JANUARY 30, 2011 INTOXICATING LETTUCE

"Always be ready to accept the opportunity that will present itself and you will be successful."

This sounds too easy. It's almost is as if you must rub Aladdin's lamp and the wish will be granted. Listen patiently, consider realistically and realize that there are many opportunities that will present themselves. Not all of them may be appropriate for you, but some may be the right fit. For me, one of those opportunities occurred more than fifteen years ago, when I received a call from Dr. Robert Atkins, the high protein diet mogul. He wanted me to work with him, side by side in developing a Cardiac Program at his 6 story center in New York City. I couldn't understand- why me? How did he know about me? It turns out that a mutual patient, Ellie, talked to Atkins about me. I accepted the opportunity to work with him despite the fact that there would be some legal issues. I jumped into the water, accepting the challenge. Reflecting back, I would do it again. My own merits and success with him speak for themselves. I will be always be grateful to Ellie, and more so to Dr. Robert Atkins for his mentorship and friendship. I learned to always be 'me'. When success comes your way, one should always feel humble, blessed and grateful. Financial success should never compromise your integrity. My friend, Ruppert refers to me as the 'country' doctor--the people's doctor. I always try to the best of my ability to be the 'people's doctor'

I get so thrilled when I read new material. Yesterday I started reading about lettuce. Lettuce is not a nightshade like Datura. In the summer months Rick and I consume more garden lettuce than in the winter months. Most of you who have read about hallucinogenic plants have never tried them. Many people read about opium but never smoke or taste it. Unknowingly some people have eaten a substance that resembles opium in its properties--it is a lettuce species, Lactuca virosa. I am not a avid gardener yet, but I do know there are various varieties of lettuce. At this point I could not recognize the species L. virosa. Its leaves emit a narcotic odor and contain a milky juice. The milky juice has sedative properties. Although I haven't begun my botanical Latin course yet, I do know that lac means milk. Lactuca is the Latin name for lettuce. So we have 'milk lettuce'

The effects of ingesting L. virosa are similar to opium, although no opiates are present in the plant. In a way it is like the poppy seed, however you would have to consume a lot of poppy seeds to have an opium effect. Lactucarium is a milky extract of the stem secretion of Lactuca virosa. Effects are felt quickly but do not last long-- between half an hour to a couple of hours. They dwindle slowly. The plant has been used as an anesthetic and a sleep aid, as well as recreationally. Oils and extracts can also be produced from L. virosa. These oils and extracts are often added to tea to help induce sleep. The leaves of L. virosa are more bitter than other salad greens. Smoking involves either dried leaves or a sticky precipitate extracted from the leaves. Beverages can be prepared by soaking the leaves in alcohol

The sedative properties of garden lettuce have been known since the time of Discorides. Pedanius Dioscorides (circa 40—90 AD) was a Greek physician, pharmacologist and botanist, and the author of a 5-volume encyclopedia about herbal medicine and related medicinal substances. He compared lettuce to opium, thus the name lettuce opium. Cladius Galenus, better known as Galen of Pergamon, was a prominent Roman physician, surgeon and philosopher who also dabbled in botany and herbs in his study of pharmacology. Galenus used the lettuce on himself. As he got older he used the lettuce to induce sleep. Centuries later a Pennsylvania doctor named Koxe restored the Galenus practice of using lettuce to induce sleep. I can envision an 'old' herbalist in a cottage among a wild lettuce field using L. virosa to sleep.

I have not found a lot of new research on this lettuce species yet. But a 1994 Herbalgram from the American Botanical Council mentions a text entitled High Road to Paradise: Intoxication. Life in Pursuit of Artificial Paradise. by R Siegel which I am looking for.

So the moral of the story is DO NOT hand pick your wild lettuce from the field unless you know your lettuce species. I am sure you can find L. virosa seeds and grow them in your own private garden!

Until tomorrow...