My Experience with CBD Oil + CBD Sunbutter Truffles Recipe + Giveaway

There has been a lot of talking about CBD in the health world. It seems that with the legalization of cannabis in parts of the US, CBD has not only flooded the US but has also taken over Europe. And you might have even come across articles talking about CBD already. Studying CBD and the effects it apparently had on people I got curious.

I ordered my first bottle of CBD oil and I am using it for more than a year now. I have tested it thoroughly. Some things I found to be true and some things did not work for me. But it is fair to say that I have a pretty solid CBD knowledge by now. So lets shed some light into this wonder weapon called CBD and my experience with CBD oil.

–> If you would like to try CBD oil for yourself scroll down for the GIVEAWAY and leave a comment under the blog post and share what you would like to use it for!

I am going to talk about when I use it, how it feels to take it and how it has affected my health. Finally, I am also sharing a truffle recipe using my favorite Austrian made CBD oil.

High or not high?

First question that come to mind, right? To answer your question straight away and maybe disappoint some of you: CBD is not psychoactive, therefore it does not give you a high.

Still so, I was skeptical to try it initially due to old silly associations with cannabis. But it is important to understand that there is a huge difference between using CBD oil and smoking cannabis.

Even though CBD (also called Cannabidiol) is also derived from the cannabis plant, it is not to be mixed up with THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol). THC is the key psychoactive cannabinoid in cannabis which causes you getting “high”. In simple words, CBD and THC come from the same plant but one makes you high the other one gives you the same benefits without the high. Effectively, when consuming CBD, you are still allowed to drive and it does not make you drowsy.

This makes CBD oil a great alternative for people searching for a natural way for pain relief, de-stress without even avoiding taking heavy pharmaceutical drugs.

Note: some CBD oils in the US contain THC and can have psychoactive effects. Hemp naturally contains a meager amount of THC that warrants a very small legal limit. The highest amount of THC that hemp can have is 0.3%. If you are taking CBD from a cannabis plant and not a hemp plant, check the THC %. Since THC is illegal in Europe, CBD Oils with THC are not available. 

Ways to consume CBD.

Basically, there are 3 different ways you could take CBD: eating, vaping and smoking. Since I don’t smoke, taking CBD orally in form of an oil was the perfect option for me. Another advantage of consuming the CBD orally, it is immediately absorbed in your mouth and wears off in about 2-4 hours. If you consume CBD through edibles it is absorbed through the stomach. The effect might take longer to kick-in but can last up to eight hours.

Which CBD Oil should I use?

It is essential to choose a high-quality CBD oil from a reputable company. From my experience, a great product is more bioavailable which means you can go for lower doses and make your CBD oil last longer. But what makes a great CBD oil? An organic and local product. Talking about organic, since CBD is fairly new on the European market, a lot of CBD manufacturers claim to be organic but it’s fair to say that a definition of organic CBD oil is not established yet. Plus many producers often source plants from overseas and don’t know themselves where the plants have been grown or if organic standards apply.

So what products do I use? After a year of testing many CBD oils, I have found that the Austrian brand Deep Nature Project to be by far the best CBD oil. They only source their hemp from local Austrian hemp farmers and their entire supply chain is led by organic principles. I am using the 5% Organic Hemp Complete oil which comes under the Medihemp brand by Deep Nature Project. They also have CBD capsules in their product range but I prefer the oil cause it is easier to dose plus I can add it to truffles like the ones below. The Organic Hemp Complete consists of 81% hemp oil and 19% hemp extract enriched with unsaturated fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins. The gentle CO₂ extraction method they use produces a high-quality CBD oil with a high bioavailability that enhances the body’s ability to regenerate itself.

When do I use CBD Oil?

Uses are varied and I only name the ones that have worked for me so far. I am happy to add even more uses, just comment below!

+ stress

CBD has really helped me with falling off asleep. It is great when I have a long day in the office and I am still feeling hyper and cannot stop my thought going in circles. Also before stressful situations like presentations or situations that make me feel uneasy CBD can really help to settle your nerves and thoughts.

+ travel

Flying and jetlag are my biggest nightmares. It shortens my holiday and sleeping patterns go wild and I feel drained. CBD oil eases the restlessness, especially when traveling in economy on long-haul flights. With the limited space, my muscles tend to cramp. CBD relaxes body and mind. It helps me to fall asleep and relax even when turbulences occur. I also use it to adjust to the timezone and sleeping times of the destined country which makes it so much easier to get into the new sleeping rhythm.

+ sleep

After long days of meetings and thoughts rumbling through my head, CBD calms my mind and lets my thoughts rest. It is important to notice that if you want to use CBD as a sleeping aid taking it at least an hour before going to bed as it takes time to fully show effects. Even when surrounded by loud noises it has helped me relax my thoughts and body. It was perfect for resting well during summer’s music festival, on camping trips, on the plane and during my period.

