Thursday, September 23, 2021


CHAPTER 18 ~

CANNABIS AND LONGEVITY

This chapter covers the following sections:

 

v  A history of Cannabis and longevity.

v  Hormones continue to control our lives.

v  Science, longevity and Cannabis.

v  Cannabis and memory loss.

v  Cannabis and end of life care.

Menopause is a phase of life, and is not ‘something to be cured’, but rather something to be embraced, as the most natural part of the human body’s life on this earth.  It’s a perfectly natural transition with some unpleasant symptoms, not unlike the menstrual cycle and pregnancy and child birth itself. However, it only lasts for about twelve months. Then women are considered post- menopausal. Men also suffer during menopause with the decline in testosterone, and many men experience exactly the same symptoms as women do. Depression, insomnia, sexual problems, fatigue, mood swings, memory loss, weakness, bloating, digestive problems and weight gain are some of the shared symptoms, and some men even experience night sweats and hot flushes as well.  

The only real difference is that the male menopause is slower than in women, because men are able to continue producing testosterone well into their 80’s. Unlike the ovaries, the testes do not run out of testosterone, whereas with women, the body almost completely slows down the production of certain hormones like oestrogen and progesterone from around 50 years old. 

Conventional treatments involve hormone replacement therapy. These are oestrogen and progesterone supplements, but sadly, like most pharmaceutical drugs these also come with serious side-effects, which include the increased risk of breast cancer and heart disease. [231] (Tavani et al, 2006)

In addition, the risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s, stroke, blood clots, and gall stones also increase with the use of some of these supplements. Before prohibition, sisters were using Cannabis for women’s problems for thousands of years, from menstrual cycles to child birth, menopause and emotional issues. The quest for natural alternatives to relieve the symptoms of menopause without these dreaded side-effects is more urgent now than ever before.  

A mythological history of Cannabis and longevity…

From a young age I have often been referred to as “the ganja queen” by people I have helped to access Cannabis medicine over the years. Please, however, let me introduce you to the true Cannabis Goddess. Her name is Ma Gu, which literally means Hemp. 

In ancient times, more than 5000 years ago, the Chinese, Japanese and Koreans appointed an Asian guardian for Cannabis, and her name was Ma Gu. She became known as The Hemp Goddess and The Immortal Hemp Maiden, and today we continue to respect her as The Goddess of Cannabis. Most of the mythological stories surrounding this goddess involve her work with the poorest of the poor, healing the sick and cultivating the natural world either as a goddess or a priestess. 

Legend states that before she was immortalized she had freed thousands of slaves who had worked for her evil father, and she taught them how to farm sustainably. Her youth and beauty became symbols of the health and healing of the entire universe, which she was believed to protect, and to this day, she is regarded as the guardian of vitality throughout East Asia. We can see throughout history that it was the Chinese who seemed most keen to preserve her memory. This is displayed widely in Chinese art where she is famous for healing with peaches and Cannabis.

She was known to serve tea with Cannabis for longevity, and this is how she healed the symptoms of menopause, and became the symbolic protector of women in Chinese mythology. To this day, her birthday is still celebrated on the 6th day of the 6th lunar month. 

Ma Gu was immortalized as a goddess possessing the elixir of life… the goddess who healed with Cannabis. This is also the first reference to Cannabis and the Feminine Divine, which embraces the consciousness of the human companion plant. The Chinese have always believed that Cannabis can protect us against demonic possession by increasing the “second sight”, which is a reference to the pineal gland, our third eye. The burning of hemp seeds was associated with cleansing rituals, and it was the goddess Ma Gu to whom the people were praying. This gives us a better idea of the value the Chinese placed on Cannabis, by aligning it with the goddess of healing. Surely only a highly valued goddess could be entrusted to care for our companion plant. 

There is a very informative article titled Beliefs about Aging and Longevity in Ancient China by Joges Candra Ray [232] (Bennett, 2012), an Indian researcher, who wrote about the fact that the ancient Soma ritual drink of importance was Cannabis. I find this interesting, as this work dates back to 1936, which is exactly the same year in which language specialist Sula Benet, confirmed that Kaneh-bosm, an ingredient in the biblical Holy Anointing Oil mentioned in the book of Exodus, is Cannabis. Soma is also a plant, and is the name of the intoxicating and holy drink that the ancient people of India and surrounds believed could cure disease, and offer immortality. Cannabis was the active ingredient of this drink. According to ancient Chinese scripts it's all about rejuvenation, and it would be unfair if I fail to mention that in 2009, it was recorded that the world's oldest woman Fulla Nayak, 122 years old from India, smoked Cannabis everyday, and praised our human companion plant for her personal longevity.

