Cannabidiol (CBD) has been gaining mainstream popularity over the last few years due to its organic therapeutic properties. While there are many high-quality brands of CBD oil currently on the market, many have taken an interest in developing these tinctures themselves.   Making CBD oil at home isn't as difficult as you may think. Throughout this blog, we're going to give you two of the most popular (and easiest ways) to develop your own tinctures at home.   How Does CBD Oil Work? Before you make CBD oil, it's important to understand how it works within the brain and body. CBD is just one of over 100 active cannabinoids found within the cannabis plant. Each cannabinoid has been found to provide their own health benefits - though, it's important to note that more research is required to truly understand this impact.   As of now, researchers have found that CBD oil may help with the following ailments:   Anxiety Cancer cell inhibition Depression Insomnia Muscle spasms Neurodegenerative disorders Pain management Psychosis Seizures   The reason CBD has such versatility when it comes to treating ailments is due to its connection with our endocannabinoid system (ECS). Our ECS is responsible for a number of different body and mind regulations, including:   Appetite Cardiovascular function Digestion Immune function Learning Memory Metabolism Mood Reproduction Sleep   Beyond this, the ECS is also responsible for responding to illnesses that enter the body. CBD has the ability to regulate our endocannabinoid system. When consumed, CBD indirectly balances our ECS back to normal levels. This is why it has so many different therapeutic benefits.   How to Make CBD Oil With an understanding of how CBD works within our bodies, talking about how to make CBD oil will become more clear. Keep in mind, many companies are developing different formulas for their tinctures using all-natural alternatives. The purpose of this is to directly impact certain ailments. For example, people looking to treat anxiety with CBD may also incorporate chamomile or ashwagandha.     The Oil Method The "Oil Method" is by far the safest way to extract CBD oil. All you need is a carrier oil - some popular choices are coconut and olive oil. By using this method, you can safely assure your final product will not have unwanted residues.   It's important to note, the quality of your CBD oil is highly determined by the cannabis you use. It's best to find a high-quality strain from a reputable supplier in order to make the most out of your DIY CBD oil experiments.   Here is a step-by-step guide for developing a tincture through the "Oil Method."   Choose which cannabis you'd like to use and pick out the buds, leaves, and stems. To ensure quality, you'll want to make sure your cannabis has gone through a decarboxylation process. If you're unsure how to do this, simply bake your buds and leaves at a temperature of 220°F for 90 to 100 minutes. This process will activate the beneficial chemicals within the plant.   Take your decarboxylated cannabis and grind it up. From there, you'll want to place it in a mason jar with your carrier oil. This is where you have the freedom to adjust the quantity of the oil in comparison to the cannabis. For stronger CBD oils, you'll want less of your carrier oil and for less potent CBD oils, you'll want more.   Once your mixture is finely mixed, you'll need to bring it to a boil. Make sure the lid of the mason jar is screwed securely so no steam or water makes its way into your mixture. To boil the mixture, you'll want to place a towel at the bottom of the pan with the mason jar on top. From there, you'll want to fill the pan with water. Once the water reaches 200°F (make sure you use a thermometer), you're in the clear.   Keep an eye on the pan, you don't want the water to evaporate. Once your oil mixture has simmered for three hours, turn off the stove and let it sit for another three hours.   Once you've completed this step, many recommend letting the oil mixture heat again for another three hours. From there, you'll want to let it sit overnight.   The following morning, your CBD oil will be ready for consumption. All you need to do is strain the oil mixture through a cheesecloth and place it in a cool, dark, and dry place.   The Alcohol Method Sometimes referred to as the "Ethonal Method," the "Alcohol Method" is just as easy as the "Oil Method" and just as safe. The following is a step-by-step guide on making your tinctures through this method.   Taking your ground cannabis and place it into a ceramic or glass bowl. Mix this with alcohol and stir for around 6 minutes. This will produce resin which you can extract with a wooden spoon.   Grab yourself a straining bag/sieve to filter out the solvent from the bowl. You'll want to make sure you squeeze as much of this extract out as possible.   Using a double boiler, you'll want to pour the extracted oil and heat it. Once bubbles start to arise, you'll want to let it simmer for about thirty minutes (make sure to use a very low flame). This process allows the alcohol to evaporate.   Once the alcohol is evaporated, mix the remaining oil and turn off the flame. You'll then want to let your mixture cool down.   From there, you can take this extract and store it into a bottle with a sealed lid in a cool, dark, and dry place.     Homemade CBD oil is slowly gaining popularity as people are starting to realize how easy it is and how much more affordable it is in comparison to buying CBD products. It makes take some trial and error before you effectively master your tincture, but once you do, you'll have knowledge that can last a lifetime.   Remember, it's vital for you to only find high-quality cannabis - either marijuana or hemp - to make your CBD oil. The quality of cannabis highly determines the quality of your final product. With that said, you may want to learn how to grow your own hemp in order to optimize specific strains. But that's a whole other process you'd have to look into.   We wish you the best of luck in developing your CBD oil and hope you too find the therapeutic benefits that have already come to help so many!

