If you’re looking for a great beginners’ guide to CBD, you’ve come to the right place. Today, we’ll share a “CBD for beginners” guide to get you started with CBD in the easiest and most effective way. Even if you’ve tried CBD before and it didn’t work out the way you expected – read on to learn what to do and not do as a CBD beginner.
Because results matter. The time and money you invest matters. And if you’re here – there’s a need. Let’s address that need, together.
Key Points
- CBD for beginners: getting started with CBD
- What products are available for beginning CBD users?
- How to choose and use CBD products for beginners
CBD for Beginners: Questions You May Have
First off, you’ve probably heard bits and pieces about CBD but may not know exactly what it is and what the fuss is all about. In an easy nutshell, let’s cover the basics.
What Is CBD?
CBD is a plant molecule that comes from the cannabis plant, sometimes referred to as hemp. It can be used in a wide variety of forms and can be taken by mouth, inhaled by vaping, used in recipes or beverages, or applied to the skin – depending on what type of product you buy.
Is CBD Legal?
CBD is legal in all 50 states in the US. Some states, however, are reluctant to fully embrace some varieties of THC (like Delta 8 THC, for example). Because THC is present in some CBD products, you should always check to see exactly what is in your CBD products and make sure you are able to use them where you live.
Will CBD Make Me High?
CBD cannot make you high. It does not have properties that make humans feel a high sensation. But it seems to make people feel more calm or relaxed.
THC is the stuff in the cannabis plant that can make you high. Some CBD products do have THC in them, but only very small amounts that offer health benefits without the high. These types of CBD products are called full spectrum CBD. The US Food and Drug Administration guides how much THC can be allowed in any CBD product.
You can buy CBD with no detectable THC in it. This is called broad spectrum CBD. Broad spectrum CBD is a popular option for beginners, for people who can’t take CBD that has any THC because of their job, or for people who are especially sensitive to the effects of THC.
What Does CBD Do?
CBD has a wide range of benefits and very few, if any, side effects. CBD is not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease or medical condition. But, there are tons of ongoing medical studies to explore many exciting applications for CBD and health.
Many people are experiencing a greater quality of life because they found CBD – and you can too!
Why Should I Try CBD?
There are lots of reasons CBD might be a good choice for you. Here are the most common reasons people turn to CBD products:
- General improvement of overall wellness
- For improved sleep
- To help improve mood
- To help with discomfort
Many CBD products contain additional ingredients that work synergistically with CBD. For instance, many formulations of topical CBD creams also use topical pain relieving ingredients or botanicals. At the same time, CBD reduces tension in the body, which can also help with pain. It’s a similar story with products that contain sleep aids and immune support ingredients.
Can I Take CBD?
Before you begin taking CBD, it’s important to be sure you are a good candidate for CBD and there are no restrictions that will affect you.
- Check with your doctor to see if your health and current medical conditions or medications would prevent you from taking CBD. Also ask your doctor about THC, because their medical advice may allow CBD for you but rule out THC.
- Check your state’s laws on THC if you intend to use full spectrum CBD products.
- Check with your employer or organization to see if there are any restrictions on the use of CBD or THC.
Where Can I Find CBD Products?
CBD products used to be a lot harder to find. Now you see them literally everywhere – online, in gas stations and grocery stores, and even on Facebook where your girlfriend from high school is now peddling products to all her friends and family. Since it’s pretty much everywhere, you need to choose a reputable company that offers a wide variety of CBD products that can meet your needs.
Here are some key phrases you can look for to vet a CBD company:
- Industrial hemp
- Made in the United States
- Third-party testing in an ISO-certified lab
- CO2 extraction method (for getting the CBD out of the hemp)
- THC-free (if you need that kind)
What to avoid:
- Outlandish medical claims that aren’t backed by science
- Gas stations, flea markets, or street vendors
- Products that appear to have been re-labeled or tampered with
Also check the website for the product to see that the company provides a wide variety of helpful information about the products without making outlandish claims about them. cbdMD is an industry leader in reputable CBD products for a wide variety of consumers and consumer needs. In fact, some of the cbdMD products have even won awards for innovation and quality.
CBD Products for Beginners
The best CBD for beginners is often the most simple products used twice daily. This is usually a CBD tincture or a CBD capsule. Though the CBD tinctures might be intimidating at first, it’s pretty simple. The CBD tinctures allow you full control over exactly how much CBD you take at your morning and evening servings.
