Best Way to Use CBD Oil - 16+ Uses for Health, Skincare & More

CBD—what started off as a little-known plant extract has become a wellness superstar. Studies and personal experiences continue to unveil new potential uses for CBD, from preventative health to skincare and pain management. 

While CBD has been used for many years to fight inflammation, alleviate pain, and improve the skin’s appearance, recent research proves that CBD has even more superpowers including treating multiple health conditions that you might not realize. 

To appreciate why its benefits and potential usage is so versatile, it’s important to understand that CBD interacts with neuro receptors in the body’s endocannabinoid system, sending signals between your cells to help regulate your mood, immune system, and pain perception to name a few. Its job is to maintain homeostasis in the body. 

To help you use CBD to maximum effect, below we list 16+ ways to incorporate this all-natural, plant-based oil into your everyday routine. 

CBD Uses - Regulating Mood and Mindset

1. Minimize Anxiety

Various studies estimate that over half of U.S. adults who use CBD do so to help cope with anxiety. When the endocannabinoid receptors in the central nervous system bind with CBD, your body naturally experiences a decrease in stress and anxiety. There are many positive aspects to using CBD to treat anxiety, with the most important being that it is effective with minimal risk of serious side effects. It is nearly impossible to overuse and is easy to obtain. 

There are many upsides to using CBD for anxiety, but it may not be for everyone. To learn how it compares to other common treatments, read CBD vs. Xanax - How They Compare.

2. Relax Your Mind Before Bedtime

Another common use for CBD is to assist in relaxing the mind and body before bedtime and attaining good quality sleep. An upside of using CBD is that it can safely be combined with other common sleep aids, as we explore in CBD vs. Melatonin for Sleep. In fact, Botanika Life even combines the two (alongside magnesium and GABA) in our best-selling Serentika CBD Sleep Spray.

3. Reduce PTSD Symptoms

As noted by this study, research supports the idea that CBD can help alleviate PTSD symptoms. Incorporating CBD into your daily routine can assist in extinguishing traumatic memories, reducing anxiety, and decreasing stress which are all symptoms of PTSD. 

 

CBD Uses - Pain Relief

4. Full-Body Pain Relief 

CBD offers a range of potential benefits including relief from pain and inflammation. Full-body pain can be decreased with CBD use due to its natural anti-inflammatory properties, along with the interaction CBD has with the body’s endocannabinoid, or ECS, system. Through interacting with receptors in the ECS system, pain perception is modulated helping to regulate uncomfortable symptoms. CBD also influences serotonin receptors, which are involved in pain modulation and mood regulation.

5. Targeted Pain Relief

Some might say that pain relief is one of the best uses of CBD oil because of its effectiveness and the extremely minor likelihood of side effects. Using CBD to target pain in the joints and other areas of the body can be done with topical application to ease those aches and pains. 

In topical use, CBD is absorbed through the skin to deliver targeted benefits. What’s more, CBD can be used alongside other ingredients used for concentrated pain relief, including lidocaine, menthol, and arnica. The more rapidly acting ingredients can instantly alleviate pain, while the slower-to-act CBD can provide longer relief.

Examples of common ways to use CBD for targeted pain relief include:

• Bursitis-related hip pain
• Lower back pain, both inflammatory and mechanical
• Restless leg syndrome 
• Knee pain
• Sore necks and shoulders
• Tennis elbow
• Period cramps

6. Relaxes muscles to release tension and help prevent injury

In addition to relieving pain, CBD is also used pre-and post-workouts to help relax muscles, release tension, and help prevent injury. To learn more about this specific CBD use, check out Have Muscle Tightness or Spasms? Why CBD is an Effective Muscle Relaxant. 

Pain Topical -

CBD Uses – Skincare

7. Counteract Wrinkles & the Appearance of Aging

Popular for its anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties, CBD restores elasticity to the skin’s surface while reducing fine lines, and wrinkles. By counteracting damage from pollution and free radicals, along with reducing the look of inflammation, CBD oil visibly diminishes the signs of aging, like wrinkles. 

8. Prevents Acne 

Acne is caused by our body's overproduction of sebum, a natural body oil produced by the skin's glands. While sebum keeps the skin moisturized, it can also cause clogging in your pores, causing acne breakouts. CBD helps to regulate the production of sebum oil, thus reducing clogged pores and preventing acne breakouts. This is because it has properties that can mitigate oxidative stress on your skin.

