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.
Table of Contents:
Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Foolish Assumptions 2
Icons Used in This Book 2
Beyond the Book 3
Where to Go from Here 3
Part 1: Looking into CBD 5
Chapter 1: Updating Attitudes toward Cannabis and CBD 7
Debunking Myths about CBD 8
Understanding where some of the uncertainty about CBD comes from 9
CBD is not a cure-all, but neutralizes many difficult symptoms 10
Applying and Ingesting CBD 11
Applying CBD to the skin 12
Eating or ingesting CBD 12
CBD: The New Treatment of Choice? 13
Providing a natural alternative to Western healthcare 13
Move over, opiates: Considering CBD for treating pain 14
Looking at the Legality Surrounding CBD 15
Breaking down the criminalization of CBD 15
Changing attitudes and changing laws 15
Moving toward new understanding 16
Chapter 2: Examining CBD Itself 17
Meeting the Mother of All CBD Sources 17
Delving into the long history of hemp 18
Identifying the parts of the hemp plant 18
Explaining the Parts to the Whole 20
Debating the benefits of using the whole plant versus the sum of its parts 20
Appreciating all the cannabinoids in the hemp plant 21
Exploring terpenes and flavonoids 21
Looking at enzymes and the value of the other plant molecules 23
Investigating the Hemp Strains and Varieties 23
Checking out calming strains 24
Recognizing refreshing and revitalizing strains 25
Lifting and elevating some energizing strains 25
Finding CBD and Similar Chemicals in Other Plants 25
Coming full circle with tree bark 25
Focusing on the flowers 26
Exploring other similar compounds 26
Choosing between Synthetic and Natural CBD 27
Chapter 3: Looking into What CBD Does 29
Discovering What Makes CBD Work 29
Comparing and contrasting CBD and THC 30
Seeing how CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system 31
Recognizing CBD’s Physical and Mental Effects 34
Chapter 4: Extracting, Infusing, and Producing CBD 37
Familiarizing Yourself with Extraction Methods 38
Discerning the Qualities of Kinds of Extractions 39
Identifying the Forms Resulting from Extraction 40
CBD RSO 40
CBD distillate 41
CBD isolate 41
Infusing CBD 41
Discovering the basics of CBD infusions 41
Calculating concentrations like a champ 42
Infusing CBD at home 43
Using CBD Extracts to Make a Product 44
Creating a useable topical or consumable product 44
Including complementary substances 45
Chapter 5: Doing the Math: The Pluses and Minuses of CBD 47
Realizing the Potential Benefits: The Four Pillars of CBD
(and an Added Bonus) 48
Relieving stress and anxiety 48
Soothing mood conditions 49
Helping manage sleep issues 49
Relieving pain and physical ailments 50
Promoting skin health and beauty 51
Looking at the Pros and Cons of Supplementing with CBD 52
Adjusting to daily use 52
Acknowledging potential drawbacks 52
Checking how CBD interacts with medication 53
Taking responsibility for being informed 53
Weighing the Risks and Challenges of General CBD Use 54
Finding a doctor versed in CBD 54
Spotting an adverse reaction to CBD 55
Part 2: Finding and Using CBD 57
Chapter 6: Buying CBD 59
Discovering What You Can Legally Buy in the United States 60
Following federal laws 60
Being aware of the laws in your state 61
Promoting Medical Use 63
Understanding the different kinds of retailers 63
Checking quality 63
Dosing and adjusting appropriately for your needs 68
Tapping into Online Distributors 69
Choosing an online seller 69
Tracing the path of the best sellers 71
Being an Informed Consumer 72
Being wary of CBD scams 72
Avoiding pitfalls 72
Chapter 7: Delving into Forms and Delivery Systems 73
Becoming Familiar with the Forms of CBD 73
Full-spectrum 74
Broad-spectrum 74
Distillate 75
Isolate 75
Wax, rosin, and so on 76
Hash and kief 76
Uncovering the Delivery Systems 76
Smoking 77
Vaping 77
Dabbing 78
Sublinguals 78
Eating and drinking 78
Topicals 79
Choosing Your Smoking or Inhalation Method 79
Smoking, vaping, or dabbing? 80
Deciding on a device for smoking flower 80
Picking a pre-roll 81
Deciding to vape 81
Dabbing CBD 82
Touching on Topical and Transdermal Applications 83
Smoothing on skin 83
Pasting on patches 84
Spraying on CBD 85
Taking CBD Orally 85
Putting CBD under your tongue 85
Chewing gummies, tapes, mints, and more 88
Cooking with CBD 88
Swallowing CBD in pill form 90
Chapter 8: Using CBD Safely and Responsibly 91
Figuring Out How Much to Take 92
Adjusting for product potency 92
Scheduling CBD into your daily routine 93
