Charlotte’s Web #HempOil - An Honest “Review”

Before we get started with the review I wanted to give you three bits of information I think are important to be upfront about. One: CBD oil comes from the marijuana plant. There’s no getting around that. Hemp oil comes from the hemp plant. Yes, there is a difference. Two: No. It’s NOT legal in all fifty states. Depending on where you live you could find yourself with a nice fine or even risk jail time if you’re caught with it. Do your research. And three: Depending on the mg amount, your water consumption, activity level, AND just your body in general there is a possibility you could pop positive on a drug test. Though the majority of the lower mg products contain less than .3% THC there have been reports of people failing drug tests, and getting in trouble with their employers. So, depending on the state that you live in, and the employment policies your workplace has I’d definitely proceed with caution.

Now, I’m still a little confused as to the whole “CBD Oil” vs. “Hemp Oil” label thing. Their are several companies that originally had their products labeled as CBD Oil, but within the passed year they've switched over to Hemp Extract Oil. If you didn’t know there was a difference between marijuana and hemp here’s a great article that breaks it down for you. When I threw out some questions to the CBD community over on Twitter I was given several different answers. But the majority of them talked about a loophole for companies to be able to sell their products to all fifty states if it was labeled as “hemp”. So, do with that what you will. And little of my background history for you before we dive into the effects: I was officially diagnosed with depression at a young age, and then anxiety a few years ago. I’ve been on medication off and on for a handful of years because for the most part I can manage it on my own. I’m also a huge fan of therapy, and counselling. However, as I’ve gotten older I’ve noticed that I’m not fond of the whole “trial & error” process that comes with needing to find my right dosage, and strength when the time comes for me to start my medication again. So, that’s when I started looking into alternatives. A way to possibly not need medication again if I could keep things in check consistently. This is when CBD (Cannabidiol) oil was mentioned to me by a friend who lives in a state where marijuana is legal. I started looking into the benefits, and then I came across an article over on POPSUGAR that talked about how CBD oil basically "demolished" the author's anxiety so I was intrigued to say the least. But with everything going on in my life at the time I wasn’t sure if this was an option for me. I ended up putting the idea off on the back burner for awhile.

Then, one afternoon back in June, I was told that our local health food store had started to sell CBD oil. It turned out to actually be hemp oil. After a particularly rough day I found myself pulling into their parking lot and walked back out with a bottle of bluebird hemp complete. It tasted like crap, y’all. I mean really awful. But I stuck with it. After two weeks of taking 1-2 dropper fulls a day I realized that this was NOT helping at all. I was having a lot of anxiety, and I was still unable to sleep through the night. So, I stopped taking it. As luck would have it though, the following week a friend of mine gave me a bottle of Charlotte’s Web Everyday Plus in Mint Chocolate that they were no longer using. I thanked them for it, and decided to give the oil another go. And that's what brings us to today! This is not my first time hearing about this brand, but it's the first time I had heard that they offered CBD products. Charlotte’s Web by the Stanley Brothers has several different products that they offer which vary from oils, to capsules, to creams. They even have some items for pets too! And as I mentioned before they are one of the many companies that have recently changed the product name as well as their labels. So even though mine says “Everyday Plus” it’s now called “Hemp Extract Oil Plus”, and that’s what I’ll be addressing it as. They state that their products help maintain:

Support for normal, everyday stresses* 

Healthy recovery from exercise* 

Support a sense of calm for focus*

The Extract Oil Plus in Mint Chocolate tastes pretty good to me. They also offer it in Olive Oil if chocolate isn’t your thing. The oil is smooth, and it’s not bitter or grainy feeling. You can take it on it’s own, in coffee, a smoothie, or a protein shake if you’d like. It comes in a 30 ml or 100 ml size bottle. Depending on the size and strength you get these can cost anywhere between $40-$275. The one I have is in a 30 ml bottle, contains 28 mg of hemp extract per serving, and costs $75. So yes, these do cost a pretty penny. Also, the servings per container says 30, but the recommended dosage is two 1 ml (dropper full) per day. This means that it technically only comes with enough for 15 servings. That's not even enough for thirty days which is a red flag for me. Now, all of that aside, does this product actually work? Well, for me the answer was kind of. I took half a dropper (.5ml) twice a day. During the first week, I started to sleep for longer periods throughout the night. Where once I had been waking up 4+ times a night I was now only waking up once or twice. I also noticed that it helped with muscle soreness. After one pretty strenuous work out I woke up feeling really stiff the next morning. I mean, I was walking around like I had shit my pants or something. I know you know what I’m talking about. It hurt just getting up out of my chair, and walking a few feet to the printer at work. So, on that day I took an extra half dose and my muscles felt so much better by the time I had to hit the track later that afternoon. I was honestly really surprised by that. By week two I could tell that I wasn't feeling so stressed out when it came to little stuff. However, the downside is that by the end of week three my dosage had to be increased. Sometimes my anxiety felt worse if I missed a day too. And if I took my second dose of the day too early I would still have sleep issues. So, I had to start taking it around 9 or 10 pm. The only thing it was still helping me with consistently, regardless of the dosage, was recovery after workouts. And by the fourth week, that was the only benefit I was getting anymore. I continued taking it until I finished the bottle, but I felt like I would have to buy the next level up to get anymore benefits. And with such a high price tag, it just didn’t seem worth it to me at all.

