Mirror Athlete Blog Articles

July 23, 2010

What is Pranic Healing and Does it Work?

Filed under: Cancer, Chronic Pain, Treatment, disease, immune system, infection, pranic healing, soul, well-being — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Marc Woodard @ 05:04

It is said that our bodies emit an aura of energy, or body’s life energy.  Our body represents two planes of reality; a visible (physical body) and invisible (bioplastic matter, also known as bio-electromagnetic energy).  It is also said by clairvoyants this 4-5inch luminous energy surrounding our body is our etheric (energy body), or body double.  And if one understands how to manipulate this etheric aura, than one has the ability to self heal and heal others.  Pranic healing is a no-touch energy that originated and was developed by GrandMaster Choa Kok Sul.  Through pushing life energy from the body, a pranic healer can assist others in healing by moving absorbed life energy to heal the physical body, i.e., muscles, glands and organs.  This healing is accomplished without any physical touch from the healer, or patient.  It’s more of the mind’s recognition that this bioplastic matter exists and energy of aura can be redirected to heal.

     Pranic healing is an ancient science that uses energy medicine prana [a Sanskrit word meaning life force] to transform, balance and direct the body’s bio-energy to effect healing change within those that are experiencing ill-health.  This art of healing manipulates prana “ki” (life energy) to heal.  All of us possess the capability to self-repair our living entity.  We only need awareness of “ki” and the meditation energy redirect skills to alleviate, or remove ill-health.

     Our prana is feed from three major sources of earth energy: Solar (sunlight and water exposed by sunlight absorption and consumption), air (deep breathing daily exercises), ground (absorbed through the feet).  Note:  1) Fresh food has more prana than preserved foods.  2)  The air energy centers of the bio-plastic body are also referred to as “chakras.”  3)  Walking barefoot as well as 5-10min of sunlight is also said to be good for the bio-plastic being.  4) Lie down under old oak trees for example that exude and transfer earth energy to being.   5)  Circle yourself around others that are not depressed with lots of positive energy.  These positive energies will transfer to you as a preventative application in self-healing.  6) During inclement weather have a plan to exercise and/or consciously absorb prana from the ground and air.

     One also benefits by learning how to draw in more energy from earth energy such as, instead of short shallow breathing, one learns the practice of deep breathing.  Those with a lot of excess prana can share this healing power with others in need of healing. For example, before a pranic healing session with a practitioner:  Slowly breathe into the nose for a mental count of 8 then slowly exhale through the nose for the same count. Practice this breathing exercise while feeling the panic energy throughout the entire body as you next slowly inhale for a count of 8 and then exhale for a count of 4 through the mouth.  Go back to the 8 count inhale/exhale and feel all the negative energy leave the body.  You are now ready for the self-healing or assisted healing exercise.  You than draw a circle around, or on the body to focus on where the healing life energy is needed if need be.  This can be done within a hospital setting as well by lining a roped circle around the entire patient bed.  White energy can then be focused on the area(s) of healing by the practitioner and patient as the body is positioned easterly.  With each passing of the healers hand approximately 1 inch away from the body and then waving hands to remove the negative energy, healing is than replaced over the affected part of the body with positive white energy.  This process is repeated multiple times which leaves the healer exhausted.  This exhaustion for many is a sign that good energy and healing transference has occurred.

     The basic law that allows this healing to work is based on our aura life energy blue print and self-recovery.  When the energy flow is disrupted through illness, injury or disease so is the life flow energy.  The body does work to repair itself, or recover weather one is familiar with the life energy blue print, or not.  However, with life energy knowledge, the bodies healing can be accelerated by using this life energy to change a chemical reaction in the body.  Pranic energy serves as the catalyst to shift bio-chemical reactions focused on illness to accelerate healing.

    The affected area shows the healer a bioplastic-electromagnetic anomaly signature even before the physical body becomes ill.  For those that become aware of bioplastic energy and self healing life force practices can receive significant healing benefits.  Science is not yet able to measure, or detect life energy with the naked eye.  However with the use of Kirlian photography the energy body is rediscovered.  This technology allows scientists to study our bioplastic body doubles.  It is through this bioplastic body life force our concentrated energy can be centered to heal the physical body.

