Anxiety - How CBD Can Help

it actually leads to the creation of more serotonin or changes the body's response to serotonin that already exists in the brain. The reason that CBD is so effective is still to be discovered but what is, unanimously, agreed upon is that it creates an “anti-stress” feeling that aids in treating anxiety and depression. 

One study done in 2018 by a mental health clinic in Colorado studies 47 patients that were struggling with anxiety. They gave each of them 25 mg of CBD a day for 3 months. After the first month, 79.2% of the participants said they saw an improvement in their anxiety. At the end of the study, 78.1% of the people being studied said their anxiety was even better than the first month. One study trusted Source found that people who took 600 milligrams (mg) of CBD experienced significantly less social anxiety than people who took a placebo. Another study trusted Source used a smaller dose of 300 mg, which still reduced levels of anxiety.

This is the hardest part of beginning your healing journey with CBD. Everyone's bodies respond differently to this “bliss” molecule so always start off with a lower dose and work your way up. Start with 20mg and see how your body reacts. Some people find this to be the perfect dose and some people find that they may need a bit more to achieve their health goals.

There are so many ways to take CBD it’s about finding the best method for your daily routine.

• Take CBD Orally: This is the most versatile way to take this natural medication.
• Capsules: These are extremely easy to integrate into your daily routine. They come pre-dosed and you can take them at the same time as your vitamins in the morning.

• Edibles: A great option that is also pre-dosed but tastes delicious. These are sold pretty much everywhere and there is a huge selection of flavours. If you want to get creative you can even try your hand at making them yourself.
• Add it to your meals: This can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. Drizzle it on top of your salad, blend it into your smoothies. Just watch the heat! CBD does not do well when warmed up. It loses its effectiveness and leaves a terrible, bitter taste in your mouth.
• Sublingually: This is my personal favourite because I can choose how much I would like to take and just hold it under my tongue for 30-60 seconds. This gives you complete control over how much you would like to dose and also bypasses the liver. This means you will feel the effects much more quickly than eating it.
• Vape or Smoke: Smoking CBD offers the fastest results and the effects can be felt within 10 minutes. The CBD goes directly to the alveoli in the lungs and is rapidly absorbed into the bloodstream. This method is harder to dose and is harsh on the throat and lungs but is proven to help with nicotine addiction.

If you are currently on pharmaceutical medications talk to a doctor about how to best come off of them. Suddenly coming off of them can leave you with terrible withdrawal symptoms and can be worse for your mental health. CBD can also interact poorly with other common medications. A good rule of thumb is to see if the medications you are taking would poorly interact with

grapefruit. This is referred to as the “grapefruit rule”. CBD interacts similarly to citrus with certain medications which can cause overdose or illness. Medications that commonly have grapefruit warnings are:

• antibiotics and antimicrobials
• anticancer medications
• antihistamines
• antiepileptic drugs (AEDs)
• blood pressure medications
• blood thinners
• cholesterol medications
• corticosteroids
• erectile dysfunction medications
• GI medications, such as to treat GERD or nausea
• heart rhythm medications
• immunosuppressants
• mood medications, such as to treat anxiety, depression, or mood disorders
• pain medications
• prostate medications

Anxiety can be deadly and CBD has little to no negative side effects so why not give it a try?

You may find a more natural way to treat the many symptoms of high-stress!