Tag: cbd

Working A new Life New Me

I have been on medical leave since the beginning of December 2019 And have finally gotten cleared to return to work, that same day one ( yes I have 2 jobs plus a couple online “business” ) closed down for the coronavirus. My other job is working in a grocery store is not planning on closing .

So my first job is a casino, and from what I am reading on casino workers group sites is that a lot of the casinos outside of vegas have closed down voluntarily. I then started hearing complaints from regular players whining about the casinos closings, and I really don’t think they get it . The majority of people don’t understand that casinos are hot spots for infections of all types, on a regular basis . Even with wiping down, cleaning surfaces,washing hands,and wearing gloves is just unrealistic because of the shear volume of the people entering casinos on a daily basis. The exchange of money, touching of chips, touching buttons on slot machines, cups, glasses etc. all over the casino is just transferring diseases, not only to other players, but to workers also who transfer it to other workers. Now back to me “THis Sucks” I get cleared for work, “semi” and I have to wait another two weeks or more. I will say though better safe the sorry on a few points, not only with the virus, but with my recovery, i’m still swollen and in some pain. I had a bi-pass on my leg and a toe removed, so i may be cleared for work but am I ready.

The Friendliest

stores in town

My second job is a grocery store, and as I said they are not planning on closing. The plan is to keep the supply line open, so no need on stock piling ( this is not the zombie apocalypse ) . I do think they need to start getting more aggressive with limiting people in the stores – I think they need to make it home delivery and curb side pick-up only, like restaurants are take out and home delivery or drive -thru only. Work to make limited contact. I have seen People walk around the stores for at least thirty minutes or more on a regular weekly basis doing their normal shopping, now I have noticed some are doing it longer and where they did it weekly they are doing it daily. If you need to get out – please walk around your neighborhood, not a store, limit your time and buy only what you need.

Ok little rant over .

At this time They were glad when I came back even though i’m moving slow and did my first day of 8 hours and only 5 the next day because my back,leg and foot were just hurting to bad. I know with all the madness that’s been going on they are relived just to have a body that knows how to do somethings without having to be totally trained, after 3 months its like needing to be retrained ( get back into the flow ) , and somethings have changed. I am taking it slow and they are working with me, but i also told them this is only a test to see if I can get back to a standing job or if i will have to look for something where im not standing so much.

While I was out at home I started to look some affiliate marketing ideas, the first one i joined is The Gourmet Cupboard. It was referred to me by my sister as a simple was to get into something to hopefully make some money without the pressure to sell,sell,sell like some . The products are flavorful ( yes have tried quite a few), easy to use ( just add a few ingredients such as sour cream, water, cream cheese, ground meat, etc) , and cost effective ( saves from having to buy all the different seasonings that you may only use once, or not at all, or forget to get( and wonder what your dish is missing ) . What I like about The gourmet cupboard is that it is a small daughter mom type company with good values. They don’t have the pressure sales like some other companies do, They have a fundraiser option that I like to promote. They also have where you can set your own prices when you sell product from home, such as doing home parties ,events, or setting up your own gift baskets, selling packages. They do have hostess packages that change monthly (like most of these companies) and monthly packages. They also offer online parties ( and at this time can be something to do other than live parties). They have recipes to share other then whats on the back of the packages. Plus some innovative distributors have made different diet (Keto, Low Carb) facebook sites to share recipes using The Gourmet Cupboard . Here is one from The Gourmet Cupboard Weight Loss and Healthy Eating Recipes

