Hello Kava Forums *Question Time for a New User

[Bastion]

Hello Kava Peeps , I am new to Kava and to these forums.

Wanted to make sure I'm doing this right before I begin.
From everything I've read, Kava seems to be very quality and dose dependant. So I bought 1/2 lb Vanuatu-Borongoru from Kalmwithkava. I understand that to be a heavy blend. I thought it would be something good to take in the evening before bed and get some great sleep.

Any opinions on kalmwithkava? Hoping that's a good place to start. If I like it, I'm thinking of trying Pouni Ono as a heady blend I can use while I work. Are there other blends you might recommend?
I drive for a living, big trucks. Do you think that would interfere?

I've read all the stuff about reverse tollerance and how to make to make the kava. How does one safely get past that tollerance? By drinking a larger initial dose? By drinking a second dose after 30 mins (if I dont feel anything?)

I had planned on using a combination of warm filtered water, blender and then using a nut bag. So far so good, yeah?
How much kava root to water should I use first time? Does body weight have any bearing?

Is night time a good time to use first time?


Are any kavas appropriate for use through a day of work? I drive for a living (big trucks)

Thanks

 

[verticity]

Welcome to the Forum!

In general, the best time to drink kava is in the evening before dinner. If you drink it during the day it can make you sluggish. And you need to have an empty stomach to get the best effects.

I don't recommend drinking it while driving, especially if you are driving large trucks. It is less dangerous than alcohol, but it can still have effects that could interfere with driving, especially if you are new to kava, you need to experiment with it a bit to understand the effect it has on you. Even heady strains can sometimes cause symptoms like dizziness, etc... Another characteristic of kava is that sometimes the effect can sneak up on you after some time, so really it is best to avoid it before or during driving, in my opinion...

Kalm with Kava is a great choice. The Borongoru is on the heavier side and is good for anxiety. Pouni Ono is one of my favorite light heady kavas, and I'm actually really happy to see that it is available again on the KWK site!

Your prep sounds good. I generally use about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of root with 4 to 6 cups of water, but if you want to make a very strong drink, you can cut the water in half. That will give you several shells that you can drink over the course of a couple hours..

I'm not sure if body weight matters. I'm a fairly large guy, and the above is what works for me... If you are skinny, maybe less would be appropriate...

 

[theGrogfather]

Welcome @Bastion . Lots of questions, you’re in the right place.
I agree with V’s dosage of 1/2 cup and will add that I will have 200-300 ml shells, spaced at least 30 minutes apart. Kava works slow and chugging that whole 4 cup mixture at once will almost certainly cause some stomach issues. Once you’ve finished that first batch, which should take a couple hours, I’d recommend doing a second wash of the same root you used the first time but reduce the amount of water to 2ish cups. It will almost always produce a decent but weaker mix. Worth it.

 

[Bastion]

Vert and Grog, thanks.

Any suggestions on how I can make my Kava supply last longer? 1/2 a cup of kava sounds like my half a pound will go rather quickly.
The 2nd wash you mentioned sounds like something I'd consider freezing.

Maybe I am looking at this from the wrong perspective. When I talked to someone about Kava, my intention going in was something akin to taking herbs.
The guy I talked to explained that most people that took kava, never took enough to achieve a therapeutic dose. So my thinking went from, Ok, I need to take a lot more, and buying it bulk is a more affordable way to do that.
No worries really, Im just thinking to myself, my supply is gonna be gone before the months up. and...well, maybe I'm doing it wrong.

So, if you don't mind me asking, do you take it every night or is it more common to take it recreationally?

 

[verticity]

Vert and Grog, thanks.

Any suggestions on how I can make my Kava supply last longer? 1/2 a cup of kava sounds like my half a pound will go rather quickly.
The 2nd wash you mentioned sounds like something I'd consider freezing.

Maybe I am looking at this from the wrong perspective. When I talked to someone about Kava, my intention going in was something akin to taking herbs.
The guy I talked to explained that most people that took kava, never took enough to achieve a therapeutic dose. So my thinking went from, Ok, I need to take a lot more, and buying it bulk is a more affordable way to do that.
No worries really, Im just thinking to myself, my supply is gonna be gone before the months up. and...well, maybe I'm doing it wrong.

So, if you don't mind me asking, do you take it every night or is it more common to take it recreationally?

My dosage suggestion is actually more on the recreational side, and is also on the high side of what a normal person would use every day. I do use that much most days, so I'm probably an extreme example and not a good role model. But a strictly medicinal dose could be a lot less. It depends on the reason you drink kava. If all you want is to have something to take the edge off of anxiety a little, or treat an anxiety disorder, you can use fairly small amounts, like a tablespoon or two at a time as needed..

 

[theGrogfather]

Yea, my dosage based on a more recreational/end of a stressful week usage. It’s really best (although not most cost effective) to experiment with how your own body chemistry reacts to Kava, and different strains.

 

[Dr.Krunk]

Nice to see a new member @Bastion!

Sounds like you have a decent understanding and have some good suggestions above. There are many factors that will effect your results

. You will find some strains that will cater to what your after and others you might not. You absolutely can take small amounts for anti-anxiety purposes or whatever purpose for that matter. At larger doses it generally is intended for recreational use.

I personally use about the same as vert most days. I don’t drink Kava everyday but very often. Sometimes I’ll drink everyday of the month, sometimes I’ll skip a couple weeks. I personally prefer the traditional kneading method and if I don’t have time, I just don’t usually consume kava. You will just have to experiment to find what works for you. Everyone reacts differently and are after different desired effects.