+ period.

Since I have stopped taking the pill 2 years back, I actually now know what it feels like to ‘be on the period’. I guess everyone has different struggles from mood swings to stomach cramps. Mine is a stingy back pain that stays with me for solid 2 days. I don’t sleep very well and I struggle sitting at the desk all day long. With CBD oil, I was able to replace the 2 ibuprofen that would usually help me through the day with 5 drops of CBD oil three times a day. The CBD oil relaxes my back muscles to the point where I am no longer reliant on pain killers. It also releases the general tension in my tummy area and helps to drift into a much deeper sleep at night.

+ skin

CBD oil can also have a great impact on your skin. Studies show CBD oil has a high potential for treating skin conditions like eczema, skin redness and acne by regulating the skin’s oil production. CBD also contains many nutrients like vitamin E that help improve and protect the skin. I love to enrich my facial oil with a drop of CBD oil before massaging it into my skin. I also love to mix some into my body massage oil and I found it is great to soothe sunburned sensitive skin when mixed with aloe vera gel.

+ pain & other

I have been going to very high-intensity Crossfit classes lately which tend to give me quite sore muscles. So the day after my training when I feel very still and my body hurts, CBD really helps to relax my muscles and releases tensions in my body. Again, the perfect companion for my after-workout-day.

So far this is my experience with CBD oil and what it has helped me with. But I am well aware that CBD helps a lot of people to deal with anxiety issues, epilepsy and even depression. If CBD has helped you with any of those, I would love to hear your story in the comments!

Find the right CBD dose.

CBD oil generally comes in either 5% or 10% dose. 5% means the oil contains 500mg CBD, the rest is a carrier oil in a lot of cases that hemp oil. The 5% CBD oil bottle came at a cost of 30€. It often comes in a drop bottle so dosage it pretty easy.

The key to finding your ideal dosage is to start slow and dowse low. Every human body reacts differently so make sure you do what feels best for you and not what others recommend. I started with 3 drops of a 5% CBD oil. Apply it under your tongue and try not to swallow it for some minutes if possible for a stronger effect. CBD oil can taste pretty bitter but you’ll get used to it quickly.

Lets give you an example of how I adjusted my CBD dose. Before going to sleep I would start with 3 drops. I didn’t feel anything so the next time I amped it up to 5 drops. This time I felt the relaxing and calming effect and I fell off asleep much faster. The 5 drops dose works well for me until today. If I am treating periodical pains during the day I stick with the 5 drops dosage but depending on the pain (in my lower back) I would repeat after 3-4 hours.

How does it feel to take CBD?

That is a very good question and it is pretty hard to tell since everyone seems to react a bit different- not only to CBD but also to the amount that you take. But to put my perception into simple words, it somehow calms my mind. There is no heaviness that might come from consuming cannabis, you are still alert and attentive but with the calming and relaxing bit, that smoking cannabis might give you. It gives me a mellow uplifting mood with a sense of positive, alert energy. Other people might experience stronger effects.

For notes on possible side effects please see the end of the article.

Don’t mix up Hemp Seed Oil with CBD Oil

You might have come across hemp oil at one stage and were probably wondering here already what it is and what it does. Even though CBD oil and hemp oil stem from the same plant, they are completely different. Hemp seed oil or hemp oil is derived from the hemp seed and not from the plant. It also does not contain THC and has no psychoactive effects. So don’t get confused when looking for CBD oil, hemp oil is very beneficial for your health too but won’t do what CBD does.

CBD in food

The reason I looked into creating a recipe for a CBD treat was that sometimes I am not so much into the bitter taste of the CBD oil. Also when I am on my period I love to have healthy snacks around me so the addition of a CBD enriched treat sounded like a great idea. These truffles are only sweetened with dates which pairs perfectly with the flavor of the roasted sunflower seeds. I love to roll mine in raw cacao powder which is high iron which is great especially for us women.

As a healthy snacker you will also love my Coffee Peanut Butter Crunch Bars, my Creamy Peanut Butter Hemp Bars, and my Raw Vegan TimTam’s.

—

Notes on Side Effects.

There have been studies on the side effects on CBD and its safety. A review from 2017 analyzing the most important studies on CBD states that ‘the most commonly reported side effects were tiredness, diarrhea, and changes of appetite/weight. In comparison with other drugs, used for the treatment of these medical conditions, CBD has a better side effect profile. In general, the often described favorable safety profile of CBD in humans was confirmed’.

Though CBD oil on its own is very safe and my experience with CBD oil is very positive, it may interact with medications or can cause allergic reactions. Please consult with your doctor if you are concerned.