We know that Cannabis controls our hormones…

The ovaries and testes are also part of the endocrine system, and we know that Cannabis and our EC system play a controlling role in the activities of the endocrine system. This is how Cannabis is able to offer relief for so many of the symptoms of menopause because it rectifies hormonal imbalances. With menopause comes a reduction in Cannabinoid receptors, and this is why Cannabis is such a powerful healing tool as we age, because the chemicals in the plant naturally stimulate the production of more endocannabinoids and more Cannabinoid receptors. Cannabinoid deficiency contributes to some of the symptoms of menopause, because oestrogen levels are linked to Endocannabinoid levels, again, because of the controlling role of our EC system on our hormonal structure. So, yes, most definitely we know that Cannabis can influence women’s hormones and menopause because the main function of Cannabinoids is to restore balance, even where there is only a slight imbalance. This is not only true for women, but also for people of all genders, including trans-gender people. The truth is that Cannabis not only restores balance to our bodies at cellular level and stimulates the production of new brain cells but also plays an important positive role in the ageing process as we approach the end of our physical lives.                                                                              

What about hormones in old age?

The true fountain of youth is and always will be found in our hormonal system, which we know is controlled by our EC system. Within our hormonal system we have a number of youth-enhancing hormones to help us achieve longevity. The Human Growth Hormone (HGH) is produced in the pituitary gland, and this youth-enhancing hormone keeps our skin smooth and supple; it increases our bone density while it repairs muscles and tissues. On top of this, HGH also helps us to get rid of body fat, and it encourages us to exercise with more ease. This is why you sometimes hear stories of athletes abusing the synthetic version of the human growth hormone. The best way to manufacture your own HGH is to sleep well and get a decent amount of exercise.

Try to avoid sugar because insulin tends to suppress the release of HGH, so it is important to keep a stable blood sugar level. This is why eating before bed is so bad for us because it causes an insulin spike, which then blocks our absorption of HGH.

Another youth-enhancing hormone is DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) secreted by the adrenal glands, that are attached to the top of our kidneys. Once in the blood stream it is converted to DHEAS in the liver by gaining a sulfate link to the hormone. This is another reason why Cannabis extracted with OV coconut oil is so effective for seniors because it takes the medicine straight to the liver where all the action takes place. DHEA is the most abundant sex hormone in the body because it is the biological precursor to testosterone, progesterone and oestrogen.

Both men and women need these hormones, especially in older age, as they both naturally slow down in production. Testosterone fuels sex drive in women, stabilises the mood and improves women’s ability to build lean muscle mass, even in old age.

We know from scientific studies, that women are far more responsive to the relieving effects of Cannabinoids, when their oestrogen levels are at their highest. This means that women who are menopausal and post-menopausal will require higher doses of Cannabis than pre-menopausal women. In my experience, it is exactly the same for men. This is because ageing brings about a certain reduction of Cannabinoid receptors and Endocannabinoids, which can only be supplemented with Cannabis. When the oestrogen levels drop after menopause, men and women have less ability to respond to stress and to naturally elevate the mood.  Through its regulatory role of our hormonal system, Cannabis helps to regulate our emotional response, and offers relief for anxiety and depression.

Cannabis controls our hormonal system, and ensures that the correct hormones are secreted and absorbed at the correct times in our lives. Everything relevant to women must also apply to men. Many men are showing symptoms of menopause, and these are attributed to lower levels of testosterone. [233] (Margolese et al, 2000) Hormones continue to control our lives after the menopause is over, and we need to continue to maintain our Cannabinoid levels to support our EC system in order to enjoy the ongoing life-giving benefits throughout our golden years. [234] (Health, 2019)  

Is sex over now?

In some people, with menopause comes lower libido, and often, due to child birth complications, many women in their thirties and forties do experience painful intercourse. Unfortunately, pharmaceutical solutions like oestrogen replacement therapy and even oestrogen vaginal creams both carry the same risks with regard to breast cancer, and the added risk of uterine cancer and dementia. Even progesterone creams carry serious risks; most importantly progesterone is implicated in blood-clotting disorders, in the same way as the contraceptive pill is. Progesterone creams can contribute to headaches, blurred vision, fatigue, weight gain, breast tenderness, bloating, mood swings and irritation to the application area. Again, you can see how the side-effects of man-made drugs tend to resemble the symptoms they are designed to alleviate.

