CBD has recently taken the world by storm.
It seems as if everyone is jumping on the CBD wagon, trying to get their hands on the newest “it” product.
But the thing is, if you do a simple search for CBD, you’ll quickly become overwhelmed with all of your options, all of the terms being used, and throw up your hands in distress… Or, like many of my clients, you’ll waste your money buying a crap product from slimy people looking to make a quick buck off from people who don’t know any better.
I’ve had many messages in regards to CBD, mostly people wanting to know what it is and if it will work for them, amongst other questions like what’s the proper mg to take, and how often should one take it.
I am going to unpack all of these questions, and offer my best explanation as to what CBD is, how it might be able to help you, and help explain some terminology for you so you can decide if CBD is something you want to try out.
🌱Want to cut to the chase, and buy quality full spectrum CBD? Check out my store here.🌱
So what is CBD?
CBD aka cannabidiol is one of 60 “cannabinoids” found in the cannabis or hemp plant, another of those cannabinoids is THC. CBD is often toted as the medicinal/therapeutic component of the plant, often isolated from all the other cannabinoids to use for CBD oils, salves, gummies, vapes and more.
What can CBD help with?
A lot of things. Many of my clients are taking CBD for anxiety and insomnia. Others have found relief from migraines, headaches, PMS symptoms, ADHD, seizures, pain, diabetes, fibromyalgia, digestive problems, and skin disorders. I take this CBD oil to help keep anxiety at bay (to see other things that help me with anxiety check out my post on entheogens and sensory deprivation tanks), as well as using it for preventative measures. I also use a CBD salve to help with menstrual cramps.
I have clients that give CBD to their pet to help with anxiety, aggression, arthritis, and separation anxiety.
I even have clients using CBD instead of pharmaceuticals to help their children who have autism, adhd, learning behavior problems, and seizures.
Here’s a more comprehensive list of ailments people are using CBD for:
CBD is non psychoactive.
Many come to me concerned, not wanting to get high from taking CBD. Good news is, if you’re looking to not catch a buzz from taking CBD, you wont. THC is the part of the cannabis plant that gets one high/has psychoactive effects in large doses. One of the main things you ought to experience from taking a high quality CBD is relief of whatever ailment it is you’re looking to treat.
Look for a full spectrum CBD product.
What is full spectrum? Let’s first explain what a good chunk of the CBD products out there are… CBD isolates. CBD isolates, or THC-free CBD products, are products that contain just CBD, as the CBD has been isolated away from the rest of the other cannabinoids that the cannabis or hemp plant naturally has in it. This can be good for people who are worried about popping positive for a drug test, but it has been my experience that CBD isolate products don’t work as well, if not at all for me.
Beyond my own experience with CBD isolates not working for me, a study out of Israel “compared the performance of a full spectrum extract with one that contained CBD only. The study concluded that full spectrum was more effective when fighting pain and inflammation.
While CBD only is somewhat effective, the whole plant extract not only provided faster and better relief, the effects also lasted longer. This is why an increasing number of companies in the CBD industry are selling full spectrum CBD oil as a rule.” source
That is why I am a big proponent of full spectrum CBD, which is products that contain all of the cannabinoids including THC. There’s a reason the plant naturally comes equipped with CBD, THC, terpenes (the aromatic part of the plant, which also improve the therapeutic index of cannabis extracts), and the other cannabinoids- because they synergistically work together to make the plant a medicinal powerhouse.
Which brings us to the “entourage effect.”
That is why I use full spectrum CBD, not only because studies suggest it is the best for getting the full effect of the CBD, but also because I am not trying to waste my money on crap that doesn’t work.
If you are considering buying CBD from a company that claims their product is full spectrum, be sure to ask them or search out on their site if the product does contain THC or any other cannabinoids, as some companies say their product is full spectrum or “broad spectrum” but come to find out, they actually aren’t and there’s no regulations in place at this time to ensure these companies are using the right terminology on their products.
Lay off CBD products that brag about super high milligrams.
