CBD. A buzzy new word that the world is talking about. I wanted to talk about my personal experience with CBD, as well as what exactly it is, and the different ways you can incorporate CBD into your life. For starters – what is CBD? CBD, short for cannabidiol, is a chemical compound from the Cannabid sativa plant, whish is also known as marijuana or help, according to the US National Library of Medicine. It’s a naturally occurring substance that’s used in products like oils and edibles to impart a feeling of relaxation and calm. Unlike its cousin, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the major active ingredient in marijuana, CBD is not psychoactive.
I think many people get CBD and THC confused. Note that CBD cannot get you high, which is the #1 misconception! The cannabis plant is made up of two main players: CBD and THC. “CBD is the non-psychoactive portion of the plant, so what that means is you won’t have any effects like euphoria,” says Junella Chin, DO, an osteopathic physician and a medical cannabis expert for cannabisMD. “You won’t feel sedated or altered in any way.”
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I personally started experimenting with CBD when I stopped taking medication for my anxiety. I had heard from friend’s how much CBD was helping them with their own journeys, and I wanted to get off medication and switch to something more natural. That’s where CBD came in for me! According to Health.com – CBD might be worth trying to manage symptoms of anxiety. “[CBD] tells your body to calm down and reminds you that you’re safe,” Dr. Chin says. “It mellows out the nervous system so you’re not in a heightened ‘fight or flight’ response,” she says, so people with anxiety may find it helps them feel more relaxed.
Of course CBD is NOT a cure all. I was also able to control my anxiety with the mix of getting back into the gym, exercising regularly, cutting out alcohol and eating healthy. However the addition of CBD in my diet has been helpful in moments where I am feeling very anxious, stressed or cannot sleep. *Note that you can find certain CBD products that are geared towards helping you sleep better! Those will be specified on the label and generally contain some sort of melatonin.
The next question that so many ask is – How do I take CBD? Well that really depends on why you are wanting to take CBD in the first place. According to Health.com, “The biggest differences between tinctures, edibles, and vape pens are speed of delivery and how long the effects last. Vape relief is faster but wears off faster too—usually in about two hours, says Dr. Chin. “Say you wake up in the morning and pulled your back out, you might want to take CBD through a vape pen, which delivers in 10 minutes.”
Tinctures and edibles take longer to work but last four or five hours. “A tincture looks like a little liquid that you put under your tongue, and you feel relief within half an hour,” Dr. Chin says. “If you prefer to taste something, you choose an edible, whether it’s a capsule, gummy, or baked good.””
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Note that there are many different products/brands of CBD on the market! It can be very overwhelming deciding what to take. Throughout this article I sprinkled shopable links on a few of my favorite brands, that have worked for me throughout the years! A few other favorite CBD brands are Feals, Equilibria, and Altwell Gummies!
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out!
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