     Many of you reading this article will read with skepticism because it is not something you can see or science can accurately measure.  But consider this before you turn a blind eye to this natural healing practice.  For thousands of years mankind was blind to electricity, light wave spectrum, etc. Now it is measured, detected all around us and used by consumers to light their home, microwave meals and guide lazar guided missiles.  Ignorance in reality often occurs when science does not understand, or can’t provide quantified data.  How long will it take science to unlock the secrets of the universe?  My point here, if your waiting on science to cure what ails you, I highly recommend you consider pranic self healing therapy while working parallel with Western medicine practices to increase your chances of accelerating the natural healing processes if you’ve exhausted all avenues in healing what ails you or a loved one.

     I’ve watched a couple of video’s on this practice.  Simply go to your search engine, type in Pranic Healing and watch these miraculous healing videos.  The practicing healing physicians and group healer workshops assist and teach patients how to heal themselves and others.   Various cultures use Prana to heal but have different names for life energy healing.  So when you do your search, check under Greek healing (called pneuma); Polynesian healing (mana); Hebrew healing (ruah “breath of energy”).

 Who can use and apply pranic healing?  Anyone of average intelligence and an open mind can learn pranic healing which is said to be easier than learning to drive a car.

 References:

http://www.pranichealing.com/what-pranic-healing

http://www.lifepositive.com/body/energy-healing/pranic-healing/pranic-healing.asp

http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/p/pranic_healing.html

 Author:  Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, USA Medical Services Officer, CPT, RET.  2010 Copyright.  All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Publishing @: www.mirrorathlete.com,  Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.

May 24, 2010

“How Healthy Feet Equate to Healthy Mind-Body-Spirit”

Filed under: Chronic Pain, Feet, Prevention, Wellness, back, posture, tips — Tags: , , , , , , , — Marc Woodard @ 17:44

Let’s first look at the fitness and health connection problems from misaligned feet unattended for many years through my personal example and experience (also read preceding article, “Uncorrected Posture Alignment was Important, What Happened?”   Mirror Athlete Blog Article, 25 April 2010).

        When I went into the military; during my physical examination the examining physician said, “You have another 5miles left on those feet,” he laughed a little with me [I had no idea what he meant-only to be enlightened 30 years later by a number of orthopedic surgeons] and sent me on my way to the next exam station.  The doc’s diagnosis: I was flat-footed with a little arch left in both feet.

    I sailed through the physical exams and off to basic I went.  Of course, being a young male with plenty of testosterone, I paid no heed to this diagnosis until years later when foot aggravation caused much pain throughout my body at various stages of my life.   I did note during Army field training exercises my feet were always grossly blistered and in pain like many other soldiers.  So this just seemed to be a normal physical result of the training.  After years of hard physical military training and poorly supported military boot ware, this took a toll on my feet, ankles, hips, back and neck.  Today I interchange 3 different insoles into various foot ware dependent on what activities I’m doing.  These custom support insoles make a big difference in my ability to alleviate pain during movement activity.  My overall health is good because my pain tolerance is acceptable to get work done (aerobic walking, hiking, yard work, etc.) while keeping my body conditioned through this corrective ware.

    Now let’s look at my potential fitness and health future had I not figured out what was going on and the impact that may have had on my overall health.  Like many, I could have continued doing work daily while sucking up pain for years due to uncorrected foot problems while slowly becoming a pain prescription junky.  In time, the misalignment of musculoskeletal tissue would cause permanent nerve and soft tissue damage with more radiating pain.  This pain disorder would then cause pain depression, possibly affecting my mental health diagnosed as clinical depression.  If pain becomes chronic, less motivation to take care of overall fitness health often occurs.  For many, this means weight gain and other associated health problems can get out of control in a very short period of time if not corrected.

