Join John Malanca and Dr. Gary Simmons for this in depth look at how cannabis is used as medicine. Dr. Simmons shares his own story of the effectiveness of cannabis and how it changed his life from Stage 4 to remission.
Visit us at: https://www.unitedpatientsgroup.com
Follow our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn_Rews_k-L0_0F73JSBDxg
Follow us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/upatientsgroup
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnitedPatientsGroup/
Join John Malanca and Dr. Gary Simmons for this in depth look at how cannabis is used as medicine. Dr. Simmons shares his own story of the effectiveness of cannabis and how it changed his life from Stage 4 to remission.
Visit us at: https://www.unitedpatientsgroup.com
Follow our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn_Rews_k-L0_0F73JSBDxg
Follow us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/upatientsgroup
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnitedPatientsGroup/
John Malanca 0:00
Hey, everybody, welcome back. This is John Malanca. With United Patient Group Be Informed. Be Well, Today's guests are Dr. Gary Simmons up there and Washington State. Welcome, Gary.
Dr. Gary Simmons 0:19
Thanks for being here. And thanks for having me, John.
John Malanca 0:22
Thanks for Thanks. Let's, let's share how well so I was always told if you don't ask the question, the answer is always no. And, uh, probably about a month ago, three weeks, two months ago, I have received an email from Gary said, I've been following you. And, you know, this is what I've gone through. And I'll let you share your story. And are you ever I would love to? Are you open to having another speaker or guest on your show? And I wrote you right back. I said, I would love it. So I thank you for taking that step forward. And when Gary, when we got on before the recording here, I should know Nice to meet you. Like, I feel like I've known you because we've watched you but good to have you on.
Dr. Gary Simmons 1:03
Well, thanks. Thanks, John. So, so let me just first share why I contacted you and as as, as an ordained, ordained Unity minister, I have a congregation of 200 folks in Spokane, Washington that actually we're now my wife and I co ministers are now retired, we've moved to kettle falls, which is about two hours north of Spokane. But suffice to say that I'd have people in our in our congregation who had the COVID-19 and they've struggled with a symptoms or complications after they have tested negative and still dealing with what is now labeled the long haul or syndrome. And and wondering if if there's been the conversations that you've had with other medical professionals who who consult patients wanting to use cannabis if there's been any support or any inroads made for helping in that regard. And and so the context for my asking the question, of course, is that I'm a member and follower of United Patients group and the reason why I am is because I found you having gone through my own cancer healing process and journey. Five years ago, I was diagnosed with stage four metastatic melanoma, a rare form of internal skin cancer, presenting over 30 tumors, a couple of them the sizes, golf balls, women's, and I, I went to, I had recently had at that time, a hernia operation, I went back to the surgeon and asked him what's his lump on on my back here? And he said, Oh, I don't know. I'll just come back in next week. I'll check it, I'll take it out. And so so we went back and he started working on it. And boy, this is more complicated. And I'm thinking it's supposed to be in about 3540 minutes later he pulls out this thing he says this doesn't look good. Anyway, suffice to say 3030 tumors being revealed and the PET scan and I immediately Iraqi to well, all over throughout my body. I had him in my lung, my bow, sat back in my neck, fortunately, nothing in my brain. But I immediately went to because I had in the past had some familiarity with recreational cannabis. I had also been having gone through the passing of my previous wife who had a glioblastoma multiforme brain cancer, and suffered with her through that experience through all of her chemo and radiation and all all the things that they threw at her and watch her quality of life. So impacted by it. I vowed that if I ever got sick myself, I wasn't going to go the route of chemotherapy or radiation. So all those options were really off the table when I was diagnosed. So I went to a dispensary in Spokane that was back when this recreation and the spent dispensaries were two different things. And actually, I wasn't I discovered I couldn't go to the dispensary. I had to get a certification. So I went to the recreational store. And I asked the young lady and in the pot store, do you have anything for cancer? And she looks around and she says, Yeah, say your pick, but she couldn't tell me anything. But she was able to write on a little post it note three letters, r s o and so he she said Google that. Well, the long story short was is that I found a path to my own healing. Of course, it's not the path that I haven't had anybody ever follow after me in my path. Because it's, it's it was the protocol that was very intense. Having to ingest up to a gram of RSO full extract cannabis oil daily was was a quite a challenge long with being a minister or CO minister and a congregation of 200 and, and having to treat myself during that process, well suffice to say that after 60 days or 90 days between the PET scans, I was cancer free, much to the amazement of my oncologist and, and sharing my story with my congregation, I found myself inundated with individuals wanting support. And, and I don't know about you, but if you ever walk into one of these dispensaries, or these pot stores, it's like walking into a casino.
You know, you're bombarded by all these, these, all these images of products and things I mean, and, and to be able to make sense of all these complexities, I found myself having to educate myself with regard to the products that are available, because so many people in my church had all these elements that their medical doctors were unwilling to address, and unwilling to and even telling the individuals my church that if you try medical cannabis, I'm not You're not going to be a patient of mine anymore. Yeah. And I'm sure you've heard that before from other other individuals. And, and to be in a position where it's one thing to be a person's minister. And it's another thing to know how to how to be able to support them. And and know, for me, I found myself going to the pot stores with members of my church and helping them read the labels and, and really be able to ask questions about what they're purchasing in relationship to what they're trying to achieve and their own personal life and, and not having any kind of real education myself in the beginning. It was mostly just tagging along and helping the person kind of feel supported in the process.
