National Wellness Month: 5 Tips for Using CBD

What are the best ways to use CBD?

August is National Wellness Month, which is a great time to reflect on your health and wellness routine. And if you're using full spectrum CBD products, it's the perfect time to make sure you're getting the most out of each and every dose.

After all, you’ve made the decision to try CBD, the cannabinoid that can naturally support your sleep, stress, and pain responses. But did you know there are several ways you can improve the effectiveness of your CBD?

As an oncology pharmacist, I've seen plenty of false claims in the CBD industry about how to make CBD more effective. The methods I've recommended below are not only effective for CBD, but for many other supplements you might take to improve your quality of life. So here are the top five ways to improve the effects of your CBD!

1. TAKE YOUR CBD EVERY DAY

The importance of regular CBD use cannot be overstated. It’s important to take the same dosage at the same time every day. Changing the time of day of your dose could “shake up” your system, and not necessarily in a good way. Select a time that makes the most sense for you and keep it as your “CBD time.”

2. TAKE YOUR CBD AFTER A MEAL

A study at the University of Minnesota found that CBD taken with a fatty meal absorbs better than when taken while fasting. According to WebMD, “Compared with fasting the amount of CBD in the body was four times higher after the high-fat meal and the maximum amount in the blood was 14 times higher.”¹ So, go ahead and have that fatty meal with your CBD – in moderation, of course.

3. USE A CBD DOSING JOURNAL

Keeping track of your CBD progress can help you better understand the effects of CBD over time. Use a journal to make a record of your dose, the time of day, and how you’re feeling. Journaling also encourages regular use at the same time of day. Journaling is an excellent way to develop the best relationship with CBD. You can see how subtle changes to dosage and time of day can really make a difference.

4. TAKE A “BREAKTHROUGH” DOSE

Your regular dose of CBD is called a “base dose.” You may want to experiment with an additional dose, called a “breakthrough dose,” to increase the effects of the base dose. The “correct” dose of CBD can be different person to person because people have very different reactions to cannabinoids. Some days your base dose will be enough. On other days, you may benefit from a breakthrough dose.

5. TEST YOUR DELIVERY METHOD

The most common methods of ingesting CBD are oils, capsules, and gummies. They each have different rates of absorption into the body. This is called “bioavailability.” CBD oils, which are taken sublingually, are absorbed by the capillaries under your tongue. This method of absorption is faster than digestible CBD products like gummies or capsules, which have to travel through the digestive system in order to work. Because everybody’s body interacts differently when it comes to cannabinoids, you might not know the best delivery method for your body until you try them all.²