    I don’t have to tell you that obesity in itself impacts blood pressure, heart, lung, kidney, liver health function… The list goes on.  At the same time excess weight on otherwise healthy weight bearing joints can and does cause potentially irreversible damage to the integrity of the soft tissues surrounding these areas.  It’s never too late to correct misaligned posture, which at a minimum will alleviate pain.  And in many cases damaged tissues corrected through foot posture alignment may forgo unnecessary surgical correction.  Although I have structural damage throughout my spine, correction of my foot ware has alleviated enough pain that back surgery is now off the table.

    There should be greater importance impressed upon postural alignment and pain prevention programs in all educational institutions.  When I was a kid, there was minimal information on this matter.  As an adult, even during my undergraduate work in Exercise Science, there was postural alignment education, but “not” emphasizing the foot relationship to overall effect on “healthy posture-healthy mind-body.”  These relationships were implied with no extensive focus on any scientific model of the time between foot alignment impacts on wellness.  I believe at the time of my undergraduate work wellness and alternative health science was experiencing a renaissance of encompassing being (mind, body and spirit).  Now there are literally thousands of such books available.

    In the military, there was no emphasis on the postural alignment system at all, except PT (Physical Training) form to standards.  In our school systems, your children may/may not receive corrective information with regard to sitting up straight during the early grade school years; and less, if any emphasis on proper foot ware.  It appears our shoe manufacturing industry has incorporated better designs for proper foot alignment per activities (sport, walk, running, etc.).

So will our foot ware industry take care of our feet and body alignment needs?

    There are a few problems with this line of thought.  If the foot to total body health is not prioritized in our schools and community at large, priority to postural health will not be emphasized starting at the feet.  This means one will give less priority to good shoe design when purchased.  And also, less priority on replacing shoes that are badly worn.  Wearing shoes badly worn and also shoes with bad design can cause much pain to weight bearing joints.  If this practice continues on without correction, irreversible soft tissue damage and pain can and does occur throughout the postural system.

The point is, preventative illness and disease education is up to each and every parent and educator.  Hopefully in the near future our education systems will teach our children early on in matters of this importance.   Take a preventative course of action now.  See our icon links (skeleton, posture chart, or foot icon on Chronic Pain page at the home site), click,  read up and learn about Posture Control Insoles if you, or your children are in sports are experiencing any pain in the following weight bearing points of the body:  Foot, ankle, knees, hips, back, neck and read up on how posture correction starting at the feet can help to promote greater activity, fitness and health benefits for life.  Words of wisdom, “if you have little arch in the feet and go into the military, walk and run a lot, or sports professions, ensure you invest in some good insole shoe support, “even if your feet are in good shape!” This will preserve the integrity of the foot anatomy and body health for a lifetime.

 Author:  Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, USA Medical Services Officer, CPT, RET.  2010 Copyright.  All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Publishing @: www.mirrorathlete.com,  Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.

October 24, 2009

Is Pancreatic Cancer on the Rise?

Filed under: Cancer, Chronic Pain, Depression, Diet, Men's Health, Pancrease, Prevention, Product Toxins, Women's Health, celebrity deaths, disease, immune system, mortality, pancreatic — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Marc Woodard @ 16:53

                                MAE VIDEO – Marc Compares Swayze & Landon\’s Pancreatic Disease Deaths      Marc MAE Fitness & Pain Management Consultant               

 I  was motivated to know more about Pancreatic Cancer after the death of Patrick Swazye.  But I was most impacted in 1991 by Michael Landon’s death.  However at that point, I was in a different time and place with my life.  Instead of realizing the seriousness of this insidious death sentence, I thought “how unfair and what a loss to all that admired his work “and the person.”  I figured this was an isolated and unfortunate rare occurrence. Then the news of Patrick Swazye’s pancreatic cancer story came and went some 18 years later.  He too was someone I admired like many of you out there.  This left me to ponder… Is pancreatic cancer or cancer in general on the rise?  Is it a geographical thing?  After all, both of these actors lived in Southern California.  Is there any way to prevent, or remove this cancer from the body once it takes hold?  I had so many unanswered questions in my head at this point in time.  These two people I greatly admired for their work.  This drew upon my curiosity as a health conscious individual to know more about their lifestyles and could they have done anything differently to change their outcome?  I decided to write this piece as a two part article.  First, let’s look at these two individual’s to see if we can determine some commonalities.  In the second piece (part2), we’ll review the statistical cancer information to draw on some presumptive conclusions in answering these questions.

