Juicing raw medical cannabis has become a popular practice in certain parts of the United States over the last few years. California is leading the way in this new trend and if you have a California medical marijuana card, you can join in the revolution!
Dr. William Courtney, a physician and cannabis researcher in Mendocino County, California is a big proponent of juicing raw cannabis. His wife Kristin struggled for many years with systemic lupus, an autoimmune disease which causes the immune system to attack healthy tissue. The illness was chronic and she had tried many treatments without success. As a last gasp effort she tried consuming raw, juiced cannabis leaves. Surprisingly, her condition improved hugely after only a few weeks. The Courtneys felt that they were onto something and started to research the potential benefits of consuming raw cannabis. Having treated over 7,000 cannabis card-carrying patients with raw juice, he now believes many diseases can be prevented and even cured with regular consumption of this, sadly controversial, super-food in its raw form.
The nutritional value of medical cannabis
Researchers believe that the CBD present in medical cannabis can slow the growth of certain cancers.
Cannabis is nutritionally dense, the dark, leafy green containing high levels of iron, calcium and fiber. It is also full of cannabinoids which are unique to the cannabis plant. The high concentration of cannabinoids coupled with a perfect balance of fatty acids helps to reduce damage from free-radicals, reduce inflammation and improve cellular function and communication. In laboratory experiments THCA (the acidic form of THC present only in raw cannabis) has been shown to have an effect on inflammation enzymes.
Once heated, cannabis loses a great deal of its nutritional benefits. Its cannabinoid-profile changes with the CBDA converting into CBD and the THCA into THC. THC is the psychoactive compound that makes a user ‘high’. By juicing your raw cannabis, you get much more of the health benefits, but without altering your state of mind too much.
Some researchers believe that CBD can slow, halt or even reverse the growth of certain cancers, but only in mega-high doses; much higher than you could ever get if the THCA had been converted to THC and you were feeling the psychoactive effects. The FDA has established a recommended 600-1000 mg daily dose of CBD but only a 10 mg dose of THC. Typically, cannabis contains less than .01% CBD with about 10% THC, so it is impossible to get the necessary dose of CBD without losing your marbles completely, unless you consume the cannabis in its raw form.
According to Dr. Courtney, noticeable health benefits from drinking cannabis juice can take from days, to weeks and months to appear. It takes six to eight weeks for plant cannabinoids and the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K to fully saturate the body’s fat tissue where they are stored.
So if you get a medical marijuana card online and commit to a regimen of daily juicing for at least a month or two, it could really improve your quality of life.
How to juice medical cannabis
Medical cannabis can be included in delicious and nutritious juices.
Vegetables begin losing valuable, healthy enzymes as soon as they are harvested, so the fresher the produce you can get, the better; cannabis is certainly no different. If you live in a state that allows personal marijuana cultivation, an outdoor greenhouse or indoor grow tent will provide you with more than enough fresh, healthy cannabis for your daily juice. If you can’t grow it yourself but have a California medical card you can pick up a batch of online medical marijuana, which will be just as good. Remember, decarboxylated weed (by heating or drying) will be stripped of most nutrients and will be impossible to juice. So don’t decarb your cannabis before juicing. Save your decarbed weed for watching Ex Machina later on!
To make the juice add 15 large leaves and two 2-4 inch buds to the juicer. You’ll know the buds are ready to be juiced when the trichomes (the sticky little crystals on the flower) are fully developed but are not yet amber and still a little cloudy. The leaves for juicing should be picked from plants that are well into flowering stage. You can mix other vegetables and fruits in with your cannabis to taste. One part cannabis to 5 parts other veg, such as carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, spinach, apples, etc., will make your juice taste delicious. Put the ingredients in a blender with two or three cups of water and liquify. Simple.
You can down your whole shake on the spot for a mega-dose of super-nutrients, or you can store it in the fridge and drink it in a few smaller helpings throughout the day. It is also possible to freeze a batch of juice in ice-cube trays or plastic containers and defrost when the time is right.
In 420 card states, juicing is becoming a genuine new health craze. The benefits, while not proven beyond doubt, seem to be enormous and the outlook is very promising indeed. So get your online medical card and get juicing!