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The Secrets of Healing

VN Healing Blog

The Miracle Tree

December 9, 2019

It is without question that an essential part of healing is balance. Unfortunately our day-to-day diet in the modern world actually works against this. In the effort to make farming more efficient, and extend the shelf-life of packaged goods, the food industry is focusing more and more on foods laden with carbs and preservatives. Even in the US, where modern farming and transportation is as efficient as ever, there are entire sections of the country that are considered "Food Deserts". In these areas, it is impossible to buy fresh produce and inhabitants must rely on canned goods for fruits and vegetables.

Even after many people undergo treatment for terrible diseases like cancer and diabetes, they often return to eating the same processed or fast foods as they did before. They are then disappointed when they find that they can never fully recover.

But nature has given us something that would help immensely - yet many of us do not know about it. It's called Moringa Oleifera, or "The Miracle Tree" as it is sometimes known.

Moringa has some rather miraculous properties. It has:

- 7X more Vitamin C than oranges.

- 8X more Vitamin A than carrots.

- 4X more Calcium than milk.

But the most important quality of Moringa, and what many may overlook, is it's nutritional value. One cup of chopped leaves (21 grams) contains a full 2 grams of protein - close to 10% of it's mass. And this nutrition comes in a very healthy package, and includes a host of other benefits.

Nutritionists and the health conscious public are starting to take note. The benefits of Moringa are being talked about more on social media and health blogs. Just adding a simple Moringa shake to your diet could help your body deal with a host of ailments, as well as provide natural nutrition and energy.

Many are starting to grow the Miracle Tree themselves in their own backyards. This is made much easier since Moringa is very hearty and easy to grow and maintain.

Balance is necessary for healing. And it's never been easier to help bring balance into our diets just by relying on what nature gives us.

- Vinh V.

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Rediscovering Something Amazing

August 3, 2019

I remember reading an article, almost 30 years ago, about an amazing discovery that scientists had found. Two things about this article stood out. The first was that the discovery had to do with a system that was already inside all of us. And that this system promoted homeostasis - or balance.

You see, the concept and importance of internal balance for our health has been known and practiced for millennia. In Chinese culture, the duality of yin and yang is a primary guideline of Chinese traditional medicine. Chi, or the life force, must be balanced and flow freely throughout the body in order for you to be healthy. In Sanskrit, the word for Chi is Prana. in Tibetan, the word is Lung. Similar ideas can be found in many other cultures across the globe.

But the ancestors in other cultures did not have the technology to understand our cells and systems as well as we can now. Therefore they referred to these mechanisms using terms such as "energy". The evidence, although overwhelming, was always just anecdotal.

Later I come to find out that this article was talking about the "then" recently discovered Endocannabinoid System (ECS). This system is basically a signaling mechanism throughout our bodies via our cells. The receptors and cannabinoid activators that make up the ECS can be found in all of our cell tissue, including our central nervous system. They all have different functions but the end goal is clear. When operating effectively, the entire system promotes homeostasis.

The second thing that had struck me about this article was its deliberate vagueness. Now I realize that being a controlled substance, even research on cannabis was heavily restricted at the time. I was too young then to appreciate the influence society and politics had on institutions like medicine and education. I guess ignorance really is bliss. But now that hemp can be legally grown, research can start anew - and has begun in earnest. Articles and studies are coming out monthly, each bringing us closer to understanding what this system of "balance" really is that we already have in our bodies. We need all the help we can get, given all of the stresses we endure and the food choices we make daily.

It is too early to generalize, but maybe that "energy" that needed to be balanced and flow freely throughout our bodies is actually the signaling among our cells via the ECS. And when the energy was blocked for whatever reason, it actually was just our ECS not operating effectively.

The progress has been amazing to see. We are starting to really understand what other cultures have known simplistically for ages. And it affords us a great promise of bettering our health and our lives.

It really is like rediscovering something amazing inside of us - all over again.

- Vinh V.

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The Endocannabinoid System 101

August 8, 2019

Authors Note: Something that I get often when talking to others about CBD is that not many people, even those who have used CBD for years, have ever heard of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS). This is understandable for a variety of reasons, namely that its discovery only occured relatively recently (1964), and that the research itself was constrained by laws that made cannabis illegal. It truly is an amazing discovery, and has profound impacts on our lives and understanding of our bodies. This post is my desire to shed a little light on this amazing system.

Scientists have stated that the discovery of the human Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is one of the most important ever for the understanding of human physiology and health. What is even more startling is that this system has been in place in our bodies for millions of years. There are records from over 4700 years ago documenting the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes. Yet no one knew how it worked until 1964. Even then, discovering the ECS was almost accidental.

Two doctors, Gaoni and Mechoulam, were working on understanding how THC (the psychoactive molecule in marijuana) provides its effect on the brain. The thing is, THC is a lipid, or put simply - a fatty acid. But the neurons in the brain mainly work with water soluble molecules. They theorized that there must be another mechanism for THC molecules to attach to and interact with our cells.

Their discovery is that there is indeed such a mechanism of receptors that "bind" to THC and other cannabinoids. This attachment in turn triggers biochemical reactions that change the physiological properties of the cell itself. A good example of this effect has to do with inflammation.

Inflammation is our bodies way of protecting itself. When our bodies get hurt, it increases the production of white blood cells, immune cells, and substances called cytokines that help fight infection. The normal signs of inflammation are redness, pain, heat, and swelling.

Cannabidiol, or CBD, interacts with CB2 receptors that are found through the body. Researchers have found CB2 receptors, when activated, will suppress the inflammatory immune function in cells themselves, therefore lessening inflammation and lowering pain.

Chronic inflammation, which is internal and often unfelt, can also occur when people are obese or under stress. If left untreated, chronic inflammation causes damage to our bodies. Researchers have examined blood samples of Type 2 Diabetes patients and found higher levels of cytokines. Some have theorized that diabetes itself may be a result of chronic inflammation, as this has been shown to cause insulin resistance. Much research still yet has to be done in this respect, but the promise is real that CBD could slow or even stop the onset of diabetes by lowering the inflammation caused by excess glucose and stress.

CB1 receptors are primarily found in the brain and the central nervous system. They are the moderators of our memory, mood, motor functions, and our perception of pain. A very interesting aspect of CB1 receptors and cannabinoids is that they actually send their signals backwards.

To put as simply as possible, the neurons in the brain are often called "presynaptic" - those that send the signal, and "postsynaptic" - those that receive the signal. Endocannabinoids however, are created by the receiving neuron and travel backwards to the CB1 receptors in the sending neuron. So by releasing endocannabinoids, a neuron can actually influence its own incoming synaptic signals. This effect has been shown to provide a myriad of beneficial remedies for neurological issues. CBD has been documented to greatly benefit those suffering from epilepsy, pain, Parkinson's, as well as a host of other brain related ailments.

The simplest description of what the ECS does overall is that it promotes Homeostasis - the maintenance of a stable internal environment despite the fluctuations of an external environment. Homeostasis is also known as "balance" , something our bodies need but are constantly being deprived of due to our diets and life stresses. Our understanding of the ECS is just starting but holds a great opportunity for us to really better our health and our lives.

- Vinh V.

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