 Like most of you I was an avid follower of Michael Landon.  My favorite shows as a kid were Bonanza, Little House on the Prairie and Highway to Heaven series.  Michael Landon was diagnosed with Aden Carcinoma at the age of 54 on 5 April 1991 and immediately underwent chemo therapy.  His cancer had spread to his liver at first causing stomach cramps receiving his diagnosis 7 weeks later.  The cancer became inoperable due to the cancer spreading to the liver and lymph node system.  Only 1% of patients with this combination survive the full five year period.  He died in Malibu, CA on 1 July 1991.  Potential cause of cancer for this patient, heavy alcohol consumption and a four pack per day smoking habit.   I also followed many Hollywood movies that Patrick Swazye appeared in.  Three of his movies I can think of immediately, “Dirty Dancing, Next of Kin and Roadhouse.”   Swayze was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer in March 2008 and underwent chemo therapy with new experimental drugs (vatalanib/gemcitabine) to shrink the tumor by preventing the development of new blood vessels that would otherwise nourish it.   After more than a year of cancer, Swazye completed 13 episodes of the beast without pain medication.  Swayze Died, 14 Sept 2009 at the age of 57.  Since the cancer spread to his liver surgery would help him.  His life expectancy after diagnosis was 5 months.  He lived 20 months after diagnosis.  He’s a strong guy, and he’s got a great attitude,” says Ron Wise, a Cedars-Sinai spokesman, “in my experience, that has a lot to do with how things go.”  Patrick Swayze’s biggest regret was his smoking which he continued to do until his death.  Doctor’s agreed, even if he quit at the time of diagnosis would have no bearing on his outcome after diagnosis.  See part two of this article continuation, “Pancreatic Cancer Statistics and Recommendations.”

 World Wide Web References:

  1. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/PatrickSwayze/patrick-swayzes-death-shows-tough-pancreatic-cancer/story?id=8583819
  2. http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20114945,00.html)
  3. http://www.hollywoodusa.co.uk/HillsideObituaries/michaellandon.htm
  4. http://www.webmd.com/cancer/pancreatic-cancer/news/20090915/patrick-swayze-dies-of-pancreatic-cancer
  5. http://www.aol.com.au/lifestyle/story/Patrick-Swayze-Admits-His-Biggest-Regret/2042631/index.html

 Author:  Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, USA Medical Services Officer, CPT, RET.  2009 Copyright.  All rights reserved, Mirror Athlete Publishing @: www.mirrorathlete.com,  Sign up for your Free eNewsletter.

July 23, 2009

Marijuana Addiction, Government & Industrial Greed

Filed under: Chronic Pain, Depression, Fibromyalgia, Product Toxins, addiction, disease, herbal, manage depression, marijuana, pain — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Marc Woodard @ 16:14

When you digest the information I’ve provided within “Marijuana Addiction “Lay Your Bet! Part 1,” See MAE HealthBlog, www.mirrorathlete.com.  One can only assume, the government is more concerned about retaining control and power over the people.  Let me provide you some interesting information with regard to Marinol (HMO Legal cannabis oil prescription).  A month supply costs the patient, or your HMO health provider $300-500 per month.  Also, the 13 states that allow medical marijuana scripts with a state approved medicinal marijuana card allow patients to grow a specified number of plants per year for harvest and personal use.  If you do not want to grow your own script, you can purchase the THC in food products, or purchase cannabis by the ounce for a fraction of HMO legal Marinol through state sanctioned medical marijuana distribution centers.  Currently, our federal government does not recognize “voter approved” states rights to distribute medical marijuana.  I believe this is because the federal government has not figured out how to control the revenues, which not done correctly will have a diminishing impact on their power and control base.  Or is it our government is concerned about our children’s potential addiction through access of our parents legalized medical marijuana scripts, or recreational health risks, or is it more in line to say, “It’s all about the money!”  Let’s continue the money, control and power assessment of what’s really going on here.