Cannabis medicine is the most suitable natural alternative because it definitely stimulates the sex drive, as well as helping with the pain, and has certainly been helping women achieve orgasm for thousands of years. [235] (Lynn et al, 2019) Cannabis can offer sensual healing for men and women for many years before and after the menopause has passed.

As a stimulant The Cannabis Coconut Connection ® has become a popular lubricant for both the vagina and the penis. All women have Cannabinoid receptors in the lining of the vagina, and it is the same with the penis. Sex in itself is one of the greatest pain-killers known. Even though this has always been a taboo topic, it is the truth. With my own patients I encourage them to use Cannabis and sex for pain relief, and many people have reported that on average, they are able to go without their prescription pain-killers when they are sexually active. This proves that our sex hormones interact with our pain receptors, and Cannabis can enhance this healing, because it controls the secretion of our sex hormones. Over the past twenty years I have noticed a lot more couples comprising older women and younger men together with age-gaps of up to fifteen years, and increasing in modern times.

The truth is that not all women lose their sex-drive due to menopause, and the opposite is often the truth.  Women who enjoy regular sex need to have a great sex partner, or else they will easily become dissatisfied, and this also happens to a lot of men as they age. There is no scientific evidence that human beings must stop enjoying sex at a certain age, but there are many interesting studies suggesting the importance of seniors maintaining a healthy sex life long after menopause. For many people, as they go beyond the age of 50, they become more conscious of what sex really means to them and the realisation that it is much more than just penetration. Factors like the whole art of lovemaking, embracing seduction and sensuality all play a big role, especially when we realise that romance will always be the key to making a sexual partner feel special. [236] (Nordqvis, 2013)

Science… Longevity and Cannabis….

Without doubt, Cannabis can offer healing that contributes to achieving longevity, by rectifying imbalances in the body because disease and illness are the result of imbalance in the body. Cannabis can literally reward people with wellness that can last a lifetime. People can be completely sure that Cannabis will never give them breast cancer or dementia, or cause any of the other nasty side-effects associated with a lot of conventional hormone replacement therapies.

The Elders have always known this connection between Cannabis and longevity, and this connection is something desired by most people, men and women alike; but only once they get to a certain age.  Mostly today people simply wish to stay young in terms of their looks and physical appearances. 

 There’s no doubt that it is possible to preserve our bodies and minds to live to ripe old ages without health problems; in other words to pass on naturally of old age with the idea being, to die young at heart... but as late as is possible.

Cannabis is a much more powerful antioxidant when compared to Vitamins D, E and C. [237] (Hampson et al, 2000) We all know the role of ‘free radicals’ in the ageing process. They quickly multiply and become uncontrollable in the absence of antioxidants to flush them out of the body. Free radicals and oxidative stress are the number-one cause of cancer development in our bodies. Free radicals cause inflammation throughout the body, thus intensifying other conditions commonly connected with the ageing process, such as arthritis. Cannabis is a most powerful antioxidant, and this is why so many seniors are starting to realise the abundant health benefits that Cannabis can offer.

Antioxidants can neutralize the unstable molecules of the free radicals that cause aging, as well as skin cancer, and all kinds of other degenerative conditions in the body as we grow older. The perfect natural balance of Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids found in the seeds of the Cannabis plant was and still is seen as the perfect ingredient for healthy cell production and good skin health.

This is why hemp was always part of the food chain before world-wide prohibition in the 1930’s, and this is when we started seeing an increase in cancers in our societies. [238] (Hampson, 1998) Dr Robert Melamede, former Chairman of the Department of Biology at the University of Colorado Springs, believes that Cannabinoids can go beyond helping patients with cancer or Multiple sclerosis and other serious conditions, but can also help slow down the aging process and play a role in averting and healing most age-related illnesses.

This is what Dr Melamede has to say:

“You can look at the harm caused by free radicals as biological friction or biological rust and the EC system minimizes the impact of that and directly acts as an antioxidant as well as modifying the biochemistry in a way that minimizes the impacts,” said Melamede outside court Thursday, likening endocannabinoids to humans like oil is to cars. He said “if you don’t have lubrication in your car, your car breaks. In the human body, the damage comes in the form of age-related diseases.”

