Sister Vee
Active Member
AUTOPHAGY: One of the secret weapons of Cannabis medicine in the fight against cancer and autoimmune conditions
Cannabis kills cancer cells through more than one mechanism namely anti-angiogenesis, apoptosis and autophagy. There are a few processes involved, starting with the boosting of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS), the treating of inflammation and the strengthening of the immune system.
Autophagy (pronounced or-tof-o-gee) is one of the secrets to the success of Cannabis Medicine because Cannabis is the only known botanical that can induce this biological process. In plants, autophagy evolved as a defense-mechanism to environmental stresses for example nutrient starvation and drought. Autophagy is a process involving cellular clearing and destruction of unnecessary or dysfunctional cellular components and organelles as well as mutant cells, like mis-folded proteins aka amyloid deposits that cause Altzheimer’s disease and other neuro-degenerative conditions. Damaged organelles, cell membranes and proteins are broken down and excreted, without any damage at all to healthy cells, unlike most cancer-fighting drugs which kill off healthy and damaged cells. Both CBD and THC as well as certain terpenes and flavinoids are able to induce autophagy and thereby decrease tumor growth and progression. [23-25]
Through the process of autophagy the body can suppress the growth of tumors by preventing damaged components of the cells to accumulate. These mutant cancerous cells are dreadful and deadly because they have lost their ability to undergo another process known as apoptosis. This is also programmed cell death, but sometimes these tumors are just too strong, and this is the reason that they don’t simply die and just carry on multiplying. Today we even have tumors with hair and teeth called ‘teratomas’. We need the vital components from the Cannabis plant to assist in inducing apoptosis and autophagy in cancer cells, through the healing powers of the cannabinoids, terpenes, flavinoids, antioxidants and polyphenols contained within the plant.
Cannabis is the only known botanical that is capable of inducing autophagy
Cannabis induces the biological process of autophagy through the mechanism that is now famously known as ‘the munchies’. The only other real way to induce autophagy is to teach the patient how to fast by withholding food and forcing the body into a state of hunger. Cannabis does this quite successfully with the minimum of effort for the patient.
Autophagy is not only useful for preventing cancer formation but also for a number of other health benefits for example resetting of the nervous and immune systems. There is no doubt that autophagy is a therapeutic target to reverse many diseases including so called ‘auto-immune’ diseases as well as age-related degenerative conditions like osteoporosis and arthritis and even dementia. Autophagy is also deeply concerned with homeostasis and the perfection of body balance.
Restricting calories and exercising intermittent or alternate-day fasting has so many benefits for achieving excellent health. If you look to the ancients you will realize that the practice of fasting for health purposes has been done for as long as man has dwelled on Earth. According to one of my mentors Dr Henry Ealy, in order for good health to prevail the human body needs to become hungry every single day for the sole purpose of inducing autophagy to protect us against mutant cellular activity and to ensure that the body rids itself of these damaged mutant cell organisms as a defense mechanism against all disease. This is one of the greatest secrets of Cannabis medicine so we can see how important this maintenance system is for the health and longevity of human beings.
It is a privilege and honor to dedicate this post to Dr Henry Ealy who inspired me to write this paper with his brilliant explanation of how Cannabis induces autophagy and I give thanks for wisdom!
Beside the affects of CBD and THC, another reason why Cannabis is able to induce autophagy is because of the presence of a terpene known as D-limonene and together with Humulene, another powerful Cannabis terpene, these two terpenes form a major part of the cancer-defense system of Cannabis because both together with the cannabinoids are able to trigger the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and this is what causes autophagy and apoptosis to occur. [26-36]
The failure of the process of autophagy is the main reason for on-going cell damage and cancer, and this is also what speeds up the aging process. It seems obvious that we need to boost our systems with Cannabis in order to maintain good health and longevity into our golden years. [37] We know that Cannabis can cure cancer, and it is now a well-known scientific fact that Cannabis has effectively killed all the different types of cancer cells that science has tested the plant against to date. [38]
There is now scientific proof that the EC system is involved in the cellular death of human proximal tubular (HK2) cells. [39] These human kidney cells originate from the kidney cells of the HK2 gene on the 2nd chromosome, and these cells are required in the formation of tumors in most cancers because they cause renal tubule hypertrophy (enlargement of cells). Through the function of autophagy the ECS is able to cause these cells to commit cellular suicide, a type of programmed cellular death, for example in the case of nutrient starvation.
This is how Cannabis contributes to reducing hypertrophy throughout the body by providing the supplements that our ECS needs to perform its functions. Every single one of us needs a daily dose of Cannabis to sustain our health and the fact that we have Cannabis receptors in our brains is proof that we are literally wired to consume this plant. [40-45]
Personally I find it completely fascinating to realise that as human beings we have evolved to produce the human versions of CBD and THC in the form of our two endocannabinoids named Anandamide and 2-AG. The wonderful thing about human body wisdom is that these two endocannabinoids already know how to use autophagy to suppress tumor formation inside the body just as the plant cannabinoids also carry out these functions. The secret to this plant medicine is simply to supplemen the ECS with Cannabis in order to enjoy your life without illness, depression or suffering. [46]
Heal Thy Self ~ Healthy Self
CITATIONS:
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[38] Cannabis is the Human Companion Plant Chapter 3 page 24 and 18
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