05/19

What Is CBD and Why Are People So Obsessed with It?

With all the new hype of CBD I decided to look into the ingredient myself. This post is relevant to me because with my mom being sick, I’ve tried to find a product to soothe her anxiety and pain. So I decided to research some products that have proven to reduce anxiety, increase calmness and provide all other positive effects that CBD offers for my momma. I found so many that I love and have linked below at the end of this post for reference. I am still no expert on this topic so I had my friend, Elissa Goodman, who is more educated on the topic to explain it to all of us.

In the wellness space, the popularity of cannabidiol, aka CBD, is growing at a rapid pace. Health benefits of consuming the plant are regularly being discovered by the medical community and with many states decriminalizing and legalizing cannabis, new CBD products are being released daily. CBD’s popularity has had such a drastic spike over the last couple of years that its market is predicted to reach $22 billion by 2022. The newfound obsession with CBD shows the public’s determination to implement natural methods to improve health.

To fully understand the incredible health benefits of CBD, let us take a step back and get a better understanding of what exactly it is. Cannabis is the name of the overall plant from which it is derived. Cannabis contains different compounds called cannabinoids, the most dominant of which are tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). The main difference between the two cannabinoids is that THC produces intoxicating psychoactive effects (it gets you “high”), while CBD does not.

While THC offers health benefits, its mind-altering effects are not enjoyed by everyone. Since CBD provides many of the same positives without changing the way you think or perceive experiences, people have grown to really love it.

The strongest evidence for CBD’s effectiveness is in treating some of the most severe childhood epilepsy syndromes, many of which do not respond to antiseizure drugs. The effects of cannabis on these epilepsy syndromes are so profound that the FDA recently approved the first ever CBD-derived medication to treat them.

While the science is still limited, many studies are in progress and CBD is currently used to treat:

Anxiety
Pain
Inflammation
Depression
ADHD
IBS
Substance Abuse/Withdrawal
CBD is currently in early clinical trials for treating post-traumatic stress disorder as well as schizophrenia.
People are using CBD to ease various types of chronic pain including inflammatory and neuropathic pain, which are two of the most difficult kinds of chronic pain to remedy.
One study found that applying CBD oil topically to the skin can help with arthritis pain.
Many people have also found CBD to be effective in combating insomnia as it has been shown to help with both falling asleep and staying asleep.
CBD is being used as a complementary cancer treatment because it has been shown to fight nausea, stimulates the appetite, and relieve pain. CBD indirectly acts on CB2 receptors, which reduced inflammation and pain.
Heart Disease
Parkinson’s Disease
Diabetes

My clients who incorporate CBD into their wellness routine have reported feeling better overall – from improved sleep to reduced stress. But, everyone is different and results will vary and it’s very easy to use. Cannabis compounds are one of the least toxic substances, it is virtually impossible to take too much CBD.

There are multiple ways in which you can consume CBD. CBD oil is the most potent and unprocessed form of the cannabinoid. In oil form, you can use a dropper to place a small amount on your tongue. Some like to ingest CBD in edible form, as gummies or chocolates, because they are easy to carry with you. Since the CBD boom is still so young, products are not FDA-regulated, which means it is hard to know if companies are transparent about the ingredients or levels of CBD in their products. I recommend trying a few different reputable CBD brands to see which work best for you. Be sure to buy organic, low processed CBD with few ingredients whenever possible.

One of my favorite ways to take CBD is in tea form. My favorite CBD tea brand is currently Kikoko since they have different combinations for various outcomes like stress-release and sleep function.

Be sure to check with your doctor before trying CBD to make sure it is right for you.