By now, you’ve probably heard people talking about CBD. Whether it’s CBD oil, CBD infused treats and beverages, or CBD salves or lotions, CBD has become increasingly popular in the wellness world. But what is CBD? And how does it work? Read on for answers to all of your CBD related questions!

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Everything You Need to Know About CBD

What is CBD? And Where Does it Come From?

CBD is extracted from Cannabis. Cannabis a family of plants that includes both Cannabis Sativa and Cannabis Indica. Within the Cannabis Sativa category, there are both hemp and marijuana plants. Both of these Cannabis Sativa plants contain cannabinoids, such as CBD (cannabidiol) and THC (tetrahydrocannabidiol), but hemp and marijuana plants look different, are grown differently, contain different concentrations of chemicals, and are used for different purposes.

Hemp and marijuana plants both contain CBD and THC, but at different concentrations. Hemp plants are bred for industrial use and contain less than a 0.3% concentration of THC. Marijuana plants, on the other hand, are bred for recreational or medicinal use and contain anywhere from a 5-40% concentration of THC.

Marijuana/Mary Jane/ganga/pot/weed comes from the marijuana plant and is highly regulated in the United States. In 2018, medical marijuana is legal in 33 states and recreational marijuana is legal in 10 states. CBD oil, on the other hand, is extracted from hemp plants, and therefore contains less than 0.3% THC, will not get you high and is legal in all 50 states.

The Endocannabinoid System Explained

Before we dive into all things CBD, we have to talk about the endocannabanoid system. The ECS is a system that exists in everyone’s body, just like the endocrine system or the digestive system. It is made up of cannibinoid receptors that are stationed throughout the body.

The body’s cannabinoid receptors are acted on by endogenous cannabinoids (or endocannibinoids), which the body naturally produces. The main ones are Anandamide (also known as the “bliss molecule”) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). However, just like you can supplement your body with vitamin supplements, you can supplement with cannabinoids (such as CBD products).

The most prominent cannabinoid receptors in the body are CB1 and CB2. Both receptors can be found throughout the body, but CB1 receptors are most abundant in the nervous system (especially the brain), while CB2 receptors are most abundant outside of the nervous system, such as in the immune system. The CB1 receptors deal with things like mood, emotions, memories, appetite, movement, etc., while the CB2 receptors affect inflammation and pain.

How Does CBD Work?

Unlike THC, which binds directly to cannabinoid receptors, CBD has little binding affinity for CB1 and CB2 receptors. Instead, CBD indirectly impacts the endocannabinoid system by increasing or inhibiting the binding action of various cannabinoid receptors.

For example, CBD activates the 5-HT1A serotonin receptors (which help with anxiety) and TRPV1 vanillin receptors (which help with pain and inflammation). On the other hand, CBD deactivates the GPR55 receptor, therefore helping to decrease bone reabsorption and cancer cell proliferation.

CBD also increases the body’s levels of naturally produced endocannabinoids, especially Anandamide, by inhibiting their reuptake. CBD inhibits the FAAH (fatty acid amide hydrolase) enzyme form breaking down Anandamide, which it normally does fairly quickly. By blocking this breakdown, CBD increases the level of Anandamide (the “bliss molecule”) in the body!

CBD Oil Uses & Benefits

Now, on to the good stuff! As we learned above, CBD, or cannabidiol, is a component of the cannabis plant, hemp. CBD binds to the CB1 and CB2 receptors (as well as others) in the body’s endocannabinoid system. You can supplement your body’s endocannabinoid system with CBD products.

The list of ailments that CBD can help with is impressive:

• Acne
• Alzheimer’s
• Anxiety
• Arthritis
• Cancer
• Chronic pain
• Depression
• Epilepsy
• Immune boosting
• Inflammation
• Insomnia
• Multiple sclerosis
• PTSD
• Schizophrenia
• Seasonal Affective Disorder
• Seizures

And CBD can even be used with pets! All mammals have an endocannabinoid system. Got an anxious pup or a kooky kitty? CBD could help them chill out safely and naturally.

CBD can be ingested or used topically. The most common ways to use it are in the form of CBD oil (which you ingest) or a CBD salve, lotion, or cream (which you apply topically). A topical application can be helpful for targeted pain or inflammation relief, but using CBD internally is how you’re going to get most of the health benefits above.

