Jessamyn Stanley Swears By This CBD Oil, So Here's What You Need To Know About It
At this point, I think it's safe to assume you've probably heard of CBD. Maybe you have a friend who's raved about a hemp oil that helps to soothe their body aches, or perhaps you know someone who swears by a CBD coffee as their morning sip. Even if you're familiar with CBD, though, if you haven't tried it yourself yet, it can be tough to know where to start or what to look for, exactly. Jessamyn Stanley's CBD oil review on Instagram is a great place to start if you're new to the whole thing, and luckily, she saved all of her thoughts on her Instagram Story Highlights to reference whenever and wherever.
Throughout each of her Instagram Stories on the subject, the body-positivity advocate and yoga teacher kept things real AF: "I've been trying out this whole hemp oil. I've received a lot of hemp oils and just not given a f*ck and this is the first one that I've been using every day in the morning in addition to my regular regimen," Stanley explained.
"One dropper in the morning, and I'm like 'what is this world?'" she said. "When I wake up, I just take like one dropper and it settles every part of me." The Every Body Yoga author also mentioned that she uses the product sometimes to help with an upset stomach, and to make dealing with a hangover a little easier (something that's always helpful to get advice on, right?).
If you're a little grossed out by the idea of drinking straight oil, Stanley can definitely relate. "I honestly was apprehensive to try it," she admitted in one of her Instagram Stories. "I don't like oil pulling, I don't like just putting oil directly into my mouth or down my throat. It's a weird sensation to me, so it took a little bit for me to get over that."
The product that Stanley recommends is a CBD tincture from a brand called Veritas Farms. The tincture (which, FYI, is meant to be held under your tongue for about a minute, or mixed into whatever drink you'd like, per the product's description) comes in different strengths, ranging from 250 milligrams to 2,000 milligrams per full bottle, which comes to about 8 milligrams per dropper (aka serving). For context, according to Project CBD's information on potency, 8 milligrams would be considered relatively low in terms of CBD dosing for an adult, though it definitely depends on body mass to some extent as well. (If you're really not sure what dose could be right for you, it never hurts to consult your doctor.)
In her Instagram Stories, Stanley showed the peppermint flavor of the Veritas Farms tincture, but if you aren't a huge fan of minty things, you can also try citrus, watermelon, strawberry, or an unflavored version of the product.
According to Rachel Fine MS, RD, CSSD, CDN, a registered dietitian and owner of To The Pointe Nutrition, hemp oil actually contains some pretty essential nutrients to support your brain health. It's a source of something called ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), which is an omega-3 essential fatty acid, she tells Elite Daily. "An essential fatty acid is one that the body needs, but must be supplied by the diet, since the body cannot manufacture it or cannot manufacture enough of it." Your body can then use ALA to create EPA and DHA, both of which Fine explains are essential for brain health.
At the same time, though, says Lauren Cadillac, a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer based in Manhattan, while hemp oil is frequently used for things like easing anxiety, improving insomnia, and even reducing pain and inflammation associated with arthritis, it's important to loop in your doctor if you're curious about trying it out, and to be wary about where you're buying it from. "Unlike medications, the safety and purity of dietary supplements [like CBD oil] are not regulated by the FDA," she explains. 'Therefore, we cannot know for sure that the product is free of other unknown substances. We also have no way of knowing the accuracy of the dose (of the active ingredient) listed on the bottle."
So is CBD safe to use in general? Again, dosing is definitely an important factor to consider, and Fine echoes Cadillac's suggestion to touch base with a professional before you start using a new product in your everyday routine — just to be safe, you know? "It’s always best to ask a doctor before increasing your intake of hemp oil," Fine explains, "given the possibility of the oil interacting with other medications."
