If you have been looking for a natural treatment with CBD, you may have seen a huge number of various hemp CBD products available today.
While it is certainly not a bad thing in itself, and is, in fact, a confirmation of the therapeutic benefits of hemp CBD, the abundance of choice can make one’s head spin.
Here’s a concise overview to help you make an informed decision about the health products you are going to select.
HEMP CBD OIL DROPS / TINCTURE / EXTRACT
This is the most popular form of supplementing with CBD. Available in bottles, water or oil-based, to be taken in the form of drops in the morning and evening in the comfort of your own bathroom.
Oils and tinctures are used sublingually, which allows for fast absorption. Their greatest advantage is purity. They normally do not require any preservatives or additives, though some manufacturers use taste flavourings. If you opt to take CBD in liquid form, make sure there are no unnecessary artificial ingredients. Preservatives and chemicals can compromise the whole point of using supplements for perfect health.
CBD extract can be made with a number of oils as a base, including coconut oil, grapeseed oil and hemp seed oil. CBD extract diluted with hemp seed oil is the most synergistic and potent formula. This formula creates a powerful entourage effect. Studies have found that the hempseed oil is by far the best agent for CBD, as it increases its bio-availability by protecting it from being broken down by stomach acids. Furthermore, hemp seed oil has been dubbed “Nature’s most perfectly balanced oil” due to the fact that it contains the perfectly balanced 3:1 ratio of essential fatty acids (EFAs) Omega 3 : Omega 6 for long term human consumption.
Another aspect to consider is the method of extraction, which was used to get CBD from the plant material. Often less expensive hemp CBD oils may use harsh solvents such as butane or propane. While this makes extraction process cheaper, the question is do you really want to compromise the health benefits of your hemp CBD oil with products that may contain residuals of the toxic substances. Supercritical CO2 extraction is proven to be the best method for creating hemp CBD oil. This method involves using carbon dioxide under high pressure to isolate over 100 cannabinoids from the raw hemp botanical material. Reputable manufacturers employ CO2 extraction and are proud to mention it.
To compare different products, express CBD concentration in percentage terms by dividing the CBD amount in milligrams by the total amount of liquid in the bottle. A 10 ml bottle is 10,000 mg. Thus, 500 mg of CBD per 10 ml bottle equals 500/10,000*100=5%.
While higher doses of CBD will have a more pronounced effect, it is best to start with a low entry-level concentration of 5%.
Observe the effects over the course of several days and make adjustments if needed. If you do not see the desired effects after 5-7 days, start gradually working your dose up.
Note, that as a natural holistic remedy, CBD oil/tinctures may not necessarily produce desired effects immediately after taking as pharmaceutical drugs do. Most pharmaceutical drugs act chemically in a very targeted way with the purpose of alleviating symptoms rather than mobilizing internal resources and gradually helping the body to heal.
It is observed that it takes the body at least one week to start accumulating and using hemp CBD active ingredients in an optimal manner.
CBD SOFTGELS AND GUMMIES
This is the second most popular form to take CBD. Softgels and gummies are most convenient for taking throughout the day on the go.
Other active ingredients, such as e.g. tumeric or melatonin can be mixed into capsules to generate synergistic effects when taken for specific conditions.
CBD VAPE LIQUID
For those who enjoy the process vaping, CBD can be delivered through the lungs. Generally, vaping allows very fast delivery of CBD into the bloodstream. This form is also best for tackling conditions related to the chest area.
One thing to be aware of with regards to CBD vape liquid is that CBD oil can be too thick and viscous for vaporizers, and thus companies use chemically-based thinning agents, some of which can be harmful especially with long-term regular use. Read labels carefully, and research ingredients you do not understand.
CBD ENERGY DRINKS
This is yet somewhat of an innovative product in the market. Usually, these drinks contain caffeine, which gives energy, but CBD takes the edge off, so there are no jitters, and one just feels good, has more energy and can focus more clearly. It is a very promising form to supplement with CBD for college students and office workers.
CBD SALVE / BALM
CBD balms are usually used in conjunction with other CBD products to provide a more pronounced topical relief to e.g. joint aches. The concentration of cannabinoids is highest at the place where they are applied, and thus balms can greatly amplify the positive effects of oral CBD use.
CBD TREATS FOR PETS
Having discovered the amazing benefits of hemp CBD, humans extended them to pets. Interestingly, while some people may not feel much when taking CBD, pets, and especially dogs, are very sensitive to it. Even older, arthritis-ridden dogs become very playful and start jumping around the house. As one specialised company puts it, “We are yet to hear about a dog who did not see an amazing result with using CBD treats”. CBD treats also works miracles for dogs with separation anxiety.
CBD COSMETICS
This is a new trend in the CBD market, and undoubtedly, a major one. Skin is known to contain a huge number of CBD receptors, and protective anti-cancer benefits of CBD bode well for all sorts of anti-age creams and sunscreens. And here, let me suggest you try something unorthodox: instead of going for chemically-loaded cosmetics formulas, try to use for at least 3-4 weeks a 100% simple all-natural plant CBD extract oil. Why? Because CBD is a wholesome remedy and works by modulating and harnessing internal body resources to generate optimum balance, and all the “alien” chemicals may actually interfere and weaken the ingenious effect.
To conclude, let me leave you with this one thought. The research findings on CBD published in the past few years look nothing short of miraculous. With no significant side-effects reported, what can possibly hold you back from giving a go to the amazing natural medicine to see what it can do to improve your health and wellbeing?