Introduction to CBD

If you’re new to the world of CBD, welcome. We’re glad you made it here. We’ve personally seen how CBD has worked wonders in our personal lives and continue to hear success stories from our customers each and every day. That is why we put together this CBD beginner guide to help cover the most common questions before deciding to buy CBD. 

What is CBD?

Cannabidiol, or CBD, is one of over 100 naturally occurring cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant, and is among the most thoroughly researched along with THC. Cannabinoids are chemical compounds that naturally occur in the human body. When CBD interacts with our endocannabinoid system, it triggers various physiological actions that help regulate your appetite, pain sensation, mood and memory. To read more about how CBD works, as well as how FJÖRD CBD is produced, see our FAQ.

What is THC?

Often misunderstood by people new to CBD. THC, short for tetrahydrocannabinol, is a component from the cannabis plant just like CBD. THC is known to cause a psychoactive effect, or high effect when consumed. What people often get wrong is that CBD is based on the hemp plant, and not the marijuana plant which causes the high effect. If you want to read more about the difference between hemp & marijuana, read this blog post

Effects of CBD

The important thing to note is that CBD affects many of the body’s functions by interacting with processes in our central nervous system. The central nervous system regulates many of our internal processes, for example ensuring our organs function optimally, and that signals flow freely from the brain to the body and vice-versa. It’s due to the encompassing influence of the nervous system that CBD has been reported to affect such a wide array of well-being indicators such as: 

• Sleep
• Alleviating pain
• Mood
• Focus
• Energy levels

Other effects of CBD reported by users and tentatively confirmed in recent studies include:

1. Anti-Stress
2. Anti-Anxiety
3. Anti-Inflammation
4. Anti-Oxidants

Which CBD product do I choose?

As mentioned before, CBD is extracted from the hemp plant, which is one many cannabinoids in the found in the cannabis plant. Depending on the type of extraction, CBD can have three diferent outcomes:

1. Full Spectrum – Considered a whole plant extract, and contains a variety of cannabinoids including CBD and small amounts of THC, less that 0.2%THC which is under the legal limit in EU. It also contains terpenes and other essential oils as found in the hemp plant. If you’re interested in the full potential of the CBD product, full-spectrum may be the best choice for you. Shop full-spectrum CBD oils here
2. Broad Spectrum – The same as a full spectrum product but without any detectable THC, which is under 0.0%. Especially useful for athletes and active individuals who are drug tested under the regulation of WADA. 
   Shop broad-spectrum CBD oils here
3. CBD Isolate – CBD isolate is a crystalline solid or powder comprising pure CBD. It is different from full-spectrum and broad-spectrum CBD products. It only contains CBD and not the rest of the beneficial cannabinoids and THC. It comes as a white powder and is commonly found in CBD vape liquid.

Is CBD legal in Europe ?

Yes, CBD products are sold legally in most European union under the the following  requirments: Each CBD product must contain less than 0.2% of THC. If you are in doubt, check the seller’s third-party lab report to ensure the THC level is under the legal limit. Too check if CBD is legal in your country, click here.

How do i know my CBD is safe ?

The CBD market can be a jungle. As the CBD has boomed in popularity, a lot of companies have entered the market in recent years. A recent Danish survey, found that many products on the European market either contain more THC than they promise, making them illegal, or less CBD than advertised in their Lab reports. When shopping for CBD products, it is therefor vital to have access to Lab reports, ensuring you have 100% control of what you ship to your home and put in your body.

Different Ways to Take CBD?

Now that you have gained a better understanding of CBD, it’s time to learn about the many different ways you can take it. CBD is available in many different forms, which allows individuals to find a method to best fit their personal needs. After the positive health effects of the compound have started to spread in public awareness, CBD has exploded in popularity. Following are the most common forms of CBD:

• Oils
• Balms
• Capsules
• Edibles

The way you take CBD ultimately comes down to your personal preference and the reasons why you’re taking it in the first place. For beginners we recommend starting your CBD journey with CBD oils since, it’s the easiest way to administer an accurate dosage. 

What is the right CBD dosage?

CBD oil is the best known and most ‘easy-to-apply’ type of CBD product. There are many different types CBD oils with different aromas and concentrations. FJÖRÐ, offers CBD oils that contain either 5% or 10% CBD concentrations with the following flavours:

• Strawberry 
• Orange 
• Natural 

For beginners, we recommend start by using 2 x drops of 5% or 1 x drop of 10% CBD oil in the morning and at night. If you want to increase the amount later on, you can simply add the amount of drops. However, high amounts are not always going to get you a better result.

*Note: When calculating CBD drops, the following formula is used: 2 drops of 5% CBD oil = 1 drop of 10% CBD oil*

There are many variables to consider when deciding what’s the right dosage for you. These include:

• + Body Weight
• + Desired effect
• + Individual body chemistry
• + Concentration and CBD product

Therefor, we recommend to start with a small amount, and see how your body responds, and if necessary, increase your drops.

How do I take CBD oil?

CBD oils can be taken in a variety of ways and FJÖRD does not recommend any method over the other. This is only a review on current literature on the subject. Our product is meant as a topical-product but users usually suggest three ways of taking their CBD oil:

• Sublingual (Under the tongue)
• Orally (Swallowing directly) 
• Applied directly to the skin.Of these, the most normal method to take CBD is sublingual, dropping small drops of oil under the tongue as the oil is absorbed faster this way.

Can you take too much CBD?

Multiple studies have shown that even at extreme doses the human body has a great tolerance for CBD. Studies in 2011 and 2017 on side effects of CBD in low-to-extreme doses confirmed the safety of the compound with no major side effects reported. 

A 2019 study did raise some concern on the potential for CBD to affect the liver, but it should be noted the doses involved in this trial was over 1.000 times the recommended dose. 

CBD has been shown to have possible negative interaction when taken in combination with some medicines, so consult your doctor if you are considering using CBD along with other medication. 

Conclusion

Studies have shown CBD to have a plethora of effects everyone can benefit from, physically and mentally. There are many forms of CBD available, but it is recommended beginners start out with an easy-to-administer oil, creme or capsules. Make sure the product you buy has been tested by independent laboratories to ensure what you buy is legal (below 0.2% thc) and contains the promised amount of CBD

There is no one-size-fits-all recommendation to how much CBD you should be using. Due to the variation in effects and their strengths people experience when using CBD, experts recommend you find your own dosage by adjusting until you are happy with the results.

Final words

Thank you for reading. We really hope that we could give you an understandable introduction to the world of CBD. And if you’ve benefited from CBD guide by any means, we encourage you to share your story in the comment section below.