So, overall I would say that this particular product would be great for people who suffer from stress only. And it’s absolutely wonderful for muscle recovery as well so I think athletes would definitely benefit from it. But for those of us who suffer from depression, anxiety, or both I believe this is entirely too weak to do much of anything. Not to mention that it’s really really expensive. After talking to a few people I was told that the Stanley Brothers do produce some great products, but the price tag could have a lot more to do with the name than anything else. Since then, I've sampled a few other products and have found some that I'd like to try in the future. Thankfully, I have a boss who understands why I'm trying to find an alternative so it's not an issue for me work wise. I'm hoping that one day I'll be able to find a healthy balance between exercise, food consumption, and an oil/capsule supplement that will help me stay off of prescription medication for good. And it's not just about disliking medication because I'm totally grateful to have them. They helped me out tremendously during some of my lowest points. It's more about being aware of what I'm putting into my body, how it's affects me long term, and wanting something that will help me get to a place where I can manage my issues on my own full time. Because I want to be in control of my own mind, and I don't want to let my emotions take the lead. That is what I'm ultimately after. 

What about you? Do you suffer from anxiety or any other mental health issues? Have you found something that works for you? Any other thoughts, or research for me to look at in regards to CBD oil? Ever thought about giving CBD oil a try? I'm all ears, and totally open to recommendations. You know how to reach me.

#LOVEBUG - An Honest Probiotic "Review"

Okay, so at the end of August last year I was *sent a box of probiotics by this company called lovebug to try out. Now, when it comes to MY health I'm hardly ever up to speed on supplements. I know, I know. I always forget to take my vitamins, and I usually put off doctor visits to the very last minute. My idea of research is usually to send a text to my sister-in-law asking "Hey, will this kill me?" or "So, do the ingredients in this look sketchy?" If she says "You're good to go." I proceed. If she says "Yea...maybe you shouldn't...some of those ingredients I've never even heard of." Well, I still give it a go if it's a fitness supplement (because fatburners aren't technically good for you anyway), but if it's anything else I put it back. This box was no different. And guess what, y'all? I was given the green light.

First let me just give you a brief overview of what probiotics do for you. There are a lot of people out there that suffer from digestive issues. You know, that cramping pain, or frequent constipation? And other times it seems like you get sick basically every month, or maybe start to have persistent headaches that feel like they came out of nowhere. Sometimes the problem is as simple as you having had one too many tacos. Or maybe you just aren't eating that well overall and it's catching up to you? However, it can also be the cause of a bacteria imbalance in your gut. Weird right? We have over 100 trillion bacteria in our bodies. Both the good kind, and the bad ones. And having too much of the bad bacteria can send your immunity system down the drain, and cause you lot of discomfort. So, a probiotic is taken to introduce good bacteria back into your gut which then makes you feel a hell of a lot better. If you want to get more information on the scientific side there are a lot of articles that lovebug publishes, and even doing a simple Google search will bring up a lot of information for you to peruse through at your convenience. 

