Puerto Vallrta, Mexico – When I arrived in Mexico, one of the first remedies the women of the village taught me was macerating “mota” (aka Mari-Juana) in alcohol and using it as a liniment. This was the first of many healing plants I learned about and still use in my healing practice.
Cannabis is a valuable spirit plant that helps the body and mind in many ways. There are 3 species of the Cannabis plant: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis.
THC, (Tetrahydrocannabinol) is one of the principal psychoactive compounds found in cannabis, and CBD, (cannabidiol), is one of the other major non-psychoactive chemicals. CBD often balances out the potent effects of THC including the anxiety people can feel from too much THC.
Cannabis also has over 100 types of terpenes, which are aromatic oils with diverse medicinal benefits. Terpenes give the plants their colors and aromas and are healers in their own right. Other plants with similar terpenes include cloves, which is also known for its anesthetic value.
Beneficial for a variety of problems including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, migraines, and pain, Cannabis targets the memory receptors in the brain, which is probably why people with traumatic memories use it to forget painful traumas. In “green states”, states where medical or recreational cannabis is legal, one can enter a green pharmacy and become educated about options.
Most cannabis blends for pain, auto-immune problems, and mental health have a 1:1 ratio of THC: CBD for best efficacy. THC is anti-inflammatory. However, there are exceptions. People with psychotic disorders often choose cannabis to self-medicate, but will do better with a higher CBD and lower THC blend.
Current research also suggests that while cannabis does not cause psychosis, it can precipitate it where it was going to happen. Like alcohol, cannabis is a tough drug to ask teens not to use. However, research suggests its better not to use it before age 18, unless of course it’s being used medically, for example under a clinician’s guidance for severe neurological disorders.
In the late 1800s, marijuana was used during childbirth for its remarkable ability to aid uterine contractions during labor. Later in the mid-1900s, it was used for menstrual cramps and migraine pain.
The neurologist, Dr. Ethan Russo, did pioneering research on the efficacy of cannabis for migraines. I have had similar success with migraines by eliminating food allergies, alcohol, balancing hormones, and using a specially formulated cannabis blend extract.
If you want to learn more about cannabis, see my CE course for both public and professionals and in my book Natural Woman (which was released at #1 for health books on Amazon I am proud to say!).
Read more about the many health benefits of cannabis and a go-to cannabis recipe: Bhang Lassi with CBD Oil in my recent BLOG POST.
Leslie Korn has lived and worked in Banderas Bay since 1973 conducting research in Traditional Medicine of Mexico. She is a Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health-educated clinician in clinical practice in Mental Health Nutrition, Integrative Medicine and the prevention of dementia and cognitive decline. She is the author of 8 books, including ‘Natural Woman: Herbal Remedies for Radiant Health at Every Age and Stage of Life.’ To learn more about her work, visit DrLeslieKorn.com. She can be reached at lekorn(at)cwis.org.
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