John Malanca 6:53
But which, which is big, and I've done that, because even when, even when Corinne was 100%, healthy years ago, you know, she needed a recommend, needed recommendation because she was the caregiver for her father. And she'd always say, go in there, go in there. And I said, Come on, baby, I'll take you in there. And she was nervous because cannabis was in her lifestyle. And so it got to the point where, now that she felt comfortable in there, and people will call she's talking about I'll meet you down there. And she'd handhold. And sometimes it just takes that extra handhold to give the confidence of something new. And imagine going through something as serious as cancer is, like you were like, help. What? Is there anything here that fights cancer and for her to turn around and say, well take take your pick? I mean, there's so many products out there, there's so many formulations and dosing and, and stories and, and protocols. I mean, I'm so happy that you found found that in with you finding the RSO I'm on the fence with our show because of not every patient, in my opinion should take a gram you had success. Did you know Rick Simpson actually fought successfully fought his own skin cancer.
Unknown Speaker 8:13
Yes, I knew that it
John Malanca 8:13
wasn't pancreatic wasn't brain wasn't lung, you know, but skin. And now the media has really changed it. I don't want people to think that every every cannabis oil is Rick Simpson of like calling all Starbucks coffee. And I'm, I learned the hard way and learned the hard way. But I did an article on Rick Simpson back in 2011. And we put on the site and, and a lot of the oil makers in the industry really jumped on me and said, Do you know how the true Rick Simpson oil is made? Do you know what the trypsin protocol and she they would say, you know, I don't think I think you should do your research on it. And that's what I did. But I'm so happy for you, because I would never tell anybody not to try something and take away that hope. I mean, if someone said, you know, eat this computer mouse, I could help I'd say Gary, scoot on over, we're going to cut this baby in half and start chewing on it. So your journey. I mean, we're you were where you are now what you're doing. I didn't know about your wife. You know your bio, you didn't you don't have that on your website at
Dr. Gary Simmons 9:19
all. No, as I was in this, it was in what I sent you. And last night I sent you.
John Malanca 9:26
I didn't see that night and I looked for that this morning. So I was scouring your website. So my Oh, my apologies.
Dr. Gary Simmons 9:33
Now Now let's talk Yes, my previous wife. Well, this is you know, 18 years ago but yeah, 18 years ago, there wasn't I mean, you know, if there was an approach to her cancer with the medical route, she would have also been inclined to do it also but anyway, they so so after having gone through the protocol and then being educated through watching, you know your inner views as well as
John Malanca 10:01
before, I'm sorry to cut you off there, but can you share with some of our listeners that may be completely new to this? What that protocol is and what and why we were talking about that,
Unknown Speaker 10:15
okay. So, Rick Simpson oil or as as you mentioned, is is generalized term to denotes full extract cannabis oil that is typically produced by dissolving the material into some kind of solvents or otherwise medium that is then boiled off and you're left with oily resin that is mostly high percentage of THC. And so the protocol is to begin with a very small dose a half a grain of rice, which is probably about 10 milligrams of THC or 20. Or maybe it's even 50, I don't know, but to start very slow, and then every event to double it, as you are able to acclimate to it to to where you're eventually able to over, spread it out over 24 hours to be able to ingest a gram of oil a day. And and so I was able to acclimate myself. It took me about three or four weeks to to be able to get up to a gram a day. And then after I was acclimated, I wasn't psychoactive, very often, what would happen. So I went for three months, once I was fully acclimated at least a gram, or even more a day there was there was a time I thought that more was better. As you've mentioned, that's that's sort of the where do we go when we're afraid that's, you know, we're doing whatever we need to do to stay alive. And so I was able to ingest a gram and a half without any problems. And so I did
John Malanca 12:02
it for our listeners that that is like, Gary and I are having a beer tonight and two jugs of whiskey tomorrow. I mean, that's right. That's
Unknown Speaker 12:09
that's the heavy duty stuff. Right? And so this would not be something that anybody else would want to attempt. Yeah. And to be to be totally honest, as as when I effected my healing people asked me, What did I do? And I told them, and they tried to do what I did, and they couldn't. And and so it's it's not it's not a way to proceed. So anybody listening to that needs to not proceed in that regard, because that's not a path that is appropriate for everybody. You know, it was it worked for me but but I made it work for me there was there so that
John Malanca 12:47
was five plus years ago, correct? Yes. So at that time, five plus years ago, everyone was turning to that and just again for our listeners, Rick Simpson is a gentleman, a Canadian who treat and beat his cancer skin cancer by making this concoction of full extract cannabis oil, high THC taking a gram or more a day, which is a lot you mentioned Gary about the rice grains and I forgot about that just funny how this industry has changed from then to now and we'll probably go but for the longest time the unit of measurement with with oil was rice grains, you know, and it's like okay, it's a brown rice is rice isn't white rice, is it you know, and and is it long Indian rice and so, in? I'll go we'll go with the white, Asian rice. How about that. But there's about 17 plus or minus grains, rice grains that equal about a gram and just show you a Gary consumed my father in law who fought his cancer stage four lung cancer metastasized his brain never exceeded a half a grain of rice. So Gary's on 17 grains of rice just to show you if my father luck exceeded a half one grain of rice, he was toasted. So it's it's I would personally I wouldn't recommend that but I you know, everyone's on their journey. It's sometimes you know, the power of the mind can just hey, look, I'm gonna do this and so I do know people that have had success taking high doses so just want to give a little people a little background on on on Rick himself. And then unfortunately, the Canadian government kind of banned him and he's like this mythical legend like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid that have had to run from the lawn. So where is he right now? I don't know. It's we don't know he's he does jump on, on on webinars and zooms here but anyway, your story well, so
Unknown Speaker 14:55
