Photo Credit: Lora Nigro
Wary of plunging into the burgeoning “Wild Wild West” of the cannabinoid wellness craze? Dr. Raphael Moshe Fox, a.k.a. Dr. Robert Fox, yokes Western, Eastern and some trailblazing remedies at Shalem Healing (800 E. Locust St.), his eclectically cozy Riverwest clinic. Refua, meaning “complete healing,” is the name of his self-designed medicinal product line that has recently ventured into CBD oils and is backed by his 18 years of experience. The medical maverick is a nurse practitioner, doctor of oriental medicine, acupuncturist, biomedical engineer and stem cell researcher.
What led you to crafting your own medicine?
While in martial arts training at age 11, my jujutsu teacher gave me my first blue corn chip. That stimulated my interest in the natural path to taking care of the body. When I was 19, I studied Native American herbs independently then attended Oriental Medicine school at 23. I started with Refua teas in order to make herbal medicine more available after years of discovering what works and what doesn’t. I’ve seen kids with chronic, recurring ear infections use herbal medicine to eliminate them when loads of antibiotics weren’t doing it. Many pharmaceuticals originate from an herbal source, a single medicinal compound synthesized in the lab. Nature is the port of herbs, elements, nutrient-rich soil, probiotics and even stem cells.
Can you speak to CBD’s popularity and how it’s regarded by conventional health care?
CBD is certainly a fad right now because marijuana is legal in a number of states. Some of it is being driven by its medicinal reach, but much of it is driven by the market and businesses trying to capitalize. CBD has been shown to be effective for seizures where pharmaceuticals fail, also for tremors, pain management, insomnia and anxiety. The medical community is becoming more open to CBD therapy, but I wouldn’t say they are educated on its use. If it weren’t for the opioid and heroin epidemics, they probably wouldn’t care at all.
Why did you branch out into CBD?
I just wasn’t satisfied with the CBD I was getting from outside companies. We are in the process of offering our medicinal teas as extracts and capsules. Because CBD does not work for a number of people, I’ve come up with Pain Ease, an alcohol-free extraction of turmeric, boswellia, and artemisia. CBD hemp is not a panacea.
What makes Refua different from the plethora of CBD products out there?
We are currently working with two strains, Hawaiian Haze and Cherry Uno. The combination of CBD and terpenes in the Haze seems to help with depression and can be taken during the day. Cherry Uno has a sedative effect for pain and night-time use. We prefer a full-spectrum extract. Right now, the alcohol extraction method keeps the cost approachable. After burning off the ethanol, it is mixed with olive oil and lab tested for potency. I personally like to taste the flower so we don’t add any anything to mask it.
How do cannabinoids interact with our body?
Unlike SSRIs (antidepressants) that artificially stop the reuptake of targeted neurotransmitters, there are actual cannabinoid receptors within the body and a biological process waiting to utilize them.
What is the recommended dosage and what should consumers look for in a brand?
From my research, 150 milligrams a day is an effective dose for seizures. For insomnia, somewhere between 25-75 mgs, and I’ve seen 20 mgs daily eliminate tremors. The dosage is patient-specific, depending on how their system metabolizes it. Then, there’s the reliability issue and whether the product is what it claims to be. Word of mouth and knowing the manufacturing details are important.
Can you address the vaping scare?
In general, taking the smoke into the lungs is problematic because the lungs were not designed to go through respiration with oil, even if it is pure. Orally through the digestive tract is the safest to process medicine.
What do you think of our current health care system?
Western medicine is a disease-based model. There’s no question that disease has to be treated. Diabetes patients, for example, need their insulin, but ideally every visit should include a discussion about diet and exercise. Integrative health care takes a proactive approach where the majority of allopathic care (Western) is based on pharmaceuticals and procedures which make a lot of money. You make a lot less counseling on lifestyle changes.
What is your overall mission?
To get people as healthy as possible. That’s really as simple as it gets. From the view that, as spiritual beings seemingly having a physical experience, the soul’s expression is limited when there is disease. We treat the body so the soul can shine through at 100%.
Dr. Fox will host “Tea Talk, the Real Tea. Refua Teas—Like No Other” at Good Harvest (2205 Silvernail Road, Pewaukee) on Monday, Sept. 23, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
