It seems like different generations are showing a clear desire to incorporate some CBD into their daily lives. But, we know as much as everyone else that the world of hemp and its star chemical compound cannabidiol (CBD) can be intimidating, especially given the extensive amount of lingo thrown around in the industry that can confuse someone who’s totally new to the plant. Because of that, combined with fast-growing interest, it’s time for a “CBD for dummies” guide to help any beginner feel like they know exactly what they’re doing, from the process of picking out a product to working it into their daily routine to derive as many potential benefits as possible.
CBD Information for Beginners
When it comes to providing the ultimate beginner’s CBD guide, we need to start with the basics about CBD, and why it can be so useful. Cannabidiol is the dominant chemical compound in the hemp plant – a legal, non-psychoactive plant that’s sort of like the cousin of marijuana. CBD is a cannabinoid, which is a type of compound found only in cannabis, and of which there are over 100 in any given flower bud of the plant in nature.
What cannabinoids do is attach themselves to cannabinoid receptors belonging to our body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS). This unique physiological process is part of our body’s way of keeping us in homeostasis, through using cannabinoids to regulate bodily processes that affect how we feel, both mentally and physically. Because of this, CBD is commonly associated with stress relief, relief from physical discomfort, enhanced focus and concentration, sleep improvement, lower inflammation levels, and more.
In addition to the many wondrous cannabinoids found in hemp, there are other valuable compounds that enhance the amazing ways in which the plant can improve our daily lives. Most notably, hemp is rich in compounds known as “terpenes”. These are found in all plant life and are responsible for how the hemp plant tastes and smells. Plus, they supply their own effects like anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antifungal, and anxiolytic properties alongside cannabinoids.
How to Get CBD
One of the most important things that newbies need to know is how to actually obtain CBD. While you’ve probably noticed that hemp products are being sold everywhere nowadays, that doesn’t mean that every retailer is carrying a product that’s effective, let alone authentic or safe.
As a rule of thumb, it’s always recommended that you purchase cannabidiol products online, from a company that specifically specializes in hemp. Why? Because the CBD market remains largely unregulated as it’s so new, which means that the CBD gummies being sold at the local gas station likely weren’t made with the best standards in mind. Gas stations and convenience stores are looking to sell products cheaply. So, they’re unlikely then to be managed by hemp experts who know how to screen the products that they carry. A company that specializes in hemp and exists online has a lot more pressure to keep customers satisfied and maintain a good reputation due to their heightened visibility.
Types of CBD Products to Try
Another crucial thing that you need to decide is how you’re going to take your CBD. There are a variety of products in this industry that each have something uniquely valuable to offer to the user. By quickly covering the most beginner-friendly product types before sharing what we believe is the best product type for total hemp newbies, you will get a better understanding of which delivery method could meet your needs and goals in general.
CBD Tinctures
CBD Tinctures, also known sometimes as, depending on how it’s exactly used, “CBD oil”, comes in a dropper bottle, and consist of a pure, CBD-rich hemp extract and a carrier oil, along with different flavor options (and a non-flavor option). CBD oil is almost always used as a tincture – in other words, a product administered below the tongue, to absorb through the sublingual tissue – but it’s a very versatile product that can also be added to foods and administered topically if need be. Not only that, but it’s very easy to dose out, as the milligram strength of the bottle is clearly printed on the label, and the dropper lets you decide how many milligrams you wish to take per serving.
When consumed as a tincture, CBD oil offers about 3-5 hours of effects, taking about 15-30 minutes to absorb into the bloodstream. The effects are quite bioavailable, being somewhere in the middle of vapes and gummies.
CBD Gummies
CBD gummies are edibles that come in delicious gummy form, offering up lots of flavors and milligram strengths. They’re also easy to dose as each gummy contains an equal number of milligrams of hemp extract. CBD gummies can take up to 2 hours to really “kick in”, but the effects can last for up to 8 hours at a time.