So just kind of complete this part. I'm no longer taking and just See that that amount so I have a kind of more of a broader approach to my maintenance and health and so I focus on the four cannabinoids that Dr. FRANKEL talked about, you know 30 milligrams of CBD a THC A and CBD and then THC Of course I dose knightly. It's not 30 milligrams, but it's, it's a little bit more than that but, but that's my routine. And I've also created videos on how to make THC and CBD a capsules out of CBD and THC isolettes. And so it's it's convenient, it's easy, it's not too expensive. I was grinding that bud and putting them in capsules and that that became too labor intensive. Yeah, but what I do now is I when people come to me, they, they are earnest about wanting to try something. And so as you have mentioned, the rule of thumb is start out low and slow. And then you attempt to dial in the precise medicine that you need. And, and so that's that's what I try to share with people that there's a methodology to being being able to benefit from medical cannabis, it's just not like just try this and see if it works. It's about understanding how your endocannabinoid system functions and to recognize that you have to treat your, the whole body the whole system, it's not just treating the symptom, it's about treating the whole body and you know, I've I've so I've been so benefited by the people that you've interviewed over the years. Now, just uh, for instance, just just deal with sleep and see how that affects the rest of your, your ailments, you know, or, you know, there's so So this, the whole arena of, of understanding health and wellness, and the holistic dimension of life has has been expanded due to being drawn into medical cannabis and, and its application for added benefit for helping me improve in our quality of our life. And, and it's it's incumbent upon those of us who are called to kind of educate ourselves and also be able to talk about it openly and without any kind of concern about the stigma. I when I go to a doctor's office, I when they asked me what I'm taking in terms of medicines, I run down the list. And and I make them write down in the medical record what I'm taking so that they're getting they they're used to understanding that there are patients that are using medical cannabis and are being benefited by it independent of all the other reasons why they can't necessarily endorsed it themselves. So
John Malanca 18:03
it's funny. Because we were talking offline, before we before we started doing that we're doing the podcast, but we were talking about, you mentioned that some doctors will say to the patient, hey, if you're going to use cannabis, I need you to go get another doctor. And I hear that quite a bit. I even hear that here in California. So I mean, we speak at retirement communities. And I'd always ask Is anybody have this conversation with their family members? or doctors? Yes. What are your doctors say? My doctor says, If you're going to do this, you know, I need you to find another doctor. And this lady stood up like, what do you do? She was I fired my doctor, and we all got a good chuckle out of it. But it's kind of the truth. And same thing has happened with my aunt Louis? No, she's been with a doctor for 30 something years and she's here in California. And he said, Lois, I'm gonna act like you didn't ask me that question. She says, Come on, really? You know, and so, you know, and that's an illegal state. I mean, you were I'm an illegal state. You're an illegal state. And we work with so many patients and I wasn't asked you that earlier. If you didn't live in Washington or illegal state would you have turned to cannabis?
Unknown Speaker 19:10
But dead by now? Probably. Because I was in Missouri, living in New York. And there's nothing, nothing there. And and but but I mean, you could you could buy pot, you know, the smoke illegally. But that's not the same as, as treating yourself with medical cannabis. I wouldn't have. I wouldn't have known necessarily to move to one of these legal states. I consider our move serendipitous. We had purchased property in Washington State 10 years ago, and the opening for the ministry came available. And so we saw moving to Washington State and taking on this ministry as an opportunity to close the distance between our retirement plan And, and where we were in our lives at that time. And so, interestingly enough here, here's the here's the interesting thing. The reason why this ministry was open is because the established minister had brain cancer, melanoma in his brain. And he was diagnosed with the same kind of cancer but he he fell upon a trial, a brand new trial using a new technique that we all know now know as immunotherapy Keytruda. And he's been on Keytruda every three weeks and a fusion for the last five years. As you're doing he's, well he's he he's doing okay got just got COVID and he's he's got problems associated with that he's tested negative now, but he's still on oxygen and other things, respiratory issues. But but but imagine a congregation having their beloved minister have to leave because he got cancer only to hire another couple, who a year later is fallen by the same illness. And, and it kind of it does a number on the community. Obviously, everybody kind of has to kind of wake up and watch what's going on. But, but but the outcome was, I think, is that I became very open about my process, my healing, my struggle, Jane, who is a co minister, also public speakers was also able to share her, her struggles, her her fears, and her concerns and and in addition to my I had after complications associated with my cancer treatment, I because I had tumors in my intestines. I had twice I had intestinal blockages that had to be addressed. In the course of my treatment, this is after my remission. So I'm not without my own kind of challenges. And the, the the other side of it, the positive side of it is, is that when when people can see their minister have positive, transformative results, they pay attention to not only what the Minister is doing, but But why. And so I was it's just it's not my nature to try to say, Okay, well, pot healed me. Now a pot was was something that was revealed to me as a part of my divine guidance. Now I was I was drawn into the experience of having this healing modality available to me. It was it was almost as if it's just a part of the plan. I mean, that's the story I'm making up about it, of course. But this, but that's the story that helped inspired members in my community, to to attempt to address their issues, in some fashion with medical cannabis. Now, I will say that, shortly after my healing, I had one of my, our board member, one of our board members have kidney cancer, something related to his bladder or whatever, and was interested in my story. So after telling my story, he purchased all kinds of RSO vials and started his journey. Well, he got up to about two grains of rice. And he started going into having psychotic episodes that were very troubling. And he couldn't kind of deal with what emerges in I mean, if you can't become kind of catatonic and, and approach that level of intensity, the dark side starts to peek in through the, through your, through your awareness, you don't have pleasant thoughts about things and so he was not able to quiet that part down. I'm a long term term meditator so I'm able to manage what's happening internally and recognize now this is just the phenomenon of the medicine. It's not
Unknown Speaker 24:08
it's not my reality changing on me so, so So, so people, no one has been able to follow my path and that's just fine with me because now I recognize that there's a much softer more precise, gentler approach to managing life. More general
John Malanca 24:25