Marijuana consumption does not appear to be dwindling in use, per “The Street and journal reviews.”   I’ve talked with many parents about this issue, received mixed reviews, but on the whole parents accept the notion that legalization of marijuana for use by chronic pain patients should be a voter approved statewide mandate recognized by the federal government as intended by congress passing of the Compassionate Use Act, 1996 and revisions thereafter (see MAE Marijuana Use, Pain Benefits, Part 1).  Aside from state legal medical marijuana use many believe marijuana should be legalized for recreational use, much like alcohol (a social drug with NO medicinal property and HUGE health risks).   Then those that did become addicts could receive help and support much like an alcoholic and prescription addict receives state and health insurance covered rehabilitation and cessation services.

Alcohol and cigarettes have caused more damage to families and societies overall health than our government will ever admit.  To allow a drug to enter the market legally without full government control would begin “a shrinking” of the federal power base by giving too much control back to the people, such as we see in the struggle to bring medical marijuana to market.  Be patient, I will explain this concept very soon.   Please do take a little time and do your due diligence to see what’s going on in the world around you with regard to the legalization of marijuana.  Don’t take my word or insight as gospel with what you are about to read, instead use this insight to “incite” your curiosity and further educate yourself on these matters.  If marijuana was legalized as a recreational drug much like alcohol, I fear much crime, unnecessary deaths, overcrowded jails, addiction, etc., to include tax payer burden for rehabilitative support programs would still occur, “but I believe significantly less than if the drug was fully legalized!”  Yes, you heard me right.  My educated insight tells me if marijuana was legal and regulated much like alcohol many problems in our country would be significantly reduced.  And if you are wondering, as I stated in my medical marijuana MAE video, “I have not requested a medical marijuana card from my Oregon physician as part of my pain management program, although I could; I see no reason at this time to do so.

You see if an individual is bent on self destruction, or is predisposed to become addicted to a drug… This will occur regardless of whether cannabis is widely accepted and legalized as a recreational drug, or solely legalized and distributed as medical marijuana.  This is because children and adults will find a legal or illegal drug when they need to find relief from their stress realities and justify bad behavior through intoxication.  The biggest problem in self medication with recreational drugs (legal, or not), we don’t know whom among us is genetically wired to become addicted to any specific substance, “including prescription medications, tobacco or alcohol!”

Let’s not mince words here, although I’m speaking from a pain patient perspective where I see benefits based on science, the fact is cannabis medicinal properties have been known for thousands of years.  However,   have the potential for addiction, much like our prescription pain killers, alcohol, or tobacco.  Why our federal government released prohibition of alcohol in the early twentieth century as a social recreational drug as opposed to cannabis, which has medicinal properties, one can only speculate the interest in one legalized social, or prescribed drug versus the other, which I feel I know the answer to my own question.  Quite the opposite health effect is true of alcohol; it causes much illness, disease and destruction within our minds, bodies, employment, family and society at large where much statistical information proves this fact.  Marijuana use statistics on the other hand are literally unknown since this is not a general population “legal” consumption drug.  Recreational Marijuana negative impact on society and personal health can only be statistically known once legalized for the general population.

I believe alcohol like cigarettes and marijuana can be very addicting, very profitable and can be easily controlled by our state and federal agencies, “with the exception of cannabis.”  “With all the scientific evidence regarding alcohol and cigarette use health risks, addiction, societal and family harm, why are they not banned from public consumption?” “Or better yet, why not controlled like our legal pharmaceuticals if there is a health benefit-risk aspect?”  After all, when you pick up drug prescriptions at a pharmacy, why are they so concerned about how much you take, while consulting the risks and symptoms to watch out for if you experience a negative reaction?  Since you are not asked specific health questions before you purchase alcohol and cigarettes, does this mean there is no immediate health risk?