CBD Skincare
CBD skincare consists of CBD topicals that’re easily absorbed by your skin and have the most bioavailability, with the effects lasting for up to several hours on average. Topicals like body lotions, massage oils, balms, etc. are all applied directly to the source, allowing it to reach deep tissue and provide the desired effects quickly. It can be used for those people dealing with aches & pains in the muscle and joint areas, skin inflammation, or simply a way to feel even more blissed out.
CBD Vapes
CBD vapes refer to vaping products like CBD-infused vape oils that come in bottles, as well as 510-threaded vape cartridges that attach to vape pens, and all-in-one disposable vaping devices that come complete with a battery and pre-filled cartridge. CBD vapes are great for “on-demand” doses of cannabidiol, being portable and offering effects within just minutes of taking a puff or two. Effects last for about 1-3 hours, and are more potent than other delivery methods, since inhalation is a highly bioavailable way to absorb the compounds of the plant into the bloodstream.
CBD Oil: The Most Beginner-Friendly Product?
CBD oil is arguably the most beginner-friendly product, because of its versatility, controlled and intuitive dosing, and “middle-ground” nature between inhalable and edible products when it comes to potency, duration of effects and onset time. A lot of beginners start with CBD oil since they feel that it’s the easiest to customize, to work into their routine and adjust as needed as time goes on. CBD oil, for beginners, is a best-selling product type that can take the intimidation out of starting a new regimen.
It also comes in a large variety of milligram strengths, which means that you can explore all kinds of potency levels based on your tolerance and your personal needs that influence how many milligrams per day may be the most beneficial to you. Now, let’s offer a bit more guidance to starting a routine with CBD oil.
How Do You Use CBD Oil for Maximum Success? A CBD Oil Guide
If you’re totally new to CBD, our suggestion is choosing a CBD oil that’s somewhere around 1000mg per 30ml bottle. Now, that may sound like a lot, but take note, the effects of cannabidiol are gentle and non-psychoactive. Many people make the mistake of starting with too low of a milligram strength, and all that does is convince them that CBD doesn’t actually work, when the problem is simply that they’re not consuming enough to notice a difference.
To take CBD oil as a tincture, simply fill up a dropper and pour it under the tongue, holding it there for 60 seconds before swallowing. We strongly recommend taking a dose once a day, because like many things, cannabinoids work cumulatively – in other words, the more consistently they’re taken, the more cannabidiol “builds up” in the body to become as effective as possible. The time of day is up to you – keep in mind that the effects generally peak in up to 60 minutes, so time your dosage based on when you’d most like to benefit from hemp’s properties. For example, if you’re using CBD mainly for sleep, it would make sense to take a dropper shortly before bedtime.
How Much CBD Should I Take? Beginner’s Guide!
Overall, no matter what type of CBD product you choose, it’s good to know some dosing basics so that you take enough to get results, but not so much that you’re wasting product unnecessarily. In general, 25mg-40mg is a good starting point, especially when taken daily. This is easy to apply to other products, like gummies which will tell you on the label how many milligrams are in each piece. A 30ml 1000mg CBD tincture bottle also provides about 33mg per dropper.
Now, after about a couple weeks of daily use, if you find that you’re craving more potency, you can increase that amount by about 10mg. All of us ultimately have our own ideal daily dosage based on our body’s endocannabinoid system, the extensiveness of our daily needs and our general tolerance to the effects of cannabinoids.
Also, it is crucial to remember that CBD is nontoxic to the body, so higher doses aren’t associated with any actual danger. The most commonly reported side effect associated with taking a very high dose of cannabidiol is feeling groggy or sleepy.
If You’re New to CBD, Here is Your Chance to Start Using This Amazing Cannabinoid the Right Way!
Hopefully, the idea of starting a CBD routine is a little less intimidating, because as you can see, hemp and its star cannabinoid are actually very easygoing, with gentle effects and just about zero risk. The key is committing to taking your product daily, and even making sure to take enough milligrams to actually get the effects that the plant is known for. At Kore Original, you can find an awesome selection of top-rated CBD products that are all highly effective, and completely beginner-friendly.
