I don’t know how to exactly measure my level of anxiousness. I just know that the older I get, the more I find it interrupts my day. The trigger usually for it? When I have too much on my plate to tackle or when I am not in control of my situation or environment. Clearly the explanation then, for why I have a fear of flying! LOL! But of course it is not everyday that I have to fly. However, it might be everyday where I am faced with something that might throw me off or overwhelm me. And this is where my anxiety kicks in. And I hate it.
I hate it because when I am anxious, I am stressed, irritable and impatient. And I don’t know how to prevent those feelings from rising up. So I have sat on feeling this way more acutely these past couple of years not knowing how to “fix”, it but absolutely knowing it was getting worse. Truthfully, I just started to accept the fact this was how I am. And I would look for ways to “manage” it by knowing what I needed to do to control my day.
Good days are ones when everyone is at home and no one has to be anywhere or rushed off to anything (yes, I thrived under lockdown!). Good days are ones that have a clear plan with no interruptions. While not so good days are ones where items continuously get piled on. And all I can think about is rushing to get those items done so I could get them off my plate. Not so good days mean I am often worrying what will go wrong outside of a controlled environment. Often times, that means I am stressed and not present in the moment.
How CBD Oil Has Helped Me
Strangely, it was after lockdown that I realized that I really needed to do something. I could no longer justify that staying home baking and reading a book was the only way I could get through a day without feeling anxious. I mean, it is no secret that I love to be out and about socializing and doing things. And I like being very busy. It is just the anxiousness that comes with it sometimes that becomes crippling and exhausting. So I finally took the plunge and started taking a CBD supplement.
Why CBD?
When CBD oil first came on the scene, I knew that the benefits of taking it helped people in a lot of ways-pain management, inflammation issues, sleeping aid and yes, anxiety, to name a few. I was so curious about it, that I actually did a *Q & A with Dr. Ryan Lombardo, Dr. of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine at FreshSkin Medical Spa & Wellness Center of Highland Park, IL to have some of my questions answered. In return, he suggested a CBD oil for me to use . . . . but it sat on my night stand for over a year. Why? Because when it came right down to it, CBD intimidated me and I did not know “how” to take it or if I would like the results.
It wasn’t until I started hearing about a company called Equilibria (from another blogger that I love and trust) that peaked my attention again towards the benefits of CBD. And then all of a sudden, I was hearing about Equilibria all over the place across social media (and no, they were not popping into my Instagram feed as advertisers! LOL! ). I just kept hearing testimonials among women across the board who said how much Equilibria CBD products were helping them.
*more detail on the research, science and legality of CBD in the Q&A
Why CBD Helps?
I will attempt to discuss the science behind CBD as broadly as possible! So CBD is short for cannabidiol. It is one of over 150 naturally-occurring compounds (aka “cannabinoids”) found in the Cannabis Sativa plant.
So what then exactly are cannabinoids? Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that interact with receptors in our Endocannabinoid System (ECS). The ECS plays a crucial role in regulating sleep, inflammation, mood, and our body’s state of balance overall.
Our bodies naturally produce cannabinoids called endocannabinoids. Cannabinoids from the Cannabis Sativa plant are called phytocannabinoids. Phytocannabinoids enhance our ability to make more of our OWN endocannabinoids! And that is how it works!
In order to retrieve CBD, Cannabis plants are grown in two ways:
One, as “industrial hemp” with less than 0.3% THC content. Which makes it a completely federally legal agricultural crop in the U.S. The goal is to retrieve the non hallucinogenic CBD (the one we are talking about here!)
Two, as “marijuana” with up to 30% THC content. THC is the psychoactive part of cannabis. And in higher amounts, it causes the intoxicating “high” effect. The goal is to retrieve the hallucinogenic THC.
General rule of thumb: CBD is about health. THC is about high.
Why Equilibria?
Digging into Equilibria a little further on my own, I knew that if I wanted to give CBD oil a try, then this was the place I had to start: Quality. Support. Women. The foundation behind this line.
Medical-grade quality
First off, it is sooo important to know how your CBD is harvested/where it comes from! CBD is trending high right now and every company it seems, wants to jump on the bandwagon. Lotions, pills, creams, drops, everyone seems to have a product they want to sell with CBD in it. Yet not all products are created equal. Not even close. There’s a lot of sketchy stuff out there. But Equilibria’s products are made in their own organic farm from start to finish, which allows them to ensure each batch is 110% safe. You should have confidence in knowing they adhere to medical grade production standards, with products free of contaminants, fillers, or any other quality concerns. It is a product in its purest form!
Dosage Support
Next, Equilibria does not believe in giving you a medical-grade CBD and sending you on your way. Finding the correct dosage and combination of products takes some time and experimentation. So all Equilibria members have access to a one on one dosage specialist to support you along the way! This gave me a lot of confidence to try it.
For Women, By Women
Equilibria‘s mission is to help women live their fullest lives. Equilibria is a women-owned startup, built upon the understanding that our bodies and needs as women are individually based; from cyclical changes to the challenges of childbirth, menopause, and everything in between! Equilibria was created to help women manage the unique everyday problems we all face; stress, anxiety, hormonal imbalances, with additional products available to help combat pain etc.
Where I Started / How to Start?
A complete link of Equilibria products and kits can be found here. I started with the Brilliance Box which includes a 30 day supply of 10 mg softgels, daily drops and a relief cream. This is a great starter kit from which you can adjust from (with your dosage specialist!) depending on your needs. I personally only take one 10 mg softgel daily in the morning. The daily gels are slow release meaning they gradually work their way into your system within an hour. The daily drops are faster acting and stronger and can be taken as needed as they work quickly! I do not take the drops. In conjunction with my softgel, I personally found it made me tired. Speaking of which though, the daily drops work seem to work extremely well for those who have trouble falling asleep at night!
I also really like and recommend the Equilibria relief cream for any muscle soreness, cramping, or pain in general for relief! It works instantly! Finally, these rollers are also perfect for energizing or calming yourself quickly!
Finally, when taking CBD, consistency is so important. You should notice a difference within 4-7 days of taking it (I honestly felt a difference after just a couple of days). In fact, taking it daily helps to maintain the levels in your body to keep your anxiety (or pain, or sleep deprivation) at bay!
You can use code: neverwithoutnavy for 15% off your first order from Equilibria.
How Has It Helped?
If I can sum up how I feel after taking a daily softgel, I would say I feel less edgy. Yep, CBD takes the edge off. In other words, I feel more calm and even. Mounting everyday tasks also don’t feel like such a big deal anymore. As a result, I find that I have more patience and less irritability and anxiousness as I tackle my day!
For answers to more frequently asked questions, head here!
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Thanks for stopping by!
L, M