With the growing popularity of CBD, there's a flood of products on the market. From topical lotions to oils, vapes and edibles, it can be hard to tell what is best and safe for you. Each method of taking CBD (or hemp extract) has its pros and cons. Read more below for how you can take hemp extract and what you should be looking for to ensure safety in your CBD products.
How to take CBD:
Topically
Many CBD products can be applied directly to your skin - in the form of lotions, oils and sprays. These products may be best if you are trying to target a specific area of your body. For example, O2 Living's Living Hemp Extract Muscle Mist is a perfect option if you're looking to soothe sore muscles and combat inflammation in a certain muscle.
Topical products are not only great for localized pain and inflammation, but also for skin conditions - such as eczema.
Edibles
Edible CBD or hemp extract products are becoming more readily available. Ingesting CBD in a food or beverage is an easy way to take CBD, however due to the nature of our digestive systems, it may take up to several hours for the CBD to reach the areas of your body you're hoping to relieve. Additionally, because you do not know exactly how much CBD or hemp extract is in an edible product, dosage can be tricky and misleading. Be sure that your edible hemp extract product is labeled appropriately with the proper dosage and you know what you are eating.
Sublingual Oils
A fast-acting route for administering CBD/hemp extract is in oils that are consumed under the tongue or sublingually. Unlike edibles, allowing the oil to dissolve under your tongue will mean faster results and impacts from the CBD. Also, it is much easier to control the dosage and purity of your CBD/hemp extract when you take it as an oil sublingually. Living Health and Wellness has various options for dosage with its Hemp Extract Oils: 250mg per dropper and 1000mg per dropper. Another bonus of oils as opposed to edibles is that there are no added sugars or preservatives!
Smoking or Vaping
While it is possible to smoke high-CBD cannabis or vape CBD/hemp extract, you may be exposing yourself to harmful carcinogens. When CBD is smoked or vaped, the effects are felt rather quickly. However, CBD vaping products are often made with thinners, which can be very damaging to the lungs. Speak to your health care professional before deciding to smoke or vape any CBD or hemp extract product.
What to Look for in CBD Products:
Full Spectrum vs Isolate
If you're looking for the best acting CBD/hemp extract products, you're going to be looking for a full or broad spectrum CBD or hemp extract. Full spectrum CBD includes the various cannabinoids available in either cannabis or hemp, as opposed to isolate which only includes one cannabinoid. The full spectrum CBD will also allow the highest health benefits due to the inclusion of the broad spectrum of available cannabinoids.
Lab-Tested
With the growing popularity of hemp extract and CBD, many products are showing up that are not regulated or tested. These products could contain dangerous additives or may be misleading about their CBD dosage. Be sure to only consume third party, lab-tested CBD/hemp extract products, like Living Health and Wellness Hemp Extract products!