 “I’m saying what science has now shown is that marijuana {Cannabis} and cannabinoids are effective anti-aging agents which means that they are effective in minimizing the onset and the severity of age-related illnesses which include cognitive dysfunction, things like Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, be it heart attacks, strokes, or clogged arteries,” he said. [239](Newham, 2008)

The Risk of Premature Menopause

Premature menopause affects approximately 1% of women before entering their 40’s because of genetics, illness or various medical procedures like surgery. The medical truth is that, unless a woman has had her ovaries surgically removed before puberty, she will experience the menopause, but it is also true that not all women will experience menopausal symptoms in the same way.

Women with fertility problems, for example women who have tried for over a year or two to become pregnant, sometimes go into premature menopause. Women who have never been pregnant often go into what is called ‘early menopause’ between 5 and 10 years before the expected time of the late 40’s. Certain conditions like lupus, hypothyroidism (inactive thyroid gland) or Grave’s disease can also lead to early menopause, because the inflammation caused by these conditions can cause damage to the ovaries.

Certain chemotherapy and radiation treatments can also bring on premature menopause, so, honestly, Cannabis medicine is a great option for young women dealing with cancer who still wish to have children. [240] (Boekhout et al, 2006) It is a scientific fact that a lot of women suffering from epilepsy will have experienced more seizures around their period, and, unfortunately, these women are more likely to have premature ovarian failure, which leads to premature menopause. [241] (Klein et al, 2001) Scientists now produce statistics that reveal that 14% of women with epilepsy will definitely have premature menopause.

Underweight women are at risk, and women with a low body mass index also often experience early menopause because these women with low amounts of fat tissue also have less oestrogen in their bodies. [242] (Szegda et al, 2017) To my mind, this explains exactly why women put on weight in menopause; it’s the body’s natural reaction to stay in the cycle, to delay menopause and promote longevity in humans.  Cannabis is a known appetite stimulant with connected control of our hormonal system, and millions of women are benefiting from the healing effects of Cannabis in terms of age-related medical conditions. [243] (University of Bonn, 2017)

One the biggest problems that most women experience are hot-flushes, and the great thing about The Cannabis Coconut Connection ® is that both plants possess anti-pyretic properties, which means that this medicine can stimulate body cooling by inducing perspiration. This is done through the control of Cannabis over our hormonal system, which allows the medicine to control the hormones of the hypothalamus, which is the part of the brain where sweating is induced.

This is why you can cool a fever patient down simply by placing a wet cloth on the back of their neck because this is the exact location of the hypothalamus. This is the part of the brain responsible for the coordination of the autonomic nervous system and the release of many important hormones.

This healing feature of Cannabis medicine can serve us humans from birth when, as small babies, fever is a common problem, and later in life there is always fever associated with illness, injury or infection. Both Cannabis and coconut contain chemicals that control our body-cooling hormones. The hormones from the hypothalamus send messages to the blood vessels to dilate and send salts and fluids to the skin surface to start the process of evaporation.  Cannabis is a known vasodilator, and besides controlling our hormones, can also offer body cooling through its vasodilation properties. Human beings need a daily dose of Cannabinoids for many benefits, not only for physical healing from common ailments, but also for mental and spiritual health and growth.

Depression and menopause 

Many menopausal women become depressed and are prescribed SSRI drugs, which are all Prozac-based, and some women are even prescribed anti-epileptic drugs with serious side-effects like weight-gain, gastric stress and sexual dysfunction. Emotional symptoms experienced from the menopause are caused by hormonal imbalances, and this is why Cannabis is a far more suitable alternative, because it stimulates the pineal gland to increase our uptake of Serotonin and Melatonin. 

This is possible because of the regulatory role of Cannabis and our EC system in our hormonal system. This is why Cannabis is able to strip away layers upon layers of stress, and is a known mood enhancer. It is no secret that Cannabis makes everyone feel better, and this is the main reason why we are seeing so many women turning to Cannabis for relief in coping with the aging process, because Cannabis controls the hormones that affect our mood.

Pain and inflammation

In Chapter Seven we studied the mechanisms by which Cannabis can offer us pain relief. Cannabis can offer us so much more than pain relief through its control of how our hormones work throughout our life-cycle. Many women who experience pain are also experiencing hormonal changes, and we know that during the menopause oestrogen levels drop, along with progesterone and testosterone. Our entire hormonal system is linked, so when oestrogen levels drop, so does the production of the thyroid hormones and the thyroid hormones control muscle and nerve action.

