The following article originally appeared on Sunday scaries and was written by Kim Torres
If you have seen it once, you have seen it all — CBD is everywhere. No matter where you turn, CBD products are in high demand, and they are not going anywhere. People are using CBD for achy joints, for skincare, for stage fright jitters, and for overall relaxation. You name it, CBD will claim some sort of benefit for you and whatever ailment you may be plagued by. So, what is CBD exactly? How did this craze begin, and why are there so many ways to take CBD?
What is CBD?
CBD is short for cannabidiol, which is a chemical compound that comes from the Cannabis Plant, also known as marijuana or hemp. (Fun fact! Cannabis doesn’t just refer to one plant, but to a plant family. Two plants in this family you may be familiar with are hemp plant and marijuana plant. They are similar, but very much different — much like you and your extended family. Cool, right?) It is a non-psychoactive compound, which means it won’t get you high, unlike CBD’s cousin, THC. THC stands for tetrahydrocannabinol, which will get you high — this is the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
What is it used for?
CBD has been used to treat all sorts of things — from acne to anxiety. As a note, it is a pretty new product, relatively speaking. The long-term benefits (and side effects) are still being tested and figured out. But in the meantime, it has been used to treat symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and more. But it has also been integrated into daily life, like in your favorite local coffee shop’s monthly special latte, and in the salon’s facial cream, and into lotions and balms and salves. Whatever you reach for to calm you down in a moment of stress or anxiety, CBD is there.
How does it work, exactly?
Humans have what is called an endocannabinoid system, which regulates your nervous system, your memory, your mood, and several other aspects of your internal systems. It has two receptors, CB1 and CB2. When you use products like CBD, it may affect the CB2 receptor in a positive way, helping you become a little more even-keeled and levelheaded and deals away with anxiety and depression.
How did it become popular?
CBD isn’t as new to the scene as we think it is. In fact, there’s a lot of cool history out there! CBD is rumored to have been very prevalent in the lives of Chinese emperors, Victorian queens, even in Colonial America and their harvests and products. Marijuana and Hemp, in plant form, are staples in the history of the world, even as crops alone. But it wasn’t until much later that the individual chemical compounds became popular.
CBD was first extracted as a chemical compound in 1940, and its structure was discovered in 1946. Research continued over the next forty years, and it was in that time that CBD was discovered not to cause an altered mental state and that it could be helpful for treating things like epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and pain relief.
Specific clinical trials did not begin until 1998 when a British pharmaceutical group began to study the ins and outs of how CBD interacted with the human body. This paved the way for a lot more understanding about how and why CBD can be helpful to a wide range of ailments. You can read more here to understand more about the history of CBD.
How can you take CBD?
You might be thinking, okay, all of this sounds great! But how do I start taking CBD? Well, great question. There are lots of different CBD products and ways you can consume CBD, based totally on your preference and lifestyle. One of the ways you might find it is in tincture, or oil form. This is usually taken sublingually (under the tongue) or mixed into a food or beverage. You can find it in a topical cream or lotion to apply to a specific joint or skincare purpose, or you can take it orally in gummy form.
CBD Gummies are an easy, portable way to integrate CBD into your life. The dosage is controlled, the gummies can include other vitamins and supplements (ours do!), and they are quick and convenient to keep and carry with you.
What are your gummies made of?
Our CBD Gummies are made of full spectrum CBD oil and grown right here in the USA according to the 2018 Farm Bill. This means we use the best of the best that’s available, and our CBD oil is meant to be effective and hold a wide range of benefits. Our gummies also include Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D3, which means you are receiving other health and wellness benefits as well. Our CBD Gummies are gluten free, dairy free, soy free, peanut free, and perfect for a wide range of other diets — you can check out the full ingredient list here. And if you’re looking for a vegan option, our Vegan AF CBD Gummies are literally perfect for you.
What can I use them for?
You can use CBD Gummies for all sorts of things, and we recommend integrating them into your daily life. Maybe you need to relax just a bit before a big presentation with the boss or need to calm down a bit before dinner with the in-laws. Maybe you need a little motivation during the 2 pm slump, or to calm down your racing mind as you head to bed. CBD Gummies can help with all those things — not to mention calming down inflammation or pain if you have any. It can cut nausea, regulate your mood, and increase overall wellness in your day to day life. CBD Gummies are an excellent resource to integrate into your lifestyle. As always, we encourage you to consult with your doctor before you consume or use any kind of CBD product. Although it is recommended as a supplement, we do not recommend that you use CBD products instead of prescribed medications or treatments and that you should talk with your doctor to determine what kind of CBD could be right for you.
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