It’s only natural for you to want the best for your pet’s health and wellbeing. This is why cannabidiol (CBD) is gaining so much popularity amongst pet owners.   Beyond their overall physical and mental health, pets also face the problem of unexpected illnesses - most of which come with aging. Though various prescription medications are readily available, many of these can lead to serious side effects.   CBD has the power to heal without the cost of any significant side effects. Pet owners who may have found themselves taking the cannabinoid are now seeing it’s magic work on their furry friends.   What Are CBD Pet Products? CBD has an almost identical effect on animals as it does in humans as we both have an endocannabinoid system (ECS). When we intake CBD, it has an indirect effect on our ECS and, in turn, we experience therapeutic benefits.   With that said, CBD pet products are very similar to human CBD products. There are usually only two major differences:   Strength - Since pets generally have less body weight than humans, the strength of CBD they require is also less.   Taste - Some pets might not be so prone to taking CBD oil or other edibles. For this reason, high-quality CBD companies have developed products that taste delicious to pets. Though these can vary, some common ones are bacon for dogs and tuna for cats.     Granted, you can technically give a human CBD product to your pet. However, we don’t recommend this there’s more risk in overdosing your pet with CBD. Though this doesn’t hold any fatal consequences, too much CBD can make your pet ill.     CBD For Dogs As mentioned, our pets hold an ECS which is why CBD has an effect on them. However, each animal’s ECS holds slight differences.   Take dogs for example. Within their cerebellum, they have a higher concentration of cannabinoid receptors type 1 (CB1). This means dogs are more sensitive to cannabinoids that directly affect CB1 receptors, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).   CBD doesn’t directly interact with CB1 receptors which means it’s safe for dogs to consume. However, some CBD products should be avoided as they may contain high levels of THC.    Even though THC may have medical benefits on animals, it’s generally better to avoid products containing a high concentration. It should be noted, only certain states (where marijuana is recreationally legal) will have CBD products that are high in THC.   The majority of CBD products will contain 0.3% or less THC within them. Products with this percentage are labeled as full-spectrum which means they make use of all the cannabinoids found in the hemp plant. If you want to be extra safe about making sure your pup doesn’t consume any THC, your best bet is to purchase a broad-spectrum CBD product (THC is removed) or a CBD isolate (purely CBD and no other cannabinoid).   We recommend full-spectrum to achieve the best results. If you're looking for a safe CBD brand that offers full-spectrum pet CBD products you'll want to consider Honest Paws.     CBD For Cats Cats are similar to dogs in the sense that they have a higher sensitivity to THC. Currently, there is less information about CBD’s effects on cats in comparison to dogs. However, some cat owners have reported that it can help provide some relief for chronic kidney disease (CKD). If your cat has struggled with nausea, inflammation, or a lack of appetite, CBD also holds the potential to help.   Potential Medical Benefits Currently, the Federal Food & Drug Administration (FDA) does not approve CBD for medical purposes in both humans and animals (with the exception of Epidiolex). With that said, there are no claims that CBD can provide you or your pet with any medical benefits.   However, research confirms that there’s a lot of potential health benefits when pets take CBD. In a survey developed by the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association (AHVMA), around 600 pet owners offered a response to how their pets were relieved from CBD’s effects. These included:   Alleviation from skin conditions Worry alleviation Decreased inflammation Decreased muscle spasms Decreased seizures Help with digestive tract issues Minor inhibition from cancerous cell growth Nervous system support Joint relief Prevention from nausea and vomiting Sleep assistance   Some studies have also been reported looking into specific diseases within pets. For example, one conducted by Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine had found that CBD helped alleviate pain in dogs struggle with osteoarthritis. In turn, this helped give them better mobility.   How to Choose the Right CBD Product With a quick Google search, you’re going to find there are a lot of CBD products out there geared towards pet care. These include, but aren’t limited to, CBD oils (tinctures), CBD sprays, CBD dog and cat treats, and CBD topicals.   As a pet owner, it’s in your best interest to purchase only the highest quality products for your pet. With that said, a bit of research on each company can go a long way in assuring you find this quality.   One way to know how reliable a company is is by seeing if they hold a certificate of analysis on their pet products. These are third-party laboratory test results that look into a number of aspects of the CBD, including its potency, its purity, its cannabinoid/terpene/flavonoids count, and whether or not it contains any contaminants, such as pesticides or heavy metals.   If your pet is currently on medication, we highly recommend you consult a veterinarian before dosing them with CBD. Though it’s rare, CBD does have the potential to negatively interact with certain medications. However, in most scenarios, the medication will inhibit the CBD, not giving your pets the full effect. Not to mention, some ingredients in CBD products (especially, those designed for humans) may not be healthy for your pets.   What to Look For When Shopping CBD For Pets When purchasing a pet CBD product, you’re going to want to keep an eye out for the following:   Absorption When CBD is extracted, it’s placed into an oil in order to be easily absorbed. The best oil for this is olive oil as it’s generally healthier and contains no saturated fats. However, another common oil for CBD to be mixed with is coconut oil. Since this oil is saturated fat, it may cause diarrhea and/or high cholesterol levels in pets.   