Organ meats as an alternative to marijuana?

Fat-soluble vitamins available in organ meats activate the same cannabinoid receptors as active compounds in marijuana. Is this a good alternative?

Background

I recently read an article titled The Pursuit of Happiness by Chris Masterjohn.  He’s an academic researcher and his work elaborates on the importance of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and K.  In this article, he explains how vitamins A and D, along with arachidonic acid are precursors to the internal production of endocannabinoids.  The endocannabinoids are the natural compounds that activate the cannabinoid receptors.

These receptors are responsible for the regulation of both dopamine (needed for long-term goal-oriented behavior) and cortisol (the stress hormone).  As he notes, “by curbing the excess production of cortisol and supporting adequate production of dopamine, endocannabinoids help prevent excess tension, anxiety, burnout, and feelings of self-defeat and help support the confrontation of challenges with the attitudes necessary for success.”

One solution: marijuana

The active compound in marijuana, THC, activates these same receptors, but in unnaturally high doses.  Therefore, marijuana has undesirable effects that the natural precursors avoid. These include loss of coordination and distortions in sense of time, and apparently increased heart rate and impaired memory over time, too.  Not to mention the compensatory response, meaning you need more over time to achieve the same feelings.

I know people with high anxiety that report definite improvements with smoking pot. Culturally it is all around; in Illinois it’s legal for medical use.  Is it preposterous to assume that the increased national acceptance of marijuana is due to widespread deficiencies of vitamins A, D and arichidonic acid?  That these deficiencies are partially responsible for such high rates of anxiety and depression?

Do these deficiencies contribute to other ailments entirely? One friend reports relief from migraines by smoking pot. Another uses it for pain management.  There are probably prescriptions directed at a variety of ailments.  Yet, at least for mental health, improvements can be achieved with a nutrient-dense diet inclusive of the fat-soluble vitamins.

Of course, we would need to consume the right foods.  And then we would need to increase fat consumption to absorb those fat-soluble vitamins.  Yet we are told that fats, especially nutrient-dense saturated fats, like butter and lard, are bad for us.  Hmm.

An alternative: organ meats

I don’t want to imply that I have strong opinions against other people using pot, I don’t.  Though I confess that when I tried smoking pot in high school, I hated it.  I was so stressed out by the feelings of being disconnected from myself and the distorted sense of time.  It didn’t seem to be a good match for my own variety of Type A-ness.  Are there others that dislike pot for whatever reason, but feel otherwise helpless to improve feelings or particular symptoms?

If this is you, would you be willing to try a regular diet of some nice calf or chicken liver instead? Have you had relief from mental health issues from a switch to a nutrient-dense diet rich in animal fats? Tell me about it in the comments below.

The motivation for this post was the relief of heavy depressive feelings in a dear friend after dietary improvements.  After hitting a low, I suggested the Pursuit of Happiness article mentioned above.  Subsequently, I was on the hook for suggestions about how to beef (or lamb, as the case may be) up liver consumption.  Within a couple of days the clouds were lifting.  Within a couple of weeks, migraines decreased in frequency and long-term perspective improved.

I don’t know if marijuana use is actually increasing, but culturally, it seems so.  My own half-baked (pun intended) hypothesis is simply that we don’t know we can achieve the same feelings with natural vitamin A and some time in the sun.

Feel-good foods

Here’s Masterjohn’s list of feel-good foods:

• Organ meats from grass-fed animals (arachidonic acid, vitamins A and D)
• Cod liver oil (vitamins A and D)
• Butter from grass-fed animals (arachidonic acid, vitamins A and D)
• Egg yolks from grass-fed chickens (arachidonic acid, vitamins A and D)
• Fats from grass-fed animals (arachidonic acid, vitamins A and D)
• Bone broths (calcium)
• Raw whole milk from grass-fed animals (calcium, arachidonic acid, vitamins A and D)
• Fish eggs (vitamins A and D)
• Small whole fish (calcium, vitamins A and D)
• Shell fish (vitamins A and D)

As he summarizes, “[D]ata suggest that nutrient-dense animal fats rich in vitamin A, arachidonic acid, and vitamin D will not only help us avoid mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety, but help us to confront our challenges with focused, goal-oriented behavior and to sustain effort over time in order to realize important goals in the future.”  Sounds good to me.