Now, I know you're probably thinking "What's the difference between this probiotic compared to lets say any other probiotic that you'd find at your local Wal-Mart or Target?" Right? Well, the three major differences that lovebug claim to offer are that they're pills are 15x more effective, consist of a blend of bacteria strains rather than just a single strain, and they don't include any unnecessary ingredients. So basically, what they're saying is that their pills will make it all the way down into your gut despite all of the stomach acids it will have to travel through. They call this "BIO-tract technology".  And they're going to be delivering several strains that total to 3 billion good bacteria in a single dose (one pill). AND they aren't going to throw anything else into the mix. They are gluten-free, non-gmo, and they don't add unnecessary additives. They offer four adult probiotic supplements, two of those specifically for women, and then four others that are for children (by age group). When you order through their website you get to choose the number of bottles you would like to have delivered each month, and shipping is on them. Prices vary depending on which product you choose. However, if a subscription isn't your thing (or maybe you just aren't into long term commitments) then they also offer their products over on Amazon that gives you a "one time purchase" option. They don't hike up the prices either. All of these probiotics range between $26-$32 bucks in both buying options for a one month supply.  

Finally lets talk about what I actually thought about them. I tried all of these supplements over the course of five months. I'm bad at this remember? I'll start by saying that I really loved the packaging. As you can see they came in bright blue, glass, bottles. All of the ingredients, and directions were listed on the back. The size of these pills weren't what I would normally call "horse pills", BUT I did have a little trouble there at first. Once I got that down, everything was smooth sailing. After the first two weeks I was able to notice some subtle differences. I started with  "Here's The Skinny", followed it up with "Yeast is a Beast", and finished up with "Colds Suck". Now, all of these helped keep my digestive system, ahem, on track. Every morning. However, after the first week of being on "Yeast is a Beast" there was something a little unusual (for me) happening. If you're a guy reading this, skip ahead, or don't. Your choice. Now, vaginal discharge is just a part of a woman's body. Unless it's a pretty weird color, accompanied by itching/burning, and has a nasty odor there isn't much to worry about. I noticed after taking "Yeast is a Beast" that mine became really stringy. This kind of discharge can be normal during your menstrual cycle, ovulation, or during pregnancy. And I had actually experienced this before, however, while taking this probiotic mine was extra stringy the entire time. Once I stopped it went back to normal. Again, it wasn't a huge deal, but it was a difference that I noticed. "Colds Suck" was taken all through the month of December. With the flu going around, and being worse than ever, I didn't want to chance it. Whether it worked or not, all I can say is that I didn't get sick. Even when people in my workplace were dropping like flies. That alone made me feel like taking this probably helped. 

So, overall I found these to be pretty great. You guys know that I wouldn't recommend anything that I didn't feel was worth trying. I'm also going to be completely honest about anything that I get, or try out. Whether I paid for it myself, or it was sent to me for a review. That said, as all of you know, financially things have been pretty tight for me. So, I budget everything, and these didn't make the cut. They are definitely on the pricier side. Instead I opted for daily vitamins, and I take them when I remember to. But in all honesty, if I could afford to buy these again, I totally would. I really want to look into getting some for my daughter sometime in the future too. Now, if you can afford to get them, or if you just want to try out probiotics for the first time then I definitely recommend lovebug. I feel like they'd be a great introduction to probiotics for the family. Do any of you take health supplements that you feel helped out a lot? Do you know of any other companies out there that offer some of the same benefits at a lower cost? Has anyone come across any research concerning "cons" in regards to taking a probiotic? I really don't think there would be any, but you never know, right? If you have any questions, because I'm sure I probably left something out, let me know below.

*I was sent three bottles in exchange for an honest review. I was not obligated to make future purchases, or endorse them. All opinions in this post are my own. 

#LOLA - An Honest Product "Review"

I'm not exactly sure if you could call this a review, and this is my first attempt at something like this. I think. So please just bare with me. Okay, so I'm going to be talking about a product that we use when on our periods. You've been warned. This means if you don't want to hear about stuff pertaining to menstruation then I suggest you skip this post. For the rest of us, lets get to it. About two months ago, I got this email saying "Thank you for your subscription! You'll be getting your first LOLA box in the mail soon." And the censored version of my initial reaction goes something like this: "Ummm...What's LOLA? I didn't sign up for this...what the hell...??" Then as soon as I closed out of my inbox to check my bank account, because I was sure that someone had stolen my card number AGAIN, I got a text from my mom that went something like this: "Hey mija! I signed you up for a LOLA subscription. Don't worry, I paid for it. It's organic so it's supposed to be better for your health, and your vagina." Just a little background info for you guys: I gave up on boundaries with my mother a long time ago because she's Hispanic and does what she wants. So, ladies and gents, you can thank my mom for this post.