Certificate of Analysis As we mentioned above, a company that is transparent about their certificate of analysis is giving you the opportunity to check out exactly what your pet is about to consume. If you need some guidance on how to read these lab reports, we invite you to check out our article, “How to Read CBD Lab Results.”   Extraction from Hemp It’s important to make sure the CBD you’re purchasing is extracted from hemp and NOT marijuana. Though these plants are similar in appearance, their genetic makeup is extremely different. Marijuana plants have high amounts of THC while hemp plants have high amounts of CBD. Hemp is also legal on a federal level as long as each plant contains less than 0.3% THC. This ensures the products you’re purchasing will not get your pet high. However, in states where marijuana is legal, you may find CBD products extracted from this type of cannabis.   Origin of the Hemp One unique aspect of the hemp plant is it’s extremely absorbent. This means it will accumulate all the elements from the soil it is grown in. This means, if the soil is contaminated, then the product will also hold that contamination. It’s important to assure the product you’re purchasing only uses organically grown hemp that contains no metal toxicities. It’s noteworthy to mention that some human products are dangerous for pets to consume. This is usually because these products contain additional ingredients that are safe in humans, but toxic in animals. Take xylitol as an example. It’s a sugar-free sweetener used in many human foods, but can be extremely dangerous for dogs to consume.   It’s important to also mention that there is a big difference between hemp seed oil and CBD oil. Hemp seed oil does have some therapeutic benefits, such as providing your pet with a healthier coat and skin. However, there is no evidence to suggest that it offers any pain relief. Nor does it have anti-inflammatory properties.     Our CBD Pet Product Recommendations A lot of companies have taken it under their belt to offer CBD pet products alongside their human products. For the sake of our recommendations, we’re going to take a deeper look at companies that keep their focus on pets. Not only are these companies reputable in terms of their product quality but their main efforts are to provide your furry friends with better well-being.   Honest Paws (Our #1 Recommendation)   The core mission of Honest Paws is to put pet health first and they carry this out with their 100% full-spectrum CBD oil. You can purchase their Purity Hemp Oil in three different strengths; 125mg (for animals up to 25lbs), 250mg (for animals between 25 and 50lbs), and 500mg (for animals 50lbs or more). People who’ve used Honest Paws products claim their tinctures have helped pets improve uneasiness, epilepsy, seizures, joint and muscle problems, and fighting pain and inflammation.   LolaHemp  LolaHemp is a unique pet CBD company that has devised a number of products specifically for your pet. They offer special doses for smaller animals and uniquely crafted doses for larger ones. All their products are organic and assured to be pesticide and herbicide-free.   Heelr Heelr puts a focus on helping animals struggling with anxiety and physical issues, such as hip and joint pain. Their products are of some of the highest quality you can find and made completely from organic ingredients. They also make a strong effort to educate people on CBD and how it affects your pet.   King Kanine King Kanine provides customers with all-natural and non-synthetic products - all of which are tested independently by a third-party lab. King Kanine sets their focus on pets through CBD oils, CBD edibles (such as their King Kalm Crunch), and CBD topicals (such as their Calming Balm).   HolistaPet HolistaPet focuses on developing CBD oil for dogs and cats that includes 0% THC. Their products have helped pets fight inflammation, seizures, and other psychotic issues. We highly recommend their CBD pet treats as these are crafted to boost your pet’s immune system, improving on their overall health.  

cbdMD won both CBD categories at the 2020 Product of the Year Awards, America’s largest consumer-voted award for product innovation.   On February 6th, 2020, Product of the Year celebrated the nation’s most innovative products across a wide range of categories.   This year’s ceremony marked the first year CBD categories were added to the prestigious awards. cbdMD swept the only two CBD categories, with CBD PM winning the CBD Sleep Aid award and CBD Freeze winning for CBD Topical.     cbdMD’s CBD Freeze combines superior CBD with menthol in a roll-on applicator to provide immediate cooling relief for sore muscles and joints. The CBD PM formula has 500 mg of hemp-derived CBD, 150 mg of melatonin, and a unique blend of soothing botanicals in a mint-flavored tincture.     “These awards confirm what CBD review sites have said all along, and we’re extremely proud,” said Danielle Crary, Director of Marketing. “Consumer feedback is how we gauge our success at cbdMD. Every product we develop is made with real people and real-life applications in mind. An achievement like Product of the Year tells us that our hard work and focus resonates with consumers.”   A host of other top consumer products received honors alongside cbdMD, including the nation’s most respected health and wellness brands. Among them, Dr. Scholl’s, Alka-Seltzer, Carmex, Vega, Crest, and One-A-Day.   “By sharing such an esteemed stage with these kinds of household names, we’re bringing CBD products into the mainstream,” said Danielle Crary, Director of Marketing  “In doing so, we also provide consumers with a trusted way to integrate CBD into their everyday lives.”   In honor of the awards, cbdMD recently released its Product of the Year Bundle. The bundle includes one 300 mg CBD Freeze roller and one 30 mL CBD PM tincture priced at $59.99 – 20 percent off their regular retail price when purchased separately.