Realizing the importance of bioavailability 94
Keeping Others in Mind as You Dose in Public or at Work 96
Adjusting Your Usage to How Your Body Reacts 96
Looking at potential sleep reactions 97
Finding the virtue in moderation: Microdosing 97
Storing Your CBD Products 98
Preserving potency 98
Restricting access 100
Part 3: Benefitting from CBD 101
Chapter 9: Easing Neurological Conditions 103
Acknowledging the Dangers of Inflammation and How CBD Can Help 104
Doing your homework on inflammatory conditions 104
Understanding CBD’s anti-inflammatory and other neuroprotective properties 105
Helping with Huntington’s Disease 106
Looking at the five stages of Huntington’s disease 106
Improving quality of life 107
Soothing Alzheimer’s Disease 108
Analyzing inflammation of the brain 109
Setting the stage for treatment 109
Tackling Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) 110
Making sense of the symptoms 110
Fighting a two-headed dragon: Pain and inflammation 110
Treating CFS symptoms with CBD 111
Addressing the Symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) 111
Describing the disease and its symptoms 112
Supporting your nervous system 112
Resolving and reducing the symptoms 113
Chapter 10: Alleviating Autoimmune Conditions 115
Understanding CBD and Immune Function 115
Connecting cannabis and autoimmunity 116
Tackling terpenes 117
Comparing CBD to conventional treatments 118
Relieving Lupus Symptoms 119
Addressing the effects of lupus 120
Treating lupus-related skin conditions with CBD 121
Treating the Effects of Lyme Disease 124
Looking at how CBD can help ease general symptoms of Lyme disease 124
Diminishing diarrheas and intestinal problems 125
Supplementing to address pain and muscle spasms 126
Finding Help for Celiac Disease 127
Familiarizing yourself with the symptoms 127
Pinpointing possible gluten in CBD products 128
Pairing widespread and specific CBD treatment for celiac relief 128
Managing intestinal issues with CBD 128
Chapter 11: Dealing with Eating Disorders and Digestive Troubles 131
Relieving Anorexia 132
Gaining weight 133
Boosting appetite 133
Regulating mealtime anxiety 135
Limiting the Psychological Effects of Bulimia 135
Dealing with the depression 135
Counteracting anxiety 136
Inducing sleep 137
Calming Nausea 137
Mother’s little helper: CBD and morning sickness 138
Correcting chronic nausea 139
Reducing seasickness and motion sickness 139
Chapter 12: Coping with Muscular and Physical Ailments 141
Connecting CBD and Muscle Recovery 141
Utilizing hemp-derived dermal solutions 142
Soothing post-workout soreness internally 142
Pampering overworked joints with bath bombs or muscle soaks 142
Relaxing the Symptoms of Fibromyalgia 144
Resting easier 144
Alleviating pain (without getting hooked) 144
Clearing brain fog 145
Activating Asthma Relief 145
Looking at the lungs 145
Breathing better 146
Mitigating Migraines and Other Headaches 147
Menstrual migraines 147
Quelling stress-induced headaches 147
Upgrading from traditional prescription treatments 148
Dealing with Diabetes and Insulin Resistance 148
Examining insulin resistance and CBD 149
Preventing diabetes with CBD 149
Regulating blood sugar levels through appetite suppression 149
Chapter 13: Helping with Emotional, Mood, and Mental Disorders 151
Identifying the Differences between Stress and Anxiety 152
Processing stress so that it doesn’t lead to anxiety 152
Unpacking the causes and treatments around anxiety 153
Exploring the effects (and side effects) of traditional anti-anxiety medication 155
Easing Depression 155
Examining the effects (and side effects) of traditional antidepressants 155
Helping your brain better respond to mood modulating systems in the body 156
Modulating low moods and anxiety 156
Combating the sexual side effects of mood modulating medications 157
Calming the Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder 157
Relieving the stress of painful memories 158
Sweeping away stress and worry from nightmares 158
Abolishing anger and irritability 159
Addressing the Physical and Emotional Components of Addiction 159
Curbing heroin cravings 160
Treating opioid addiction 160
Reducing dependence on alcohol 160
Assisting with Bipolar Disorder 161
Remedying mood swings 161
Managing mania 162
Using CBD as an adjunctive treatment 162
Chapter 14: Alleviating Issues Specific to Age and Sex 165
Addressing Skin Concerns That Coincide with Aging 166
Sagging skin and lost elasticity 166
Scar tissue 167
