High Hopes for Healing

BEYOND MEDICINE Life during and after cancer is about taking back control of your destiny. It's vital to recognize that you have an active role in managing your health; it's not solely the domain of doctors. Although medical professionals provide competent guidance and knowledge of treatment options, it would be wise to remember that medicine alone has yet to ‘cure’ a disease of any kind, and resides far beyond infallibility. While conventional medical treatments are often designed to manage symptoms and prevent disease progression, they can also come with significant side effects and unintended harm. True healing, in many cases, extends beyond prescriptions and procedures. It often lies in transforming our daily habits through nutrition, lifestyle, environment, and mindset, addressing the root causes rather than just the symptoms. It's essential to adopt a proactive approach towards your well-being. By making informed choices about nutrition, exercise, and what you need to do to support your mental health, you can significantly influence your overall health and quality of life. While medical interventions can be important and sometimes necessary, they fail to provide the broader spectrum of health management and modifications that are provided through the intentional use of Cannabis. More on this later. Medicine is not a static field. Every day, researchers and healthcare professionals work tirelessly to develop what they believe to be better treatments, to improve patient outcomes, and to deepen our understanding of diseases, all while “practicing” medicine on patients. Finding a balance between medical advice and personal responsibility ensures that you are at the center of your own health and wellness journey. As an active participant in your healing, you can promote a more positive outlook on your circumstances and reduce the fear often associated with a cancer diagnosis. WHAT YOU’RE HERE TO DO IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU HERE Fear has long been used to demonize the Cannabis plant and our active participation with it. The political, social, and economic potential of Cannabis, especially in medicine, textiles, and paper, posed a significant threat to the profits of powerful and established industries in the early 20th century. And, still do today. In response, influential businessmen from Big-Oil, Paper, Media, and of course, Pharma, joined forces to push for its prohibition to not undermine their booming industries and financial interests. By suppressing and brandishing Cannabis as a ‘dangerous drug with no medical benefit and a high degree of addiction,’ they protected their bottom lines and shaped a long-standing narrative that kept the plant out of mainstream society for almost a century. (**If you're curious about the true reasons behind Cannabis prohibition, I highly recommend (pun intended) reading Smoke Signals by Martin A. Lee. It's an eye-opening deep dive into the history, politics, and propaganda that shaped public perception.) These wealthy industries prioritized their businesses over the well-being of humanity, believing it more important to protect their profits than to allow the widespread benefits of Cannabis to be realized. Their decision-based fact making and “Reefer Madness” fear-mongering was a skillful tactic that successfully influenced the minds of millions.