This post is offered in partnership with our friends at Foria. We’re honored to work with them—they’re eco, sexy, and fun. Let’s make some love! ~ ed.

People are using CBD to Enhance Sex…and not just by rubbing it on their genitals.

In case you hadn’t heard, I like to have sex with plants.

No, I’m not a botanical pervert (though Georgia O’Keefe paintings do transport me to a dimension where all life is erotic.) These days, when I have sex with my favorite human, we apply a fragrant blend of botanicals—an assortment of aphrodisiac cannabinoids  from hemp, kava, cardamom, and cacao.

Yes, you read that right: cannabinoids come from various plants—not just marijuana. Who would have guessed that Mother Nature has so many ways to help vaginas get their buzz on?

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So, when it comes to plants, my relationship status is “It’s Complicated.” But when people ask about my plant passion, they always seem to be seeking a magic bullet—their questions all boil down to “Will CBD make me horny/multi-orgasmic/eternally youthful?”

People are already talking about CBD like it’s the second coming of Jesus and The Buddha—physical healing and inner peace—and now they figure that CBD must be some sort of on/off switch, or a topical “Viagra for Vulvas.”

I’m a sex educator, doula, and trained sexological bodyworker, so I see the sex and CBD conversation as part of a larger dialogue about sexual physiology and the way arousal actually works in the mind and the body.

I wish I could give people a single silver bullet for sexual healing and sexual ecstasy, but the answer (like most things in life) isn’t one-size-fits-all.

Nevertheless, unlike some wellness trends, the CBD revolution is backed up with decades of scientific research. Real doctors are excited about CBD in a way that they weren’t excited about goji berries—and there are already multiple studies to validate CBD’s benefits for pain, inflammation, stress, and even cancer, with more benefits being proven.

In my own healing and play, I’ve found that Foria Awaken works in the most divine, multi-dimensional way.

Its fragrant aroma, and silky natural glide complement its therapeutic aphrodisiac effects on sensation, lubrication, tension, and discomfort. But there are no silver bullets, and it’s helpful to approach sexual experimentation with an open mind.

I’ve found that human beings can bring a lot of baggage to the bedroom—baggage that can get in the way if it isn’t worked through.

Sometimes, the baggage is just leftover chronic stress from our accelerated screen-time lives. Other times, our baggage requires deeper inquiry or care. But in both situations, I’ve found that CBD is an effective tool in my sexual exploration and personal healing work—not just as a topical aphrodisiac, but as an overall mood-booster or peace-bringer.

If MDMA is “the love drug” then you might call CBD “the peace drug.” You won’t hear CBD companies saying that, of course, but that’s because they’re eager to remind you that their product won’t make you hallucinate talking space-dolphins.

Everywhere I go, I hear people repeating the mantra that “CBD isn’t psychoactive.”

But I’m going to have to call bullsh*t.

CBD may not be psychoactive—but it’s definitely active…

When I take a puff from a CBD vaporizer, I feel a difference in my ordinary state of consciousness—usually within a few moments. It’s like going from a frazzled end-of-the-workweek to a relaxed, spacious Sunday afternoon.

After a puff or two from a good-quality CBD vape pen, most people feel a sense of relaxation seeping in: you sigh…and take a deep, easy breath. As the body lightens up, you notice a mental shift into clarity: an expanded perspective, or the freedom to step back and see more options.

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As residual stress and tension continue leaving the body, there’s an increasing sense of vitality and joy. (The joy might not compare to the sky-kissing euphoria induced by THC, but it’s preferable to the anxiety-spiral bardo-nightmare caused by taking too much THC.)

CBD’s vitality is a little paradoxical: you’re not tired, but you’re not wired either.

For this reason, some people categorize CBD as an adaptogen (along with herbs like Maca or Ginseng). Unlike drugs like caffeine, adaptogens don’t force a reaction from your body—instead they help your body correct underlying imbalances. In this case, CBD interacts with the endocannabinoid system, which is a major regulator of homeostasis (natural equilibrium) in the body.

Scientists are still figuring out everything CBD can help with—including inflammation (which is connected to depression) and levels of the stress hormone cortisol. However, many of CBD’s effects are already known to be profoundly beneficial during your period (especially in the form of a vaginal suppository like Foria Relief.)

These are all pretty remarkable effects, but when it comes to its mood-altering properties, perhaps the biggest source of CBD’s calming, clarifying effects is its similarity to serotonin.

CBD actually binds to some of the same receptors that serotonin does, and scientists think this could explain CBD’s potential benefits for stress, anxiety, and depression.

Although a natural anti-depressant and anti-anxiety herb might not sound as exciting as an aphrodisiac, the effects turn out to be complementary—since anxiety and chronic stress are major libido-killers.

We hear from lots of people who report using CBD for anxiety before they have sex —usually as an oral oil or a vape pen. (Though some of our customers tell us they spray Foria Awaken under their tongue as a stress-soother before sex or throughout the day.)

This is why we’re looking forward to sharing with you our CBD vape pen and our CBD wellness tonic in the next few weeks.

We’ve worked hard to formulate and design these products to be the most efficacious, balanced, and pure botanicals in the world, and we look forward to hearing how they’ve improved you wellness and pleasure, both in the bedroom and out of it.

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