Top 6 Uses For CBD Oil

CBD oil is the hot new medical trend hitting the market that people of all ages are using for health benefits. CBD is the legal, non-psychoactive cousin of medical marijuana. It comes from the hemp plant but, unlike marijuana, it does not contain THC, which is what gives the “high.”

CBD (Cannabidiol) is demonstrating that it may be useful in treating all sorts of physical and mental conditions in grown adults, young children, and even animals! If you thought CBD oil is just the latest fad in health trends that may or may not help people with a limited number of health problems, think again. CBD oil is not going anywhere soon. Currently CVS and Walgreens pharmacies have plans to carry CBD oil products in their stores nationwide. Unfortunately both companies have a poor track record of carrying high-quality multivitamins, fish oil, or protein supplements. Therefore, I am very skeptical that they will seek out good quality CBD products.

Later in this article we will detail how to identify a good CBD oil product before you purchase it. But before that, let’s look at the great benefits CBD oil may have on your health. Here are six of the top medically-related issues that people are using CBD oil for.

Pain Relief
CBD oil has helped many find pain relief from sore muscles, arthritic joints, migraines, and fibromyalgia symptoms. If you deal with in any of these conditions on an occasional or consistent basis, you may want to consider trying CBD to soothe your pain.

The level of relief you feel will depend on many things, including how much CBD you consume and the level of pain you are experiencing. Certainly it works better for acute minor injuries and strains than for chronic conditions. However, many people are turning away from their conventional pain medications and finding improvement in their chronic pain conditions using CBD oil on a regular basis.We have found that CBD creams and massage oils works best for acute muscle and joint pains. CBD oil, taken under the tongue, appears to have better results for those with more chronic and systemic conditions. Everyone’s conditions and results will vary but these are the trends that we are seeing in our office. We even have many patients using both at the same time, and they are seeing great results!

Anxiety
Pain does not always have to be physical. Sometimes it’s mental and, frequently, mental pain is just as exhausting. Anyone who lives with anxiety knows this.Anxiety comes in many forms and can be unpredictable. It can be episodic and quite transient, or it can be chronic and neverending. CBD oil has been shown to affect the brain in a similar way to the most popular class of anti-anxiety medications known as SSRIs. CBD may also boost signaling through serotonin receptors. Spanish researchers found that CBD enhances 5-HT1A transmission and may affect serotonin faster than SSRIs. Researchers noted, “The fast onset of antidepressant action of CBD and the simultaneous anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) effect would solve some of the main limitations of current antidepressant therapies.”

Insomnia
What if your anxiety comes at night and it keeps you from sleeping or staying asleep? If so, you probably have insomnia, for which CBD is also being used by many consumers.

CBD oil appears to have a calming effect on the brain. When CBD is taken at a time when the body is tired, often a deep, lasting, restful sleep can be found. Finding the correct dosage, though, can be a problem for insomniacs. Some patients report that a small dose of CBD oil, 10-15mg, is all that they need for a restful night, while others need as much as 30-50mg. I always suggest you start at a low dose and work your way up if your desired result is not achieved.

Better Focus
Sometimes the issue is not that you need some sort of mental relief, just more mental focus. Maybe you have trouble staying alert in seminars or getting through your workday. Maybe it’s hard to think clearly, and there is just not enough coffee around. These are also reasons to explore the world of CBD. A little bit of CBD oil may have profound effects for these sorts of situations. Those who have trouble paying attention will find that CBD oil’s ability to help calm the brain will be helpful when more focus or mental clarity is needed.

Skin Clarification
While it’s nice to find some relief for things going on inside the body, CBD may help with external things, too. Do you have bad acne or another skin disorder? Take a few CBD oil drops orally, or add some CBD oil to your favorite topical lotion. Lotions infused with CBD oil can be directly placed onto the affected area. Do this for a week or two to see how much better your skin may look with a bit of CBD in your system. Need a lotion recipe? Try this one.
Melt in a double boiler, stirring occasionally
7 oz of shea butter
¼ cup of fractionated coconut oil
2 Tablespoons of olive, almond, or avocado oil
Remove from the double boiler and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Then add:
20 drops of lavender oil
20 drops of eucalyptus oil
10 drops of peppermint oil
100 mg of CBD oil (20 drops if you are using the NuLeaf brand of CBD oil).
Stir occasionally until the mixture starts solidifying into a hard paste. Near the end, you can whip it with a blender for a smoother consistency and place in an ice bath for a firmer cream.

Inflammatory Gut Problems
If you are having trouble keeping certain foods down or spending more time in the bathroom than normal, you may have a digestive issue or some internal inflammation going on. CBD does well with this sort of issue.Later this year we will be teaching a “Heal the Gut” class. During this seminar we will teach what foods repair the digestive system. Foods like kombucha tea, kefir, sauerkraut, and pickled vegetables are all helpful to restore the natural bacteria found in the gut. These foods can help reduce the inflammation in the gut, and CBD oil can work in conjunction with them to aid restoration of proper digestion. Remember, no supplement is a miracle worker by itself. A proper diet void of sugar, processed ingredients, and other high inflammatory foods needs to be the foundation for healing the gut.

Different Products Made with CBD Oil
It’s one thing to know what CBD oil can be used for and another to know which CBD product is right for you. As the popularity of CBD oil is exploding, so are the products coming to the market containing CBD oil. Remember, CBD oil can be taken in many ways. It can be ingested, absorbed topically, or taken sublingually (applied under the tongue). The most effective of these is the sublingual absorption for systemic problems, as it provides the fastest way to the bloodstream. Soon you will see many stores carrying edible products, capsules, and CBD oil mixed with other types of oils. Although these products may be enticing, I would encourage you to stay with a sublingual or topical CBD product.

I would also suggest that you do your homework into the company from whom you are purchasing your product. A reputable company will third-party test their product for quality and consistent potency. The two companies we use in the office third-party test their products for each batch they produce. They will also provide you with the results when asked. Many companies will not do this. Also be sure that the oil is not extracted from the hemp plant by means of heat or harsh chemicals. This can breakdown the CBD oil and make it less effective.

For more information on how CBD oil works, feel free to ask us or check out our other CBD articles on our blog: The ABCs of CBD and CBD oil for anxiety and depression.

Be sure to check out the two newest products we have in our office: