Politically correct politicians and lobbyists tout the health benefits — but ignore the dangers — of smoking marijuana to justify its legalization and acceptance. And, yes, science shows natural cannabinoids — which alter the release of neurotransmitters in the brain — do offer some health benefits. But did you know many other plants found in Nature contain healing cannabinoids, besides marijuana?
I’ll tell you all about these natural cannabinoids in a moment, but first let me remind you of three major health and safety problems with marijuana…
First and foremost, marijuana is an intoxicant. And it contributes to skyrocketing motor vehicle accidents and fatalities in states where it has already been legalized, as I have reported several times in recent years.
Plus, law enforcement professionals insist marijuana remains a “gateway” recreational drug, leading to the use of “hard” drugs, such as illegal opiates. (In fairness, the opioid drug epidemic also stems from overprescribing prescription pain drugs.)
Third, studies show smoking marijuana causes short-term and long-term damage to brain and mental health. (I recently saw a tongue-in-cheek headline that “Smoking marijuana harms part of brain responsible for hearing any criticism of marijuana.”) Other studies show increased rates of heart disease and heart attacks. Plus, I was the first to suggest that the peculiar way of inhaling this smoke leads to shortness of breath, hypoxia, and anoxia, which damages heart and brain tissue.
And there are still no real medical practice guidelines for prescribing medical marijuana, where it is legal.
Of course, marijuana might as well be canonized “Santa Maria Juana,” because any criticism of the drug is met with instant fervor in its defense. Politically correct promoters denounce and threaten excommunication to anyone who disputes or questions its status as harmless.
In my view, there’s simply no reason to smoke marijuana when there are so many safer, natural options for getting the health benefits of cannabinoids
In fact, you can find healing cannabinoids in half a dozen other herbal plants. And you don’t have to become intoxicated or put your life (or other’s lives) at risk.
The human body has an “endocannabinoid system,” which helps it maintain homeostasis, or internal balance, needed for optimal health. Indeed, the body has internal receptors for cannabinoids — which is why they are so potent. The human body developed these receptors in response to the abundance of cannabinoids found in Nature.
Here is a list of other natural constituents that contain cannabinoids:
Black pepper (Piper nigricans)
Black pepper, a common aromatic molecule, actually functions as a cannabinoid. It has anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. Plus, its botanical cousin, Piper methysticum (kava kava), also has potent anti-cancer activities — as I describe in my new online Authentic Anti-Cancer Protocol. Kava is even better known for its effective activity as a relaxant, anti-anxiety and stress-reliever. You can get these benefits by drinking a kava beverage. Or just add plenty of black pepper to your food.
Cacao (Theobroma cacao)
Cacao is known for many health benefits for brain and heart, body and mind. It really can be considered a “super food,” minus the added sugar and fat of so-called milk chocolate. Plus, new research shows that cacao has compounds that inhibit the break-down of the body’s own natural tetra-hydro-cannabinol (THC). This mechanism allows natural levels of THC — the “feel-good” intoxicant in marijuana — to build up in the brain, without having to smoke anything. So just enjoy dark chocolate to feel good.
Coneflower (Echinacea)
The purple coneflower appears everywhere as a decorative, flowering plant. Plus, it has compounds that mimic cannabinoids and interact with cannabinoid receptors in the brain.
Science shows this traditional Native American and early American folk remedy balances the immune system and reduces the duration and severity of a viral cold or flu. You take it when you feel yourself coming down with a cold or flu infection. In addition, it alleviates arthritis, anxiety, fatigue, inflammation, migraines, and pain.
Cannabinoids are much more common in Nature than you might think. Three other plants with natural cannabinoids include:
- Electric Daisy of the Amazon for pain and inflammation
- Helichrysum of South Africa as a natural antidepressant and mood-stabilizer. In traditional African ritual ceremony, people use it to make fumes with psychotropic properties similar to other cannabinoids.
- Liverwort (Radula marginata) of New Zealand contains a compound strikingly similar to THC, although without the psychoactive effects. Traditionally, New Zealanders use it to treat bronchitis as well as bladder, gallbladder and liver problems (as the name would imply).
If medical science and society are serious about finding safe and effective cannabinoids, and related compounds, that naturally work with the body’s own system of healing, we need to take a serious look at these other herbs and natural remedies. Many are already widely available today. We can do this without adding more fuel to the fire of our national drug abuse epidemic.