The Mood-Hacking Supplement A Nutrition PhD Uses To Ease Stress

I lead the mindbodygreen science team, where we keep close tabs on the latest clinical research and carefully vet ingredients to bring you one-of-a-kind supplements. I don't recommend products I haven't critically analyzed and tried myself. That's why I can fully vouch for calm+.

The supplement's hero ingredient is USDA and EU organic certified full-spectrum European hemp oil. This heritage hemp is 100% CO₂ extracted, eco-farmed, DNA-tested, and phytocannabinoid-rich, delivering 20 milligrams of CBD per serving. This cream-of-the-crop hemp oil is strategically complemented by two other plants: the world's most bioactive Shoden® ashwagandha extract (boasting 35% glycowithanolide content), and steam-distilled lavender oil from flowers that are high in linalool, a terpene known to elicit calm.*

For a little bit of insider background, we landed on this trio of botanicals because they can nourish and support multiple dimensions of our stress management physiology simultaneously. Cannabinoids from hemp oil and terpenes from lavender interact with our intrinsic "balancer," the endocannabinoid system, to relax us. Furthermore, ashwagandha is a nootropic herb that works via our hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to bolster our resilience to stress. And not in a vague sense, either: Clinical trial evidence shows Shoden® ashwagandha's ability to reduce cortisol and DHEA-S11, actual hormonal biomarkers of stress, at 240 mg (the dose in calm+).*

Mind you, this premium botanical trio is delivered in one convenient gelcap (no tincture droppers nor gummy sugars to worry about here, folks). I should also point out that calm+ is GMO-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and major food allergen-free.

This self-care supplement can be helpful to take any time of the day. I personally pivot my calm+ timing based on how my day progresses, but I'll typically take it in the afternoon to help me knock out my end-of-day project deadlines at work like a boss and power through evening errands. 

It's one tool in my broader relaxation tool kit that can go to work immediately. While my power walks and dance seshes provide a surge of endorphins and whole-body relaxation, they require me to carve out time in my day. calm+ does not; it's a super low lift in that way.

Whenever I take calm+, I also feel confident knowing that it's supporting my endocannabinoid system (our body's "master thermostat" for homeostatic balance) with unique plant compounds, phytocannabinoids, and terpenes, designed specifically for it.*