CBD…
You see it in your grocery store, on billboards, at the gas station (gross!); it is probably even on the menu at your local coffee shop.
Even that crazy aunt of yours won’t shut up about how much CBD has changed her life, and maybe her cat’s, too. She probably even bought you a bottle of it already. Or maybe you bought yourself a bottle, took it once and it didn’t seem to do much, and now it’s collecting dust on your bedside table.
You have questions about CBD, and we are here to answer them!
Two of our most common questions that we get almost daily are:
1. How much do I need to take and how often?
2. How soon will I feel the effects?
So, let’s clear some things up.
Because CBD is not currently regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) –– and may not be any time soon –– there are no official or professional/medical recommendations for proper usage and dosage. In fact, we are technically not even legally allowed to tell you how much to take for specific conditions, or even claim how CBD may benefit your health. While this may seem confusing and frustrating to the first time buyer, it’s important to note that the amount of CBD someone may require can vary greatly. What works for me personally might not work for you, and vice versa. Knowing how much to take at first can be based on a trial-and-error process, but we promise you it’s totally worth it (and so does your crazy aunt).
So to answer question #1 above: At Sow Eden, when our customers ask us how much they should take, we always recommend starting small and increasing as needed. Usually, this is somewhere around the 5 - 10mg marker (5 - 10 little drops, as each individual drop of our tinctures provide about 1 mg CBD - they’re super concentrated!). We generally find the majority of users feel relief from smaller doses as opposed to overdoing it right away, and 5 - 10 mg is a great starting point to feeling well again. If you’re not noticing much benefit after several days of micro-dosing CBD, increase your dose to 1/4 dropper (12.5 mg CBD). Stay there for several more days, and then work your way up to 1/2 dropper (25 mg CBD), if, of course, you feel the need. Less is more.
As for when you should be taking your CBD during the day, it’s totally up to you. Take it in the morning when you wake up, or take it with breakfast. You can also break up your doses, so that you take it in the morning and in the afternoon or evening. Experiment. Do what feels best! Just one majorly important thing: remember to HOLD IT UNDER YOUR TONGUE FOR 60 SECONDS BEFORE INGESTING. This allows the CBD to enter the blood stream and bypass the digestive system. Sublingual absorption is more effective than digesting CBD in your gut, where the bioavailability of CBD decreases. You might prefer to mix your CBD into your latte or smoothie at home, but it’s better to drop it under the tongue, trust me! But whatever floats your boat.
Another thing with CBD, which will lead us into our next question, is that it works best when taken consistently. The benefits are cumulative. Let me say that again for the people in the back. BE CONSISTENT. TAKE IT EVERYDAY. Yes, I know you felt fancy AF getting your latte in L.A. with an added shot of CBD and posting it on Instagram, but unless you are doing that every day, you probably will not notice much. And plus, that shot of CBD in your latte probably cost you an arm and a leg.
Unlike other conventional “medications,” when taken internally CBD doesn’t always provide instant relief. While some people may feel less anxious or sleep a little better after one dose, it isn’t like taking a Xanax and feeling the effects almost immediately. CBD works best, and will offer maximum benefit, when it builds up in the body. This happens when you use it daily, and again, stay consistent! I know this is difficult when we live in a society that craves immediate gratification. And I get it, trust me. Unless I can get my “Frenchie mom” sweatshirt next-day shipping from Amazon, I simply don’t want it. Unfortunately, this need for immediate relief is often the main cause of discontinuing the use CBD. If you don’t feel that instant relief, you stop taking it. This is why we urge our customers to treat their CBD regimen like a daily multivitamin, as something that offers long-term benefits. More often than not, we are left with happy and complaint-free customers.
When sticking with a regimen day in and day out, you will notice you feel better, whether it’s your anxiety not feeling as overwhelming, your joints aren’t as achy, or you just simply are in a better mood. Even your cat seems happier. When you reach that point, you know you are taking the right amount.
If you are interested in learning more about how CBD can help you, reach out! We would love to help get you set up on the right path for success with some of our amazing organic products.
Now excuse me, while I go order a CBD latte :)
xx
Lindsey