Or something not so healthy

The next company i got involved with is CBDMD . I felt like I needed something more, something where I could potentially earn a decent commision on, but I also something I believed in and that would benefit others. I do believe in the health benefits of natural products ( though not willing to go sit naked in a cloth tent drinking who knows what out of a guano bowl, to get rid of the evil spirits, (I know to much)), but i’m also not willing to take 50+ supplements or eat a crazy diet a day to stay healthy. I have ( and i’m sure most of you ), as recreational, smoked (or had edibles made from) marijuana (Pot) before, and very much enjoyed it. Though for the sake of maintaining a good job I have refrained from using it for the past 20+years ( I have seen coworkers , and managers terminated over it ), and for me the “high” was not worth my job. When CBD first hit the market I was skeptical just just like many people about not only the benefits but also the claim about no THC or no traceable THC. I did my research, and found much information some was supported by scientific fact while other information was basic hearsay that even though being researched the finding were not out yet, or have not been substantiated by the FDA. Though scientific journals have reported findings from different research studies on a wide range of the different benefits of CBD, I myself was only interested in pain management, I have two herniated discs in my lower back, along with a safer alternative to the current prescribed pain regiment by my Doctor, that’s basically barbiturates. At this point I could sit and claim I found the golden egg, the fountain to all that is good and holy, but I wont. I will say that with daily use CBD has worked the way I had hoped for by helping to relive the pain in my back and legs, but it has also helped in relieving some of the stress i have felt. I’m not sure if its from life in general, or from the fact of having multiple chronic illnesses ( sometimes it just gets to where I feel like I want to sit in a dark room and say fuck it ( not like killing myself , Just fuck it), for a while. Then I pull myself up and out of it, put on my big boy panties and walk out into the world. That is the other thing CBD has helped me do is be able to say FUCK IT while out in the world and be able to move forward.

I do believe in CBD as a helpful benefit for me without the worry of drug test or the “high” disability it would cause at work, and that’s why I started looking into CBD as an Affiliate Marketer. There were so many different companies offering programs, how do I chose ? I felt I wanted one who had the most to offer not just a few bottles of liquid of varying degrees of potency, one with third party testing . A decent offering of each product line and pet line. Also one that was put together well – professional nice packaging, professional website. I know I didn’t want one where the packaging looked like it came from some hippy store ( Ok I do like head shops and hippy stores, i just feel when selling products clean lines and simple colors sell better). I also wanted one that didn’t sell on claims that were not established by the FDA, because CBD is considered a supplement it is not governed by the FDA. There are independent studies and over the top personal claims all over the web and some CBD companies use those as health benefits, and that’s good for them, I just didn’t want to lead anyone on some false hope, just personal experiences. CBDMD also has two product of the year awards one for their sleep aid CBD PM and the other for their pain relief gel CBD Freeze Pain Relief Gel

So I have two jobs plus two online business so far and thought I didn’t have enough on my plate as it was that i decided to see about becoming an affiliate for Amazon. I know I just started and will see how it goes. I figured I can post thing , probably mostly cooking things along with post about the gourmet cupboard mixes. I could also post about the some of the deals and specials that Amazon has. Or even about some of the products I have used or are using. What I hope is as this is a learning experience I can grow a business that not only offers great products, but that has a reliable following of steady customers.

CBD Oil and Sleep Apnea: Does It Help?

 from cbdMD blog

Like a thief in the night, sleep apnea has a way of robbing people without them realizing it. All you know is that you’re tired and cranky during the daytime, even though it seems like you had a full night’s sleep.

Fortunately, awareness of the condition has increased dramatically in the last few decades. Along with that has come increased interest in alternative treatments to the cumbersome medical devices that currently form the treatment standard. And inevitably, that interest includes the hottest new item in wellness: CBD.

There’s already such a thing as CBD oil for sleep, to help people maintain their regular sleep cycles. But what about sleep apnea and CBD oil? Could that be the combo of your dreams?

What Is Sleep Apnea?

Before we plunge into the subject of CBD and sleep apnea, let’s look at the science on the ailment.

Sleep apnea is a condition where you don’t breathe properly when you sleep. There may be periods of shallow breathing or several-second pauses where you don’t breathe at all. These disruptions often happen between stretches of snoring and snorting, so if you’re a big snorer, your chances of having the disease are much higher.

Once your body realizes it’s not getting enough oxygen, you wake up a little – not enough to remember, but enough to clear your throat and start breathing again. This reaction means that even if you sleep seven or eight hours a night, you don’t sleep soundly, meaning you can still suffer the symptoms of sleep deprivation.

Medical science recognizes three kinds of sleep apnea.

  • Obstructive sleep apnea happens when the soft tissue of the throat collapses and obstructs the airway during sleep. This type is, by far, the most common.
  • Central sleep apnea is a result of the brain failing to signal to the lungs that it’s time to breathe. 
  • A combination of the two is called complex sleep apnea syndrome.