approach. Yeah, it's I laugh because it brings me back to when Chris father was diagnosed 2011 My family is down in Santa Barbara and we went Kurt and I went down there and we weren't going to be able to make it back up go to the desperate dispensary in the bay area to get to her folks house. So we went to a dispensary in Santa Barbara and I at that time, cannabis was cannabis and cannabis oil capsule was a capsule was the capsule Anyway, we went to dinner with friends who was a Wednesday night, went to Mexican restaurant had 10 baskets of chips before our food came, you know, and I'm not a drinker, so I wasn't drinking and so I ate all the basket chips ate the food. And then I walked up to what do we do? Anyway, we walked in the street, I said, I had this capsule, and I said to my buddy, Steve, I said, we took a half. And I said, okay, and I just thought it was gonna be five milligrams. Well, the capsule was a gram of oil. Oh, God, and I took a half an hour. And I went, and I know, I know every crack in the street in Santa Barbara. I know, restore, I know. I mean, I know everybody there. They wanted me to run for mayor one time actually a buddy of mine, the guy was with actually born and raised Santa Barbara was man, you know, everybody from the homeless guys to the to the celebrities and everybody in between. You need to run for mayor. And so I'm like, I'm not gonna run for mayor. Anyway, we were walking in the store with the families and it hit me. Gary, I could have been in Bangladesh. I didn't know where I was. And I was remember, I was walking back to the car with Corinne. And she's like, are you driving? I can't even walk. And I was so thankful that I didn't see anybody that I grew up with, because they were thought, What have you been doing for last 20 years? Is this what your life's about right now. But I remember, I shook on that line. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't sleep. And I said, Chris, if you have taken to the hospital, this is what I took. I only took half a capsule, imagine the whole thing. But I remember I was stoned for three days. And I was like, Who? I will never do that. Again. I remember giving my brother that. He's like, I told him what happened? And he says, Why would I want to throw that away? And so that made that actually made me realize, oh, not every capsule is the same capsule? Imagine if I would have given that to Chris's father. That would have been like, oh my gosh, and so that's why you talking about how many like going to a casino? What, what's in there, it's confusing. I took a group of retired pharmacists here in the San Francisco Bay Area. And we did a day of education of the good the bad the ugly of dispensaries in in the San Francisco Bay Area. And some of them they're just blown away on, you know, the cleanliness and the education behind it. And, and then the other ones were black market, but they're still legal legal operations, you know, and so, it's you have to find, you know,
there's good and bad in everything. I mean, I should say good. Some people might like the hole in the wall, you know, dark grungy barred nothing wrong with that, and other people want to go, you know, go over here. So I'm not saying it's one is better than the other, but I wanted to show them the differences. And especially for a first timer cannabis patient, like yourself or some of your colleagues or the in the congregation that you're taking their, you know, they're like, where do I start and so you being that guidance hand of, of giving them support and say here, I'm here for you ask the questions, you know, we can double double down on on on, you know, trying to find the right thing and the importance of labels is to is great. So, so yeah, so don't always just because it looks small doesn't mean that it's not not powerful in some cases. So be careful what you what you're ingesting and, and like alcohol, or unlike alcohol you drink you can throw up and go. I'm not doing that. Again. We're cannabis it's in your system and it's not deadly. We've had Dr. FRANKEL on Dr. Goldstein, Dr. Souillac, Dr. Behrman who you're talking about the sleep, you know, sleep it off, you can take a hot bath if you're able to peppercorns, chew and a couple peppercorns or even take a drag of a CBD oil. And you know, it's hard to say you're already up here blast out of your mind to say here try this Gary take some more you're like you out of your mind. But we've seen it you know, we've seen it people taking it's almost like an anti venom and and bringing it back. And so with your guidance, you know, would you care taking some of your your, I guess colleagues and congregation congregational members to the dispensaries, but you mentioned also were brought on this call this this email of the long haulers with COVID. And and I think you mentioned or I read it that you have lost a few parishioners to to COVID
Unknown Speaker 29:47
Yes, there's been a few people in our church that have passed away due to COVID and as well as a number of individuals in the church that have tested positive and gone through their process some hospitalized and others just on their own and complain. I also wanted to mention just one thing else before we kind of please yes, yeah, leave the conversation that is I had a person in the in the church asked me for some support for her mother. And so I was able to talk them into getting into consultation through United Patients, which is, which is my, my number one thing before I say anything to anybody, I give them the information that they need to consult with a medical professional. So, so having said that, she, she did that, and she got a report and a protocol to, to try. But what I found was, is that, even with the very clear instructions as to what to try, it still was helpful for her to receive me telling her why it's happening this way, what the what the medical professional is trying to do with with saying, okay, use a five to one tincher. And, you know, just at at, you know, do a couple of teachers falls, you know, you're not going to get high, you're not going to get a buzz but but as as you acclimate with his tincher, you're going to be able to increase your THC and intake over time. So those kinds of things are helpful to be explained first, so that a patient doesn't kind of just see the recommendation as being, oh, I do this, and then I'm better. No, there's a process that moves towards dialing in a very precise, very precise production protocol. Yes, that's that's word. Anyway, it was it so so I, I find that while it's integral to a person really maximizing their benefit, and an ability to navigate the complexities, having some medical professional basically say, Here, here's the place to start. And here's a, here's a process that you can dial in to see if this is going to be a value to you, it's, it's helpful to, for a person not only to get the recommendation, but then to be able to process that in a way that they can actually X execute the recommendation. So I had to go with, I had to go to the dispensary with this person who was helping her mother and be able to show her what she needed to ask for. And because, you know, it's one thing to get a prescribed relationship ratio of five to one of CBD and THC. But what what's what's the best way to really acquire that in the context of you have 20 Different tincture products. And, and, and, and they're different servings within each product. And so, so the whole idea of being able to not only optimize a person acquiring the right product, but being able to not spend money that's unnecessary, or a waste of money on product that is not necessarily suitable. So so those are things that unfortunately, we can't necessarily impact other than to be, you know, kind of our own ambassadors and helping people as we can just to kind of manage to get what they need. So it becomes down to just that nitty gritty.