Do you get these kinds of questions when you walk into a liquor store to pick up your products… Or when you’re in a bar, does the bar tender ask you if you have a heart, diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol condition, etc., before he/she pours your drink?  Is it just me, or is this all fickle?  And why is it so easy for our children to become alcoholics, or pot heads?  I believe this is an easy question to answer. Alcohol in general is accepted as the gold standard recreational drug while marijuana is tolerated as a recreational closet drug.  Remember, there’s big potential money here for our government if they can figure out how to control recreational use marijuana, much like what’s happening with medical marijuana.  Why do you think marijuana possession and confiscation of miniscule amounts have very low conviction and mostly civil penalties?  Or do you honestly believe just because one drug is accepted by our government for sale to the general population it’s better for you? 

Many of our high school and college students are allowed by many adults to party hardy to relieve stress.  Don’t parental and societal role model actions speak louder than words?  What do most American adults and teenagers consume in one form or another as a recreational drug of choice (prescription drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana).  Since this appears to be the case, it is very important to understand marijuana will eventually receive full regulation and control by our state and federal governments as they are drooling over a potential multi-billion dollar industry to fatten their coffers, much like alcohol and tobacco has done to grow government services (jobs).  Does it not sound like a money thing to you yet?  “If it doesn’t, it soon will.”  Does it not sound like a nice budgetary balance sheet and debt reducer catering to thousands of government jobs and/or more tax revenues that are controlled by our legislators leading to bigger government?  Examples, FDA (Food & Drug Administration), DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency), FTC (Federal Trade Commission), ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives) to name a few and countless other government organizations in existence that want a piece of the action.  Or better yet, new jobs yet to be created by the government.

Come on, let’s be real and smell the money trail.   If cannabis was legalized “wholly” many government jobs would disappear and new ones would appear, hence government control and power shift.  Does it appear our government cares about our children’s marijuana addiction and health probabilities?  No, unfortunately it appears our government is concerned about programs to fatten coffers, grow government jobs, control, regulate and provide penal and other tax-based industrial services while lining pockets of our politicians and special interest groups!  How else am I supposed to see our government’s activities and behaviors regarding any government sponsored, or controlled program, or service?  Think about it, if we become addicted to any drug, legal or not, we pay a price through our societal government controlled systems.  Who pays for the addiction, criminal and penal services?  We the tax payer!

Reviewing addiction studies, predictable behavioral patterns are statistically derived in part from alcohol, tobacco, prescription drug sales, DUI arrests and fatalities, AA support group attendance, incarceration, cessation programs, depression medications, battery drug related arrests, etc., we “the consumer” unknowingly provide the government annual data to forecast a budget.  Many state and federal appropriated dollars are used and paid by the tax payer for these governments owned and controlled services.  This is not so easy to accomplish with cannabis as statistics cannot forecast and justify government tax paid marijuana services to regulate and control recreational marijuana.   In part, this is true because medical marijuana users can grow their own prescription taking away the government’s ability to control and regulate the proceeds of a multi-billion dollar industry.  And if they cannot figure out how to capture and control the revenues, they will not fully legalize marijuana because some government tax payer services may become unnecessary, may be reduced in scope, political power shift wars within government, or shift a balance of power back to the people!

If voters and legislation fail to pass other tax increases to keep government growing and states out of debt, the marijuana lobbyists will continue to capture the attention of politicians, the tax payer and voter.  California is now considering the legalization of marijuana as it nears bankruptcy.  So you can’t honestly tell me you still believe our government restricts recreational marijuana because it is concerned about our children’s health and addiction possibilities!  Or medical marijuana has no medicinal benefit and pain patients should be thrown into jail.  This is ridiculous!  If you believe this, then you should believe anyone in the possession of alcohol should be incarcerated as well!  Remember, in the early 20th century both were used as recreational drugs.  The biggest reason alcohol made the recreational drug use cut is because our government figured out how to control and regulate the money while growing government (Legal history of cannabis in the United States, “Prohibition of cannabis arose in many states from 1906 and onward,” www.wikipedia.org ).

