Lupus, Other

Medicinal Cannabis for Lupus?

” According to Medical News today…”Systemic lupus erythematosus (Lupus) is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks normal, healthy tissue. This results in symptoms such as inflammation, swelling, and damage to joints, skin, kidneys, blood, the heart, and lungs. Under normal function, the immune system makes proteins called antibodies in order to protect and fight against antigens such as viruses and bacteria.

Lupus makes the immune system unable to differentiate between antigens (a substance capable of inducing a specific immune response) and healthy tissue. This leads the immune system to direct antibodies against the healthy tissue – not just the antigens – causing swelling, pain, and tissue damage. Any part of the body can be affected by lupus as it has an array of clinical manifestations affecting the skin, joints, brain, lungs, kidneys, blood vessels and other internal organs.”

It is estimated that it affects over 1:1000 Canadians and while there is no cure yet, The treatment plan will depend in part on the type and severity of symptoms. There are many medications that can control symptoms, from a mild anti-inflammatory to some very potent steroids and many of these many of these come with a myriad of negative side effects.

Could Medicinal Cannabis Help Lupus?

“Pain and inflammation are two major symptoms of lupus, and cannabis helps relieve both, without nasty side effects that prescription medications have. Cannabis increases the levels of anti-inflammatory protein interleukin-10 and decreases the levels of pro-inflammatory protein interleukin-2. Medicnal Cannabis also helps treat symptoms of nausea and abdominal cramping that are often severe side effects of commonly prescribed drug for lupus, such as Planequil and corticosteroids….. Read full article from Michelle Ross PHD

 

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Article Sources

Medical News Today

Lupus Society of Alberta

Lupus Canada

Michelle Ross PHD


Watch informational video testimonial interview of patient who was told by her Dr. she wouldn’t make it to 30 or be able to have children, had all her symptoms eradicated with medicinal cannabis!

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