What is CBD?
First of all, CBD is NOTHING like eating an edible! LOL, You don’t get high, or stoned, from using pure CBD. It is derived from a hemp plant, not a marijuana plant, although both are part of the cannabis family. The marijuana plant contains THC (along with CBD) which is what makes you feel stoned. There are CBD tinctures that contain trace amounts of THC (0.3%) that are full-spectrum products. That is the legal limit allowed in CBD products under the 2018 Farm Bill, just enough for health benefits, without the psychoactive properties. Typically you shouldn’t feel high from a full-spectrum, but if you are someone very sensitive, or worried, you should opt for the broad spectrum. This has everything as the full spectrum, minus the THC.
CBD stands for cannabidiol. There are over 140 different cannabinoids in the plant itself that we can use for tons of different health benefits. This plant has been used for hundreds, if not probably thousands of years, for medicinal properties up until today, now that it’s legal! Yay! Our bodies have neuron receptors in the nervous system, where you can find endocannabinoid receptors that activate the body’s nervous system when you take CBD. Endocannabinoids are molecules that bind to and activate cannabinoid receptors. However, unlike THC, endocannabinoids are produced naturally by cells in the human body (“endo” means “within,” as in within the body).
Benefits of CBD
There are countless benefits of using a quality CBD, it’s pretty amazing! CBD has been scientifically found to help with regulating functions in the body and helping us to feel much better. So if you have pain, muscular or nerve, it can help reduce that pain. It can help with anxiety, sleep, ADHD, chronic pain & inflammation, seizures, recovery and so much more! CBD tells your body what it needs when it connects with those endocannabinoid receptors, it’s so cool! Some other severe issues it can help with are epilepsy, arthritis, depression, Parkinson’s, acne, irritability and the same goes for our beloved pets! It can help with so many issues that our pets go through as well. Seizures, anxiety, joint and hip pain, basically anything!
How to Dose CBD
The great thing about CBD is you cannot overdose, so it won't hurt you if you take “too much”. The interesting thing about taking “too much” is it can actually cancel itself out. Meaning, you take a lot, and then it doesn’t work because you oversaturated your receptors. CBD- less is more and I found this in my personal experience as well. You can start with a micro-dose. So that would be 2-4 drops under the tongue and then gradually increase every few days until you find your personal sweet spot. On the lower dose 250-500mg bottles, there is less CBD per dropper, compared to a 750-1000mg bottle where there is more CBD per dropper. I personally use 750-1000mg and take ½ to a full dropper depending on the day and how I feel. Pets usually take the 250-500mg, same with children, and adults the higher dosed bottles. If your ailments are on the more severe side, I would opt for a stronger CBD. If you have anxiety I would still opt for the 500-1000mg bottles. There are bottles that have up to 2500mg and up! With taking too much CBD all that it will do is cancel itself out…it won't work. I used to think I needed a super high dose to “feel” anything and then I wouldn’t feel anything! So I scaled back and found that less is more. So interesting how CBD works in the body.
Make sure you put the oil under your tongue and let it sit without swallowing for 30-60 seconds or until it dissolves. Try not to eat or drink for 20 mins after as well. You’ll want it to sit under your tongue so it soaks into the bloodstream and not get wasted in the digestive tract. Do that for a few days and then you can always increase. Took me 2 weeks to really feel the full effects of it for me…so be patient. Everyone’s body is different.
How to Buy Quality CBD and What to Look For
The worst part when it comes to CBD is that it is everywhere and not regulated much at all! Which is scary! If you are using CBD as a medicine, you don’t want to also be ingesting heavy metals, toxins, pesticides, and pollutants…that are counterproductive AF. And you don’t want to buy from just anywhere. In China, they use hemp plants to clean their air. It’s called a “mop crop”. The plant soaks up all of the gunk in the air and then China sells the plants to a US company/person, who then claims they are organic and sells it here in the states as “organic CBD”. UMMMM NO THANKS!! Ill purchase CBD made right here in The USA with proof that it is actually clean and organic. I would assume that most of you that have tried CBD have had no experience at all and/or thinks it's just a gimmick product. Which is true for about 80% of CBD products out there. Be very careful where you buy CBD…not at the gas station or retail stores, not even some dispensaries!