Clearing up Acne and Other Conditions 167
Addressing acne 168
Reducing rosacea 168
Eliminating eczema 169
Answering common CBD skincare questions 169
Relieving Menstrual Cramps 171
Suppositories 172
Transdermal patches 173
Bath soaks 173
Teas and balms 174
Considering CBD during Pregnancy and Breastfeeding 174
Cannabis and pregnancy 175
CBD and breastfeeding 177
Making Menopause Bearable 178
Helping with Sexual Dysfunction Issues 180
Lifting your libido 180
Rising to the occasion (so to speak) 181
Preventing vaginal pain 181
Increasing sensation 181
Chapter 15: Letting Pets Benefit from CBD 183
Determining How CBD May Help Your Pet 184
Asking the right questions 184
Reviewing conditions that CBD may help alleviate 185
Aiding an Anxious Pet 186
Soothing stress from separation 187
Treating anxiety in dogs with PTSD 187
Trying CBD as a Cancer Treatment 188
Shrinking tumors 188
Stimulating a weak appetite 189
Saying Goodbye to Seizures 190
Reducing the frequency of seizures 190
Relieving epilepsy 190
Getting Good with Dosing 191
Starting low 192
Watching for reactions 192
Adjusting as necessary 193
Part 4: Concocting Your Own CBD Products 195
Chapter 16: Bringing CBD into the Kitchen 197
Discovering Ways to Add CBD to Your Regular Meals 197
Bringing CBD into your breakfast routine 198
Elevating evening meals with CBD 199
Satisfying Your Sweet Tooth 201
Fashioning DIY CBD gummies 201
Swapping in cannabutter 202
Selecting a Quality Base Oil 206
Getting Familiar with Special Techniques 207
Investing in quality cookware 207
Turning down the heat 207
Diving into decarbing 208
Chapter 17: Testing Out Recipes at Home 211
Mixing up CBD Beverages 212
Bottoms Up! Indulging in CBD Cocktails 219
Cooking with CBD 227
Creating CBD Ingredients 232
Chapter 18: Branching out to Other CBD and Hemp Products 235
Treating Your Sweet Tooth: Recipes for CBD Sweets and Snacks 236
Treating Your Body: Recipes for CBD Body Care and Skincare 245
Treating Your Pooch: Recipes for CBD Dog Food and Treats 252
Part 5: The Part of Tens 257
Chapter 19: Ten Reasons to Try CBD 259
You Can Use CBD Every Day 259
CBD is a Plant-Based Product (Usually) 259
CBD is Safe to Use 260
CBD is Easy to Ingest 260
CBD Doesn’t Get You High 261
CBD is Legal in Most States 261
CBD is Available from Many Sources 261
You Can Take CBD Discreetly 262
Name Brands Provide Reliability 263
CBD Relieves Innumerable Conditions 263
Chapter 20: Ten Ways CBD Can Help 265
CBD Enhances Health 265
CBD Relieves Stress 266
CBD Controls Nausea 266
CBD Relieves Pain 266
CBD Helps You Sleep 267
CBD Relieves Digestive Problems 267
CBD Supports Autoimmune Treatments 268
CBD is Effective for Neurological Conditions 268
CBD Eases Cancer Symptoms 269
CBD Can Help Pets, Too 269
Chapter 21: Ten Ways to Get CBD into Your System 271
Eat a Product Containing It 271
Smoke It 272
Vape It 272
Dab It 273
Smooth It on Your Skin 273
Put It in Your Food 274
Take a Mint 274
Swallow a Pill 275
Drop It under Your Tongue 275
Drink a Beverage That Contains It 276
Chapter 22: Ten Tips for Having a Great CBD Experience 277
Recognizing That CBD Can Help 277
Researching before Buying 278
Buying the Best Product 279
Choosing the Form That Suits You 280
Finding the Proper Dose 280
Determining the Best Way to Buy 281
Being in a Good Physical Space 281
Getting Your Head Right 282
Adding a Complementary Product 282
Trying Something New When You Feel Comfortable 283
Appendix A: Helpful CBD Resources 285
Resources for Using CBD 285
Know Your CBD (International) 286
CBD Resource (U.K.-based) 286
Informative CBD Websites 286
Project CBD 286
Be Poplar 287
Industry-Focused Hemp Information 287
Informative Cannabis Resources 287
Leafly (U.S.-based) 288
Weed Maps (U.S.-based) 288
Miss Grass 288
Hello MD 288
Cannabis Health (U.K.-based) 289
Trade Organizations 289
Hemp Industries Association (HIA) 289
Drug Policy Alliance 289
Marijuana Policy Project 290
Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP) 290
American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP) 290
Americans For Safe Access 290
American Trade Association for Cannabis & Hemp (ATACH) 290
Cannabis Trade Federation (CTF) 291
Cannabis Canada Association 291
Conferences 291
MJ Biz Con (U.S.-based) 291
NoCo Hemp Expo (U.S.-based) 292
Informative CBD Science Articles 292
Journal of Cannabis Research 292
PubMed 293
Updated CBD Guidelines 293
Daily CBD 293
U.S Food and Drug Administration (U.S.-based) 293
Health Canada 294
The European Commission 294
Index 295
