The Best Way to Use CBD: Your Complete Guide
When it comes to food, the thought process has always been so long as you ingest the food is all that matters. In particular, this has been the thought process with fruits and vegetables, but we’re finding that some foods provide more nutrients when eaten raw and others provide more when we cook them a certain way.
The same concept applies to cannabidiol (CBD).
The way you take CBD depends on what you want to accomplish and a variety of other factors, including your personal health and wellness goals.
Keep reading to find out the best way to take CBD for your desires and needs to get the most out of the product.
Understanding CBD
If you’ve landed on this page and you’re a newbie to CBD, we recommend reading this beginner’s guide to get you caught up.
Here are the Basics: CBD is one of over a hundred cannabinoids in Cannabis Sativa L., otherwise known as the hemp plant.
Although CBD is only FDA approved for use in one drug, Epidiolex, there is growing research and anecdotal reports that are showing promise that CBD may be helpful for overall health and wellness.
Our bodies have a system called the endocannabinoid system (ECS) that is responsible for bringing the human body into homeostasis or balance. The Hemp plant is rich in Phytocannabinoids and it is believed that the phytocannabinoids from Hemp CBD work to assist the human bodies ECS to reach a state of homeostasis, hence resulting in a more efficient body.
The ECS is connected to many other systems in our bodies, including the nervous and digestive systems. So, if our ECS is off-balance, a holistic approach may say that this leads to other systems possibly being off-balance as well.
This may explain why CBD, although not FDA approved, may be helpful for overall health and wellness. The human body and the ECS also receive support from other endocannabinoid-enhancing foods like chia seeds, walnuts, and chocolate.
CBD, however, may provide more concentrated amounts cannabinoids to help promote and support our bodies health and wellness.
Considerations When Choosing the Best Way to Take CBD
We mentioned a “holistic” approach to health. This means considering all parts of the equation when looking at a health issue.
That’s one of the beautiful things about the rise of CBD use — it relies on personalization and customization.
One method of taking CBD may not be effective for some and it may be great for others. One person may only need a small amount, while someone else may require three times as much to be effective.
This is because we all have unique bodies, diets, and lifestyles.
Therefore, when deciding the best way to take CBD, consider the following:
- Dietary restrictions (i.e. vegan, gluten-free, or kosher)
- The location and severity of the area of concern
- The serving it may take to achieve a beneficial result.
- Personal preferences, such as being discreet or not
Additionally, you’ll want to take into consideration what will help you take CBD regularly to make it as easy as possible to stick to a daily regimen. CBD is not something that you can take one time and expect permanent results.
Daily use is recommended because of CBD’s bioavailability, or the amount of CBD that actually gets absorbed into your system. It is believed with repeated use, over time, more CBD builds up in your system, allowing it to work more efficiently.
As always, before starting any new dietary regime or if you are currently taking any medication, consult your doctor before trying CBD for yourself.
The Best Way to Take CBD: Which Is It?
It’s sort of a trick question — the best way depends entirely upon your unique situation. Here are several common ways to take CBD, along with the benefits and drawbacks of each method.
CBD Tincture
CBD oil is one of the most common and efficient ways to get your daily serving.
The bottle comes with a dropper, which you can then use to put drops under your tongue and hold for 90 seconds before swallowing. This is referred to as a sublingual administration, which, for many substances, is the fastest and most effective way of absorption.
Additionally, CBD oil tends to have a long shelf-life, meaning it won’t go bad before you can use it all. The bottles are small and easy to carry and store.
Some people aren’t keen on the plant’s natural taste of CBD oil so If you think you may be thrown off by the taste but still want to try this method, we offer orange and mint-flavored tinctures to make the experience a little more enjoyable.
We also have a simple CBD tincture guide for reference and additional tips.
Other Ways to Ingest
If you want to skip the tincture completely, other options are edibles including softgels.
Softgels look more like a typical supplement. Softgels from a reputable supplier generally have nano emulsion technology and are highly absorbable. This means you receive the full CBD serving every time it is taken. This is one of the reasons why softgels tend to be extremely popular. Some CBD softgels are blended with other natural ingredients such as melatonin to help you sleep, or with curcumin to reduce inflammation.
CBD Topicals
A topical is something you put on your skin. It may be a lotion, salve, or a face mask.
It works by absorbing into the various layers of your skin, potentially providing fast results to your skin, joints, and muscles.
The benefit of taking CBD topically is that it can be combined with other botanical extracts, like camphor, rosemary, and essential oils, which may provide additional results.
There’s been research showing CBD may support joint and muscle mobility, so the topical method may work for you depending on your needs.
Topicals are also very popular especially for those who are just beginning to use CBD as they are not ingested and also provide the flexibility to apply as needed.
Find Your Version of Better Than Well
Overall, choosing the best way to take CBD depends on your personal health and wellness goals.
Regardless of your preferred method for using CBD, you’ll want to get 100% THC-free, high-quality, and lab-tested CBD products.
Shop our CBD products online. We carry all of the products discussed here (and more!)
Once you’ve landed on a product, consult our suggested serving guide to help you figure out what’s best for you.
