Everything I’ve Learned About CBD Oil.

This post is from last September but I wanted to come in and update it as I have been taking their CBD for a whole year now AND they’re currently doing such a great sale: through 9/3, my code will get you 30% off vs. the usual 15% – works for existing customers, too!

I was excited when Equilibria reached out to me to partner on a post about CBD, but was honestly a little bit nervous. I had seen my friend Jess rave and rave about their products (Jess is one of those bloggers I really trust!) but didn’t really know where to start. Of course, I was definitely curious. I believed in the power of CBD oils (I love CBD seltzer to wind down at night instead of drinking wine) but didn’t really know much else.

I’ve never been a big pot smoker (it just makes me sleepy and hungry) but kept hearing such amazing things about CBD. As with any partnership, before committing to a partnership with them, I wanted to try their product. They set me up with their dosage specialist and I explained to her my biggest concerns. I get really bad period cramps (especially on the first day of my cycle), and am a notoriously bad sleeper especially when it comes to staying asleep.

My Personal Experience with Equilibria!

The fact that they set you up with a dosage consultant is one of the things I love most about Equilibria. Because it can be really confusing! My dosage consultant set me up with a little routine. Before bed, I take half a dropper of the extra strength Daily Drops, and a 25mg SoftGel. The drops (held under the tongue) help me fall asleep; whereas the soft gels help me to stay asleep. She also recommended their Relief Cream, which I rub on my abdomen when I have cramps.

The other thing is that it’s really important to take it consistently.

This is something I hadn’t realized in the past. It’s best to take it daily and ideally, at the same time every day. I talk about this more below but this is where I’ve seen the biggest improvement in my cramps.

I’ve been doing this routine for a little over a month. My sleep is definitely better. It’s not perfect, but it’s improving. I notice a pretty immediate difference in my stress levels and feeling more relaxed upon taking the drops. The key for the drops is to hold them under your tongue for as long as you possibly can. The SoftGels are nice because you get more of a slow release. I was still waking up in the middle of the night so my dosage expert upped me to a 25mg SoftGel (from 10mg) and I noticed a huge, huge difference.

The most immediate difference I noticed was that my period cramps were SO much better after a month of taking CBD (mostly, sometimes I forget) every night. I didn’t even need the Relief Cream for cramps. BUT the Relief Cream is absolutely magical… it’s fantastic for sore muscles – I had a really bad pain in my side after running the other night and I applied the cream and it worked incredibly well – better than any other topical cream I’ve tried.

If you want to try out Equilibria, use code graceatwood to get 15% off!

I’m not the best person to answer your questions about CBD. I’m NOT an expert and can only speak to my own personal experience! I polled you guys for all of your questions and sent them to the Equilibria team so that they could answer them! I found the answers really fascinating and educational – I hope that you do, too!

Does it really help with sleep? Can you compare to experience with melatonin?

Everyone’s body chemistry is different, but many people use CBD to improve their sleep. In fact, CBD is one of the top reason members choose Equilibria! CBD can have a biphasic response, similar to alcohol, where small doses can have an energizing effect, and larger doses can have a sedating effect. Whereas Melatonin can be habit forming, CBD has been shown to be non-habit forming. CBD is a very safe, natural product that has shown a lot of promise in early pre-clinical studies for sleep.

Can CBD help with migraines? As a preventative?

While everyone reacts to CBD differently, many of our members are using Equilibria to help them manage their migraines. Most of our members end up trying a combination of our ingested products as well as our Relief Cream to help them manage their health goals.

Will these help with anxiety as well? I’m considering trying CBD for flight anxiety.

Anxiety is the number one reason members are choosing Equilibria! Try the Daily Softgels for maintaining a consistent drip throughout the day, and the Daily Drops for fast acting relief.

Does it interfere with antidepressants and anxiety medications?

Yes–you should ALWAYS ask your doctor and/or pharmacist to make sure it won’t interact with anything you’re currently taking. Equilibria also has a quick-reference page here that may help with this.

EQ co-founders, Marcy and Coco have successfully used CBD with Paxil, Wellbutrin, Klonopin, Xanax, Propranolol, and Enbrel, and found that they worked quite well together and that they were both ultimately happier and healthier with an altered/lowered pharmaceutical routine and more CBD.

Ultimately, it’s up to you and your doctor to decide whether or not CBD is right for you!

How does CBD interact with birth control? (Specifically the pill)

We always recommend speaking with your doctor before adding CBD into your routine. While there aren’t really studies that specifically address CBD and birth control yet, many women are choosing to use CBD with their birth control.