A multi-billion dollar cannabis industry will create less need for “status quo” government services (e.g., fewer incarcerated jail services, policing,  border drug trafficking-smuggling activity, reduced deaths & investigation related to drug trafficking; including less government cash cow industry sales: Alcohol, tobacco and pharmaceuticals, less DEA & ATF services etc.).  These shifts are certain to happen as our government is slowly losing power and control over states rights.  I believe the cannabis industry and Universal health care must be controlled by the federal government in order to maintain its power base due to an inevitable global power base shift.  The legalization of recreational marijuana without federal control would definitely create a downsizing of federal services; while increasing the size of state power and control back to the people!

 

I believe the governments interest to control and gain power over the cannabis industry has nothing to do with concern for any child that may become addicted, or suffer from any illness, or disease caused by marijuana, “this I’d lay a bet I’m right.”  Instead the governments concern is “how can we control and regulate a product that can be grown on the resident’s property?”  If this is the case how will the government fully legalize recreational marijuana when it understands this means reduced government taxed based dollars, fewer required federal government services, hence power control shift back to the people and state?

 

Author:  Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, USA Medical Services Officer, CPT, RET.  2009 Copyright, All rights reserved.  Mirror Athlete Enterprises Publishing @: www.mirrorathlete.com, Sign up for your free eNewsletter.

June 19, 2009

Medical Marijuana Use Pro’s and Con’s

Filed under: Chronic Pain, Depression, Fibromyalgia, addiction, herbal, manage depression, marijuana, pain — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Marc Woodard @ 21:27

It is very concerning after speaking with local youth in two states (California and Oregon) regarding marijuana use; there is a nonchalant attitude regarding this drug.  The common answers to my questions, “don’t you think marijuana will harm you in any way if you continue to use this drug?”  Or, if you keep smoking the stuff, aren’t you afraid of addiction and associated health risks?  Much like laying a bet, are you assured you are not gambling with your health or future life endeavors?   The common answers in reply, “Marijuana is no more dangerous than alcohol.”  “As a matter of fact, alcohol is responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths, broken families, job loss etc., where with cannabis this is not the case.”  The other common answer, “I can quit anytime I want to, it’s not addicting, it’s not a gateway drug and I don’t drink; I choose this drug as my recreational drug of choice as I prefer this vice opposed to drinking.”  Others simply state, “For me there are no problems regarding my use of this drug, therefore, no harm.”  Our youth and many adults don’t appear to regard cannabis as a harmful substance as it like many of our controlled drugs are derived from mother earth, mostly to be tainted by man-made processing chemical manipulation and sold as approved prescription drugs, or recreational drugs (tobacco, spirits, wine and beer).

In other words, “on the street,” cannabis untouched by man appears to be a safer alternative for medicinal purposes (chronic pain alleviation) and recreational use (opposed to alcohol), even though most seem to understand there’s an inherent risk toward addiction (but don’t want to admit it outright) and health risks (e.g., cannabis smoke carcinogens).   My sampling of these queries is rather small, around 50 discussions on this topic where 80-90% concedes (teenagers and adults), cannabis is probably the least harmful of the illegal drugs that should be fully legalized.  And almost all adults within this sampling seem to acknowledge the medicinal properties and benefits for chronic pain sufferers.  I can see the medicinal benefits through the scientific studies, however “all” drugs must have some form of state and federal regulation or greater health and/or addiction problems “will” significantly impact our youth as is with our legal drugs.  Our youth should be of great concern with regard to cannabis legalization.  Any drug including cannabis can have a negative impact on growing minds and bodies especially if one should become addicted during the developmental stage of their lives.  This fact alone can destroy a life before it begins.

I felt it was very important to add two addiction articles to the MAE Health repository since I wrote two previous articles on “Medical Marijuana Use, Part 1 (pain benefits) and 2 (scientific support data) for chronic pain sufferers.”  As you read the two articles, there is a very good case to continue research and development while easing up on state and federal laws for chronic pain sufferer’s use of cannabis.  There is some very good science based around severed or damaged nerve endings where only the THC receivers at the nerve endings provide pain relief through cannabis use.  Science also shows these damaged nerve endings do not respond to the typical opiate prescription; hence pain alleviation through the pharmaceutical prescription gold standard has little to no effect in many chronic pain controlled studies.

