Sharing an update on my experience with CBD. This post isn’t sponsored, but you can use my referral link FITNESSISTA to get 15% off your first order with my favorite brand, Equilibria. Click here to check it out! If you order before Wednesday, you’ll receive a free eye mask! (All existing subscriptions will receive these, too.)

Hi friends! How’s the morning going so far? I hope you had a wonderful weekend. We had a great one over here. The Pilot was gone, so the girls and I spent time at the pool, got takeout from the Greek Festival, and did some fun baking and art projects.

It’s crazy because even though we’re heading into October and this year looks so different from previous years, I still feel the pressure starting to build for upcoming holidays and events. We’re preparing for Liv to eventually return back to school – and like I mentioned before, I’m nervous about what it will look like and entail – and the onslaught of celebrations are on the way. The Pilot turns the big 4-0 next month (!!), P turns 5, then it’s Halloween, my birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas (and Liv’s birthday in early January!). In my brain, it’s almost New Years (which is a good thing considering the dumpster fire that is 2020).

Usually, I would be a bundle of stress this time of the year, but this year, I feel a lot more calm. I’ve been taking time to prioritize my workouts and sleep, and I’ve been consistently taking CBD for about a year now. A few people have asked me for an update on my experience with CBD, so I thought I’d share in today’s post! (As always, talk to a doctor before adding any new supplements to your routine.)

What is CBD exactly?

CBD is a compound found within industrial hemp flowers that has been shown to improve mental and physical wellbeing. It’s completely safe and legal. (From what I understand some government positions don’t currently allow it just in case trace amounts of THC are found. For example, the Pilot is not able to take it.) Industrial hemp is a Cannibis Sativa plant grown to express 0.3% THC or less. That’s why CBD does not make you feel impaired or high. Anything above 0.3% THC is not considered hemp; it’s marijuana and federally illegal.

CBD can help bring the body back to homeostasis and is often used for sleep, mood, and pain regulation. It can also work by reducing inflammation, which can be the root cause of various ailments in the body.

Our body has a natural endocannabinoid system which, as we age and experience stress, functions less effectively. By consuming CBD, which is a phytocannabinoid and interacts with our endocannabinoid system, we help to increase our production of cannabinoids and more efficiently use what’s already been created.

While CBD is extremely popular right now, it’s not regulated by the FDA. This is why it’s so important to research your products. Know where they’re grown and how they’re produced, and for CBD, I recommend checking out third party lab results. They should have this available on the website. Make sure it’s grown in the USA and that it’s full-spectrum (they use the whole plant) and organic, so it’s not treated with chemical herbicides and pesticides.

How to know you miiiiight benefit from CBD:

– If you feel too wired and stressed to sleep at night, or you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t go back to sleep

– If you count down to “wine thirty” most days

– If you feel run down and overwhelmed by Zoom calls and distance learning

– If your patience is dwindling

– If you have horrible period cramps

– If you have something on the schedule that’s spiking your anxiety or you notice that stress levels are extremely high

Some notes about Equilibria:

– Their full-spectrum CBD products are GMO, solvent, heavy-metals, pesticide and herbicide free. Each plant is hand harvested and the oil is carefully extracted from flowers only—the purest source of cannabinoids.  They never use stalks, stems, seeds, or isolates.

– When you order, you’re matched with a dosage specialist to help you figure out that adequate dose. She works with you one on one to understand your goals, and helps come up with a customized routine. Everyone’s bodies and needs are different – so there is no such thing as a “one size fits all” CBD routine.

I’ve been using this brand for about a year now and I’m never going back. It’s helped me dramatically with my anxiety. It tends to spike, especially when there’s a lot going on (like the past 7 months). If I feel overly stressed, I know that it will help me calm down and also get a solid night’s sleep. I sleep SO well when I take it before bed and back in the day when I was traveling more often, I took it on the plane with me. I get horrible flight anxiety (which is hilarious considering my husband’s profession) and it keeps me from white knuckling the armrest and praying the entire time we’re airborne. I also took CBD before my choir audition and it helped to keep me from shaking and letting nerves get the most of me.

CBD has also helped me with muscle soreness and pain. When I get in a challenging workout, I’ll rub the relief cream on my sore quads and wake up feeling much better. I recently threw out my back and rubbing the relief cream onto my back + the bath bombs really helped save me until I could make it to the chiropractor. Whenever a family member mentions that they’re having aches or an injury, I get them a bottle of the oil or salve.

My top two favorite products (right now):

– The mint-flavored drops (super fresh tasting and works extremely fast) and the

– bath bombs! They smell gorgeous and I sleep like a rock after I take a bath with one of these bad boys

If you decide to give it a try, use the code FITNESSISTA for an extra 15% off. Click here to shop it up and I hope you love it as much as I do!! If you order before Wednesday, you’ll also get a super cute sleep mask for free. (Current subscriptions will receive these with their next shipment.)

Have you tried CBD before? What’s something that has helped you with stress relief and anxiety with everything going on?

xo

Gina