This post is in collaboration with Verdant.
To save 10% on your Verdant purchase, use code WHOLEHEARTED.
My experience with anxiety and depression has long been an undercurrent of my blog – I originally started experimenting with capsule wardrobing and slow fashion as a means of getting a little more control over my life; I wanted fewer decisions to make when it came to getting dressed, a more organized home, room to breathe.
Those of you who have been following my blog since the beginning know I used to write a lot more about that experience than I do these days, and that’s because through a combination of medical care (therapy and medication) and lifestyle changes (slower living, natural wellness and yoga) I’ve been able to better manage my illness.
One of the wellness products that has made a tremendous difference for me is CBD, which I’d like to share a bit more about today. Please bear in mind that I do not have a medical background, so I’m simply speaking from my own experience.
What is CBD, Anyway?
CBD is ridiculously trendy right now – you’re probably seeing it everywhere. CBD lotion. CBD lattes. CBD candy. CBD lipgloss. You get the idea.
CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of 120 compounds called “cannabinoids” found in cannabis. While CBD is present in marijuana, it does not cause psychoactive reactions (that’s the THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol). CBD is commonly used to treat conditions such as epilepsy, anxiety, insomnia and chronic pain. All 50 U.S. states have laws legalizing CBD to various degrees.
Tinctures (liquid that is taken under the tongue) and lotions are the most common forms you’ll find CBD in.
Hi, Verdant!
I had been using one CBD tincture product when I had the opportunity to give Verdant a try.
Verdant intrigued me from the second their email landed in my inbox. First of all, one of the founders, Kara (hi Kara!), wrote me the nicest email. And I was having a really bad day when I got it, so Verdant was already making me feel better – ha! It’s always the best feeling when someone emails you to say hello (surprisingly, I get a lot of ‘just saying hi’ emails! You can always get in touch with me at kellie[at]wholeheartedwardrobe.com) or to introduce a product, and they’ve actually read some of your writing and gotten to know you a bit.
This attention to detail is especially important for a wellness product, though. The team at Verdant is friendly, incredibly knowledgeable and are the kind of people you can trust for a product like this. I considered myself to be pretty well-informed about CBD, but I have learned so much from them.
Verdant [adj.]: From the Old French “verdoier”, meaning green, lush, luxuriant, covered in a healthy, growing green; implying an ongoing, rich wellness.
The founders of Verdant – Kara, Kirk and Travis – are siblings who grew up on a 150 year old organic farm. They were working in food, retail and consumer goods at Fortune 500 companies when they began searching for solutions to some family medical issues. They discovered CBD’s meaningful benefits, but they also uncovered the CBD industry’s alarming (and at times dishonest) ingredients and production methods. Because CBD is not highly regulated, it has been called a “wild west” industry – filled with bad ingredients, poor processes, and mislabeling – approximately 70% of CBD products in the market either under- or over-labeled. Yikes.
Additionally, the hemp CBD extraction and purification process is crucial in the product you choose. Most processes rely on methods that can retain THC levels, while diminishing beneficial compounds. I had no idea that CBD on the market could still contain THC.
Verdant is doing things differently. They focus on Fortune 500 standards (science, safety, consistency), technological innovation (THC removal and blockchain verification) and organic farm values (quality, transparency, authenticity) for a CBD product that I feel really confident about.
I tried the standard concentration, which contains 13 milligrams of CBD oil per 1 milliliter serving. Verdant specifically includes the level of CBD in each bottle. That often means their products actually have higher CBD levels than those claiming the same, but are actually referring to the whole ‘Hemp Extract.’
Verdant grows their hemp with organic farmers in Colorado and uses a proprietary and gentle hemp CBD extraction and purification method. Their method preserves the full plant profile, retaining all of the beneficial elements: CBD, plus the numerous naturally occurring cannabinoids, flavonoids and terpenes, while removing impurities: chlorophyll (which produces a bitter taste), wax and THC.
The end result contains no solvents, no heavy metals, no pesticides and 0.0% THC. They are so meticulous in their process that they require three customer-available third-party tests to ensure ingredient purity and potency. They also use industry-first blockchain verification system to further prove ingredient confidence.
Admittedly I had to learn more about blockchain when writing this because I did not understand it.
Fun fact: Verdant has never received an FDA warning letter, unlike many other CBD producers.
Okay, that’s a lot of information. Let’s chat about my experience with Verdant, and how I use CBD in my routine.
When my Verdant arrived, I was happy to see it ships plastic-free and that they are a member of the 10 Percent Project. In order to be a member, Verdant donates 10% of their annual net profits to charitable organizations and must demonstrate active support in their community.
I take a low dose of an anxiety and depression medication, and I firmly believe CBD has helped me to keep my reliance on that medication low. That’s important to me, because the medication I take can become addictive (again, this is my personal experience – always, always take the medication dosage you and your doctor discuss and agree upon).
I take CBD in the morning on days that I know will be particularly stressful, or in evenings when I have trouble sleeping. I have always primarily used a tincture, which is the format Verdant comes in. I fill the dropper and take it under my tongue, holding it there for about a minute, and swallow. I actually recently also added a CBD balm to my routine, for my shoulder. Anyway.
I noticed that Verdant has a much milder taste compared to the CBD product I used previously. Both use coconut oil as the carrier oil, but the other brand had a very strong coconut oil taste, which I didn’t really care for. Verdant is really lovely!
Something else I love about Verdant, which is not as important as all of the above (but is also important to me), is how absolutely beautiful their packaging is. I’m a sucker for aesthetics. I feel like some CBD products look a little…hokey. Verdant is packaged in beautiful frosted amber glass bottles that limit UV rays and protect the product. It looks upscale, expensive (but it isn’t even!), and just, well – pretty!
Hi, pretty.
But the ultimate question – does it work?
YES. I am thrilled with this product so far. In addition to being more pleasant to take than my prior CBD oil, it is effective. I’ve really been so excited to write this post and tell you about it, because I’ve had such a wonderful experience with this product.
I’ve noticed that I fall asleep more easily when I take it in the evening, and that I feel less anxious during the day when I take it in the morning, compared to the other product I used. Also, and I’m not sure how to explain this perfectly, but when I’m really anxious I feel hyper-aware of everything around me, almost like sensory overload but not quite as severe. It’s exhausting. Verdant helps me feel more like, well, me.
I was gifted this, but I am already certain that I’ll buy it again, and probably in the select concentration since I now have a good deal of experience with CBD products. With so much confidence in this product, I see no reason to shop with any other company.
Thanks for chatting CBD with me! To learn more about Verdant, visit their website or follow them on Instagram!
And again, if you want to give Verdant a try, you can save 10% with code WHOLEHEARTED.
Do you use CBD? What has been your experience with it?
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