So you’re new to CBD?….. The chances are you have already dipped a toe into the minefield of information about CBD and we are betting you turned and ran (very quickly) in the opposite direction……So did we!
We’ve written this beginner guide to help you as we know how hard it is to pick through all of the jumble online and find out actual facts you need to know about CBD without being bamboozled into buying expensive or low quality products.
Firstly let me tell you a little about us. In 2018 after spending years on various medications for various Invisible Illness I stumbled upon CBD and quickly realised a few things:
- Everyone has their own opinion (even retailers) and often it isn’t based on Facts.
- Everyone has their own interpretation of the laws around CBD (and often use the grey areas to sell things they really shouldn’t).
- No one ever speaks about the science behind CBD, and knows what they are talking about.
- CBD tastes like Soil (or Horse Manure as one customer referred to recently).
- When using Legal CBD products you CANNOT get High or Addicted (the cannabinoids that cause both of these are not present in a high enough quantity for either of these things to happen).
- Lastly there are plenty of Snake oil sellers out there, Find the good products and you pay inflated rates.
I wanted to know more, back then information was extremely limited so I spent 7 months or so researching, joining groups & forums and testing many brands, CBD made a huge difference to my life and I developed a passion to change the points above.
Put Simply, you DO NOT have to sacrifice affordability for good quality and vice versa.
Here’s the facts……
CBD is Legal in the UK (with some restrictions, see below).
Our body has a biological system called Endocannabinoid (ECS) which has 2 sets of receptors placed around our body CB1 & CB2. When we take CBD interacts with the ECS system works to bring harmony to our body which is why people benefit from CBD for a huge range of different reasons.
If you overload this system with CBD too quickly then you can risk the body rejecting it altogether, wasting what it doesn’t use or even enhancing your symptoms. You should start off on a low dose oil (we recommend no higher than 1200mg) and build up slowly, over time, drop by drop, consistency is important, CBD effects can wear off after 6 hours and it completely leaves the body in 4 days so taking it daily is most beneficial. Some people feel the effects they are looking for within a few days, for others it can take a few weeks. Most people find long term that low doses are most beneficial. It’s important to remember that with CBD there is no “One size fits all” everyone will benefit from CBD in different strengths, quantities & CBD type.
Types of CBD:
There are a few ways you can take CBD, finding the one that benefits you is important.
Vaping – Due to it’s Bioavailability this is the most effective method. CBD has a direct route to your bloodstream meaning you get maximum benefits from the dose with very little wastage. Most people who vape do so through the day so keep the CBD levels topped up. If you are not already a vaper we wouldn’t recommend this as your main dose as you will need to remember to vape, If you forget then you lose the consistency.
Oral Oils (Tinctures) – Dropped under the tongue and held for approx 90 seconds the CBD has a direct route to your bloodstream through the Sublingual gland and again due to the bioavailability of this route Oils are also considered one of the most effective ways to use CBD again with very little wastage. Our oils are tasteless but if you use one that isn’t and you can’t stand to swallow it after 90 seconds you can discard the leftover oil. As you should start off on a very low dose using a mirror to drop the oil under your tongue can be very effective as it can be difficult to feel and easy to take too much (please be very cautious of anyone who advises to start with half a dropper or 1ml etc, beginners should always build up drop by drop).
Edibles – Edibles are available in many forms, most popular are gummies & capsules. If choosing capsules as your main dose please keep in mind that Oral CBD is only effective once it has hit your bloodstream. For the CBD to get to your bloodstream with capsules it has to go through the digestion process meaning once it gets there very little CBD can be very little left and you may end up taking more than you would with drops. Gummies work in the same way although if you keep them in your mouth rather than swallowing them the CBD will mix with your saliva and will naturally enter through the sublingual gland, this will be at a lower rate than directly with drops. Lots of people find these methods effective as their main dose and many enjoy using these methods as top up’s or boosts.
The FSA (Food Standards Agency) who govern Oral CBD products recommend a maximum daily ingestible dose of 70mg of CBD from all sources (Vapes & topicals are not governed by the FSA). You will find if you’ve researched that other countries recommend a higher dose, up to 600mg in America for example but as the UK hasn’t invested enough into CBD Studies yet this is the maximum dose recommended dose at this time. Please be cautions if you are advised to start on or exceed this dose as this is something in the UK that by law we are not allowed to do.