We recommend you begin with broad spectrum CBD tinctures at the lowest strength that may be most effective for you. This is based on body size. So, if you are a beginner with CBD and you are a fairly small person, you can begin with the lowest strength of broad spectrum CBD in a tincture form. Similarly, if you have a larger body size or suspect that your body may have a higher need for CBD, then you may choose to go with a higher concentration.
Start Here!
Broad Spectrum CBD Oil TIncture
For improved general health and a wide variety of CBD benefits, you’ll want to get one bottle of this to get started on CBD. It comes in a variety of strengths, but start low. Choose the flavor you think you’ll most enjoy.
For help with localized discomfort, add a few CBD topical solutions to your cart. Since they are applied topically, they can be used right away and won't interfere with your first month of using ingested CBD to determine the most beneficial amount of CBD for your body,
That’s all you need to get started, but If you want, get a variety of CBD products in a money-saving bundle. Be aware that for the first month you’ll want to keep it simple and get to know your body and mind with steady CBD in your system. This will make it so much easier for you to tweak your regimen or try new products.
Store your CBD products in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight. Keep them away from children.
Beginning Your CBD Routine
Your first month of CBD is an important one. Know this – you may not get it right the first time, and that’s OK. Once you get the right amount in your system and keep it steady, then you’ll see those CBD benefits unfolding in your life. For some people this happens right away. For others it takes a few months to get it right. Don’t get discouraged. If you see any improvements at all, this signals that CBD can help you. Stick with it until you find the perfect amount and the perfect product formulas for you.
The first month, you will begin taking CBD twice a day and observing your body – how you feel and how it affects you. The CBD will gradually build in your system and reach a homeostasis, which is why taking the exact same amounts morning and night will set the tone for your CBD experience.
The first few days you may experience some mild nausea, dry mouth, or gastrointestinal upset. If this is bothersome, reduce the amount by half and give yourself a few days to adjust to these new oils in your system.
Begin with a Smaller Serving
One serving size on your tincture dropper is marked with a hash mark about halfway up the dropper.
Begin by taking half of that.
Each morning and each night, take a quarter of a dropper. Place the oils under your tongue without touching the dropper to your mouth. Hold the oils under your tongue for 30 seconds. Swallow. Try to take your morning and evening servings at about the same times each day.
After the first few days, if you do not see any unwanted or bothersome side effects, gradually increase the amount by a couple of drops every few days until you are taking a half dropper – a full serving size – each morning and each night. This is when you will mark your calendar for three weeks to one month out to self-assess and decide if you want to move up in concentration to the next strength up.
Determine How Much CBD You Are Taking
The amount of CBD per bottle isn’t the same as how much you take for each serving. Read the label of the product you are using to see how much CBD there is per serving.
If, for example, the bottle says there are 10 mg of CBD oil per serving, and a serving is a half dropper, then you are taking 10 mg of CBD each time you take a half dropper. If you cut that amount in half, you’d then be taking 5 mg of CBD per serving.
This will help you learn to make adjustments to your CBD regimen. As you get to the perfect serving amount for you, check to see if there’s a CBD capsule in that same amount. Then, if you prefer capsules to tinctures, you can switch over to an easy-to-take capsule and the measuring part, for you, is done.
Remember, tinctures help you to be precise and make adjustments. Use them to help you tailor your servings to the perfect regimen for your body and mind.
What matters is how much CBD oil you take per serving. Be mindful of this because as you move to other CBD products at higher strengths, you’ll need to know how much CBD per serving it is.
Make Adjustments
When making adjustments of CBD oil servings, a little goes a long way. One or two drops, for example, could make a difference. So when you do make adjustments, make them small ones and keep at that newly adjusted serving size long enough to fully evaluate how you feel. After the first month is up, you can make adjustments and allow a week, rather than a full month, for observation.
Keep consistent and keep trying. You’ll know when you’ve gotten to the amount that works well for you.
Use the Topicals As Needed
The topical creams and roll-ons are super easy to use. Keep a variety of them on hand so you can target any need that arises. Keep all of your CBD topicals put away so that children do not play with them or use them. CBD products are for adults.
Bookmark This Blog
To learn more about CBD for beginners, bookmark this blog. There you can find blog posts on nearly everything you ever wanted to know about CBD. It’s a great resource for beginners to learn more about CBD and other components of CBD products and how they can be used to improve your life.