CBD Oil
why I LOVE it and use it daily
CBD oil is one of the most exciting substances in the world right now. More and more people are finding out about it and I’m currently doing my all to SHARE CBD OIL WITH EVERYONE I KNOW!
I began using CBD oil in 2018 as a natural alternative to calm my anxious states. The anxiety I experienced presented itself in many ways, including negative self-talk spirals, panic attacks, trouble sleeping + more which you may read about in my blog here.
I can hand on heart say that YES, CBD OIL WORKS to help calm my anxiety, and has helped me fall asleep and stay asleep through those not so great mental health months.
I’ve shared CBD oil with that many people that I’ve now got a discount code!! My name ‘GINA’ gets you 20% off. You’re welcome to purchase some for yourself below. Note that they’re all the same, the only difference is the size of the bottle:
BUY CBD OIL - CODE 'GINA' FOR 20% OFF
I remember the very first time I used CBD oil, I hadn’t had a good sleep for a while. I was a little skeptical that it would actually do anything to me.. The day I got my first bottle was also the first day of my mums period, which for her, has always meant a painful sleepless first night. I told mama that CBD oil is supposed to be a natural anti-inflammatory and pain relief, and recommended she try it with me. What was there to lose? She either experiences painful cramping, and gets woken up by the pain throughout the night, or tries something for it?
We both took 10 drops sublingually (under the tongue), and an hour or so later went to bed. The next morning I woke up REFRESHED, having had a wonderful nights sleep, with no insomnia. When I asked mama how her sleep was, she was stupidly excited to share that she had a beautiful nights sleep, and wasn’t woken up at all by her period cramps. BOOM. For the first time in I don’t know how many periods?!
No more late night wake ups for mama to get Panadol, or any other pharmaceutical pain relief which has a tonne of potential negative side effects. My mum now uses CBD oil religiously for cramps, as well as for general pain relief if ever required.
For me, I take CBD oil most nights as part of my night time routine. It helps me wind down for bed and fall asleep comfortably with less tossing and turning. I also take CBD oil in the mornings if I can feel a tightening in my chest or throat, or if I’m thinking anxious thoughts (which has thankfully become rare for me though does happen every now and then). I find that within 20-40 minutes, I am relaxed, significantly less frantic, and able to go through the day with a sense of calm. When I was at my most anxious state, and really not in a good place mentally, I took CBD oil throughout the day too.
TELL ME MORE!
CBD oil is an incredibly safe alternative to toxic pharmaceuticals. It’s side-effect free, non-psychoactive, natural, vegan and highly effective!
As an introduction, CBD (short for cannabidiol) is derived from the hemp plant, which is a cousin of the famous marijuana plant. As it’s non-psychoactive, it does NOT cause a ‘high’ effect and will not show up on roadside drug tests as they only test for THC (there is not enough THC content in CBD oils for it to show positive). Ultimately, CBD does NOT affect the way you think or behave.
OKAY one paragraph of science talk: CBD oil works on the body’s endocannabinoid system (yep, we all naturally have this), which plays a role in self-regulation, mood and relaxation. The endocannabinoid system is a complex network of cell receptors and neurotransmitters that are responsible for maintaining homeostasis in the body. Cannabinoid receptors are spread throughout the entire body, with the largest concentrations in the central and peripheral nervous systems, and in the immune system. CBD stimulates the endocannabinoid system to produce its own cannabinoids. Cool, hey?
Nausea
Vomiting
Eating Disorders
Pain
Particularly chronic pain, especially those suffering from MS (multiple sclerosis). CBD inhibits neuronal transmission in pain pathways, which is a fancy way of saying “it stops the message getting through”, as this is what pain is: a message from your brain to your body that something’s wrong. This is useful in everyday life (when you cut or burn yourself, it’s a message to STOP!), but when pain becomes chronic and requires constant treatment, removing it through CBD can be a life-changing experience (The Cannabis Co).
Arthritis
Inflammation
Epilepsy
Seizures
Diabetes
Alzheimer’s
CBD is able to prevent the development of social recognition deficit in participants. This means that CBD could help people in the early stages of Alzheimer's to keep the ability to recognize the faces of people that they know.
The list goes on.
There are a tonne of resources and testimonials available online on how CBD oil helps each of the above. I encourage you to do your own research on whichever topic, illness or issue interests you most, to learn for yourself. Perhaps in a later blog I’ll dive deeper into each topic, though for now will keep this one relatively short(ish).
STORY TIME
My good friend Andrew, also known as The Bald Chef, shares with me how CBD oil has touched his family.
Andrew’s Grandfather was diagnosed with the disease pulmonary fibrosis. “Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease that occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred. This thickened, stiff tissue makes it more difficult for your lungs to work properly. As pulmonary fibrosis worsens, you become progressively more short of breath.” It’s a terrible disease and is fatal in almost all cases, within a few years of being diagnosed.