What Causes Sleep Apnea?

The cause of sleep apnea depends on the type. 

Obstructive sleep apnea comes from a narrowed airway to the lungs, which can come from a variety of things. Some people are born with this due to having big necks, large tonsils, or unusually shaped jaws. People susceptible to nasal congestion and allergies are also more likely to get it.

Behavior can also play a role. Being overweight can cause a thickening of the neck and create similar problems. Smoking narrows the air passages as well. And the use of alcohol and sedatives before bed causes the throat muscles to relax and potentially collapse.

Central sleep apnea doesn’t always have a clear cause, but most often, it appears in people who’ve had a stroke or heart failure. Using opioid drugs also raises the risk of central sleep apnea, as does living at a high altitude with thin air.

Who Gets Sleep Apnea?

An estimated 22 million Americans have sleep apnea, but it’s difficult to know the precise number because many sufferers don’t realize they have it. Any person can get it, but it’s most likely if you:

  • Are male
  • Are overweight
  • Are over age 40
  • Have a large neck, tonsils, or tongue
  • Have relatives with sleep apnea
  • Have allergies or sinus problems
  • Drink, smoke, or use sedative drugs
  • Live at a high altitude 

How Do I Know If I Have Sleep Apnea?

You need a doctor’s diagnosis to know for sure, but there are some definite warning signs of sleep apnea. 

If you have a bed partner, they may notice you sleeping restlessly and snorting or snoring – even though central sleep apnea usually doesn’t induce snoring. You might also wake up at night feeling short of breath or find yourself with a headache in the morning due to oxygen deprivation. Waking up with a sore or dry throat is also a common symptom.

Mostly, though, the symptoms of sleep apnea are from not getting enough sleep: fatigue, moodiness, and lack of energy. If you think you’re sleeping a good six to eight hours a night, but you still feel this way, it’s worth investigating.

The Dangers of Poor Sleep

The trouble with sleep apnea isn’t just that you might not be getting the total amount of sleep you need. It’s that healthy sleep involves a series of cycles, roughly 90 minutes in length, that include moving from light to deep sleep, which is when you dream, and back again. When breathing problems disrupt those healthy cycles, all sorts of bad consequences happen.

Some of those consequences are obvious: you’re low on energy and not thinking clearly, which can make you moody and less productive and, more seriously, increases the risk of car crashes and other dangerous accidents.

However, some effects of inadequate sleep are more insidious. Research has linked several chronic diseases to it:

  • Cardiovascular disease: sleep apnea heightens the risk of heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, and arrhythmias.
  • Diabetes: getting good sleep seems to help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar, while lack of sleep worsens symptoms.
  • Obesity: lack of sleep leads to metabolic changes that encourage obesity, especially in children. Many people find it easier to control food cravings when they’ve had enough sleep.
  • Liver disease: people with sleep apnea are more likely to have problems with liver function and show signs of scarring.

Sleep apnea can be bad for your mental health as well. A 2012 study of sleep-apnea patients found that more than half of them suffered from depression and anxiety.

But does that mean that the apnea caused the depression and anxiety, or is it the other way around? Or some of both? That isn’t so clear, but sleep apnea puts you under some stress, what with the repeated oxygen deprivation setting off your body’s alarms and partially waking you up.

It’s also true that, in that state between awake and asleep, some bizarre things can happen. 

Many people in that state experience sleep paralysis, in which they’re aware that they’re lying in their beds, but they can’t move. Often this goes along with frightening hallucinations that seem much more real than normal dreams: people think they’re being dragged out of bed or flying through the air and sometimes receiving creepy visitors. 

Sometimes their paralysis seems to be caused by someone pinning them down. In the old days, people thought these were demons; nowadays, sleep paralysis is a suspected cause of alien-abduction stories.

On top of that, many substances that people use to soothe their anxieties can make sleep apnea worse. As noted earlier, alcohol and sedatives both depress the central nervous system, which can induce or exacerbate obstructive sleep apnea by relaxing the throat to the point where it collapses. So what’s a nervous sleep apnea sufferer to do?