John Malanca 33:30
When I didn't know, I didn't know you did that. So that was thank you for, for trusting us with your friends as well. Yeah, you know, go with us or go with someone else, I truly believe a medical professional shouldn't be involved. Just because, as you're mentioning is not a one size fits all, you know, there's so many things to look into finding that sweet spot, maybe it takes two weeks, two months to find that sweet spot of what works for you, or the products, you know, or the products you know, you and I could you know you're in Washington, I'm in California. And because we're two legal States doesn't mean that we have the same products in there. So what may work for me down here or someone in another legal state, Colorado or Florida, you might not have access, and we hear that all the time. And so it's important to have some guidance because they do go over age, weight, current health condition, the sensitivities, the stage of what you're going through, and the other drug to drug interaction. So take a look at that. And and I think with that, it educates the patient makes them feel a little more competent, little more I can do this. But also, I always I always offer family members do you want your family member on during the month and when printed printed so I went to every single one of her appointments, and I took notes I Did mean and she just go? Thank you. I'm like, Well, I'm not going to leave you here just like you were with with your deceased wife. And earlier you mentioned, James. James, your current wife, right? Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 35:16
Coco, pastoral. CO minister. Yeah. Yeah, when we took the job and there's only one position offered, but we just split it between the two of
John Malanca 35:28
us yield Hey, this is this is a joint joint, a team.
Unknown Speaker 35:33
Yeah. And what what enabled us because we're both part time enabled us to do the other things, as I mentioned. And I'm a published author and I, we have a worldwide Shadow Work Shadow Work program. We've trained over 8000 people go through our shadow work process with over 140 facilitators worldwide. I'm an experimental aircraft pilot, and
John Malanca 35:59
I hear you working on your fourth plane now or Yep, I've
Unknown Speaker 36:03
just finished building my fourth airplane, I still have to find an airfield to do some tests, test flights. And I'm also a martial artist. I've five years in taekwondo, right, like window and other martial arts. So I have health and fitness as a part of my core foundation, as I know that you do to John, and, and when and, and so the whole idea of of helping people with their health challenges is, you know, it's, it's, it's broadened itself, it's no simple thing anymore, we have to treat the whole person, you know, diet, exercise, sleep, all the balances that we need to have in our own personal emotional well being. And, you know, we these times, these pandemic times, we're literally exposed to a level of trauma that is, it's, it's not uncommon for us to think in terms of all of us being affected by post traumatic stress disorder, it's in some fashion. And if we're not treating ourselves as if we are exposed to and modulated by the incoherence that surrounds us, especially in our divided and polarized society, if we don't understand that has impact on our well being and our internal state, we will just allow the the forces of the world to kind of overwhelm us and will become victim of illnesses and disease, because our immune system is weak or we're overwhelmed with stress and, and so much of my experience of wholeness and well being, especially through the use of medical cannabis is all about bringing ourselves back into our natural state of balance and well being. And, and, and if we can do it in a natural way that doesn't create more complications, or poison our bodies, you know, we should be exploring that. I live in a place now where you know, a lot of people grow their own medicine. And it's a plus just a part of the culture. I've had people who've come to do work with here at our property, who have noticed my my medicine cabinet of plants, and have have commented and talked about their grow rooms and things like that, we all have to do what we have to do in order to stay healthy. And for me in my journey, and I've vacillated from going to dispensaries to actually having to make my own oil myself and trying to trying to learn about those processes. And and it's, it's something that if you're really going to be using this modality, you have to educate yourself, it's just not something that is going to be a hit or miss kind of thing.
John Malanca 39:00
You know, I learned every day you talking about medicine. You know, I've grown some plants in the air when Corinne was diagnosed. I grew up in the backyard, and we're here in California, so it was outdoor. But it educated a lot of family members and educated the doctors that have come over educated the hospice members that came over like Oh, and you know, you started like this and turned out to be big bushy plants, but the scent the visual. It brought happiness, you know, we would have all our doors open. You can just smell it. It's not. I think it's terpenes. And I'll go into terpenes. But there there is a study with terpenes and COVID. Dr. Yeah, and so I'll share this with I have this up here and I'll do a split screen but But but having those plants there, we would have family members like, what's that? That's a cannabis plant. Can I touch it? Yeah, of course you can smell it. You know, and it just kind of perked people up but it educated people like I had no idea. I just thought I automatically assumed it was what a joint in putting in a pipe and people smoke and get high. Yeah, you do that. But there's other forms. I mean, nowadays, you have topicals you have patches? Yeah, the oils, you have the tinctures you have? What am I missing? smokeable is vaping. vapors. I mean, I cream I use face cream. You know, but there's so many different body products out there right now. I need shaving cream. It's starting to itch. I was keeping this.
