CBD For Dummies

An informative, easy-to-understand resource that unveils the mysteries of CBD CBD has emerged as a popular health product, but what's all the fuss about? CBD For Dummies reveals the reasons for the surge in interest about cannabidiol (CBD) and explains how to buy and use this remarkable product safely and responsibly. In an accessible, no-nonsense manner, author Blair Lauren Brown lays out the facts about CBD and outlines the many health conditions that may be helped by using CBD oil. This book covers topics that people new to CBD have questions about. Highlights include: What CBD oil is and how it works in the body How to buy CBD from a reputable source and understanding a product's potency Knowing what conditions can be eased with CBD, including muscle pain, inflammation, autoimmune conditions, eating disorders, mental health disorders, and neurological conditions Preparing your own CBD edibles Perfect for anyone interested in understanding the therapeutic potential of CBD, CBD For Dummies introduces you to everything you need to know about this cool compound. Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Introduction About This Book Foolish Assumptions Icons Used in This Book Beyond the Book Where to Go from Here Part 1 Looking into CBD Chapter 1 Updating Attitudes toward Cannabis and CBD Debunking Myths about CBD Understanding where some of the uncertainty about CBD comes from CBD is not a cure-all, but neutralizes many difficult symptoms Applying and Ingesting CBD Applying CBD to the skin Eating or ingesting CBD CBD: The New Treatment of Choice? Providing a natural alternative to Western healthcare Move over, opiates: Considering CBD for treating pain Looking at the Legality Surrounding CBD Breaking down the criminalization of CBD Changing attitudes and changing laws Moving toward new understanding Chapter 2 Examining CBD Itself Meeting the Mother of All CBD Sources Delving into the long history of hemp Identifying the parts of the hemp plant Explaining the Parts to the Whole Debating the benefits of using the whole plant versus the sum of its parts Appreciating all the cannabinoids in the hemp plant Exploring terpenes and flavonoids Looking at enzymes and the value of the other plant molecules Investigating the Hemp Strains and Varieties Checking out calming strains Recognizing refreshing and revitalizing strains Lifting and elevating some energizing strains Finding CBD and Similar Chemicals in Other Plants Coming full circle with tree bark Focusing on the flowers Exploring other similar compounds Choosing between Synthetic and Natural CBD Chapter 3 Looking into What CBD Does Discovering What Makes CBD Work Comparing and contrasting CBD and THC Seeing how CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system Recognizing CBD’s Physical and Mental Effects Chapter 4 Extracting, Infusing, and Producing CBD Familiarizing Yourself with Extraction Methods Discerning the Qualities of Kinds of Extractions Identifying the Forms Resulting from Extraction CBD RSO CBD distillate CBD isolate Infusing CBD Discovering the basics of CBD infusions Calculating concentrations like a champ Infusing CBD at home Using CBD Extracts to Make a Product Creating a useable topical or consumable product Including complementary substances Chapter 5 Doing the Math: The Pluses and Minuses of CBD Realizing the Potential Benefits: The Four Pillars of CBD (and an Added Bonus) Relieving stress and anxiety Soothing mood conditions Helping manage sleep issues Relieving pain and physical ailments Promoting skin health and beauty Looking at the Pros and Cons of Supplementing with CBD Adjusting to daily use Acknowledging potential drawbacks Checking how CBD interacts with medication Taking responsibility for being informed Weighing the Risks and Challenges of General CBD Use Finding a doctor versed in CBD Spotting an adverse reaction to CBD Part 2 Finding and Using CBD Chapter 6 Buying CBD Discovering What You Can Legally Buy in the United States Following federal laws Being aware of the laws in your state Promoting Medical Use Understanding the different kinds of retailers Checking quality Dosing and adjusting appropriately for your needs Tapping into Online Distributors Choosing an online seller Tracing the path of the best sellers Being an Informed Consumer Being wary of CBD scams Avoiding pitfalls Chapter 7 Delving into Forms and