Make sure you think of the following when looking for a quality CBD product:
- Is it USDA CERTIFIED Organic? Find the proof
- Do they 3rd party lab test their products?
- Can they show you a COA (Certificate of Analysis) lab report to show you everything in the product as it was created?
There are way too many companies out there claiming organic while selling you poison. Just because a product says it's organic doesn’t always mean it's true. Find the PROOF. Especially if you are using this for medicine, you need to make sure it’s cleaner than the pharmaceutical you might otherwise try instead.
5 Common Myths and Misconceptions
It gets you high/stoned
CBD won't get you high as long as it has the legal amount of THC in it, which is 0.3%....that's barely anything. Some companies claim they have the legal limit, but they put more. This is why research on companies is a MUST. If you are worried about feeling the THC, then opt for Broad Spectrum rather than Full Spectrum.
There is no medical research on CBD
There is actually a ton of medical research on CBD. The FDA has approved CBD use with proof of it working on patients with seizures. The results from the medical trials were so compelling that the FDA had to approve it.
All CBD is made the same
All CBD is definitely not made the same. This is why you want to find the 3rd party lab testing results to see the process in how it's made and what is in it truly. Many tests have been done on different brands and 90% didn’t have what they said they had. Some had way more CBD, or barely any in it. Some had high levels of THC, while others had none. The USA-made is the best place to start, then look for the COA and PROOF it is made organically and tested by another company that is not their own.
CBD is illegal
CBD IS Legal! In 2018 with the new Farm Bill, it is now legal to sell hemp-based products across all 50 states as long as it doesn’t have more than the legal dose of 0.3% THC in each product. It used to be classified as a harmful substance until they did actual research and found all the amazing benefits.
It doesn’t work
If you try a quality CBD verse a crappy one you will FEEL the difference. Sometimes it is instant and sometimes, like with me, it took about 2 weeks to work into my body for me to notice it working. IF you have more severe issues, you will probably notice it working sooner than later. For milder ailments, it may take some time to notice, or maybe not. Stay consistent with it and check with your body daily to notice any positive changes.
Some USDA Organic CBD Companies
- Green Compass Global
- Green Gorilla
- NuLeaf
- RE Botanicals
My Personal Experience and My Favorite Brand
I personally use CBD to keep my stress levels down. I live in LA and I drive a lot, so I’m constantly stressed in my car. I also have had pretty severe insomnia most of my life. I can’t get my brain to shut up! After 2 weeks of using CBD, Green Compass Global CBD, I found myself reacting less to other people while driving, and sleeping more! I’m still amazed at how well it’s worked for my day-to-day stressors and anxiety. I’ve since shared Green Compass Global with my family and friends and they have shared what a life-game changer it’s been for them.
Green Compass Global is my top choice for a quality CBD. They are based in North Carolina and they have a 7-generation family tobacco farm where the CBD is cultivated from their beautiful organic hemp plants. They keep a close eye on every detail of the process ensuring the top quality clean products we all need. It is free of chemicals, pesticides & herbicides from the plant all the way to the bottle. So it’s organic from seed to bottle! They even put a QR code on each bottle so you can scan and view the COA lab results. They are happy to be transparent and show every step of the way because there is NOTHING to hide! The owners wanted to create a product that they felt safe enough to give to their young children and even their pets! (Bacon flavored CBD!)
This company has changed my life for the better. The products are amazing, they taste sooooo good too! Cinnamon and fresh mint are my favorite flavors of the tinctures. They just came out with really cool Nanotechnology CBD Jellies too! One jelly contains about a full droppers worth of CBD, rather than 1 dropper divided into the whole bottle for example. It's water-soluble so it will absorb 10x better than any other regular CBD gummies that waste it in the belly before it hits the bloodstream! This company keeps getting better! Their chap sticks are so bomb, the bath bombs are BOMB and the essential oils with CBD are amazing too. The Women’s Monthly essential oil really helps my cramps! I’m shocked every month I use it to help ease my “moon” symptoms.
I can’t say anything bad about this company and their products, it just works! Here is the link for you to check out what would work for you! The other companies I listed are quality brands as well, I just personally haven’t purchased their products to speak to how they worked for me, but I’ve used Green Compass Global and can attest to their quality products.
Do your research and I hope you find the perfect CBD that works for you!