9. Even Your Skin Complexion

The natural antioxidant properties in CBD make it a popular choice for evening out your skin’s complexion. CBD naturally nourishes your skin's cells while lessening redness, dullness, and reducing inflammation. Full-spectrum CBD oil helps with itching, redness, and swelling, making it ideal for people dealing with dry skin, eczema, and psoriasis.

10. Protect Skin from Free Radical Damage

One of the many amazing benefits of CBD is that it minimizes free radicals and oxidative stress. Damage from external stressors happens when unstable molecules called free radicals overload the body and you don’t have enough antioxidants to get rid of them. The harm caused to the skin by free radicals can not only create cellular damage but can also lead to aging and various illnesses.  

 

CBD Uses - Health & Wellness

11. Keeping Inflammation In-Check

If you want to improve your health and wellness, look no further than CBD. With natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich properties, it not only assists the body in keeping inflammation in check but also helps with the discomfort associated with it. 

CBD has been shown to regulate both acute and chronic inflammation by preventing the production of cytokines and interleukins, which are the proteins that cause your immune system to set off inflammatory responses. The result of CBD’s interaction in your system can lead to numerous therapeutic benefits for those suffering from inflammation.

Intrigued? Check out our article, Whole-Body Inflammation.

12. Aids in Digestion 

CBD is also great for digestive health because its cortisol-lowering benefits help to prevent leaky gut and intestinal permeability. These health issues not only lead to additional problems in your gut but also increase the likelihood of various diseases. Managing cortisol levels is one of the most important aspects of a well-functioning digestive system, and CBD aids in this process.

Want to learn more about the use of CBD? Read our guide to CBD and stomach aches.

13. Assist with Seizure Treatments

When it comes to treating seizures, it’s important to work with a neurologist on a treatment plan and not add CBD to your protocol without your doctor’s approval. However, studies have shown that CBD acts on receptors in the brain, decreasing the release of calcium into cells, causing a decline in excitatory currents which lead to seizure activity. Specifically for epilepsy, CBD displays similar effectiveness to other anti-epileptic medications.

Keep in mind that everyone is different, and each type of seizure also varies. For some patients, using CBD in addition to other treatment methods can lead to noticeably better seizure control. Other patients have a reduction in seizure frequency, while others have no improvement at all. Some types of seizure medications can have negative reactions if combined with CBD, so it is important to consult with a doctor. 

Want to learn more? We recommend this article from John Hopkins University.

14. Lessen Drug Cravings & Withdrawal Symptoms

As highlighted by the Recovery Research Institute, CBD may help relieve common symptoms people experience during withdrawal from alcohol or substance use such as anxiety, depression, and mood swings. Additional withdrawal-related issues such as insomnia, feeling nauseous, and pain are all issues CBD may help alleviate. CBD is also believed to effectively reduce drug cravings and may weaken desires associated with substance abuse triggers. 

15. Assist With Diabetes Treatment 

Researcher shows that CBD can have significant benefits when used in patients with diabetes, assisting with diabetic complications, and decreasing plaque buildup on artery walls. Lifestyle changes and medication can generally help stabilize blood sugar levels. CBD oil can also be used to limit the effects of high glucose for those struggling with diabetes.  

For more information, visit this Healthline article. 

16. Schizophrenia Symptom Reduction

Emerging research concludes that CBD may reduce symptoms of schizophrenia, although it should not be used as an alternative to medical treatment. CBD works by regulating the endocannabinoid system which plays a role in the modulation of neurotransmitters, metabolism, and inflammation. The effects of CBD can cause a systematic reduction of Schizophrenic symptoms. However, this should only be done in adherence to a specialist's guidance and care. Click here to read more.

Why Use CBD From Botanika Life

Combining organically grown ingredients with full-spectrum CBD and other natural elements, the CBD collection from Botanika Life is like no other. 

Botanika Life is well renowned for products that contain safe and organically grown ingredients, allowing you to feel confident that you are treating your various health and skin issues without the use of synthetic chemicals, pesticides, and fertilizers. You can feel rest assured knowing exactly what you are putting in your body and on your skin. All Botanika Life products are third-party lab tested to validate that you are getting the quality you paid for. 

  

By Emily Wegener

With a unique background as an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Masters Degree in Teaching and experience in Psychology, Emily spends much of her time researching and trying out new holistic healing modalities.