5 Amazing Ways People Use CBD To Release Stress
Independent article provided by: Crystal Willson, Content Strategist-CBD/Health
The global CBD market is exploding with products, be it cosmetics, medicines, beverages, or food products. CBD has become the latest consumer trend, owing to the increasing awareness among people regarding its therapeutic potential to treat various medical conditions- stress being a prominent one.
Despite the advancements in the modern world to make our lives easier, stress is an inevitable part of our busy schedules. However, ongoing chronic stress may affect mental and physical health, leading to issues such as depression, and increased risk of conditions such as obesity and heart disease. CBD can help relieve stress and increase the overall quality of life.
What is CBD?
Cannabidiol is one of the prominent cannabinoids extracted from the marijuana and hemp plants from the same species- Cannabis Sativa. It is safe for you to consume CBD as its non-psychoactive in nature. You can purchase CBD Canada from various online dispensaries or your nearby local store.
There are numerous ways to consume CBD, each taking a different time to get absorbed in the bloodstream for you to experience the effects. As a beginner, feeling confused with the choices is normal. Take your time to figure out what suits you the best.
Read on to learn about five ways people consume CBD to release stress.
1) Tinctures:
Tinctures are made by soaking CBD-rich leaves in alcohol, then cooking on low flame for a few hours. Consuming tinctures after your meal or some high-fat snack would be ideal. It facilitates quick absorption into the bloodstream when taken sublingually i.e., putting a few drops of it under the tongue and holding it for 30 to 90 seconds before swallowing it.
A few added benefits of tinctures are convenience, a high shelf life, and various flavors, such as vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate. This disguises the otherwise nutty taste of CBD. You can adjust the dose by administering the number of drops you take.
Stress may, at times, interfere with your sleep patterns, keeping you awake till late. When taken regularly, CBD can help you sleep much better and reduce stress by not allowing unwanted thoughts to weigh you down.
2) Edibles:
When you infuse any food item with CBD, it is known as an edible. The CBD-infused edible market is brimming with extensive options for consumers, including treats such as CBD-infused chocolates, cookies, gummy bears, etc., and healthier alternatives to these sugary treats such as almonds, and protein bars. What’s more, you can prepare your CBD-infused snack at home as well.
As compared to tinctures, the timeframe for these edibles to show effect is longer, usually anywhere between 30 minutes to two hours. You can include CBD edibles in your stress management plan as they may help you unwind and relax. This relaxation induced by CBD depends upon the serotonin levels in your central nervous system.
3) Capsules:
If you’re a beginner, CBD capsules might be the ideal choice for you, because of how convenient they are. You can carry these small capsules wherever you want, and take them when required. They contain precise servings, so you do not need to worry about calculating your dosing. Moreover, you can easily avoid the herbal taste of CBD, as these capsules are usually flavorless. People accustomed to taking pills might find it very easy to include CBD in their daily routine.
You have to ingest these capsules containing CBD oil or gel orally. Taking them on an empty stomach might help speed up the effect. CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid receptors to maintain homeostasis in the body. It would take about 90 minutes for these capsules to show effect and make you feel considerably calm.
4) Vaping:
Vaping is becoming increasingly popular, especially amongst the young generation, as it is one of the quickest ways to feel the effects of CBD. A vape or vaporizer is an electronic device that heats CBD vape juice and produces vapor that is safe to inhale. They are available in different sizes, shapes, designs, and colors to meet your requirements. Though disposable vapes are available, you should invest in a quality vape. This one-time investment will benefit you for years at a stretch.
You can vape CBD oil, flowers, etc. with each of them giving you a slightly different experience. As vaping provides almost immediate relief to your body, it might be the perfect choice for you in situations of extreme stress or acute anxiety.
5) Isolate:
CBD isolate comes in crystalline solid or powder form and comprises pure CBD. Most of the other products contain some additional compounds like THC. For an isolate, the refinement process removes all the other cannabinoids, terpenes, and flavonoids, leaving behind 99% pure CBD in crystal form.
CBD isolate works well with a variety of consumption methods. You can infuse it into olive oil or drink it with liquids such as water, coffee, or juice. However, vaping would be the most efficient method to administer CBD isolate. Studies suggest that CBD can affect non-cannabinoid receptors, such as the 5-HTP serotonin receptor. This way, it may help you reduce anxiety and increase your sleep quality, two of the major consequences of stress.
Final thoughts:
Stress has become prevalent in today’s world. However, excessive stress can hamper your productivity and weigh you down. CBD can work wonders to ease this emotional and physical tension in your body. Instead of taking synthetic medicines, CBD can be an organic alternative to relieve the burden of your thoughts.
With so many ways to consume CBD, you need to choose a way that works best for you.
Reference Links:
https://thesleepdoctor.com/2017/08/10/understanding-cbd/ https://www.healthline.com/health/cbd-for-insomnia https://papaandbarkley.com/cbd-oil-for-sleep/
Legal marijuana products too strong for pain relief
March 26, 2020
Science Daily/Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
More than 90% of the legal marijuana products offered in medical dispensaries are much stronger than what clinical studies have shown that doctors recommend for chronic pain relief, according to a study published in the March 26 online edition of the journal PLOS ONE.
To many that may seem like a good thing, but just the opposite is true.
"We know that high-potency products should not have a place in the medical realm because of the high risk of developing cannabis-use disorders, which are related to exposure to high THC-content products," said the study's lead author, Alfonso Edgar Romero-Sandoval, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of anesthesiology at Wake Forest School of Medicine, part of Wake Forest Baptist Health.
"Several earlier studies showed that levels of up to 5% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) -- the main psychoactive compound in marijuana that provides pain relief as well as intoxication -- were sufficient to reduce chronic pain with minimal side effects."
The goal of this study was to evaluate the advertised THC and CBD content of legal cannabis products to determine their suitability for medicinal use, and to compare the potency of the products offered in medical and recreational programs.
The researchers recorded the concentrations of THC and cannabidiol (CBD) -- the non-euphoric compound in marijuana -- in all plant cannabis products provided by legal dispensary websites and compared them between or within the states in the study: California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. A total of 8,505 cannabis products across 653 dispensaries were sampled.
Romero-Sandoval's team found that most of the products offered in the medical dispensaries in the study had more than 10% THC and that many had 15% or more, the same as what is available in products at recreational dispensaries.
This is problematic because between 60% and 80% of people who use medical marijuana use it for pain relief, Romero-Sandoval said. The higher the concentration of THC the greater risk, not only for developing dependency, but also for developing tolerance more quickly, which means higher and higher concentrations might be needed to get the same level of pain relief.
"It can become a vicious cycle," Romero-Sandoval said.
"Better regulation of the potency of medical marijuana products is critical. The FDA regulates the level of over-the-counter pain medications such as ibuprofen that have dose-specific side effects, so why don't we have policies and regulations for cannabis, something that is far more dangerous?"
This study provides the scientific evidence to help policy makers correct mistakes and to create a better framework to protect patients, he said.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/03/200326144354.htm