CBD is immensely popular, so much so that an online survey of internet keywords revealed that it outranks Taylor Swift, Kanye West, The NBA, The Beatles, and AOC at this moment! So much for something that began as a niche alternative natural supplement.
What's more?
CBD now comes in different forms, not just the conventional oils and tinctures. Today, you can find CBD in makeup, lotions, creams, bath bombs, cocktails, dog treats, and even bedsheets! This cannabinoid is just everywhere.
But let's take a moment and get to know CBD. Is it some health fad or a wonder drug? Certainly, there are lots of opinions out there regarding CBD. But what is it?
CBD is short for cannabidiol, one of 100+ cannabinoids that exist naturally in the cannabis plant. Most people hear the word "CBD" and immediately visualize marijuana, young adults getting "high," and so on.
However, CBD is not psychoactive, so it cannot get you "high."
Instead, it has a wide range of beneficial properties that have been used to support pain and inflammation reduction, improved sleep quality, and reducing anxiety.
CBD is also highly versatile. Once extracted from the plant material, it can be made into almost anything. So there are various talking points you may want to consider when using CBD.
With CBD oils and tinctures leading the pack when it comes to popular forms of CBD, it's important to understand how to best use these products.
How to take CBD oil
CBD oil is essentially the CBD extract diluted in a carrier element like oil. The most common oils for this purpose are MCT oil, coconut oil, or hemp oil.
In this form, CBD can be infused into practically anything – edibles, gummies, drinks, food, you name it.
Some people prefer a no-frills approach when taking CBD, which is perfectly okay. Sometimes the best way is the easiest way, so here is one way to take CBD oil.
Fill dropper with desired oil dosage
CBD oils and tinctures are sold with droppers to help administer the correct dose of CBD. Generally, the volume of a standard dropper is 1ml, which equals 20 drops. However, this can vary depending on the manufacturer.
Knowing the volume of your dropper allows you to measure the correct dosage.
For instance, if the CBD bottle contains 30ml of CBD oil and 1000mg of CBD, then one full dropper will have roughly 3mg of CBD. This means a drop of CBD oil will have around 1.65mg of CBD.
From here, you can accurately measure the amount of CBD you require.
Squeeze oil under the tongue but do not swallow
Once you have the correct dose in the dropper, squeeze the oil under your tongue. This is called sublingual administration.
There are certain advantages of this method.
One, it allows CBD to be absorbed quickly into the bloodstream, which means the effects kick in much faster. Two, oils and tinctures have higher bioavailability, meaning more CBD gets absorbed into your systemic circulation.
This way, you get the right amount of CBD.
Allow the oil to sit under the tongue for 30 seconds
Let CBD oil sit under the tongue for 30 seconds to give it time to be absorbed. If you swallow too soon, the CBD goes to the stomach, where it undergoes first-pass metabolism. This reduces the quantity of CBD that eventually gets into the systemic circulation.
However, sublingual administration enables the CBD to bypass first-pass metabolism and increases its absorption rate into your bloodstream.
The area below the tongue is supplied by a rich network of blood vessels called capillaries, which facilitate the speedy transportation of CBD into the bloodstream.
Swallow
The last part of sublingual administration is swallowing. Any CBD not absorbed within the initial 30 seconds is swallowed to avoid wasting the precious commodity.
Establishing a CBD routine
It is much easier to use CBD if you incorporate it into a routine. Even though you can take CBD anytime, depending on your goals, we've compiled a list of the four most common methods to take CBD daily.
The best time to consume CBD oil depends on your lifestyle; you could be a morning person, a night owl, a fitness enthusiast, or someone who simply wants better health.
Take CBD every morning
One of the best ways to introduce CBD to your system is by making it a part of your morning routine. This means that while you're brushing your teeth, drinking your coffee, or going over the newspaper, CBD is in your system doing its thing.
Early weekday mornings are not the favorite part of the day for most people, so they tend to go through them on autopilot. However, making CBD one of your waypoints in the morning can set you on a hugely productive mode.
You can do this by taking CBD oil or pills immediately after you wake up. Many users prefer to add CBD oil to their coffee, tea, or pancake recipes.
It's a good idea to use small servings of CBD in the morning to ensure its effects don't compromise your productivity levels. Some people report feeling overly relaxed after taking CBD, so you may want to go easy on the morning doses.
Use CBD for post-workout recovery
Fitness enthusiasts and elite athletes use CBD as part of their pre-workout and post-workout recovery supplements. This cannabinoid compound has anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and pain-relieving properties, making it a hit among athletes.
But since oral CBD can take longer before the effects kick in, it makes sense to go with CBD oils, which are fast-acting. Some fitness enthusiasts take CBD oil when they are about to begin their workouts so that the effects kick in when they are already in action.
Complementing CBD oil with CBD topicals is also a great idea. Some topicals have relief-inducing ingredients like menthol and are great for alleviating muscle soreness and inflammation during and after workout sessions.
Add CBD to your night-time ritual
If you have sleep problems, maybe you don't fall asleep as fast as you'd like, or you often wake up during the night, CBD may be your saving grace.
For better sleep quality, experts vouch for a "wind down" period of 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime. This is the period in which you should take CBD. This should be augmented with good sleep hygiene, which means avoiding things likely to disturb the calm before you sleep.
So, dim the lights, switch off the TV and mobile phones, and finish up personal hygiene routines. If you still have time, do some yoga, meditate, or practice deep breathing.
The idea is to let sleep come naturally without thinking about it.