First, let me give you a little information: LOLA is a brand that offers a monthly subscription of 100% organic tampons (with and without applicators), pads, and liners. This means no dyes, no chemicals, and no toxins. If you want even more technical info than that you should check out their ABOUT page which breaks it down further. They also have a "First Period Kit" for younger girls that explains what their bodies are going through as well as an assortment of products for them to use, and how to use them. I felt like this was actually really cool, and seeing as how I'm raising a girl I could see how this product could be used as a tool for when the time came. Now, when I opened the box I immediately thought that the packaging was very simple, and clean which I really liked. What I also thought was interesting about this brand is that they allow you to mix and match. You basically have the ability to customize what comes in your box. For instance, if you get tampons and you know your flow is on the lighter side you can get a mix of lights, and regulars. If you're like me, laughing at the thought of light tampons because you've given birth before so those will just disappear up in there, then you can mix it up with the regular, super, and super plus options. You also get to choose the quantity for each of them. To me, that's pretty awesome. I mean, when I buy a box of tampons at the store I'm basically paying for tampons that I'll never use because they have a set quantity in each box. I think that's a waste of my money since they normally end up in the trash. I'm cheap, don't judge. Now, this service is a bit on the pricier side. If you get tampons only then you have the option of getting one box for $10, two boxes for $18, or three boxes for $30. If you want to add pads (also customized), that's another $9 a month. And so on, and so forth. You get the gist. For those two products you're looking at a $27 monthly charge. And you're only allowed 3 boxes a month. Sometimes they have promotions, or deals so you can always look into that as a way to save some cash. I know when my mom signed up they were having a deal that gave you an extra box for free on your first order, as well as a discount, and then they always have free shipping. Does that justify the cost in the end? Ehhhhh...maybe? That's really up to you, and your budget though.

Now, on to what I didn't like about them. This is where it gets a little TMI, but what can I say, I like to share. Ever since Jr. High I've been a heavy bleeder. One time I had to take a picture in order to show my gyno what exactly I was dealing with, and the look on her face said it all. If you've ever seen the movie "No Strings Attached" with Natalie Portman there's a scene in this movie when she's on her period, and a costar says, "It's like a crime scene in my pants." That's basically me x10. Only for the second and third day though. I've searched for some answers, and I've been told that regular brands put too many chemicals into our feminine products which can cause us to have heavier, and longer periods. Obviously there are other factors, but apparently shoving a bundle of cotton soaked in chemicals up your vagina doesn't help. So I've tried different brands, different diets/foods, and I even attempted wearing the cups to see if my flow would lighten over time. I've had zero luck. Which means that at night I have to have those extra long pads that feel like diapers. And I run through 4-5 super plus tampons a day, for those two heavy days. So, when these were offered to me I figured "What the hell?" My mom had already paid for them so I might as well give them a shot. Well, it's been two months now of trying these babies out, and I'll just flat out say that the super and super plus tampons sucked. They didn't hold a damn thing for me, and I actually had a leak through my underwear onto the back of one of my skirts that was bad enough to send me home. Now, I've always felt that with any brand out there I could at least rely on their "super plus" size to have my back. But these lasted about an hour before having to be changed. And they felt super uncomfortable coming out. Now the regulars held up like champs. They were comfortable, and lasted about 4 - 6 hours before having to be changed. The pads were pretty good too. I never felt wet, there was never an odor, and I had no leaks. They get an A+ from me on those because I'll definitely use whats left of them, and what I get in my last box next month. Unfortunately, their pros didn't outweigh the cons for me.

So, my overall feeling towards this products is "Eh." I just don't feel like these are a good fit for me. I'd give them an overall B rating because I like the idea that they have, what they're trying to do, and they're fairly new so I think there's room for improvement on their product line down the road. However, I'm not a big fan of the price tag, and in all honesty when my subscription is over with I won't be continuing it. Not only is it not in my budget, but as explained above I didn't get much out of them. I normally use the Tampax brand and I can get a box of tampons, two packages of pads, and a pack of liners for about $18. And these will last me about two months. Now if money isn't a problem, your flow is more along a normal/medium side, and you're wanting to try something that's organic then definitely give these guys a shot. Or if you're daughter is getting close to starting her first cycle the "First Period Kit" might be a great way to start her off with information, and products that aren't considered harmful. It could possibly be a great option for you and your family. Just keep in mind that every female is different, and so is every period. What doesn't work for me may totally work out for you. So that about wraps things up for me today. If you have any other questions, or want to get into specifics feel free to comment below or send me an email.