How to Take CBD

The most effective way to consume CBD oil is under the tongue. Lift your tongue to the roof of your mouth, insert the contents of the dropper, and hold it there for 15-60 seconds, then swallow. You might want to have a mint or drink handy, because it doesn’t taste the best!

Why hold the oil under your tongue? The active compounds in the oil will absorb into the mucous membranes of the mouth and quickly enter the bloodstream. Once swallowed, the rest of the compounds will enter the bloodstream through the digestive tract (it just take a bit longer to absorb that way). It usually takes about 15 minutes for you to start the feel the effects of CBD oil.

You can also add CBD oil to a beverage (latte, smoothie, juice, etc.) to mask the taste. There are even recipes for CBD bliss balls, gummies, cookies, and more! These are fun ways to consume the product, but taking the oil sublingually is the easiest and most effective way to consume CBD.

There are lots of different recommendations out there about dosages for CBD oil, but for general use, I would suggest starting with half a dropper (0.5 ml) and seeing how that affects you. From there, you can experiment with a full dropper, or even more if you find it benefits you better. Obviously, it isn’t practical to take huge dosages every day unless you find it really helpful because it can become costly quickly (but read to the end for a CBD discount!). I am currently taking a full dropper per day and having great results.

Why I Use CBD

I started using CBD about 6 months ago, when I began weaning off of a strong anxiety medication (read more in this post). After 6 months, I’m only halfway weaned off. It’s a slow process because it’s a strong medication, and weaning off can easily cause withdrawal symptoms. Even at the slow rate I’m doing it, I still have uncomfortable days. That’s the reason I finally took the plunge and decided to try CBD!

CBD oil helps take the edge off of my anxiety on the harder days. It mellows me out and keeps me calm. I am also excited to see how it benefits me this winter, as I have had trouble with seasonal depression (SAD) and getting sick a lot in the past. I believe that the CBD will help boost my immunity (BTW, I haven’t gotten sick since I started taking it…coincidence? You decide!) and help me keep away the seasonal blues.

I don’t believe that CBD is a magical cure-all (I don’t think any one thing is), but it is now an integral part of my holistic health toolbox.

What to Look For in a CBD Brand

All CBD is not created equally. Here are some key things you should look for in a brand:

• Organic – hemp grown without pesticides
• Full spectrum – uses the whole plant & contains not just cannabinoids, but phytocannabinoids, terpenes & keytones
• 3rd party lab tested – tested for potency, pesticides, etc. by an objective source

My favorite brand is Alive Market. Their hemp is grown in Southern Colorado and is not treated with any pesticides or GMOs. They also use no-till and living soil practices, which means they don’t break up the soil after harvesting. This allows any leftover plant material to decompose into the soil and provide nutrients for future crops. This is a sustainable practice that conserves the fuel and time that would be needed to till, reduces water consumption by insulating the top soil, and eliminate any heavy metal that would contaminate the soil from tilling machinery. It produces healthier crops as well!

Alive Market makes full spectrum CBD oil that includes all parts of the hemp plant, like phytocannabinoids, terpenes, and keytones. Using all parts of the plant creates the “Entourage Effect,” in which cannabinoids and terpenes work together to magnify the benefits of each component of the plant! Alive Market also shares their 3rd party lab testing results online to provide full transparency.

They sell three sizes of CBD oil. If you’re just looking to dip your toe in the water, I suggest try a 300 mg bottle like I did at first. When you’re ready to fully commit, save some money and buy in bulk by purchasing their 1500 mg bottle (I just stocked up with 2 of these big bottles)!

Alive Market also makes CBD body butters (great for sore muscles) and soaps that are infused with CBD!

Here’s the best part: my affiliate code, “blissful” gets you 10% off all Alive Market products!

ALSO, head over to my Instagram this week and enter my giveaway for a CBD oil & body butter!

Let me know what your experiences with CBD oil is in the comments below! I would love to hear how its helped you.

I also just want to add: I believe that CBD can have amazing health benefits for each and every human (and mammal, for that matter). However, if you are not using it to combat symptoms like the ones listed above (anxiety, inflammation, insomnia, etc.), you may not feel any difference in your body or mind. This doesn’t necessarily mean its not benefitting you, just that your body was close enough to homeostasis that there is not tangible effect.