You know what’s fun… writing a super informative post with tons of links & then accidentally losing it all. OUCH.

I got stressed, took a few drops of CBD, & came back to rewrite the whole thing. Which was pretty damn fitting that today is a post all about CBD.

AKA the most magical substance… ever? Maybe, probably, for me- definitely. 

I talked briefly about CBD before on the blog, but the questions kept rolling in, so time for a more in depth follow up!

I hated science in school, but I am so passionate about the benefits of CBD & have been following along on scientific studies for a while now. I have watched videos of parents lobbying for them to be able to give their children CBD, I keep up to date on the research as it comes in, & I am just all around super invested in the powerful properties of CBD & what it can do for people.

That said- this post is proof. I am sharing what CBD does, how CBD works, the most popular uses for CBD, & all the studies that prove it… cause I’m a responsible blogger!!! Please don’t come after me telling me I shouldn’t be giving medical advice. This isn’t medical advice this is a combination of my opinion + research.

Always do your own research & always consult a medical professional with specific concerns. This post is just me dropping some knowledge in hopes that it may help a few of you (cause I promise you, CBD is pretty damn life changing).

What is CBD

CBD, aska Cannabidiol, is one of the chemical compounds you will find in the cannabis plant. The most popular component of cannabis is THC… & CBD is THC’s  non-psychoactive sister & is being used medically all over the world (with great success!).

CBD, to sum it up, works with the endocannabinoid system (ECS), to keep the body in balance. ECS is a vast network of cells & contributes to a variety of things such as: mood, memory, immunity, reproduction, pain, appetite, sleep, bone density, & SO MUCH MORE.

CBD comes in many forms to be used- there is CBD only strains of flower, CBD oils, & my personal favorite: CBD chocolate.

& to be clear. CBD DOES NOT GET YOU HIGH. It’s not marijuana, even if it comes from the cannabis plant, PROMISE.

**just make sure you the read the label that what you’re consuming is straight CBD. The other day I accidentally ate a caramel that was 50% THC/ 50% CBD & edibles aren’t what I call a good time. Shit got weird, lemme tell ya**

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CBD Effects

There are very little negative effects associate with CBD, some people report slight cases of drowsiness, but that’s to be expected with anything that mellows out the body.

The positive effects though are really endless & medical professionals/scientists are catching on… but before we get really into this, I say it one more time just to be safe: DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH & consult your doctor if you have an specific concerns.

That said, it’s completely safe & I swear by the stuff (so much so, I use it on my dogs… but I will save that for another post!).

What Is CBD Used For

honestly guys… this is just scratching the surface as I am sharing a few of the most NOTABLE uses of CBD. CBD seriously has so many magical uses & is being shown as a safe alternative to many pharmaceuticals. Any chance I get to replace a pharmaceutical with something more natural, I am allll over it!!

CBD For Anxiety

Well first of all, did you know that 18% of the U.S. population (40 million adults) suffer from anxiety disorders? Ya… I am definitely one of them.

Many of us anxiety sufferers are put on anti-depressant/anti-anxiety meds, again, myself included. But what if you could replace that Xanax with something natural & JUST as effective? Well, that’s where CBD comes into play. Natures Xanax, if you will.

With the rise in popularity of CBD, along came the scientific studies, & these studies did show that CBD has powerful anti-anxiety properties, minus any nasty side effects that are so often found in anti-anxiety medicine. It can help treat OCD, panic disorder, PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety, & more.

There was a recent study done on a group of people with sever social anxiety disorder. They were put in a public speak situation & they were given either CBD or a placebo. The patients who had the CBD has reduced anxiety leading up to them having to speak to a large audience + were able to be less anxious during the time they were speaking. The participants reported they had less anxiety, & this was then confirmed by testing their hear rate & blood pressure.

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CBD For Addiction

This one is new to me, but definitely peaked my interest. Scientists have been studying CBD for treating addiction, & so far, so good.

Opioids are a huge issue in our world these days, I have lost too many friends than one should to this drug (I know, very sad, but it took hold in San Diego). Scientists performed a study on rats who had free access to heroin using CBD, & what they found was that CBD helped prevent relapses for up to two weeks. PRETTY AMAZING- yah?

It has also been said that CBD’s therapeutic properties can be used in intervention for patients with an amphetamine addiction, but more than that… it can also help people kick their nasty nicotine habit.

Nicotine is easily accessible, dangerous, & one of the most addictive drugs around. Quitting is proven to be very difficult. In this study, 24 smokers who wanted to quit were given either a CBD inhaler or a placebo inhaler & the patients with the CBD inhaler smoked less cigarettes during the week than the patients with the placebo (around 40% less) & they reported they had less cravings during the treatment.