As the disease took its toll, Andrew’s Grandfather had to receive oxygen a few times a day, which he became reliant on and eventually needed 24/7. Andrew and his Grandma became full time carers from May 2018, until his passing on the 6th of September. Watching someone you love so deeply deteriorate before your eyes, has hands down been the hardest thing Andrew has ever experienced in his life.
CBD oil has been proven to be effective for preventing, relieving or improving symptoms of:
Anxiety and Depression
1 in 5 Australians experience mental health challenges in any given year. Many doctors prescribe pharmaceuticals which have harmful side effects including sexual dysfunction, agitation, headaches, drowsiness, and insomnia.
PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)
OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and Panic Disorder
Schizophrenia
Cancer
Sufferers use CBD not just for its treatment of cancer itself, though for relief from the crippling effects of chemotherapy.
Menstrual Cramps and PMS
IBS and Gut Health, including Leaky Gut
Adrenal Fatigue
Andrew was hesitant administering morphine as he knew the side effects after having used it in the past for an injury of his own. Morphine changes your mood, you lose your appetite, you become constipated, addicted and feel ‘scattered’ all day. Some of the more serious side effects include mental/mood changes (such as agitation, hallucinations, confusion), difficulty urinating, vision changes, slow/fast heartbeat, severe stomach/abdominal pain, signs of your adrenal glands not working well (such as loss of appetite, unusual tiredness, and weight loss). Despite all this, morphine does work as an instant pain relief, so they gave it a go.
Andrew’s Grandfather was soon losing his appetite and Andrew was waking up at least 3 times a night to administer a small dose of morphine underneath his tongue. After three weeks, it got to a point where Andrew’s Grandfather was asking for it 3-4 times a day. It felt like he was just another powerless man, addicted to heroin. “There were points in the middle of the night where he would look up at me completely out of it, this broke my heart. I felt like we were losing him, because he wasn’t the same person he was 3 weeks ago.”
It was at this point Andrew thought to give CBD oil a go. He read a few reviews and did his research before taking the step and sourcing a bottle. The first few nights were a little touch and go, but by the end of the week Andrew got the hang of the dosage and at what time he would give it to his Grandfather before bed for it to be effective throughout the night. Andrew was still administering morphine before showers, or when his Grandfather needed to go to the toilet, as you can’t really plan those things 30 mins before. In those instances morphine works fast and when there’s a rush to the toilet it’s necessary otherwise he would be out of breath which lead to heavy breathing and anxiety. It was definitely a tough process to slowly wean him off the morphine, giving smaller and smaller amounts whenever it was needed.
In the following three weeks, Andrew ended up halving the amount of morphine he was giving his grandfather throughout the day. He would wake up happy, with an appetite and wasn't grumpy all the time. “We had our grandfather back.” Andrew and his family still knew what was ahead but at this time, life felt really amazing.
The CBD oil substituted the morphine throughout the night. It does take time to find the right dosage, but is totally worth it. Watching a loved one scattered out by "prescribed doctors grade heroin" is the saddest thing Andrew and his family had to go through. If you can prolong the well-being, both mental and physical of a loved one, why wouldn’t you?
The main benefits of CBD oil for Andrews Grandfather were:
He had his appetite back
Didn’t alter his mood
He wasn’t ever scattered or coming down
Allowed him to put on some weight to fight colds and flus
It allowed for the months that he was alive, for his family to spend time with him for who he really was (cheeky, sarcastic, humble, loving), not for what he was after heavy nights of morphine, and that’s fucking priceless if you ask Andrew.
In Andrew’s perspective, if you or a loved one has been prescribed morphine, please consider substituting it as much as possible with CBD oil. Just DO IT. Of course all diseases vary and this experience is from the one perspective, though for Andrew’s family, CBD oil was a SAVIOUR!
I’ve personally read hundreds of reviews, testimonials, and stories on how CBD oil has touched and improved the lives of many. I’m so happy to be able to share this plant medicine with those of you who need it, and love that CBD oil is gaining momentum worldwide.
If you’re looking at getting CBD oil for yourself or for a loved one, you’re welcome to purchase it online where I get mine, NuLeaf Naturals. It’s organic, full spectrum, third party tested, and tick every box when it comes to quality & sustainability.
Again, I’ve shared NuLeaf Naturals CBD oil with so many people that I’ve now got my own discount code (wooo). You can use my name ‘GINA’ as the code for a 20% discount:
Please reach out with your thoughts and questions, or feel free to share your personal experience using CBD oil.
Much love, Gina X
The most difficult part for Andrew’s Grandfather was going to sleep, as he could be up all night coughing and out of breath. A few weeks in, the palliative care doctors came to asses what was going on at home, including checking how he slept, and whether he was out of breath while showering + more. When the doctors were on their way out, they gave Andrew a bottle of morphine and showed him the dosage, explaining that he should administer the morphine to his grandfather as much as he needs it. The aim now was to keep his Grandfather as comfortable as possible, in his last months, weeks, days, moments.