What is the optimal timing for the drops in the AM? Fast? W/ Breakfast? Before exercise?

A lot of it depends on your health goals. A good rule of thumb with CBD is to try to take it after a meal to reduce the amount of absorption lost to the digestive system; however, many people love using it before and after a workout to help minimize inflammation as well.

I’m overwhelmed with CBD options. Where do I start? How do I know when it’s too much?

CBD is a very safe product. You can not overdose on it, and cannot become addicted to it. We always recommend starting with a small dose, and working your way up from there. We also have a team of dosage consultants standing by to help you dial into your sweet spot!

What’s the rule of thumb for CBD dosage if just starting out?

We recommend starting with a 10mg dose in the evening to gauge your body’s response. From there we’ll work with you to help you find the right dose and regimen for you. A good rule of thumb as you’re experimenting with finding the right dose is to dose up in small amounts of 5mg-10mg at a time, with consistency, every 3-5 days until you start to see some effects.

How do you get dosage right? I never notice anything when I’ve taken it

We have a team of dosage consultants standing by to help! Not all products are equal. Much like wine there’s a wide range of product out there. Our product is top shelf, with 3-5 times the cannabinoid and terpene content than most products on the market. In fact, our product is even being used in clinical trials around the country!

Are there side effects? Weight gain, lingering drowsiness, etc.

Most people tolerate CBD very well, the few side effects people complain about are typically associated with a body’s deregulated system balancing back out, i.e. drowsiness and stomach issues. You can not overdose on CBD! The main risks come into play with contraindications. If someone’s taking medications they should always talk to their doctor!

Can you take while breastfeeding? Is it okay to take while pregnant?

Unfortunately pregnant and breastfeeding women are always the last group to be studied in clinical trials, so there’s very little data as to whether or not CBD can be used during pregnancy. Our co-founder Marcy plans to use it while pregnant & nursing (and we do have other members who choose to do so), but the absence of data leaves us unable to fully answer the question! New CBD studies are published monthly so we are keeping an eye on it!

Ultimately for most women it comes down to whether CBD is helping them manage anxiety and reduce the amount of pharmaceuticals they’re taking. Some women decide its the lesser of two evils, and some women decide not to use it during their pregnancy or while breastfeeding. It really comes down to a personal choice!

Will CBD show up on a drug test?

Every woman’s body chemistry is different, so this is kind of a grey area. It’s highly unlikely, but it COULD. However, no members of Equilibria have tested positive for THC when using our products. If you’re not sure, you can pick up a drug test at your local pharmacy to see how it affects your body personally.

How can CBD help with digestive issues, like Crohn’s disease?

Early studies, and anecdotal evidence, have shown a lot of promise in helping with IBD and other digestive issues. Everyone’s body is different, but we have many members who have reported an improvement with their digestive issues. Try our softgels for the added bonus of a topical relief directly on the stomach!

I’d be interested in Equilibria’s views on “full spectrum” vs. “broad spectrum”

Generally the term “broad spectrum” means a product is THC free. “Full spectrum” means that the product is as whole-plant as possible, including tiny amounts of THC (0.3% or lower), which helps activate CBD and other cannabinoids present.

Generally speaking, CBD & THC are a “power couple” that work best together instead of separately! The more whole-plant the better. When multiple cannabinoids (our products have 9) work together they amplify each other, it’s referred to as “the entourage effect” (or sometimes, “the ensemble effect.”) THC-free CBD products require much higher doses to be effective — thus inviting potential side effects — and are generally not as well-received by the body as a product with even the tiniest amount of THC.

What if you’re vegan or vegetarian? Is there beef gelatin in the products?

Both the Daily Drops and our Relief Cream are vegan!

My state health dept spent 5k testing CBD oils and found heavy metals in most. Can you share an ingredients list?

Our products, from our own organic farm, are third party lab tested every step of the process. You can see our lab tests here. The ingredients list for each product are:

• Daily Drops: Activated full spectrum hemp flower oil CBD concentrate, MCT oil
• Daily Softgels: Activated full spectrum hemp flower oil CBD concentrate, kosher beef gelatin, MCT oil, vegetable glycerin, and purified water.
• Relief Cream: Full Spectrum Hemp Flower Oil, Coconut Oil, Shea Butter, Arnica, Menthol, Lavender, Rosemary

Created in partnership with Equilibria // photography by Carter Fish.