INTERESTING!! If you know someone trying to quit cigs, get them a CBD oil or vape pen. It’s the gift of life, lemme tell ya.

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CBD For PMS

SO- I recently switched forms of birth control & with it came something I have luckily escaped most of my life, PMS. What a bitch.

I get cramps, headaches, muscle pain, & just am all around kinda crazy (my poor boyfriend during this time). I recently started incorporate CBD into my monthly prevent-the-crazy routine, & it’s been a total game changer.

Basically, the endocannabinoid system we talked about above controls all of the symptoms that come along with Aunt Flow’s visit, so CBD comes in & balances out all the negative. CBD reduces period pain, levels out moods, & really kicks PMS in the ass.

Plus, I always crave chocolate during my time of the month (who doesn’t??!), so chocolate with CBD is a total treat.

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CBD Oil For The Skin

As of late, CBD beauty products are on the rise, & for good reason.

Cannabis has been known to possess skin-healing benefits. It is commonly known as an anti-inflammatory with lots of antioxidant & anti-aging properties. It also provides natural sun protection, & hemp itself is full of essential fatty acids for healthy/happy skin.

The endocannabinoid system isn’t just in your body, but many of it’s receptors are actually found in your skin, & since CBD is basically a magnet to those receptors, you can imagine it would have benefits for the skin as well (as long as it is TOPICAL, oils ingested will do nothing for your skin!).

This study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation and the National Institute of Health discovered CBD can help heal acne as it is a highly effective anti-inflammatory agent.

CBD is also being used to heal skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, rashes, & more. Be on the lookout for more CBD beauty products, cause I have a feeling… they will be taking over the skincare industry very soon.

CBD For Seizures

atleast two years ago I started reading about the CBD research being done for patients with sever epilepsy. I was intrigued mainly on the effect it was having on children & I would constantly read up on the success stories, along with the stories of parents fighting the law (even MOVING) to make sure their children could have access to CBD cause it was that helpful for their seizures.

In 2014, Stanford University reached out to parents in Facebook group who had children suffering from epilepsy who used CBD to help control seizures. Nineteen children from this group were chosen for this study. The results were pretty astounding:

• The average number of anti-seizure medication administered before using CBD was 12.
• 84% of the 19 parents reported their child had less seizures while taking CBD.
• 11%  reproted their children have had no seizures at all since taking CBD.
• 42% reported over an 80% reduction in the frequency of seizures.
• these parents also stated their child had better alertness, mood, & sleep.

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CBD For Cancer

There have been many studies done on CBD & cancer, and what has been shown is that CBD has anti-proliferative, pro-apoptotic properties that actually inhibit the migration of cancer cells.

To be more specific with my research: this 2006 study, they found that CBD inhibited the growth of breast tumor cells. It was literally found to be killing off the cancerous cells which is pretty spectacular.

But that’s not it, researchers have also shown that CBD can be used to stop the invasion of lung & colon cancer & also contains anti-tumor properties & has been used to help treat leukemia.

& on top of that, CBD can also help ease the symptoms that come along with cancer treatment. It reduces pain & nausea. When my grandfather became very ill from Cancer medication, we often gave him CBD drops in his water & he found this to help with his nausea tremendously. It became a staple in his daily medicine routine & I will forever be grateful for the pain & nausea relief it gave him.

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CBD for Inflammation & Pain

Put away the Advil & painkillers! CBD is proven to be useful in managing pain, & commonly used by people suffering from chronic pain disorders (rheumatoid arthritis, Fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, etc.). It is a safer alternative, & has just as much effectiveness of any prescribed pain medicines (that can often be extremely addictive!).

CBD can actually inhibit neuronal transmission in the pain pathways, & this study proved just that- it showed that CBD actually suppressed inflammation & pain in rodents without any built up tolerance to it.

The Best CBD Products (according to me)

1. Not Pot CBD Chocolates: branding, check. taste, check. CBD, check. Obsessed with these cutie little chocolates! You can also get 10% off these bad boys with coupon code FASHIONLUSH!

2. CBD Oil by Leef Organics: perfect for adding to water, or for instant relief, a few drops under the tongue!

3. CBD Balm by Leef Organics: I use this when my muscles are sore from working out or on my low back (chronic pain in that area). It’s a life saver!

4. CBD ‘Sen’ Face Serum by Khus + Khus: as I said, CBD on the skin is a match made in heaven & this serum has quickly become a skincare favorite among the skin obsessed. It combats acne, help with anti-aging/fading fine lines, has antioxidant properties, heals eczema, & helps to fade hyper-pigmentation!