It is a proven fact that many women who use hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives are more likely to experience spinal and joint pain. [244] (Brynhildsen et al, 1998) So oestrogen is definitely not a no-risk spring-exuding youth chemical, and is more likely to add fuel to an already painful flame.

Why does our memory fail us?

One of the greatest scare tactics involving Cannabis use is loss of memory; so how do we explain this short-term memory loss in some people? However, not everyone experiences this lapse of memory when using Cannabis. Numerous scientific studies on this subject have revealed that it is now accepted by physicians and psychiatrists that the short-term memory loss is most definitely only short-lived, and will pass within a few minutes in most people. [245] (Crean et al, 2012) Just as there are no deaths ever recorded from taking whole herbal Cannabis, there is no proof of anyone ever permanently losing their memory from using Cannabis.

The truth is that Cannabis does help us to forget certain memories, because if you think of the millions of thoughts rushing through our brains then surely there must some kind of a filter system? I believe that Cannabis helps us to recycle unwanted thoughts and memories, especially the bad stuff we don’t even want to remember; for example all the negative images we have to endure on social media platforms or on the late-night news. When THC interacts with our GABAergic neurons in the hippocampus region of our brains, it acts as an inhibitor of the Cannabinoid receptors on these brain cells that affect our memory.

This Cannabis-induced inhibition of the GABAergic brain cells can, in some people, lead to changes in memory concerning painful emotions and memories, which doctors refer to as aversive memories and fear. This means that bad memories are specifically targeted by Cannabis to be shifted into our brains recycle bin. You can analyse studies by Jimok Kim and Bradley Alger in the journal Nature Neuroscience where these professors confirm that the GABAergic synapses do express Cannabinoid receptors.

 Cannabis- induced inhibition and subsequent reduction in Endocannabinoid levels are precisely what allows selective modifications of aversive memories in the hippocampal networks of the brain which controls our memory centre. [246] (Nature Neuroscience, 2010)

“We propose that Endocannabinoids facilitate extinction of aversive memories through their selective inhibitory effects on local inhibitory networks in the amygdala.” ~ Giovanni Marsiacano

The memory study by Giovanni Marsiacano and fellow scientists (Marsiacana et al. Nature 2002) investigated the Cannabinoid receptors expressed in the basolateral amygdala complex, which is a region of the brain that scientists know controls the elimination of these aversive memories. [247] (Marsicano, 2002)

One of the most common side-effects of pharmaceutical drugs is memory loss

Certain pharmaceutical drugs are known to cause memory loss, as well as other intellectual and perception problems. Most of these drugs start with “anti”; for example, antihistamines, antidepressants, antibiotics, antipsychotics, anti-hypertensives, anti-epileptics, anti-cholesterol, anti-inflammatories, antispasmodics; even sleeping tablets and other sedative-hypnotics available.

The problem is that all these other drugs affect our basolateral amygdala complex, and this is what leads to symptoms resembling dementia like confusion, blurred vision, hallucinations, delirium and indeed memory loss. Acetylcholine is the main neurotransmitter concerned with memory and learning function. There is a natural decline in Acetylcholine production that is normal with old age, and this is why seniors are more at risk of memory loss.

It is not only prescription drugs that cause memory loss; a lot of over-the-counter medicines will do the same, because they block the important neurotransmitter known as Acetylcholine, which is primarily concerned with our memory. Some names you can relate to are Advil (pain and insomnia), Benadryl – Diphenhydramine generic (for allergies), Nytol (insomnia), Sominex (insomnia), Tylenol (pain and insomnia) and even good old Zantac which we use for acid reflux.

There are many reports of large research studies proving that seniors who use certain over-the-counter medicines like Benadryl are at a far greater risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s, with memory loss being noticeable within 60 days. [248] (Sunil Swarmi PhD, 2018) You can only imagine how, after a life-time of consuming these drugs, their side-effects slowly eat away at our memory. Sometimes it is simply too late, and the damage is too great.