That’s where CBD comes in.

CBD Oil and Sleep Apnea – What’s the Connection?

There’s no research on CBD and sleep apnea directly, but there has been a fair bit of study on CBD in connection with anxiety. Like other compounds within the cannabis plant, it interacts with the endocannabinoid system, a sort of communication network within your nervous system.

The endocannabinoid system regulates many functions of the body and mind, including mood. People have been using whole cannabis to mellow out for thousands of years, and modern research indicates its effect on the endocannabinoid system may be the reason.

CBD by itself is still not an approved treatment for any mood disorder, but early studies suggest that it can help people manage stressful situations, such as public speaking. Plus, it has several advantages over whole cannabis.

For one, it does not include THC, the cannabinoid responsible for the “high” associated with marijuana. In fact, to be federally legal in the United States, CBD must come from hemp, a breed of cannabis with little or no THC. Hemp-derived CBD is therefore much more widely available than marijuana, whose legality depends on where you live.

But from the standpoint of CBD and sleep apnea, the most important advantage is that it doesn’t depress the central nervous system. Studies have not shown any form of impaired functioning resulting from people taking CBD alone. Therefore, combining sleep apnea and CBD oil probably won’t produce the vicious circle that alcohol and sedatives often do.

Another sleep aid that doesn’t depress the central nervous system is melatonin. This compound is a hormone that your body naturally produces to regulate your regular daily sleep/wake cycles. Since the 1990s, it’s become a popular over-the-counter supplement used for jet lag and occasional insomnia.

Naturally, CBD oil and melatonin are now available to help people sleep without the dangers of sedatives.

CBD and Sleep Apnea Options

While anxiety is only a side component of sleep apnea for many people, addressing it can also help make the lifestyle changes necessary to combat the disease. Among them:

  • Cut back drinking and smoking

The problems with alcohol I discussed earlier, but smoking can also contribute to apnea by narrowing your airways.

  • Lose weight if you need to

Excess flesh around the neck can weigh down your air passages and have the same effect as booze. But overeating can also be a vicious cycle since research indicates that people crave food, especially carbs when they’re short of sleep. There is, unfortunately, still no magic pill for weight loss, but regulating mood may help combat stress eating.

  • Exercise

Even if you don’t need to lose weight, this can help ease symptoms and give you more energy.

  • Establish good sleep habits

Try to establish good sleep habits that will help you slumber undisturbed. Keeping your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool can help stimulate your body’s natural melatonin. Allow your living space to get darker as you near bedtime can also help.

  • Sleep on your side rather than your back

If you have trouble training yourself to do that, there are devices available that will vibrate if you roll onto your back during sleep. Or you can go the low-tech route and attach a tennis ball to the back of your pajama top.

If those changes don’t do the trick, physicians can offer more aggressive interventions. Some types of oral appliances help keep your throat open as you sleep, and more elaborate machines can regulate breathing to keep it continuous.

Some types of surgeries can treat obstructive sleep apnea by removing the excess tissue from the throat, repositioning the jaw, or even creating a new opening for breathing with a tracheostomy. For central sleep apnea, certain drugs can stimulate breathing to make up for the malfunction in the brain.

Generally speaking, though, the less invasive the treatment is, the better. Central sleep apnea can also emerge from attempts to treat obstructive sleep apnea with breathing machines, creating complex sleep apnea syndrome.

CBD Oil and Sleep Apnea: Conclusions

If you have sleep apnea or think you do, consult your physician to work out the best approach to treating it. CBD oil – with or without melatonin – can be a supplement to that routine, helping maintain sleep cycles and manage your mood without the side effects of popular “helpers” like drugs and alcohol.

Do tell your doctor if you’re thinking about taking CBD. While CBD generally has a good safety profile, it may interfere with the ways that the liver processes certain other medications, and your doctor should be able to tell you if you’re on one of those.

With CBD becoming increasingly popular, many physicians also have first-hand experience gained from their other patients and can advise you about what’s best for your situation. A proper regimen of lifestyle changes, supplements, and stronger interventions, if necessary, can give you the best night’s sleep you’ve had in years.