Unknown Speaker 40:47
Looking good. I was noticing that was pretty slick there. My
John Malanca 40:51
mom last night like you're gonna shave that day. You but you know, it's funny. I don't I have gray here. But I don't have gray hair, which I'm happy about. But anyway, back to your medicine. Kevin, I think I think it's wonderful. And I think if you're able to have the opportunity to grow and not have to look over your shoulder, meaning in an illegal state, I recommend it with for everyone to do it. It's a beautiful hobby. And it will actually, in my opinion, bring family and friends closer together. Because I've ever when we did this, we share this and my mom was like, How can I grow? And he's you know, and and up. She goes to church before COVID She was a church six days a week. But I can't tell you how many any how many of her fellow friends who are from church, that contact me, Hey, I was talking to your mom at Mass the other day doesn't help with this and how you were talking about all the different uses? Does it work for this? And you may have heard me talk about this on the show. But I say it's like duct tape. I don't want to say it's like death. Millions that use it. But when you really get down to it. There are so many different studies showing you know from sleep, anxiety, depression, cancer, AIDS, Parkinson's, epilepsy, I mean, the list goes on and on, on and on and on. And so, you know, we were fortunate we lived in a legal state and just the same same thing with you as well. You you're talking about, you know, just sheer shouldn't split screen here. And I'll share I did a podcast with Dr. Bonnie Goldstein. And so she stared shared some studies, I'll send this over to you, Gary as well. But you know, some of these are studies that are and this was probably about three months ago, so maybe more studies that come out. But these are three studies but talking about terpenes, which I was talking about the smelling of the plant the scent that comes off and so terpenes for our listeners, you know, we were all we're all familiar with terpenes it's stop and smell the roses, that scent that you smell the roses and the feeling that it gives you it brings me back to my grandparents or my grandmother's I just say but smelling a lime selling smelling a lemon smelling the pine needles. You know, little Lou, which is lavender, the calming effect, you know all the above. And so but these are three, three different studies showing how cannabis has, in the studies showing the benefits of cannabis when it comes to COVID as well. And so, but I'll share that with you, you take a deep deeper dive in I'll put the link out for our listeners as well. So what's happening with your congregation and some of your, your your fellow friends over there, they're going to discern some have lost his battle to this disease. You know, a year ago right now I was I grew up in Asia. And so I'm like my cousin Greg, who's here in the Bay Area. He's like you I want to say it's fifth degree, your, your degree. So I think he he's he's fourth degree but in taekwondo, as well and the end. But growing up, I my dad was in banking. So we lived in Tokyo, and also the Philippines. And I always came back as California's home base. But last year exactly a year ago, I was in Asia, for our schools 100th anniversary of it being a school 1920 to 2020. And there are about 15 1600 alumni from around the world that showed up. And that will probably never happen again. But it was one experience. But while we were there, everyone was talking about this China flu, this China flu, this China flu and be careful. It's going to you know, probably make its way back over here. And look where we are now. You know, a year later and a lot of lives have been affected. And it's still being affected by this. So hopefully, and now all these new strains are coming out and so on. I don't know. You know, I mean, I don't know if I'm on board with the vaccinations. I'm not you know, I'm
Unknown Speaker 45:08
I feel about vitamin D. Three.
John Malanca 45:12
I'm a big fan and I take a lot of vitamin D when crin was ill. We consulted with doctors around the world. And this one doctor out of Australia who was really, his whole thing was about vitamin D. And he said, take her into a deserted island and be on a beach, get in the water with the minerals, you know, eat the fruit, the seafood. And I said, if she was having a nervous breakdown, I would take that vacation, but I can't because it's not a nervous breakdown. It's pancreatic cancer. But I'm in California, and it's summer. So we have the sun and they said why and he says vitamin D, vitamin D, vitamin D, he was I can't tell you how many cancer patients but if you get the vitamin D, this, you know what he shared with us. Vitamin D, sodium, potassium chloride, and IV vitamin D. And the end with with the vitamin D from the sunlight. The sunlight will heat up the capillaries converting to HCl, which will attack the cancer cells. And so we became obsessed with getting vitamin D and not just vitamin D going outside everybody with you know 50 sunblock and I know you had melanoma. But, you know, getting on the torso became something that we were doing every day and I was watching her pain levels go down, her cancer levels go down. She was standing more upright, her breathing changed, and even our doctors like what are you guys doing and we shared and that year, we had the fires which is about an hour north of us in Napa Valley. The smoke permeated through the whole Bay Area and of those 10 days not being able to get outside to get fresh air and vitamin D. Currently, that's when current decline. So I am a big fan of vitamin D. It's kind of hard to share with someone who I'm talking to you had melanoma, what are your thoughts? And how did you get back, which was the sunburn that you had on your back years ago or
Unknown Speaker 47:17
so they surmise that when I was a child, I had a severe sunburn that kind of conditioned myself to the melanoma and then it just used a moment in my life to kind of emerge itself. So who knows what, what stress actually produced it but the which ones right? I mean, so so. So my my tumor just, I guess I lost my train of thought here. That's another side effect. I
John Malanca 47:49
know from but but but with the vitamin, vitamin D, we're talking about a big deal. And then and then we're so
Unknown Speaker 47:57
I had heard that I read somewhere recently that 80% of those who are get COVID have vitamin d3 deficiency total. And so So in doing more research, finding out that what's recommended is 10,000 units of vitamin d3 a day. And then and so we J and I both take that amount of vitamin d3 as well as the organics products of the two of them that have to do with the mushroom, fermented mushrooms as well as the Coumadin. It also has vitamin d3 in it so so we're we're finding that we believe that we're optimizing our immune system and like you were we're kind of tentative about this vaccination wanting to kind of wait and see what it's too soon. You know, we've seen so much that has been rushed through Yeah, that has not worked through so yeah.
John Malanca 49:09
And I go through that with my brain every once awhile to see are they just talking about you're like, Oh, yeah. Did you ever use cannabis as a topical on on any of your you know, or tumors? I mean, I know patients have like I said, you know, I'm not going to tell you if you've heard someone eat this and it's it's successful. I I've had breast patients breast cancer patients females that have actually slathered the oil and so back to what Gary was talking about the Rick Simpson oil of the it's the consistent looks like molasses and it's dark Mike molasses, the way Rick Simpson's protocol is in made but they were they would rub it directly on the breast on the outside. I've had other skin cancer patients that have put it in most good cancer patient and when you I didn't know where you had it
Unknown Speaker 50:00
is all internal all mine were interested and
John Malanca 50:02
wow, I mean how that's rare, huh?
Unknown Speaker 50:06
Yes. Very very you were kind
John Malanca 50:09
of God was shining down on you because you went in for one thing was would you say was a hernia?
