5 Things You Need to Know when Choosing a CBD Product
At Cairn, we're all about discovery; so when we see something in the outdoor industry that we think is worth discovering, we take note. CBD - the medical abbreviation for cannabidiol, the non-psychoactive compound found in cannabis plants - was hard to miss at the last Outdoor Retailer trade show. In fact, an entire section of the floor was dedicated to CBD-based products. It is becoming increasingly prevalent in recovery, body, skincare products, drinks, and more.
But trying to decipher which products will actually make an impact and which are just marketing or which are best for your needs and lifestyle can be a major challenge. We teamed up with the smart folks at Hemp Defense, a nutraceutical grade CBD company raising the bar in manufacturing and quality, to give us an introduction to CBD for the novice.
1. CBD Doesn’t Equal Getting a Buzz
Mention CBD in a group and the uninformed jokes about getting stoned or high will immediately start to roll in. That’s not what a nutraceutical CBD product like Hemp Defense does or is meant to do. Let’s be clear about CBD. Cannabidiol (CBD) is one of the many non-psychoactive components found in hemp. While extensive research is being conducted on the health benefits of CBD supplementation, CBD products like Hemp Defense are focused on supporting sleep, stress, brain health, and everyday health.
2. Quality of the Hemp Source is Paramount
Hemp is a plant that demonstrates powerful phytoremediation properties. What does that giant word mean? It means that hemp plants can act as nature’s eraser, soaking up toxins (i.e. heavy metals) from contaminated soil. This incredible property was tested and proven in the extremely toxic grounds of Chernobyl. Amazing! Now, think about what happens if untested or unreliable sources of hemp are utilized to make a CBD extract for supplementation. Scary! That’s why selecting a brand that is trustworthy, transparent, and well-researched related to the sourcing of their hemp is so important. Look for brands that have done their due diligence to ensure they are providing you with high quality sourced ingredients. Hemp Defense products come with years of extraction experience behind them. Each formula has a pure spectrum, nutraceutical-grade hemp extract at its core, and all from organically grown hemp.
3. Yes, CBD is Legal
Once again, CBD is not the cannabis component that will get you “high.” CBD products that are labeled as Full, Broad, or Pure Spectrum may contain legal, trace amounts of THC (the psychoactive component of the plant); however, you’re not likely to feel an impact from this. In the case of Hemp Defense, which utilizes a Pure Spectrum CBD, their powder caps contain nearly undetectable levels of THC, while their tinctures go through a partial distillation process that completely removes the THC.
4. More expensive doesn’t mean better
Whenever a new ingredient with important potential health benefits hits the market, you typically see a spike in products featuring that product, as well as a spike in pricing associated with products featuring that ingredient. Yes, a quality CBD product can cost a bit more than say, the supplement you grab off of a gas station counter. However, don’t assume a high price tag means high quality, and vice versa! As the CBD industry becomes more established, brands like Hemp Defense are able to achieve a very high-quality product - from the ingredient sourcing to the manufacturing and packaging process - at a price that is accessible.
5. Set your expectations
Whenever you try a new product to support your health, it’s important to set your expectations realistically. You wouldn’t expect an eye cream to erase your wrinkles overnight, and the same goes for health supplementation. While some people experience fairly immediate results, don’t set the expectation that you will erase joint or muscle pain completely upon the first use of a CBD nutraceutical like Hemp Defense. Your results are more likely to be incremental over time. Additionally, some experimentation with dosing could be key to your results. Hemp Defense Capsules contain 30mg of CBD along with other factors that improve bioavailability - dosing that was determined to be best based on consumer feedback. However, the tinctures allow you to experiment with dosage a bit more to find what is most effective for you. As they say, there are no quick fixes and that seems especially true when it comes to our health. Give the product time to work with your body, and allow yourself the flexibility to experiment with dosing.
Just as with any other supplement or nutraceutical product, it’s important to discuss with your healthcare provider how taking a CBD product may fit into your lifestyle or interact with any other products you might be taking. Doing thorough research and gaining knowledge is an important part of getting started on any new health-focused regimen and, hopefully, this has been a helpful starting point.
To explore the products and information Hemp Defense has to offer - including their high-quality Relief Capsules that are ideal for relief of pain and inflammation, stress and anxiety, or their delicious and effective Pure Spectrum Hemp Oil Tinctures (the Cinnamon Spice is our favorite) - visit Hemp-Defense.com. The Cairn Community has exclusive access to 20% off using promo code CAIRN20. Hint: we hear they’re also giving away a free tincture to anyone just ordering capsules while supplies last!