Hello All!

[SparkyPickleBird]

Hello, just joined the forum and thought I'd post a little introduction. I am new to the world of kava and am very much looking forward to drinking and learning more about it! I was first introduced to kava via Yogi brand kava tea. I had heard of kava while trying to find cures for my insomnia/mild anxiety (which tends to come out right at bedtime!). I just recently ordered the Bula Kava House sample pack and instant powder. So far I have tried Melo Melo and the instant, and of the two I preferred the Melo Melo.

The way I prepared it I put two tablespoons of the ground root in two cups of water and let it sit for an hour. I then stirred and strained it through one of their Fijian strainer bags. I am thinking of trying it with coconut water at some point as well. I did not love the flavor, but it wasn't too bad.

The instant flavor wasn't so bad, I mixed it in a glass of chai and soy milk, and it made my mouth numb quite quickly. It felt like a bit of a head rush compared to the other, it seemed to hit fast! With that though I also had some mild nausea/ indigestion which I think could be from having eaten too recently.

Neither really helped my insomnia. Right now I think it could be my reliance on benadryl which I am trying to let off of. I have in the past also used valerian, melatonin, tryptophan, unisom, and basically any OTC you could imagine. I do NOT like ambien so I won't use anything like that.

I am also utilizing kava in hopes that it could replace alcohol as my after work unwinding drink. If a safe and healthy alternative can be found in kava for me I'd be thrilled!

Anyway sorry for the rambling, looking forward to getting to know everyone and reading more about kava!

 

[CanAwa]

Hey

Just joined myself and actually haven't even tried it yet ..but I've been looking for something like this for a long time ..something to help me relax/sleep and also something that can help me be more social without having alcohol . My first shipment should be here next week and I know I will like it once I get through the tolerance ..did it take you long ?

 

[kavadude]

Welcome!

It can definitely replace alcohol, thats for sure.

Insomnia it will depend. Are you having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep or both?

Out of the BKH sample pack, I'd recommend you try boroguru or koniak (super strong). Are you getting a noticable effect from two tablespoons? For many of us, that'd be a very low dose.

 

[SparkyPickleBird]

Thanks for the welcome! I just got my order this past Monday but I am not sure about the tolerance. I felt the effects but I have also had the kava teas before for some time, not sure what difference that may have made.


I was actually thinking of trying the Boroguru next, either tonight or next week. My biggest problem with insomnia is falling asleep more than staying asleep. I work odd hours and used to do shift work; 14 hour nights then the next week days back and forth. Now my hours are slightly more consistent but still not typical.

With the two tablespoons to two cup ratio I did not have a very strong effect. I don't have a shell but I drank approximately one cup at a time and had three cups total. I felt it but it was mild. Since it was my first time preparing kava I was unsure and erring on the side of mild effects. With two tablespoons of the instant in one cup, I felt a much stronger effect, however.

 

[Deleted User01]

Dido on replacing alcohol. I would have had 3 beers tonite but I had 3 cups of Kava instead. I still drink but way less than before. And it makes it easy to lose a few pound. Welcome guys! You will find a wealth of information on Kava right here.

 

[SparkyPickleBird]

The losing a few pounds would be a welcomed bonus lol! I'd usually drink 2-4 beers most nights to unwind but they hadn't been sitting well recently with hangovers even from small amounts. So as much as I love craft beer and I actually am brewing my own at the moment, I'd like to get out of the habit of drinking it so frequently! Can't be healthy and my body is starting to tell me so.

 

[kavadude]

I recommend you go for like 4-8 tablespoons of Boroguru.

The second thing I will mention is not medication related. With the odd hours its very understandable that you would develop insomnia. Your circadian rhythm unfortunately doesn't know to match up with your job schedule, it's controlled primarily by exposure to blue light. You may want to look into both reducing exposure blue light before bedtime (using amber-tinted sunglasses, computer apps like f.lux and that sort of stuff) and using a lightbox to shift your bedtime. I have delayed sleep phase syndrome, up until a few months ago I could not fall asleep before 4AM without kava or unisom (sometimes both), now that I've started doing those things I don't need medication to keep normal hours anymore.

 

[The Kap'n]

Welcome to the forum! Kava is the answer to my sleeping problems and honestly....has been working strong for me daily since 2005, not to mention the anti-anxiety effects that linger. When prepared correctly kava can be life changing.

 

[Vekta]

I've been drinking kava for two years and I have to agree with Kapmcrunk's comment about kava being a life changer. It's certainly changed a few things in mine.

