A beginner’s guide to CBD and its role in overcoming anxiety

The frenzy surrounding CBD seems to be at a fever pitch with many going as far as referring to it as “the miracle drug of the century”. Medical patients seem to swear by it, many researchers intrigued while government regulators are quite flustered and investors are all for it. It is slowly but surely finding its way into many of our everyday use items. Coffee shops have begun to sell CBD lattes, beauty companies releasing lotions with CBD or hemp oils in their formulas and even some spas are quick to get on the CBD bandwagon, offering special CBD facials hailing it as the MVP of skin treatments. And everyone from your anxious colleague to your arthritis suffering grandfather is intrigued. A beginner’s guide to CBD is clearly needed.

While incorporating CBD into our lives may deliver some unexpectedly grand results, the topic may be abstruse and nebulous to get your head around and hence result in reluctance or utter avoidance of any related products entirely. Therefore, whether you are out of the loop or just confused, here’s a quick primer for the uninitiated:

What Is CBD?

CBD, short for cannabidiol, is one of the many active compounds that can be found in the Cannabis plant also known as marijuana. Yes, the one that gets you “high.”

But the psychoactive properties are the result of another active compound found in the plant, which is Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). However, unlike THC, CBD does not alter your mind or cause a psychoactive reaction. The bottom line is: you can reap all the therapeutic benefits without getting “stoned!”

CBD has been found to provide a multitude of health benefits with few to no side effects. It can be used to promote a more relaxed mood, relieve any aching muscles and joints, or a great alternative for dealing with more severe neurological issues.

How to use CBD

CBD is usually extracted in the form of oil or powder and then added to a variety of other oils or even emollients such as lotions, sprays, bath bombs, capsules, and even gummies. It also makes a great addition to your morning smoothies or coffee before you take off for work.

The natural oil itself can be applied topically or ingested. It can be taken sublingually, which involves placing it under the tongue. CBD may also be inhaled through means of vaping.

Trying it is not only simple but straightforward and accessible in many different forms. There is an array of products and brands to choose from and available in a number of mediums.

Getting a good quality CBD product is important as is purchasing from a reputable company. If you purchase online, do choose a registered UK-based company that is transparent about its policies and guarantees all products contain less than 0.2% THC to meet the legal requirements for the sale of hemp in the UK. For example, here you will find a selection of different types of hemp products from numerous brands so you have plenty of scope to find the product that suits you, all covered by appropriate guarantees.

How does CBD work?

The human body has an ECS, endocannabinoid system, that is responsible for translating signals from cannabinoids through a profusion of receptors located in our brain, central nervous system, and immune system. The ECS aids in the healthy regulation of sleep, appetite, pain sensitivity, and immunity. The ECS also produces cannabinoids of its own, which are often referred to as endocannabinoids.

When cannabinoids from plants enter our system, they tend to interact with our ECS receptors in the same way our internal cannabinoids do. These cannabinoids from plants then activate responses and result in a host of benefits ranging from improved anxiety levels, better pain management to neuroprotective properties.

Role of CBD in battling anxiety

For generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), research conducted by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reported that CBD has been shown to reduce stress in subjects.

Study subjects were observed as having lower behavioural signs of anxiety after CBD was introduced. Their physiological symptoms of anxiety, such as increased heart rate, also seemed to improve.

Therefore, CBD might work well in taming the symptoms of anxiety. This is because it helps mellow out your nervous system so you are not in so much as a heightened fight or flight response. It can cause people to become more relaxed and regular use integrated with a healthy lifestyle may work wonders for you!

There are, of course, lots of different ways of reducing anxiety including your food choices and physical exercise, particularly if it is in the fresh air, and getting enough sleep.  But nonetheless, many people find using CBD extremely effective in helping to reduce levels of anxiety and getting back on track with their lives.

Image by Julia Teichmann from Pixabay