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Autoimmune Diseases and Cannabis
by Peter Kershaw , contributing writer
Our immune system creates proteins called “ antibodies ” that seek out and destroy pathogens ( e . g ., bacterium , viruses ), cancer cells , and various toxins . However , with autoimmune disorders , the immune system has been compromised to the point of failing to distinguish invaders from healthy cells . The result is the immune system attacks healthy tissues and organs , often resulting in inflammation , pain , and damage .
Estimates of autoimmune diseases in America range anywhere from affecting 24 million ( on the conservative side ) to upwards of 50 million , making it the third most prevalent disease category , surpassed only by heart disease and cancer . Autoimmune disease cases are increasing year by year . 1 Left unchecked , the trend is certain to worsen . Thankfully , there are things we can do to improve on that prognosis — if we ’ re proactive about it .
The list of autoimmune diseases is too lengthy to list here ( exceeding 100 ) but included among them are chronic fatigue , type-1 diabetes , arthritis , MS , digestive disorders , and dermatological disorders . Ask any medical professional , “ What ’ s the cause of my autoimmune disease ( s )?” and you ’ re likely to hear , “ It ’ s not clear what causes or triggers them .” Not knowing the causes ( or worse yet , remaining willfully ignorant ) leaves MDs focused on mitigating symptoms : “ Treatment usually focuses on reducing immune system activity .” In other words , pharmaceuticals that inhibit the function of the immune system , thereby leaving the patient much more vulnerable to pathogens and infectious diseases .
Health-conscious medical practitioners , such as DOs and ( more so ) NDs , will acknowledge the need for patients to improve their overall health . For example , obesity and cigarette smoking may serve as autoimmune triggers . Such recommendations , however , are just the tip of the iceberg , given there are so many other potential underlying causes of autoimmune diseases .
Examining the statistics of other cultures reveals that their incidents of autoimmune diseases are often far less prevalent than in the U . S . For example , Japan has less than 1 / 3 the number of our own cases . 2 In all likelihood , it ’ s due , at least in part , to the foods we consume and the environmental toxins we ’ re exposed to that other cultures are not .
As Robert F . Kennedy Jr . has noted , processed foods and industrial agriculture practices have made Americans more disease-ridden than other developed countries , and in many cases far more so , autoimmune diseases being just one of many examples . 3 As Kennedy notes , the EU has banned over 1000 harmful “ food substances ” known to cause adverse health consequences ( e . g ., autoimmune diseases , diabetes , obesity , fatty liver disease , heart disease , cancer , etc .), but are permitted in U . S . foods . RFK Jr ’ s Make America Healthy Again campaign proposes to reverse the “ corporate capture ” by Big Pharma , Big Food , and Big Ag , corrupting the government agencies ( e . g ., USDA , FDA , CDC , NIH , etc .) that were originally established to protect us and guard our health . “ MAHA ’ s policy focus advocates for a comprehensive national strategy to combat the chronic disease epidemic , which includes addressing the root causes such as poor diet , environmental toxins , and inadequate healthcare .” 4 The ever-expanding “ Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule for ages 18 years or younger ” 5 is , according to several esteemed immunologists , also a contributing factor to autoimmune diseases . Some may call me an “ anti-vaxxer ” for even bringing this up , but I ’ m not . As a former Marine , I was vaxxed every time I was deployed abroad for any number of infectious diseases not common in the U . S . I do , however , consider it only prudent to at least question whether it ’ s always necessary , especially for adolescents , to have 72 vaccinations by the age of 18 . Do the alleged benefits outweigh the risks ( of which there are many , and not nearly as “ rare ” as we ’ ve been told )? In Attacking Ourselves : Top Doctors Reveal Vaccines Turn Our Immune System Against Us , the author writes , “ But something strange is happening in the world of immunology lately , and a small evidence of it is that the Godfather of Autoimmunology [ Yehuda Shoenfeld MD ] is pointing to vaccines — specifically , some of their ingredients including the toxic metal aluminum — as a significant contributor to the growing global epidemic of autoimmune diseases . The bigger evidence is a huge body of research that ’ s poured in in the past 15 years , and particularly in the past five years .” 6 And aluminum is just one of many toxic substances commonly found in vaccines . Dr . Shoenfeld also happens to be one of the leading experts and proponents of medical cannabis in the treatment of autoimmune diseases .
Cannabis for Autoimmune Diseases
In his published review , Cannabinoids and autoimmune diseases : A systematic review , Dr . Shoenfeld states , “ Current research in the role of cannabinoids in the immune system shows that they possess immunosuppressive properties . They can inhibit proliferation of leucocytes , induce apoptosis of T cells and macrophages and reduce secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines . In mice models , they are effective in
24 December 2024