 

[SparkyPickleBird]

Thank you all for your replies and the warm welcoming! I should not be surprised that this is a friendly community but I am nonetheless very happy about it

@kavadude, thanks so much for your advice on other ways to help sleep! I know it is the worst thing I can do for myself but I always fall asleep with the TV on! Part of my night time anxiety, that unless its late enough (or I guess early enough!) that the sun is out I need the tv to distract me from myself. I have never heard of f.lux or about amber glasses though I will have to look more into that.http://www.kavaforums.com/forum/members/kavadude.3/

I ended up preparing the Melo Melo again tonight, experimenting a little this time as I prepared it with some soy milk in addition to the water. The ratio I used was a half cup kava to about 3 cups water/soy. On my first cup now which I mixed with ginger tea, surprisingly I am really enjoying the taste! I prepared some more with some honey and put it in the fridge to chill. I don't despise the taste but just looking for a way to really love it. Tea made of ginger and cinnamon is my favorite beverage ever so maybe I will mix it with that, any one tried that before?

 

[Gourmet Hawaiian Kava]

Welcome, Kava does help you sleep and it can make you have wonderful epic dreams, I also think you need to up the dose, I am hard core and I will go 4 tablespoons of kava per cup of water, or more, if I need it, it all depends on the strength of the kava. Remember too that kava is not something you sip, drink it as fast as you feel you can, I take a big gulp and wait for 5 min of so and then take another big gulp or two and then see where your at and if you want to go further. aloha.

Chris

 

[endwatcher]

Welcome, Kava does help you sleep and it can make you have wonderful epic dreams, I also think you need to up the dose, I am hard core and I will go 4 tablespoons of kava per cup of water, or more, if I need it, it all depends on the strength of the kava. Remember too that kava is not something you sip, drink it as fast as you feel you can, I take a big gulp and wait for 5 min of so and then take another big gulp or two and then see where your at and if you want to go further. aloha.

Chris

My method is roughly the same.

Sparky;
I agree with GHK, and think you might need to boost the TBL's a notch.
I usually grab a measuring cup, measure out a 1/2 cup "The amount normally found in a shell" then 1 big gulp down it goes, I chase it with something tasty

 

[Deleted User01]

Sparky, I'm a homebrewer also. Our winter lineup features 4 kegs with Belgian Tripel, Imperial IPA, Baltic Porter, and an Octoberfest. On my beer drinking days, I feel the need to give each of my babies some attention. As you know, those particular beers are chock full of calories and not to mention the snacks that you eat along the way. I'm looking forward to the next round of brewing where we will do some lighter beers. Kava keeps me away from my babies and I sleep a lot better with Kava. As you may know, alcohol can cause fitful sleep.

FYI. I use the fine nylon grain bags to knead and strain my Kava. Also, I make a big batch of Kava (with lots of Coconut Water) and bottle it in those Grolsh Style lock cap bottles and put them in the fridge. And I sanitize everything. And you know what I'm talking about. So you probably have all the supplies you need to make Kava.

 

[KavaGurl]

Welcome home! I'm sure you'll learn many new things here..it's a great place full of awesome peeps!

 

[Akava]

Hi Sparky,

Like others have mentioned, Melo Melo isn't the best kava for sleep, Boroguru and Koniak are 2 good ones from BKH (personally i love boroguru)
But Stone from N@H is a favourite of many for insomnia, as well as KBR Fijian

Also, Welcome!

 

[SparkyPickleBird]

Thanks for the welcomes everyone!

I will check out the Boroguru next then based on these recommendations. The Koniak I was a bit hesitant due to the warning on it about the strength and not recommended for beginners, felt as though I should work my way up to it. Or is it probably not a big deal to try out? Since I have the Bula Kava House sample pack I have a few to try out. The rest of my Melo Melo (a water bottle full, prepared and in the refrigerator) maybe I'll save for some afternoon relaxation on Sunday

I think part of where I was getting tripped up was how much/ how quickly to drink at a time. I think I was trying to enjoy it like the Yogi tea, I was filling a large coffee mug at a time and drinking it at a pretty regular pace, not chugging it down. Although one thing that did seem to work well was in preparing it with the ginger tea I did not have any nausea whatsoever. I tend to get nauseous pretty easily.

@endwatcher and Chris, I will try doing it the way you've suggested; taking half a cup and downing it at a time, waiting five minutes and going again. Thanks for the tips! I will up the does a bit too.

@Deleted User01 this is actually my first attempt at home brewing! I am (with the help of my boyfriend is is much more experienced at home brewing) making a stout! I loooove rich, filling, dark, winter beers; of the ones you mentioned I prefer the Baltic Porter, yum! My waistline does not love it quite so much though lol! Keeping some kava bottled like that in the fridge is a great idea by the way, may have to think about doing that myself!

 

[SparkyPickleBird]

Got back from a long weekend ready to try more kava now! Preparing some Boroguru tonight with coconut milk/water and will be refrigerating it to drink tomorrow night after work. Looking forward to it! I used three cups of the liquid and two heaping tablespoons per cup.