CBD has proven to be a trend that is here to stay, with the substance continuing to appear in beauty products, health supplements and even new drinks at coffee shops.
The benefits of CBD oil are wide-ranging, from supporting signs of stress and anxiety, helping to promote quality sleep, supporting aches and pains and more. Some look to CBD to help with specific needs while others use the substance regularly to simply help with overall wellness. With so much interest in CBD’s natural and powerful properties, use of the natural compound is becoming more common. For those new to CBD and considering giving it a try, here’s what you need to know.
What is CBD and how does it work?
Cannabidiol, aka CBD, comes from the Cannabis Sativa plant, which you may know as marijuana or hemp. This plant has two major components that play an active role. The first is THC, the compound known most for getting its users high, and the second is CBD, the non-psychoactive portion of the plant. CBD, however, has all the valuable properties of the plant without any mind-altering qualities. Everyone reacts differently to CBD, so start slow and see how you feel. As always, consult a doctor before beginning a new supplement or health routine.
When looking for CBD products, you’ll most typically find oil, edibles or topicals since users usually ingest it or apply it to their skin. Once it’s absorbed, the CBD molecules interact with the body’s own endocannabinoid system, binding to CBD receptors. Then, the effects of CBD set in.
What are the benefits of CBD?
The first step is to narrow down your goals. Are you looking to address a specific ailment? Are you hoping CBD will help you boost your fitness results? Or, are you hoping to maintain overall wellness? Fortunately, CBD users cling to the substance for its many benefits and applications. It all comes down to the right concentration, amount and balance that works for you.
Supporting stress and anxiety
CBD has long been sought out as a natural solution to help induce calm and support signs of anxiety. Users have reported feeling decreased anxiety after continued use, and initial research has also begun to show promise in its ability to alleviate signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Benefits have also been seen for helping with insomnia as well. While experts aren’t quite sure why many users have reported falling asleep faster, sleeping deeper, staying asleep longer and feeling more awake and rested in the morning. Some experts believe that CBD is conquering the root of the problem causing insomnia which may be related to pain or anxiety.
Helping aches and pains
Another way CBD can offer help is through its ability to support body aches and pains. Whether caused by arthritis, muscle or joint pain, CBD can offer some support. Topicals are especially helpful for pains in specific areas because you can apply them directly to the skin at the site of the pain. Each topical treatment will indicate the amount of CBD per product and the serving size amount to give you an idea of how much to apply. But, as always with CBD, it’s a process of trial and error. Over time, you’ll get to know what balance works well for your specific need.
Boosting fitness results
Many gurus have begun to swear by CBD to help them achieve bigger and better fitness results for a variety of reasons. Since CBD can help with quality sleep — especially combined with melatonin, a natural hormone found within the body that helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle — you’ll likely feel more awake the following day to attack your next workout. And, with support for muscle aches and pains, soreness may not plague you for as long, and you’ll be able to get back to the gym faster. While research around this is still in its early stages, there have been some studies that suggest CBD may be linked to improved muscle growth by how it affects cortisol levels. CBD’s anti-inflammatory properties, while helping with pain, may also be beneficial for blood flow.
What to look for when buying CBD
As with any wellness product, prioritize quality. Look into reputable companies that are transparent with their manufacturing and harvesting processes. Make sure they offer up third-party lab results on their website that verifies the amount of CBD in their products, so you’re not duped by mislabeling.
Good quality CBD starts with the plant, so opt for companies that use domestically-grown hemp. U.S.-grown Cannabis is subject to higher quality controls, has limited exposure to pesticides and therefore results in better growth quality. On the bottle, if you spot “Full Spectrum CBD,” you’re on the right track. This means that the CBD has all the naturally-occurring cannabinoids found in the plant.
The front of the CBD oil bottle indicates the amount of CBD in the product, or the entire bottle, not each serving. This number is measured in milligrams (mg) and typically ranges from 300 mg to 10,000 mg. On the back of the bottle is typically where you’ll find the serving size which will help you calculate the amount of CBD per serving and, then, the amount of CBD per amount of servings you’re planning to take.
Understanding the concentration amount that’s right for you is a process of trial and error. It depends on a variety of factors from weight, ailment, symptoms and more, so start small and increase gradually until you feel the desired effects. Once you find the right mix, CBD’s powerful, natural properties might just stay a key element of your wholesome wellness regimen.
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