Delivery Systems Becoming Familiar with the Forms of CBD Full-spectrum Broad-spectrum Distillate Isolate Wax, rosin, and so on Hash and kief Uncovering the Delivery Systems Smoking Vaping Dabbing Sublinguals Eating and drinking Topicals Choosing Your Smoking or Inhalation Method Smoking, vaping, or dabbing? Deciding on a device for smoking flower Picking a pre-roll Deciding to vape Dabbing CBD Touching on Topical and Transdermal Applications Smoothing on skin Pasting on patches Spraying on CBD Taking CBD Orally Putting CBD under your tongue Chewing gummies, tapes, mints, and more Cooking with CBD Swallowing CBD in pill form Chapter 8 Using CBD Safely and Responsibly Figuring Out How Much to Take Adjusting for product potency Scheduling CBD into your daily routine Realizing the importance of bioavailability Keeping Others in Mind as You Dose in Public or at Work Adjusting Your Usage to How Your Body Reacts Looking at potential sleep reactions Finding the virtue in moderation: Microdosing Storing Your CBD Products Preserving potency Restricting access Part 3 Benefitting from CBD Chapter 9 Easing Neurological Conditions Acknowledging the Dangers of Inflammation and How CBD Can Help Doing your homework on inflammatory conditions Understanding CBD’s anti-inflammatory and other neuroprotective properties Helping with Huntington’s Disease Looking at the five stages of Huntington’s disease Improving quality of life Soothing Alzheimer’s Disease Analyzing inflammation of the brain Setting the stage for treatment Tackling Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) Making sense of the symptoms Fighting a two-headed dragon: Pain and inflammation Treating CFS symptoms with CBD Addressing the Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Describing the disease and its symptoms Supporting your nervous system Resolving and reducing the symptoms Chapter 10 Alleviating Autoimmune Conditions Understanding CBD and Immune Function Connecting cannabis and autoimmunity Tackling terpenes Comparing CBD to conventional treatments Relieving Lupus Symptoms Addressing the effects of lupus Treating lupus-related skin conditions with CBD Treating the Effects of Lyme Disease Looking at how CBD can help ease general symptoms of Lyme disease Diminishing diarrheas and intestinal problems Supplementing to address pain and muscle spasms Finding Help for Celiac Disease Familiarizing yourself with the symptoms Pinpointing possible gluten in CBD products Pairing widespread and specific CBD treatment for celiac relief Managing intestinal issues with CBD Chapter 11 Dealing with Eating Disorders and Digestive Troubles Relieving Anorexia Gaining weight Boosting appetite Regulating mealtime anxiety Limiting the Psychological Effects of Bulimia Dealing with the depression Counteracting anxiety Inducing sleep Calming Nausea Mother’s little helper: CBD and morning sickness Correcting chronic nausea Reducing seasickness and motion sickness Chapter 12 Coping with Muscular and Physical Ailments Connecting CBD and Muscle Recovery Utilizing hemp-derived dermal solutions Soothing post-workout soreness internally Pampering overworked joints with bath bombs or muscle soaks Relaxing the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia Resting easier Alleviating pain (without getting hooked) Clearing brain fog Activating Asthma Relief Looking at the lungs Breathing better Mitigating Migraines and Other Headaches Menstrual migraines Quelling stress-induced headaches Upgrading from traditional prescription treatments Dealing with Diabetes and Insulin Resistance Examining insulin resistance and CBD Preventing diabetes with CBD Regulating blood sugar levels through appetite suppression Chapter 13 Helping with Emotional, Mood, and Mental Disorders Identifying the Differences between Stress and Anxiety Processing stress so that it doesn’t lead to anxiety Unpacking the causes and treatments around anxiety Exploring the effects (and side effects) of traditional anti-anxiety medication Easing Depression Examining the effects (and side effects) of traditional antidepressants Helping your brain better respond to mood modulating systems in the body Modulating low moods and anxiety Combating the sexual side effects of mood modulating medications Calming the Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Relieving the stress of painful memories Sweeping away stress and