Despite the stereotype of marijuana users as burned-out teens munching on Doritos, today, the fastest growing demographic of cannabis users is actually baby boomers and senior citizens. This increase of use is for good reason—cannabis has proven itself to be a powerful weapon against the ravages of age.
The world’s oldest woman, Fulla Nayak, who passed away at the ripe old age of 125, credited her longevity to daily use of ganja and palm leaf wine, common in her native India. Not only did Nayak live a long life, she was relatively healthy right up until the end, complaining only of weakening eyesight. Nayak could stand and walk on her own until the day she passed away, with an occasional cold being her most serious medical condition.
Unfortunately, not all of us were born with Fulla Nayak’s incredible genes. Nonetheless, we can learn a lesson from her habitual cannabis use. Here are 10 compelling reasons why you, your parents and your grandparents should consider adding cannabis to a healthy routine of good diet and exercise.
1. Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention and Treatment
Alzheimer’s Disease, a progressive illness that affects over 5 million Americans each year, is characterized by dementia and loss of mental capacity. As the baby boomer generation grows older, the number of Alzheimer’s patients is expected to reach 16 million by 2050.
Cannabis holds promise in treating Alzheimer’s disease by slowing its progression, reducing inflammation and helping to alleviate symptoms like anxiety and depression. It has even been shown to help generate new brain cell growth. More importantly, marijuana might actually prevent cases of Alzheimer’s disease from ever happening in the first place.
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, discovered that the THC molecule can directly impact Alzheimer’s disease pathology by inhibiting the enzymes responsible for the forming of amyloid plaque, the primary pathological marker for Alzheimer’s. If the plaque never forms, Alzheimer’s disease does not develop.
It’s not just THC either. Cannabidiol (CBD), the most prominent non-psychoactive cannabinoid, also seems to help both by inducing new brain cell growth, as well as by reducing inflammation—an important discovery since scientists are exploring the link between neuroinflammation and Alzheimer’s disease.
2. Cancer Prevention and Treatment
No other disease strikes fear…