Unknown Speaker 50:16
Yeah, I had a hernia operation. And then when I went back for the checkup, yeah, make sure. And I had just asked about a lump. And I had the lump for a long time, I just didn't ask anybody about Yeah. And then I had one underneath my armpit, then I had one on my buttocks. And then then then we had the biopsy. And then we had the PET scan. And then you know, then I just started in my protocol. I did, my oncologist did want did offer to well, they offered to send me to Seattle to have a tumor removed and, and T cells created and they were going to nuke my body with chemo for five days straight and then reinsert it and hopefully that ad survived. And they thought I was a very good candidate, because I'm very healthy otherwise. So I decided not to do that. But I did agree to begin the Keytruda which was immunotherapy, not chemotherapy. And by the way, there are six protocols, they give you six infusions three weeks apart, and then they want to see if it helps. Well, by the second infusion, I was cancer free. So so they, so I, like I let the doctors believe that my, my RSO helped amplify the effects of their cuts through that. But as far as I'm concerned, it wasn't the Keytruda it was it was a it was a
John Malanca 51:43
cannabis. In regards to amplifying, you know, we have a lot of patients that come to us and say, you know, I'm going to try this first. And if this does not work, then I'll try cannabis or another type of protocol. And everybody's on their own journey, you and I have both experienced immense pain having lost of a wife You know, I'm still in that stage, you know, and it's three years later. So I'd never tell anybody not, you know, don't do this. And so but I want to share that cannabis can go successfully go hand in hand with with other protocols of you know, chemo radiation, helps with mood helps with appetite helps with nausea, helps with sleep, which is so important, you know, in a healthy body or a body that has something as severe as cancer and so and I liked the idea that you share, too. You mentioned THC, because a lot of because of the media, five years ago, really pumped up Rick Simpson take a gram taking gram taking gram, you know, and then people realize gram was too much. How do you expect me to take gram? And so I I, me personally, and it sounds like you, Gary as well as you wouldn't recommend recommend that for most people. You know, and so, here's my brain fart where I was going, I have no idea where I was going with this thing. But yeah, having having the guidance. Believe when I was there, and it was gone. Sorry. Are we talking about?
Unknown Speaker 53:23
Well, I don't I don't, I don't know. But I came up with something that I'd like to share. Please, please. That is another aspect of of coaching members in my church. I had one. One member who is dealing with pain in his feet neuropathy. Yeah. And to the point of, you know, thinking about killing himself. I mean, there's been a lot of people who've had that kind of nerve pain and not being able to get any kind of relief. So I just shared with him how to make the CBD and THC A capsules, you know, with raw bud and we went to the store and bought CBD joints because that was an easier way of getting the high CBD and then mix it with just a normal ounce of THC bud and grinded it all up, put it in the capsules. And three weeks later, he came to me in tears saying that his pain was gone and basically saved his life he would claim and and to have that kind of impact on somebody who's struggled with the medical community and not being able to get any relief. To me just having the one or two people that I've seen have profound improvements. is so gratifying as as you probably have experienced over these years.
John Malanca 54:51
It is it really is and I'm not a doctor, you know, so I don't tell him what to do. But I I have had that. Who a friend of mine. He's a A DC chiropractor, and he's late 70s. And he had the tinnitus, just ringing and ringing and ringing and ringing and ringing. And I said, you know, there are some studies, I would try this and his wife said he's tried everything, and his ring into stock. And this has probably gone on for eight years now. And I've gone to events with them and I walk in and people come, you're the one that saved Michael's life, to save anybody's life. Now, he tried everything, you know, and he even had the thoughts of your, that your friend had, you know, like, I can't do this. I mean, I I want to, you know, I need to, you know, and the ringing was so bad that it was making crazy I want to, of course, I had thoughts of taking my life is what he said, and I've changed so just to have that when you can help somebody is share this knowledge and education and pass. Pay it forward. I mean, this is something that Chris and I have always done is we live our life like that not only our public life, but our private life is paying it forward helping I know where I was going with that brain fart I had about so thanks thanks for filling in for me. Because it came back, but I was I was thankful for you talking about THC because the media has however he was talking about Rick Simpson five years ago take take a gram de gram. The media has really pushed everybody away from THC and put CBD in the forefront. And so we still get a lot of patients that say you know, I want to try this I want the medical portion which is CBD and not not the recreational portu is THC in their mind. You know, and all the cannabinoids that this plant has to offer, they all have a role in bringing the body back to homeostasis and balance and like you with cancer and like what was my father in law if he was on a truce a full CBD regimen? I know for a fact he would not be here today that THC and his his protocol for his RSO FICO full extract cannabis oil protocol his oil was a four to one ratio for parts THC one part CBD in that oil were you because the true Rick Simpson oil is high THC the trip six rips in oil was made with paint thinner and so that's what a lot of people like you know Okay hold on. You know that so that's why what I always say you know I don't want people to think all oil is Rick Simpson I like all coffee is not Starbucks coffee you being from Washington as well. You know, so I with your study, did you research THC versus CBD when battling your types of cancers? Doing different cannabinoids now?
