Could CBD be the key to a healthier 2022?

The start of a new year is always the time for making changes, setting goals and new promises, could CBD help you make some positive changes this year?

At the end of 2020, 43 per cent of one survey’s participants resolved to eat healthier, while 50 per cent aimed to exercise more. And that was after one year of a pandemic; as we now enter the third, Cannabis Health looks at how CBD could be the key to a healthier 2022 for you. 

What is CBD?

Its official name is cannabidiol and is the second most prevalent active ingredient in cannabis.

Unlike its cousin tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD doesn’t have any psychoactive enzymes and therefore does not cause a ‘high’.

Although studies are continually ongoing, it has not yet been found to have any effects indicative of abuse or dependence. 

Here are just a few of the ways CBD can help you feel healthier this year. 

Period pain 

We thought we’d start with the big guns; period pain. Something almost every woman suffers from to some degree, the monthly cramps can have a huge impact on your mood and lifestyle. 

With its soothing and anti-inflammatory properties, CBD is a perfect remedy for menstrual difficulty – and there are so many ways you could take it! 

While oils and edibles are perfect for a quick fix, there are other methods that can be more enjoyable and direct. 

Craving chocolate during your period is totally normal, so why not mix a few drops of CBD oil to a soothing mug of hot chocolate?

Or if you prefer lounging in the bath, throw in a CBD bath bomb to help you fizz away to your happy place feeling relaxed and calm (they’ll even help with lower back pain too).

Want a more direct route? You can’t get more precise than CBD tampons. Vaginal absorption is one of the fastest ways to get a dose into the system, as the walls of the vagina absorb the CBD immediately into the bloodstream where it can get to work. 

New year’s diet

We’ve all been there – pledging to eat well, maybe even lose a few pounds, but how can CBD help you eat healthier?

Adding hemp (the plant from which CBD hails) can have numerous benefits – it’s considered a superfood after all. 

A great source of Omega 3 and 6, polyunsaturated fats that cannot be manufactured by the body, hemp is thought to help reduce cholesterol, and be associated with improvements in skin, heart health and mental health. 

Hemp seeds are also a fantastic, complete protein source so if you’re a gym-goer, athlete or body builder looking to improve their macros, a sprinkling could work wonders! 

A good night’s sleep 

It’s no secret that good health starts when you’re not even awake. A bad night’s sleep can cause a ripple effect of unhealthy decisions. But CBD can help. 

A study from 2019 with 72 patients, 25 of whom experienced poor sleep, looked at whether CBD could improve sleep. The participants were given a capsule containing 25 milligrams of CBD and in the first month, 66.7 per cent reported better sleep.

With several methods available, there’s no right or wrong way to take CBD for sleep, but many find oils and edibles work best, although it entirely depends on your own endocannabinoid system. 

Avoiding anxiety and burnout

The added pressure we put on ourselves at this time of year, not to mention the current climate we’re living in, can leave us feeling frazzled and burnt out. This is where CBD could come into its own.

In 2021, a review of all the research so far found that CBD can have a positive impact on anxiety and stress. Scientists believe that CBD works by interacting with receptors in the brain to potential sending signals to the neurotransmitter, serotonin.

While more research is needed to uncover how precisely the two react, what we do know is that serotonin is the neurotransmitter responsible for mental health and that lower levels are sometimes associated with depression or anxiety, which why the medicinal treatment for anxiety is usually selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).

Whatever you’re using CBD for, and however you choose to take it, the advice from professionals is always to start low and go slow, upping the dose only once you’re sure of the effects – and always speak to your doctor before making changes to your medication.