CANNAHEALTH Cannabis and Human Behavior | Page 43

A: We are a spirit that has a soul that lives in a body. All three should be nourished and nurtured on a daily basis. Hence, I look at patients as a whole instead of the disease processes only. The initial part of the program at Victory Rejuvenation Center is assessing where the patient is on the spectrum of health and wellness, then we plan a program to get them closer to health and wellness.

We perform a detailed history, basic physical exam, assess nutrition and lifestyle habits, assess cardiovascular and diabetes risks, body composition analysis and other testing modalities that may be appropriate for each individual patient. We, then, create a program customized for the patient and follow them with monitoring and other health strategies as needed.

It is rewarding for me and life transforming for my patients when they achieve their goals.

Q: What sparked your interest in Medical Cannabis?

A: When I read Lester Grinspoon’s book, “Marihuana, the Forbidden Medicine”, I was inspired to research more about cannabis. Dr. Grinspoon was not a believer in cannabis as a medicine at first. In fact, his plan was to prove it was not medicinal at all. By the time he finished the book, he was a believer in cannabis as a medicine. The book is a collection of patient anecdotal stories of how cannabis helped them. The book includes a chapter on “Aging”; how cannabis had helped the aging population improve the quality of their lives. One particular story is about a family of 6 siblings. They grew up on a hemp farm and ingested hemp and used hemp products on a daily basis. The siblings continue this practice into adulthood and their sunset years. In the book they were all in their late 70s, early 80s. All of them were mobile, mentally sharp and on no medication. The story impressed me and confirmed my belief that diet and nutrition, consistent exercise and body movement, attention to mental, emotional and spiritual well-being are the foundations of health.

In my research, I found the endocannabinoid system was discovered in the early 1990s. It is a the most widespread receptor system in our bodies. It consists of cannabinoid receptors, endocannabinoids, and the proteins and enzymes that help to form and metabolize them. This system is why cannabis can help so many different diseases and conditions. This was an amazing discovery!

The history of cannabis is very interesting. Cannabis was used in ancient history all the way to