As mentioned previously, there’s a lot of people trying to ride the wave and make money off from people who don’t know better. You’ll find people trying to spend the least amount on their CBD while trying to get the most milligrams possible per bottle. Certainly, the amount of CBD in your CBD products is important, but what a lot of these companies that are selling 1,500mg+ per bottle of CBD are doing is selling you just CBD isolate, meaning it’s not a full spectrum CBD. So you may think you scored, but really for many, CBD isolate alone doesn’t do the job and you may find it doesn’t work for you. I’d much rather by a CBD product with a moderate amount of CBD in it and have it be full spectrum, than buy a bottle with over 1,500mg of CBD in it and it not work.
So will full spectrum CBD, which contains THC, get me high?
Great question. Here’s the thing… in order for CBD products to be sold in states where cannabis isn’t recreationally legal (and CBD is legal), the amount of THC present in the product has to be less than .3%, which IS NOT enough to have any psychoactive effect on you, meaning it will not get you high.
But will I test positive on a drug test?
The short answer is no… the chances of you popping positive for a drug test, after using full spectrum CBD is pretty slim as it will not cause anyone to reach a 50mg/ml cutoff that standard drug tests use. That being said, each person metabolizes it differently, and you never know if you could be the exception. It’s for this reason, I encourage you to use your best judgement and IF you do decide to use a full spectrum CBD product, I recommend you buy a drug test kit from the dollar store or drug store.
Watch out for imported industrial hemp.
Many of the CBD products (especially those for pet consumption) that people are buying, are coming from imported industrial hemp coming from places like China and the EU. I suggest being cautious because the growing and harvesting standards for imported industrial hemp aren’t clear, and many have tested positive for mold, pesticide and fungus… which you nor your pets want to consume.
USDA Certified Organic Hemp is Bullshit.
Yes, I said it. As much as I wish it were a real thing, it is not. At the time of writing this, since cannabis and hemp are not legal federally in the US, the USDA cannot certify CBD as being organic. So if you stumble across a company claiming their product is certified organic, ask them who is certifying it. At this point, the hemp can be grown with organic practices, and you pretty much have to just take a companies word for it that they haven’t used any toxic pesticides or fertilizers.
So how much do I take and how often?
As I mentioned before, we each metabolize things differently, so there is no one size for all when it comes to dosing CBD. For the CBD oil I sell, I tend to recommend for adults that they take about a 1/2 of a dropper under the tongue, allowing it to sit for about 15 seconds before swallowing to allow it to fully absorb into your system. In about 15-20 minutes you ought to feel relief. If that was too much, take 1/4 of a dropper less, and if you don’t feel that was enough, use your best judgement to decide how much more to take next time.
As far as how often… only you can decide that, as we each process it differently, and have different stressors and reasons for taking our CBD. After your first couple tries of CBD, you ought to start to gain a good understanding of how often you need to take it.
As for pets, if they’re small (like a yorkie or a cat) 3 drops in food, on a treat, or straight in their mouth out to be just fine. If they’re bigger (size of a border collie or pit bull) try starting with 5 drops.
Will CBD counteract with my medicine?
I’m going to leave that up to you and your doctor to decide. I also encourage you to just do a simple google search of “cbd + whatever medicine you are taking” to do your own research into it.
Is CBD legal in my state?
Laws are changing all.the.time. Do your own google search for “Is CBD legal in your state“ to find the answer.
So where the hell do I find a reputable safe full spectrum CBD that works?
You could always google, or ask around to find a good quality CBD, or you could rest easy knowing that I have tried and tested many various CBD products before finally landing upon the CBD oil, salve, and capsules I sell. If you’re interested in getting your own, quality CBD you can find some at my online storefront found here.🌱
Another cool thing to check out is my Facebook group found 🌱here🌱 where you can read testimonials of clients who are using my CBD with success, as well as ask any questions you may have, or just be a fly on the wall to learn as much as you can about CBD before diving into it.
Please note, that I am only making recommendations for how to use CBD, and what works best. It’s ultimately up to you to talk to your doctor to ensure CBD is right for you, and to do your own due diligence to research what is best for you.