This is why we need to teach young people the truth about Cannabis and longevity from a young age. We must not wait until we are old and sick before we start to realise the importance of the benefits of inviting Cannabis into our lives. A life time of taking pharmaceuticals lands you up with a serious Cannabinoid deficiency, which fundamentally means wrinkles and old-age diseases. [249] (Alban, 2018)

 The eyes don’t have to be the first to go…

There are studies underway where researchers are revealing the role of Cannabis in the ageing process particularly eye-ageing. In Chapter Eleven we learnt that there are more Cannabinoid receptors in our eye-balls than in the occipital visual cortex of the brain. This is one of the reasons that I test my own medicine on my own eye-balls, not only for safety, but mostly for potency and purity. All of these studies reveal that, after just six weeks of receiving Cannabis, improvements noticed included improved vision, reduction of retinal inflammation and levels of amyloid beta accumulation and reduction in retinal macrophage population (macrophages are immune cells that cause inflammation).

These are interesting studies because they reveal that Cannabis medicine is proving to help prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is the most common cause of blindness in the elderly. AMD is associated with both amyloid beta accumulation and inflammation, and numerous studies are verifying that Cannabis continues to benefit both of these conditions. [250] (Thomas Schwitzer et al, 2006) [251] (United Patients.com, 2017)

Cannabis can even assist us in the end of life transition…

While Cannabis has already saved millions of lives in medical miracles over the years, it is also the most effective and safest medicinal option in palliative care. Patients suffering from symptoms of incurable conditions benefit immensely in respect of treating nausea, vomiting, headaches, pain, fatigue, insomnia, lack of appetite, constipation and diarrhoea, muscle wastage, anxiety, depression and bed-sores. Most of the time doctors will prescribe a different drug for each of these symptoms, where Cannabis will take care of all of them as a comprehensive treatment with no side-effects or organ damage.

With palliative care comes end-of-life care, and this is where Cannabis serves as an adjuvant medication. This means that it offers treatment firstly to suppress any secondary tumour formations, and secondly to boost the immune system from the harsh effects of chemotherapy and other radiation treatments. Terminally ill patients and people at the end of their natural lives need care that is designed to make them as comfortable, and as clear-minded as possible. Today, end-of-life care generally consists of pain killers and more pain killers, which only make people more nauseous and more depressed and confused. 

On a spiritual level Cannabis can help us to deal with our questions and fears about death and transcending to the afterlife. It is the psychoactive effects of THC that can induce feelings of elation and relaxation in certain people, whereas in others who have heavy hearts it can bring about feelings of paranoia and fear. Death is never easy, because we really don’t know much about it, but one thing is for certain, death is always going to be part of life. This is why it is so important to address our spiritual health while we live. It is the psychedelic properties of Cannabis that can help us to achieve such enlightment.

THC can take us to levels of consciousness we are not able to reach without psychedelics, and it is also true that Cannabis is not the only plant that can offer end-of-life assistance; for example, many people use magic mushrooms, mescaline from the San Pedro plant, and even ayahuasca and iboga, the most psychedelic plant known to man, for this same purpose of crossing over, as humans have been doing for spiritual rituals for thousands of years.

Cannabis takes us from one level of consciousness to a higher level of consciousness and closer to enlightment or spiritual illumination. I believe that all psychedelic plants were created to bring humans into closer communion with our creator. This is why we have receptors in our brains for these substances, proving that ancient plants are the solution to so many of our modern-day problems. Cannabis takes care of us physically in terms of the health of our body and brain, but in my work I have had the opportunity to observe how Cannabis is the plant catalyst to spirituality, and the very mechanism to attaining all things beyond this physical realm. THC can teach us to overcome our fear of death while we still live, by enhancing our visions of death-like experiences, and even our own deaths.

It is difficult to evaluate this type of Cannabis healing, other than taking the patient’s own reports into account. Most of the time, patients simply pass on, and their families wonder whether they were in pain. Most patients and their families and carers report that Cannabis medicine is very valuable in assisting with the emotional and physical trauma associated with terminal illness and imminent death. In addition, it is not uncommon for patients to gain such incredible healing from Cannabis that they are able to be discharged from hospice and go home and do things for themselves like bathing and housework. This sense of independence allows them to pass in peace at home. Many terminal patients have confessed that this is their ultimate dying wish, and it is the pleasure of our human companion plant to grant this wish.

Looking to the future…

We know that with old age comes the natural deterioration of cells, tissues, organs, memory and brain function. However, we also know that in Cannabis we have a plant confidante which can offer us new brain cells, bodily and hormonal balance, cellular suicide of mutant cells, metabolic control, as well as pain relief, and can also guarantee us a good night’s sleep. All of this makes Cannabis the perfect supplement to reverse age-related body and brain deterioration. We know that Cannabis helps us to increase our uptake of vitamin D, which is crucial to preventing conditions like Alzheimer’s and dementia, as well as cancer.