worry from nightmares Abolishing anger and irritability Addressing the Physical and Emotional Components of Addiction Curbing heroin cravings Treating opioid addiction Reducing dependence on alcohol Assisting with Bipolar Disorder Remedying mood swings Managing mania Using CBD as an adjunctive treatment Chapter 14 Alleviating Issues Specific to Age and Sex Addressing Skin Concerns That Coincide with Aging Sagging skin and lost elasticity Scar tissue Clearing up Acne and Other Conditions Addressing acne Reducing rosacea Eliminating eczema Answering common CBD skincare questions Relieving Menstrual Cramps Suppositories Transdermal patches Bath soaks Teas and balms Considering CBD during Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Cannabis and pregnancy CBD and breastfeeding Making Menopause Bearable Helping with Sexual Dysfunction Issues Lifting your libido Rising to the occasion (so to speak) Preventing vaginal pain Increasing sensation Chapter 15 Letting Pets Benefit from CBD Determining How CBD May Help Your Pet Asking the right questions Reviewing conditions that CBD may help alleviate Aiding an Anxious Pet Soothing stress from separation Treating anxiety in dogs with PTSD Trying CBD as a Cancer Treatment Shrinking tumors Stimulating a weak appetite Saying Goodbye to Seizures Reducing the frequency of seizures Relieving epilepsy Getting Good with Dosing Starting low Watching for reactions Adjusting as necessary Part 4 Concocting Your Own CBD Products Chapter 16 Bringing CBD into the Kitchen Discovering Ways to Add CBD to Your Regular Meals Bringing CBD into your breakfast routine Elevating evening meals with CBD Satisfying Your Sweet Tooth Fashioning DIY CBD gummies Swapping in cannabutter Selecting a Quality Base Oil Getting Familiar with Special Techniques Investing in quality cookware Turning down the heat Diving into decarbing Chapter 17 Testing Out Recipes at Home Mixing up CBD Beverages Bottoms Up! Indulging in CBD Cocktails Cooking with CBD Creating CBD Ingredients Chapter 18 Branching out to Other CBD and Hemp Products Treating Your Sweet Tooth: Recipes for CBD Sweets and Snacks Treating Your Body: Recipes for CBD Body Care and Skincare Treating Your Pooch: Recipes for CBD Dog Food and Treats Part 5 The Part of Tens Chapter 19 Ten Reasons to Try CBD You Can Use CBD Every Day CBD Is a Plant-Based Product (Usually) CBD Is Safe to Use CBD Is Easy to Ingest CBD Doesn’t Get You High CBD Is Legal in Most States CBD Is Available from Many Sources You Can Take CBD Discreetly Name Brands Provide Reliability CBD Relieves Innumerable Conditions Chapter 20 Ten Ways CBD Can Help CBD Enhances Health CBD Relieves Stress CBD Controls Nausea CBD Relieves Pain CBD Helps You Sleep CBD Relieves Digestive Problems CBD Supports Autoimmune Treatments CBD Is Effective for Neurological Conditions CBD Eases Cancer Symptoms CBD Can Help Pets, Too Chapter 21 Ten Ways to Get CBD into Your System Eat a Product Containing It Smoke It Vape It Dab It Smooth It on Your Skin Put It in Your Food Take a Mint Swallow a Pill Drop It under Your Tongue Drink a Beverage That Contains It Chapter 22 Ten Tips for Having a Great CBD Experience Recognizing That CBD Can Help Researching before Buying Buying the Best Product Choosing the Form That Suits You Finding the Proper Dose Determining the Best Way to Buy Being in a Good Physical Space Getting Your Head Right Adding a Complementary Product Trying Something New When You Feel Comfortable Appendix Helpful CBD Resources Resources for Using CBD Know Your CBD (International) CBD Resource (U.K.-based) Informative CBD Websites Project CBD Be Poplar Industry-Focused Hemp Information Informative Cannabis Resources Leafly (U.S.-based) Weed Maps (U.S.-based) Miss Grass Hello MD Cannabis Health (U.K.-based) Trade Organizations Hemp Industries Association (HIA) Drug Policy Alliance Marijuana Policy Project Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP) American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP) Americans For Safe Access American Trade Association for Cannabis & Hemp (ATACH) Cannabis Trade Federation (CTF) Cannabis Canada Association Conferences MJ Biz Con (U.S.-based) NoCo Hemp Expo (U.S.-based) Informative CBD Science Articles Journal of Cannabis Research PubMed Updated CBD Guidelines Daily CBD U.S. Food and Drug Administration (U.S.-based) Health Canada The European Commission Index EULA