Topical – Topical Oils, Creams & Bathing products work a little differently to Oral products. They also react with the receptors but unlike Oral products topicals can be used as and when required, there is no need to start off on lower strengths or any need to build up, they will not enter your bloodstream so will not interact with any oral products and they only give benefits in the area that you use them. Many people find these effective as they target the area they are used on. They come in many different forms, can be made from Broad Spectrum or Isolates (see below) and which you choose is down to personal preference.
Full Spectrum, Broad Spectrum, Isolate….why so many and what is the difference?
For CBD products to be legal in the UK they must have been extracted from Industrial Hemp plants from EU approved Hemp Farms, Joe Bloggs cannot grow/buy Hemp (or cannabis) from his neighbour which has been grown from seeds under the legal THC limit, infuse them into oil and sell them as “Legal” CBD. Many retailers do sell Seeds (another grey area) but these are sold as “Ornamental” use and if Joe’s neighbour is caught growing Hemp from them he is risking prosecution, These are still classed as a controlled drug regardless of how much he’ll try to convince you that it’s legal. In addition to this as these under counter products are not allowed to be tested no one can be sure of the levels of CBD or THC so you could end up taking much more than recommended without even being aware of it. This is something that you will NEVER experience when shopping with Nature’s Medic.
Once the CBD has been extracted then the Flowers (or bud) of the plant must be destroyed, again companies do get their hands on these and sell them as ornamental or Tea but again another grey area, these companies are also taking advantage of the grey areas and unless these laws are changed they are also risking prosecution regardless of the fact that the plant they originate from is grown legally.
Industrial Hemp plants must be cultivated with less than 0.2% THC AND each CBD product must also contain less than 1mg of THC (the illegal bit) per container, this is regardless of the container size.
Cannabinoids are a group of compounds in the Cannabis plant, the most common ones are CBD, CBG & THC, there are over 100 of them altogether, Most are legal in the UK but some are not.
Full Spectrum CBD is extracted from the plant and contains a Full range of these cannabinoids, along with terpenes & waxes, The THC (controlled cannabinoid) is in a low level, less than 1mg per container. These cannabinoids all work together within the Endocannabinoid (ECS) system and product something called the Entourage Effect, Effectively they are working together, in harmony bringing you the maximum benefits from all Cannabinoids. There is much speculation about whether Full Spectrum products will one day become regulated or illegal and if the THC actually makes any difference to the user in it’s permitted extremely low levels. Full spectrum is also available in Crude oil, many will associate this with a nasty taste or texture, as the name suggests it is an extract in it’s closest to original form.
Broad Spectrum CBD contains a broad range of Cannabinoids, Terpenes and waxes, the cannabinoids in Full spectrum are present excluding THC, contrary to popular believe that the Entourage Effect can only be gained from Full Spectrum it has been shown that Broad Spectrum also offers this effect due to the range of cannabinoids, terpenes & waxes. Good quality Broad spectrum CBD can be processed to remove any nasties to leave behind a clear – honey coloured liquid which has a pleasant taste. Our oils are manufactured this way, many people prefer oils this way as they are not unpleasant to taste, contrary to this some people prefer to taste the CBD extract from the whole plant.
Isolates CBD is further processed to isolate Cannabinoids from each other. the end result is a powder isolate of the chosen cannabinoid (usually CBD or CBG) these can come in various forms such as water soluble but in basic terms a isolate is one single, powder cannabinoids. Isolate does not have a range of cannabinoids, terpenes or waxes and is often used in Tinctures, cosmetics, vapes & food. People who find that broad/full spectrum doesn’t agree with them can use an isolated product, others enjoy using them as a boost or top up to their full/broad spectrum products and others just prefer to use a single, isolated cannabinoid. If you are a beginner and have never tried CBD or have tried other products with no effect and would like to start again we would always recommend starting with a broad spectrum product.
We hope that we have helped to debunk some myths and clear up any confusion around taking CBD, If there’s any questions you’d like to ask please visit the the contact us or page where there are many contact options or click here to be redirected
Below we have included our Beginner guide below, This is just a guide and you will find your own way of working with CBD but we always recommend starting this way until you find how CBD works with your body.
Are you ready to give it a go? Click here to view our Oils. We recommend our 1200mg beginner oil which is in a 30ml bottle and should last between 1-2 months when you’ve reached your full dose.
Just to finish please remember that CBD can be a very effective management tool, it isn’t a cure. Please be cautious of anyone who offers you a cure with CBD. If you are in any doubt about using CBD or have any medical questions that retailers simply are not allowed to answered by law please consult your GP or a Pharmacist.
Thank you for reading.
