine for his work. He was one of the first nationally certified acupuncturists in the United States. Dr. Sircus's IMVA is dedicated to unifying the various disciplines in medicine with the goal of creating a new dawn in healthcare.

He is particularly concerned about the effect vaccinations have on vulnerable infants and is identifying the common thread of many toxic agents that are dramatically threatening present and future generations of children. His book, The Terror of Pediatric Medicine, is a free e-book offered on his web site. Humane Pediatrics will be an e-book available early in 2011 and then quickly as possible put into print.

Dr. Sircus is a most prolific and courageous writer and one can read through hundreds of pages on his various web sites.

He has recently released a number of e-books including Winning the War Against Cancer, Survival Medicine for the 21st Century, Sodium Bicarbonate, Rich Man’s Poor Man’s Cancer Treatment, New Paradigms in Diabetic Care and Bringing Back the Universal Medicine: IODINE.

Dr. Sircus is a pioneer in the area of natural detoxification and chelation of toxic chemicals and heavy metals. He is also a champion of the medicinal value of minerals and seawater.

Transdermal Magnesium Therapy, his first published work, offers a stunning breakthrough in medicine, an entirely new way to supplement magnesium that naturally increases DHEA levels, brings cellular magnesium levels up quickly, relieves pain, brings down blood pressure and pushes cell physiology in a positive direction. Magnesium chloride delivered transdermally brings a quick release from a broad range of conditions. His second edition of Transdermal Magnesium Therapy will be out shortly. In addition he writes critically about the political and financial crises occurring around us.

International Medical Veritas Association: http://www.imva.info/
http://publications.imva.info/

Written by Mark Sircus., AC, OMD

www.naturalnews.com

Note by Imzaia.com:

For those interested in learning more about preparing marijuana (cannabis) as a food source and a perfect source of nutrients (as explained in this article), please visit the website "Good and Baked", to be found here:

www.goodandbaked.com

White tea, witch hazel proven by scientists to reduce inflammation and fight cancer

Rose, witch hazel and white tea may sound like the refrain from a folk song, but the trio of natural substances delivers both health and skin benefits through their ability to halt inflammation say British researchers. Health issues including cancer, arthritis and diabetes have all been linked to inflammation, which is also responsible for premature signs of aging.

Health and Beauty Benefits

The recent research project involved an unusual collaboration between academic researchers from London's Kingston University and scientists from the British beauty product firm Neal's Yard Remedies. The research team was led by Professor Declan Naughton of the University's Life Sciences department. The results of the study were published in the Journal of Inflammation in October of 2011.

Researchers performed laboratory tests analyzing twenty-one plant extracts for evidence of their ability to fight cancer as well as to slow the effects of aging on skin. Of the extracts tested, white tea, witch hazel and rose were proven to block the effects of inflammation. Encouraged by initial positive laboratory results, the research team members added different concentrations of freeze-dried white tea powder, dried witch hazel herb and rose extract in medicinal tincture form to human skin cells. "As the largest organ in the body, the skin provides a barrier against UV radiation, chemicals, microbes and physical pollutants," researcher Tamsyn Thring, a Kingston University PhD candidate, said. "Challenges like this can contribute to both inflammation and skin aging.

The researchers believe the three natural substances contain compounds which have the ability to halt inflammation "When inflammation starts -- be it a simple cut to a finger or in an arthritic joint -- the body starts producing a compound called interleukin 8, which helps the process along. We began wondering if there was a way we could switch that signal off, thereby blocking the inflammation's progress" Thring explains.

Folk Wisdom Validated Through Science

White tea seems to have the strongest effect of the three substances. "Drinking a simple cup of white tea might well help reduce an individual's risk of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis or even just age-associated wrinkles," states Naughton.

"For thousands of years people used natural remedies to try -- and sometimes succeed -- in curing their ailments and preserving their youth," Naughton notes. "Now the latest research we have carried out suggests a number of naturally-occurring substances may offer the hope of new treatments to block the progression of inflammation."

Although Naughton and Thring's early research results had indicated the natural remedies had some efficacy in fighting inflammation, the researchers expressed surprise at potency of the combination of three natural substances. It appears that white tea, witch hazel and rose extract may hold at least one of the keys not only to maintaining skim firmness and preventing wrinkles, but also to stemming some disease.

Sources:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/release...
http://www.journal-inflammation.com...
http://www.nutritionreview.org/wp/2...
http://www.organicauthority.com/blo...
http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/...

Written by Tara Green - www.naturalnews.com