Unknown Speaker 57:54
Yeah, at the time No, I didn't I I didn't know about the other cannabinoids. I mean, I knew about CBD but hemp has got kind of soured my really welcoming any kind of information and Yeah, interesting. My father, who is not well has he lives in Milpitas, California. I'm from San Francisco. Okay. Yeah, yeah. Anyway, and so he's so he was telling me how he was benefited by a CBD or is it online? And then I was saying, Well, you know, you don't know what you're getting when you when you don't know what you're getting. So but But since then, when I first started my protocol, if I didn't buy what I needed at the dispensary, especially when Washington State folded the dispensaries and recreational together, there was no longer the incentive for people to make high quality high THC RSO or full extract. So So consequently, it went from like 90% thc to 60, or 70 or 80, if you're lucky, and doubled in price. And so that drove me to try to grow my own. And to experiment with a different solvents I first use acetone, which was not good. And then finally I discovered organic 200 Proof grant alcohol. And so I've been using that. And that's much easier to manage and using a rice cooker and a fan and doing it with good ventilation. It's relatively safe, and it's very effective. And so the challenge is, is that it unless you have a green thumb, you probably can't grow enough to make it worth your while unless you have a bountiful harvest. Otherwise, it may be cheaper to just purchase an ounce of shake, or a pound of shake as opposed to actual but itself. Yeah. And that's more cost effective. So part of the challenge and all of this is if you have a long term illness that requires maintenance, you got to consider the expense of what what it is that you're trying to achieve. And so for me, if I make a batch of RSO, that's going to last me all year, I may spend $2,000, to just either buy the button the solvent and make it or spend the time to grow 15 plants, which is what I'm legally allowed to grow, and try to produce enough to make it cost effective. So, part of my journey, my struggle is still trying to manage the expense of what it takes to kind of really have the full benefit of what's available. Yeah,
John Malanca 1:00:43
yeah, it we have made it in so I have to throw this disclaimer because I, you brought up things that I haven't talked about in a long time. But I was just saying thank people like, Well, I'm gonna make it myself, Well, do you have access to ever clear 190 proof or 200 or 200 proof? No. And we were getting a lot of patients that were getting sick, because they're making it with rubbing alcohol. You know, there's a reason why the whiners can't go down to CVS and buy a 69 bottle of rubbing off on drinking, they'll get sick. And I just, you know, there are some companies that are using isopropyl alcohol, which I'm not a big fan of. And so they could do what they want, you know, they think it burns off. But I just think, you know, I wouldn't put me and I again, I'm not a chemist, and an expert on making oil, I probably wouldn't use paint thinner, and I probably wouldn't use isopropyl, but just for our listeners, it is, as Gary was saying. It can be dangerous, because high, highly flammable. And so if you are going to do it doing a double burner, heat heat plate, where there's no open flame. So be cautious with that, if you're able to do it, outdoors, go do that as well. But you're talking about costs, because I used to share that exact same thing. You know, I'm gonna make it and it's, uh, you know, if you don't know how to grow, you could have mold on it. Because I know a lot of growers that have been growing for 3040 years that still lose crops, because of molds, I don't care how what an expert grower you are, mold can come in. And so you have to cut that down and throw it away. And so one, if you don't have a lot of money, that could be a waste to time could we use work a lot of patients that, like my father in law, were given two weeks, three weeks to live. And it's not, you know, you're not making growing a plant, like putting something in the microwave, and for five seconds is warm. You know, and then cost, you know, you don't have time for trial and error as well. And so, in that case, I think you're better off like You're like you're seeing Gary go down to the dispensary and buy it from a company that's made it that's tested it the lab results are there because you know exactly what's in it if there's any pesticide mold, toxins, what the formulations are and so, so I hope everyone can grow and maybe even try making oil. But if you're in a position of you know, not having that time on your side, I would probably go down and just buy it from a rapid reputable source as well. And nowadays with cannabis is illegal. I think it went 35 states. You know that numbers, number is growing. And so but, you know, I appreciate your you coming on. I mean, really, I really enjoyed this. Do we leave anything out? And do you have any closing words?
Unknown Speaker 1:03:38
Well, I just appreciate the opportunity just to be in the conversation. And you know, I have i i have am passionate about people really understanding the value of medical cannabis and hope it has helped people appreciate and deepen their understanding. So I'm glad to have contributed to the wellspring of information that moves people into more positive relationship with the sacred plant.
John Malanca 1:04:10
Thank you. Thank you. And it can you share because I did see the video that you made. The capsule has been so okay, how can people find you?
Unknown Speaker 1:04:18
Well, they can go to my YouTube channel and Dr. Gary Simmons, and they can check it out there. Also have a blog page, Dr. Gary simmons.com. My blog is focused on my other passion and that is supporting churches and becoming healthy during these times because right now nine out of 10 congregational ministries are in decline. Prior to the pandemic. This was the state of the industry. And so in my work I coach ministerial colleagues and ministry leaders into different organizational practice that is more able to thrive in these times. So so that that information if you're interested is also available on my blog as well as my YouTube channel. I've got hundreds of videos on YouTube a number of different topics, including how to install an engine and an airplane.
John Malanca 1:05:21
I don't like the experimental portion before experimental airplanes. So
Unknown Speaker 1:05:26
hey, they have parachutes in there. Now I wanted to say
John Malanca 1:05:28
hi, your wife does a lot of fraying. Okay, Gary, Get your butt down to it. So your two websites is Dr. Barry simmons.com. Right and the cube and then you have the the cute effect with E FF E. C, t.com. Right. Got I was gonna say one more thing too. And, but I really enjoyed this, I really have enjoyed this. And I thank you for, for being open to contact me. And it turned into this a great conversation in helping others too. And so but I thank you, Gary.
Unknown Speaker 1:06:03
And if I can, if I can make another contribution in some respect, being a part of a dialogue or a forum or or anything, just let me know, please,
John Malanca 1:06:13
if you're talking about your congregation, our church up here felt bad for Father John, for the past five years. He's been we've been doing fundraisers to build this beautiful church hall, that we've had the original one for years. And they finally they finally opened it up. They had their first crab feed last year on January 18. Excited for and then COVID came. So a lot of the donations because of Easter masses, and every Sunday Mass, you know, that was held. And so they've lost out on all those. And so we did all these fundraisers, we built this beautiful, beautiful church hall. And we were expecting I mean, donations are huge in any any church any congregation too. So if anybody can help, wants to help, you know, you know, find Gary, you get Dr. Gary simmons.com or the queue effect, or on his YouTube channel, and I'll put all those links in our in our podcast here, Gary, I can't thank you enough and blessings to you and Jane and everything you're doing as well and really enjoyed this. Thank you very
Unknown Speaker 1:07:32
much. I mean to me to stay in touch. Okay. Yeah,
John Malanca 1:07:36
I definitely will end up and we'll see you and we'll see you our followers. John Malanca with the United Patients group, be informed and be well and we'll see you then. Have a great day. Bye bye. Thanks, John.