We should realise that our lifestyles might quite literally be killing us. If you consider how our ancient relatives lived longer and less stressful lives, then we can agree that for the majority of people, their actual jobs are the number-one source of stress and illness.

There are even serious studies suggesting that ‘sitting is the new smoking’, and these studies prove that sitting for too long, meaning up to six hours at a time continuously, can lead to early death. [252] (Mayo Clinic, 2018)

It’s far deeper than whether we are getting enough exercise or sunshine. The ageing process is concerned with changes in our muscle mass and strength, which starts to decline after around thirty years of age, regardless of how much time we spent in the gym. Muscle weakness is one of the biggest causes of falls in older people.

As we age, our muscles waste away, and our metabolism slows down. This combination of realities leads to unhealthy weight-gain, which, in turn, causes other medical problems. Cannabis can control and regulate all of these problems, including muscle wastage. This has been proven over and over in the treatment of cancer and HIV/AIDS patients over the past thirty years.

Human longevity is strongly associated with healthy sleep patterns, and we know now how Cannabis makes us sleep better. If you think about it, there isn’t really a single problem that lack of sleep does not make worse. The side-effects of missing out on sleep are irritability, cognitive impairment, decrease in sense of accuracy, memory lapse or in some cases total loss of memory. Lack of sleep can also lead to decreased creativity, increased stress levels, headaches, aches and pains, increased heart rate and high blood pressure. Lack of sleep will take its toll on the immune system which could easily become suppressed. The well documented triumphs of Cannabis medicine are the reason why senior citizens are becoming the fastest growing segment of Cannabis consumers and eventually the secret will be out that Cannabis truly can offer humans longevity.

We must never regret growing old because truly it is a privilege denied to so many. There is a fine line between slowing down the often unpleasantness of growing older, while at the same time enjoying the wisdom and greater certainty and confidence that often show up around the same time. The good news is that the menopause lasts for only around twelve months after your last cycle, and then you are in the ‘post menopause phase’.

Research reveals that in 1998 there were 477 million post-menopausal women in the world (guaranteed to be a gross underestimation), and, according to these studies, in 2025 this figure will be 1.1 billion…wow that is something…1.1 billion blissfully happy women.

It is known that women do grow more radical with age, so we should not be surprised that one day an emerging legion of grey-haired women may quietly take over the Earth and restore the matriarchal system of the Feminine Divine. This is because, as women grow and mature, they call upon the stronger forces of sacred feminine wisdom, as they vibrate with the creative forces of their own stories.

In seeking natural remedies like the Cannabis Coconut Connection® we are looking to replace our confusion, our embarrassment and all of our collective symptoms that women have to endure, with a more light-hearted approach to the most natural part of being alive, where a woman can still retain her dignity, pride and clarity of mind and soul. [253] (Menopause Mosaic, 2015)



CITATIONS FOR CHAPTER 18 CANNABIS AND LONGEVITY

[231] (Tavani et al 2006) “The Adverse Effects of HRT” A Tavani et al, Journal Drugs Ageing May 1999 Volume 14 Issue 5 pages 347-57 PMID 10406735

[232] (Bennett, 2018) “Cannabis and Longevity” By DaMajority 22 May 2012

[233] (Margolese et al 2000) “The Male Menopause and Mood: Testosterone Decline and Depression in the Ageing Male – Is there a link?”. Journal Geriatric Psychiatry Neurology Volume 13 Issue 2 pages 93-101 Summer 2000. PMID 10912731

[234] (Farma Health, 2019) “CBD oil for Menopause: Can Cannabidiol Help Women Through Menopause?” https://farma.health/cbd-oil-for-menopause/

[235] (Lynn Beckyk MD et al 2019) “The Relationship between Marijuana Use Prior to Sex and Sexual Function in Women”. Journal Sex Medicine 2 March 2019. Volume 7 Issue 2 pages 192-197. PMCID PMC 6522945 PMID 30833225

[236] (Nordqvist, 2013) “Sex During Old Age Makes You Look Younger” Medical News Today posted www.medicalnewstoday.com 8 July 2013

[237] (AJ Hampson et al 2000) “Neuro-protective Antioxidants from Marijuana” Journal Academic Science 2000 Volume 899 pages 274-82. PMID 10863546

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