Now you are figuring out possibly where I’m going with this.  We must be very vigilant with our children while our states continue to relax marijuana use laws.  I’m in favor of legal marijuana use by chronic pain sufferers.  I’m also very aware and concerned about our children’s access to marijuana should it be fully legalized.  There is a greater probability that distribution abuse and use will occur because of easy access to chronic pain patient’s medicinal prescriptions, or full legalization as an adult recreation drug.  We must not and cannot depend on our government agencies to protect our children from abusing any drug.  It is our responsibility as parents to educate our children, knowing the differences between right and wrong with an understanding of the possibility of addiction and consequences of drug use regardless of whether our society and government deem the substance legal, or illegal.

Control and regulation is very important when dealing with any drug as all forms of mind altering substances have the potential for abuse, health risk, societal harm and addiction.   If there is no, or limited state-federal regulation, control, such as, quasi-legal medical marijuana (read previous MAE achieved Medical Marijuana articles “Pain Benefits,” www.mirrorathlete.com/blog) then our government supports a quasi-illegal black market operations by turning a blind eye to states rights and the science backing cannabis pain alleviation.

In other words, if science supports the pain alleviation benefits of any drug including medical marijuana then our federal agencies should recognized the benefits and legalize the drug.  Our federal government should fully recognize states rights for pain patients as opposed to potential imprisonment for those that fall outside of federal guidelines.  Until this is done, like alcohol which we know has the same access and abuse potential by our children… Without federal recognition of cannabis as a controlled substance for medicinal use, substance abuse of the drug will not be monitored and addiction, carcinogenic health risks, with associated mental health probabilities will not be addressed correctly, or adequately.  Instead many cannabis users will possibly be subjected and directed through the penal system for rehabilitation if convicted; which we all know is not the best treatment and rehabilitation course for any drug addict.

Why, because our penal system incarcerates and holds prisoners for breaking the law which is big business unto itself… Incarceration appears to incorporate treatment and rehabilitation for addicts inside, but how successful are these programs really?  And is treatment and rehabilitation this industries main focus?  It sounds like a business that is dependent on law breaking convicts more so than a rehabilitation center for drug addicts.  So, I ask again is this the best course of action to rehabilitate an addict?

I really don’t know since I’ve never been incarcerated, or exposed to these rehabilitation programs.  However, I believe any government run programs are inferior to a third party source.  Really, what am I to think?  Our government has proved time and time again it only knows how to spend money with inefficient government service programs.  It would appear our government is more interested in taxing the American people for unnecessary or inefficient services to grow government.  If the financial rewards and power out weight any human benefits then “We the People,” will come second to power and corruption.  It’s all about power, control and a human trait that cannot be tamed, ‘greed!”

With any drug, “ANY Drug,” there is always the potential for substance abuse.  Cannabis will eventually be fully legalized on a national level, first as is occurring through medical marijuana permits.  The major marijuana composition THC is already legally sold (Marinol) & prescribed by our medical providers.  However, most consumers don’t know this information.

Marinol is listed and classified by the DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency), as a class III legal prescription.  So instead of smoking the cannabis which is the illegal part, you are legally able to ingest the THC oil prescribed by most HMO’s for pain management.  Maybe our government within its infinite wisdom determined it would be easier to control marijuana distribution to our children in this format.  In fact, since Marinol must be refrigerated, it seems to me, it would be easier for our children to get their hands on the tiny capsules, conceal and consume.  If the government was truly concerned about a chronic pain patient wellbeing they would fully legalize cannabis and provide the choice to ingest, or inhale their script.

Part 2, “Marijuana Addiction, Lay Your Bet!” is continued and will be published within July09 issue.  I will post information regarding legal marinol and government greed that will knock your socks off!  You’ll not want to miss the continuation of this article!  Really, is this multi-billion dollar industry concerned about our children’s potential addiction, or is it really about government greed, power and control?

Author:  Marc T. Woodard, MBA, BS Exercise Science, USA Medical Services Officer, CPT, RET.  2009 Copyright, All rights reserved.  Mirror Athlete Enterprises Publishing @: www.mirrorathlete.com, Sign up for your free eNewsletter.

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