Mix and match
Your CBD routine is a matter of preference, goals, and schedule.
You may find that using CBD during the day fits your schedule and objectives if you want a more relaxed outlook as you go about your duties. Another person may wish to sleep better, so a night-time routine works better for them.
Then there's the person who prefers smaller CBD servings throughout the day, probably with other supplements. In this case, a CBD bundle could be the most ideal.
So, for a consistent supply of CBD throughout the day, you can invest in different CBD products to meet your needs.
Ways to take CBD oil at home
As CBD grows in popularity, people are taking matters into their own hands. Homemade CBD products are not uncommon, and they do have their advantages.
For starters, you are sure about its quality and safety. You can also tailor it according to your needs.
For example, CBD oils have different tastes depending on the carrier oil used. If, for instance, you dislike CBD oil's fruity, earthy, and woody smell, you can mask it with your favorite flavor. It's a free world!
We love homemade CBD oil because your creativity limits your ways of taking it! Here are some of the more common trends.
CBD oil and tinctures
Drops and tinctures are two of the most convenient methods to consume CBD oil. Take oils and tinctures sublingually for better absorption of CBD and other compounds.
Hold the oil beneath your tongue for roughly 45-60 seconds before swallowing for maximum CBD absorption.
For many, this is a straightforward method to take CBD. It is also practical for individuals on the move and who need something convenient.
CBD oil in smoothies
Nowadays, many people add CBD to drinks and food. This is because it is highly versatile and will still give you the effects you want regardless of whether it's in your coffee, favorite cocktail, smoothie, soup, ice cream, or bowl of oatmeal.
The home environment offers you so many ways of enjoying CBD. Just be creative!
Add CBD oil to coffee
Are you a coffee person? Good for you! Many people like adding CBD to their coffee. It's something you could try out when at home. Make your usual cup of coffee with milk and sugar. Add a few drops of CBD oil.
We recommend starting with 15-20 mg of CBD (still remember how to calculate the correct amount of CBD from CBD oil?). Stir with a spoon and enjoy jitter-free energy.
CBD oil salad dressing
This is a pleasant way to surprise friends if you like to host parties. Cannabis-infused meals are becoming a thing, so a CBD salad dressing combined with avocado, olive oil, and vinegar sounds perfect.
You can also experiment with various flavors that complement CBD oil's nutty, earthy taste.
Desserts made with CBD oil
Edibles are another easy method to consume CBD oil both at home and away. And there are thousands of dessert recipes to choose from, so you won't be short of options.
A plus with desserts is that you get to enjoy the tasty treat while getting your usual dose of CBD. Life is for the living, right?
CBD oil cocktails
CBD cocktails are probably the latest addition to a trend of innovative ways of taking CBD. There's an upsurge of CBD-infused cocktail drinks on bar menus as thirsty customers line up for the next big thing in the cocktail craft.
But you can be a mixologist at home too! Just be informed on what works with CBD. Bartenders contend that CBD works well with gin, so this is information you may need to factor into your recipe.
Also, the drink may likely have an earthy flavor (which is no problem if you don't mind it).
As usual, start with low CBD doses like 3-5mg, which is roughly 8 to 10 drops of CBD oil. Add the CBD oil to the cocktail before stirring or shaking, then play by the classic cocktail rules. Shake for 20 seconds if it has no citrus and 10 if it does.
How much CBD can you have in one day?
CBD has a good safety profile, and most people tolerate it well enough. Studies show that you can take up to 1500mg of CBD a day without adverse effects. But people respond differently to CBD.
Generally, CBD dosage depends on the condition you're using it for. For example, 300-600mg of CBD is recommended for managing anxiety, while 25-75mg is ideal for general sleep disorders.
These figures are not cast in stone; CBD comes in different strengths depending on the extraction method.
Should I refrigerate CBD oil?
You don't have to keep your CBD oil in the fridge, but there is also no harm if you do.
Refrigerating CBD oil may prolong its shelf life. A cool, dark place will do just fine and keep your oil fresh for about a year.
Three things you should avoid when storing CBD: heat, light, and air. All of these have the potential to damage your product by denaturing the compounds in the extract. If you want to keep CBD oil fresh, avoid these three.
Where to buy the best CBD oil
Getting high-quality CBD oil can be challenging, with different CBD products entering the market every single minute. So it's advisable to shop at approved vendors and manufacturers, like FOCL.
At FOCL, we pride ourselves on crafting premium broad-spectrum CBD oil extracted from organic hemp and made in food-grade facilities to guarantee you’re only getting the absolute best CBD out there.
Our two CBD oils are a great way to add this cannabinoid into your daily routines and improve your focus, reduce anxiety, soothe pain, and sleep better.
Our Premium CBD Drops are a simple and effective way to calm your mind and body using the best quality CBD out there. It features our broad-spectrum CBD and uses MCT oil as a carrier.
The drops come in three potencies (1000mg; 2000mg; 3000mg) and five delicious flavors (Natural, Mint, Orange Cream, Strawberry Lemonade, Cherry) so you can customize your dosage and get your favorite flavor.
This is an excellent product for daytime use. You can take it by itself or mix it into your favorite food and beverage!
If you’re looking for something to help you sleep better, then our Sleep Drops are what you need. It's a clean, simple formulation of organic CBD with the highly relaxing cannabinoid CBN infused in MCT oil with organic lavender and peppermint extracts to give you a perfect night's sleep.
Take a few drops of these 30 to 45 minutes before bed and enjoy a perfect night’s sleep.
