CBD oil has become a popular way in handling anxiety and a slew of other ailments
Anxiety is no stranger to me. Looking back I believe I experienced anxiety from a very early age but I had no idea what it was- I simply thought it was “normal” nerves when anyone was in a new situation or surrounding. The irony was, the less I knew about anxiety the less anxious it made me and the more accepting I was of my unique expression. It wasn’t until high school that I had a better understanding of the workings of anxiety however, by then I had already developed unhealthy coping mechanisms in the form of escaping those hard thoughts and feelings with alcohol. I wasn’t until I reached my twenties when I made the decision to be the archaeologist of my emotions- study their roots, analyze worst case scenarios, list the pro’s and con’s and move forward.
My new coping mechanisms were more in-tune to progress and healing than suppressing and escaping. I learnt diet triggers and supplements that almost completely would eliminate my anxiety. Paired with connecting with nature once a week, scheduling movement (i.e exercise, dance, yoga, hiking) and getting a good nights rest, anxiety slowly began to be something of the past. Although not completely eradicated, perhaps more on the side of keeping it at bay, but also better recognizing when anxious moments arrived.
CDB entered the club and suddenly everyone from our dogs to our parents were taking it. It was in our smoothies, baths, salads, applied topically at spas. As always, I was intrigued and I did some research.
The fix for a wide range of aliments from insomnia to anxiety. LiveScience breaks down the magic substance and sheds a light on it’s most popular uses. It’s a tough conversation as federal testing is still on hold so none of the findings can be conclusive. However there are various independent studies that note CBD as an aid for health issues like depression, autism, alcoholism, and, of course, skin conditions. It’s part of the reason that products like Cannuka’s CBD Healing Balm are gaining popularity over chemical-heavy drugstore brands. And if you’re still worried about getting high on your beauty supply, fret not. “CBD is non-psychoactive, meaning it doesn’t have a strong effect on cognitive brain activity and doesn’t cause the ‘high’ associated with marijuana.”
So I decided to give it a try. I took 2-3 drops of CDB oil before bed for a week and these were my observations.
*Note: I was experiencing anxiety and burn out so for that reason it was the perfect time to put cbd to the test.
Day 1: Lockdown restrictions have finally hit me hard. I felt like a caged animal and I was pushing myself to be more productive so as to not feel like a complete lump-on-a-log. Too many coffees with a mix of poor food choices and not incorporating any at home workouts (I’m seriously just not a fan of moving my coffee table to to work out and then putting it back to watch a movie…all in the same room. I’m putting my foot down!) I was experiencing insomnia and subtle body aches.
First night was taking 2-3 drops under my tongue. I went upstairs took a shower, moisturized, did my whole night time routine and laid in bed and did some breath work. Feel asleep within 20-30 mins.
Day 2: Woke-up feeling more refreshed which came along with the feeling a seeing the world through a more clearer lens and not foggy, groggy, dragging my feet. I’ve felt this before when I began drinking chaga tea.
Day 3: Another restful sleep. Feel the same as I did yesterday but feeling a little less anxious, less tense, my battery life is now easily at 65%.
Day 4: Apart from the CBD trial, I’ve noticed the huge importance of a night time routine. Simple practices to unwind from the day (even if the day just included literally doing everything from home). Night time skin routine, comfy pyjamas, putting on a diffuser or lighting a candle a few hours before bed, reading a book or just doing some breath work makes major changes.
Day 5: Subtle aches are gone and I’m feeling back to myself. It’s a very similar feeling to when I’ve included adaptogens, specifically ashwanganda into my smoothies.
Day 6: Much the same. Sleep is noticeable better and a heaviness, racing mind is more controllable.
Day 7: No noticeable difference from prior days in the week, but a noticeable change from the week before. I feel more relaxed, clear headed and less panicked, worried.
Conclusion. I found it to be very similar to adaptogens and based on my understanding of how adaptogens work I would say that I prefer them better than CDB in the long run as to say, I would use adaptogens on a daily basis but CDB for a more targeted result. I would definitely reach for the CDB if I had body aches the same way one would go to Advil.
My journey with CBD isn’t over just yet, and I certainly do recommended it as an excellent addition to your wellness repertoire!
If you have any experience with CDB please share in the comments below!
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