Given the recent rash of media attention regarding the healing powers of marijuana, one may think to believe that the medical use of cannabis is a new phenomenon. Certainly, our governments act as if marijuana were a recently invented drug, wanting lengthy testing before they will consider not arresting and imprisoning med-pot users.
Yet, the cannabis plant can be considered one of humanity’s oldest cultural objects and we are more than positive that it was among the first medicines ancient people took from nature’s pharmacopoeia. The shadowy time of pre-history may be left speculatively, but there is a written recorded history of medical cannabis stretching back 4000 years ago.
Origins of Marijuana:
The earliest written reference to the use of marijuana as a medicine was around 2,800 BC in the Pen Ts’ao, a medical compilation belonging to legendary Chinese Emperor Shen-Nung. Although the older copies of the Pen Ts’ao dates to 100 AD, most scholars agree that the nameless author combined more ancient versions into his writing.
As Emperor, Shen-Nung was concerned that the priests were incapable of effectively treating the illnesses of their subjects by executing magical rites, so he decided to find substitute remedies for the sick. The Emperor was also an expert botanist and had a thorough knowledge of plants. With this in mind, certainly taken alongside the knowledge of native folk remedies, Shen-Nung decided to search for the healing powers of plants using himself as the test subject.
Like the practice of medicine around the world, early Chinese doctoring was based on the notion of demons. If a person were ill, it was thought that he/she was invaded by some demon. The only way to treat him was to drive the demon out. The early priest-doctors used all kinds of tricks, some of which were rather sophisticated, like drug therapy, which we will examine shortly. Other methods involved outright magic. The priest-doctor did his best to find some way of getting the malicious demon believed responsible for an illness out.
Among the weapons to come out of the magical kit bag of the ancient Chinese conjurers were the cannabis stalks. Armed with canabis stalk, Chinese conjurers went on to battle with the unseen enemy on his home ground – the sickbed. Standing over the body of the stricken patient, his cannabis stalk poised to strike, the priest hit the bed and ordered the demon to go away. If the illness was psychological and the patient had faith in the magician, he/she would recovered. If his problem was organic, he/she would seldom improved.
This top 10 article examines the top 10 marijuana healing methods dating back to ancient times in Ancient China. It serves to educate the populace that about the widespread purposes and uses of marijuana, especially for healing purposes.
1. Childbirth Aid:
Chewing on marijuana seeds was widely used in Ancient China to ease the pain of a difficult delivery and help out with postpartum recovery. A packet of hemp seeds was also used to bring out an overdue birth and even help with blood deficiencies during pre or post-pregnancy. The ancient Chinese were also widely known to utilize hemp seeds as a way to alleviate retained placentas in mothers, who are just beginning to breast-feed, increasing the milk flow as a result.
2. Anti-inflammatory:
Next time you suffer from painful rash, do not waste time taking anti-histamines or anti-inflammatory medications. Marijuana seeds are said to be an operative anti-inflammatory and works to soothe or reduce irritation and swelling.
3. The Aftermath of a Stroke:
Zhong Feng can be defined as a neurological impairment in stroke patients. One of the symptoms is excess perspiring and hemp seeds are frequently prescribed to help deal with the side-effect.
4. Antiseptic:
If you’ve cut your hand or your finger or have a nasty blister on your foot, add some marijuana seed. According to Ancient Chinese traditions they are said to be an effective antiseptic tool. The seeds are known to stop sepsis from occurring and are said to prevent bacterial development.
5. Anthelmintic:
Anthelmintic is a term given to drugs which destroy and dissipate parasites in the body; this includes worms. It is thought that marijuana seeds have the benefits and they are therefore prescribed to patients suffering from worms and parasites poisoning.
6. High-Blood Pressure:
Marijuana seeds are recommended for patients who suffer from high-blood pressure, as chewing on hemp seeds is said to have the ability to reduce blood pressure.
7. Menstrual Problems:
Marijuana seeds were believed to treat menstrual problems. However, they were most commonly used in ancient Chinese medicine as a remedial cure to regulate periods.
8. Cancer:
Cannabis oil can be highly efficient in natural cancer cure. Since the 1970s, medical scientists have studied the medical benefits of cannabinoid compounds over cancerous cells. Thanks to modern science, over a dozen studies conducted were able too partially reveal just how it is done. Yet cannabis is still not endorsed by pharmaceutical companies as a cancer cure and very few people are aware of its benefits. Consequently, it is not sought after as an alternative to disfiguring chemotherapy and other harmful drugs.
9. Constipation:
Hemp seeds can relax, loosen and stimulate bowel movements; therefore the seeds are commonly used to treat constipation, especially in China. Even today, hemp seed oil pills are still generally prescribed remedies for constipation.
10. Anesthetics:
In 200 AD, the early and renowned Chinese surgeon Hua T’o was reputed to have performed such complicated operations as organ grafts, re-sectioning of intestines, and incisions into the loin and chest. Moreover, these dangerous and complicated surgeries were rendered painless by an anesthetic prepared from cannabis resin and ma-yo wine. The US army sponsored tests in the 1950’s, where massive doses of THC put dogs into a deep sleep for eight days, after which they awoke and showed no ill properties.
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