I’ve never necessarily been one to hop on board any wellness trend that comes my way — but I would be remiss to call CBD a passing “trend.” By now, I can almost guarantee that you’ve heard of CBD, the products that feature it, and its vast array of health and wellness benefits — but it’s definitely possible that you’re not quite sure what it is, how it works, or what it does (up until very recently, that was the case for me!).
“So what is it, Abigail?” I hear you asking. Good question. Cannabidiol (or CBD) is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid known for its anti-inflammatory, pain-reducing, and mind-lifting effects. CBD helps create more anandamide in your system, partially by keeping the anandamide you already have from degrading. That’s a lot of big words — but basically, it’s a part of an industrial hemp plant that you can take and use in various forms to help your body function at its best — but without the “high” you probably associate with marijuana products (industrial hemp-derived CBD is specifically grown to be formulated with 0.3 percent THC or less — meaning it still exists enough to be considered full-spectrum, but won’t get you high or intoxicated!). Think: the calming, soothing, relaxing, and inflammatory benefits of hemp, but without any risk or fear of mental side effects from marijuana. Marijuana by legal definition has more than 0.3% THC.
Like I said, there are a lot of different ways you can use CBD to benefit your body. I, for one, heard first of its benefits when researching ways to combat anxiety and restlessness. Those are definitely things that CBD can help (more on that later) — but there’s more too. CBD has been known to help with symptoms of PMS, menopause, insomnia, chronic pain, inflammation, and everyday stressors — meaning that just about all of us could benefit from incorporating CBD into our lives.
So if you’re anything like I was, you’ve heard all that. Yeah yeah yeah, so it would be good for me to take it. But how can I trust what I’m taking, and how should I know what and how much to take?
These questions were answered when I first came across Equilibria — a women-founded CBD company that offers CBD products with which your personal Dosage Specialist helps tailor a routine based on a variety of needs, experience levels, concerns, and more. No matter what you’re looking to do with your CBD consumption, Equilibria not only has a product for you — but they also have a team of women ready to help you ensure success, perfect your dosage, and customize your routine. We LOVE to see women supporting women — in business, in life, and in our health goals too.
All that being said, I was so excited to embark on my own CBD journey. I set out to fully integrate CBD into my wellness routine for a few weeks, using Equilibria’s Brilliance Box.
My New Routine
The best part of Equilibria is that all of their routines and plans are fully customizable — which makes sense. Women’s bodies, emotions, needs, and goals are all different — so why should our dosages all be the same? The secret to a successful CBD routine is finding a plan and dosage that works with YOUR body and YOUR goals — something that Equilibria takes very seriously.
Equilibria offers three main products: daily softgels, daily drops, and pain relief cream. The daily softgels build upon themselves to create lasting effects — taking them consistently every day will help reduce your symptoms over time. The daily drops, however, are better for a more immediate result — if you’re feeling a moment of stress, pain, or anxiety, the drops work quickly to provide fast-acting relief (The difference? The drops are taken under the tongue and therefore don’t have to go through your digestive system — meaning the CBD goes straight into your bloodstream.) The two work together to create a sustainable yet fast-acting combination. The third item is the Relief Cream, a topical cream that you can rub on aches, pains, and cramps.
All that being said, EQ offers three different starter boxes to help you get on the right track. The first, the Beginner Box, features a 15-day supply of both daily products. The second box, the Balance Box, features a 30-day supply of each; and the third, the Brilliance Box, features the 30-day supply AND the Relief Cream.
Like I said, I used the Brilliance Box. The recommended starting point is to take one softgel in the morning, one dropper in the evening, and the relief cream as needed. I was nervous to get started, but jumped right in!
Why Equilibria?
The best part of Equilibria (and the reason I was able to feel comfortable jumping in) is that upon purchase, you’re matched with a Dosage Specialist — meaning you have an actual, real CBD educator to talk about your goals with. I was able to chat with mine (Hi, Maia!) about what I hoped to gain from the experience. She advised that I begin with the recommended dose for my anxiety, then we could regroup after five days. She assured me that it wouldn’t be too much — the recommended dose is merely a starting point. It’s impossible to get a high from a daily, regular CBD practice — so I was able to take my first few doses with nothing to lose (except stress and anxiety!)
Every woman’s body is different — so it means a lot to me that a company I’m trusting with my health and wellness understands and respects that by allowing me to feel seen and heard in regards to my own goals.
How It Went
So let me back up. As I told you, I was interested in CBD as a remedy for my stress, anxiety, and a few sleep problems. I’ve had anxiety since college, and I take a daily anti-anxiety medication. Additionally, I often have trouble falling and staying asleep at night — I am (of course) guilty of watching an episode of Netflix too many on occasion, but I also tend to wake up in a panic and lay awake for awhile. I run social media here at The Everygirl, so my job is 24/7 (social media never sleeps, so sometimes I don’t either!) — which leads to me struggling to turn my brain off. These were the issues I was excited to combat with CBD.
I’ll be honest — I was hooked right from the beginning. The daily dropper provides a near-instant dose of stress relief for day-to-day anxieties, and I definitely felt that the PMS I experienced was less extreme than usual (I’m usually incapacitated by my pre-period cramps — but I wasn’t this month!). I was, however, REALLY nervous to take a dropper too close to bedtime. I had heard (wrongfully) that CBD can cause extreme nightmares, so I was afraid it would mess with my sleep cycle.
After taking a pill in the morning and a dropper in the afternoon (and the cream as needed) for a few days, I scheduled another conversation with Maia so we could talk about my fears. What was supposed to be a quick consultation ended up as a 29-minute phone call — Maia is SO knowledgeable and gave me factual, scientific answers and results in response to all my questions and fears. She assured me that CBD could cause me to remember my dreams more (because of the deeper sleep!), but that it wouldn’t cause nightmares or any other scary side effects. She also recommended that I add a softgel to my evening routine to see if that helped me with a consistent sleep schedule.
I am not even remotely scientifically savvy, and Maia explained what CBD is, how it works, what it’s doing inside my body, and why my dosage was being adjusted in layman’s terms — I felt very comfortable asking lots of questions (“What if I have one too many glasses of wine? Can I still take my pre-bed dosage?” Hint: Yes!), and I left the call feeling armed with the power to take control over my anxieties and sleep issues.
Additionally, I’ve been known to carry much of my stress in the right side of my neck — it is constantly tight and sore, but rubbing the relief cream in myself worked wonders! It felt kind of like an instant icy hot patch — and now one of my favorite hobbies is seeing if anyone will rub it in for me.
Brilliance Box
30 day supply + free Personal Dosage specialist
The Verdict
YES, I will continue taking CBD. I love the full routine together, but I’m most excited to continue my use of the daily droppers. My favorite way to take it is in the afternoon with a snack and a coffee — it’s the perfect way to recharge for the rest of the day without feeling jittery or anxious.
If you’re curious but hesitant, Equilibria is the way to go. As much as I believed the research I had read online from other sources, I cannot say enough about the peace I felt after speaking to a real-life expert. There’s nothing quite like the confidence that comes from knowing someone is in your corner — and rooting for your health and success as much as you are.
Now It’s Your Turn!
Want to try it for yourself? Now’s the time! Equilibria is offering 20% off both the Balance Box and the Brilliance Box when you use code “theeverygirl.” No matter what your wellness goals are, CBD can help you get there — and the experts at Equilibria can show you how. I can’t wait to hear how you like it!
This post was in partnership with Equilibria, but all of the opinions within are those of The Everygirl editorial board.