But yes, you are absolutely correct in buying in bulk! Often you will get Kava at a discounted rate the more you buy at a time. I wouldn’t suggest driving while under the influence of kava. Kava can absolutely be intense in strength or incredibly subtle. Once you understand how your body reacts than you might be fine having a small amount during the work day for medicinal use.

Kava has many wonderful properties that I hope you are able to experience. When I first got started learning prep and the differences in Kava chemotype differences was key for me. Hope you find what you are looking for!

 

[rapunzel]

Hello Kava Peeps , I am new to Kava and to these forums.

Wanted to make sure I'm doing this right before I begin.
From everything I've read, Kava seems to be very quality and dose dependant. So I bought 1/2 lb Vanuatu-Borongoru from Kalmwithkava. I understand that to be a heavy blend. I thought it would be something good to take in the evening before bed and get some great sleep.

Any opinions on kalmwithkava? Hoping that's a good place to start. If I like it, I'm thinking of trying Pouni Ono as a heady blend I can use while I work. Are there other blends you might recommend?
I drive for a living, big trucks. Do you think that would interfere?

I've read all the stuff about reverse tollerance and how to make to make the kava. How does one safely get past that tollerance? By drinking a larger initial dose? By drinking a second dose after 30 mins (if I dont feel anything?)

I had planned on using a combination of warm filtered water, blender and then using a nut bag. So far so good, yeah?
How much kava root to water should I use first time? Does body weight have any bearing?

Is night time a good time to use first time?


Are any kavas appropriate for use through a day of work? I drive for a living (big trucks)

Thanks

Welcome! I am a newbie as well and I also started with some kwk borongoru. It was a good start and I like it. I was not trusting my own traditional prep so I got into the aluball, which you will see many people here using. Now I am using two aluballs with 4-5 tablespoons and I will refrigerate the used makas and traditional prep them later.

Kwk is a great vendor, great customer service. I have since branched out to different vendors and strains also and I am having fun trying different things. I really like the kava effects, especially for relaxation and anxiety relief. I would avoid kava while driving as others have suggested, though I have never had enough to feel impaired.

Finally , I don't think I had much of a tolerance issue. Some don't think it's real. Who knows? My husband seemed to notice the effects within the first couple of tries.

Good luck!

 

[Bastion]

Thanks everyone for the kind comments.

Does any kava get rid of the Dread Sundays? Maybe another thread...but dang I get bumbed out on sundays.
.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

For my health about 1 or 2 TBS a day of medium grind a day would do it. But I also drink kava for pleasure, so it's anywhere from 6 - 12 TBS a day. I don't have to, I just enjoy it. It's my alternative lifestyle choice.

The most efficient way I've found to make kava stretch is double ball 2TBS in each ball with 500 ml in the first wash and 400 mi in the second, and save the makas in the freezer for kneading when enough has accumulated to make a half gallon with a big bag. This provides double the yield or more than I can get from just trad prepping and all of the grog is good.

 

[Bastion]

Welcome to the Forum!

In general, the best time to drink kava is in the evening before dinner.

Your prep sounds good. I generally use about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of root with 4 to 6 cups of water, but if you want to make a very strong drink, you can cut the water in half. That will give you several shells that you can drink over the course of a couple hours..

I'm not sure if body weight matters. I'm a fairly large guy, and the above is what works for me... If you are skinny, maybe less would be appropriate...

Alright, so I got my kava today.
I used a 1/2 cup of root in 3 1/2 cups of hot (not boiling) water, in the blender for 5-6 minutes.
I then used a pillow case to strain it out ( I don't have a bag)
After I got it all strained out, I dunked the remaining amount in the bag, into water and kneaded it for a couple minutes, strained it out into the 'grog'.
Then I saved the 'makas' in a plastic container and popped that into the freezer.

I drank 1 full cup 8 ounces (2 shells) The taste reminds me of a bitter anise and it didn't bother me much. I guess I'm used to taking herbs and I've had worse.
It made my mouth numb and my throat still has a funny numbness

Gonna take a shower to use that 30 min clock.

When should I take more? (or should I)

 

[verticity]

Alright, so I got my kava today.
I used a 1/2 cup of root in 3 1/2 cups of hot (not boiling) water, in the blender for 5-6 minutes.
I then used a pillow case to strain it out ( I don't have a bag)
After I got it all strained out, I dunked the remaining amount in the bag, into water and kneaded it for a couple minutes, strained it out into the 'grog'.
Then I saved the 'makas' in a plastic container and popped that into the freezer.

I drank 1 full cup 8 ounces (2 shells) The taste reminds me of a bitter anise and it didn't bother me much. I guess I'm used to taking herbs and I've had worse.
It made my mouth numb and my throat still has a funny numbness

Gonna take a shower to use that 30 min clock.

When should I take more? (or should I)

Just see how you feel in half an hour or so.

A pillowcase might work OK if the thread count is low enough. If the thread count is 200, that means there are 100 horizontal and 100 vertical threads per square inch, which works out to a micron size of about 250. If the threads are cotton they will absorb water and swell up, so the actual size of the holes would be smaller by I don't know how much. If the effective size of the holes is too small, your drink could be too weak. If that's the case, you can try doing extra washes with the used kava to extract more from it... But if you are feeling the numbness, that is a good sign.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

Alright, so I got my kava today.
I used a 1/2 cup of root in 3 1/2 cups of hot (not boiling) water, in the blender for 5-6 minutes.
I then used a pillow case to strain it out ( I don't have a bag)
After I got it all strained out, I dunked the remaining amount in the bag, into water and kneaded it for a couple minutes, strained it out into the 'grog'.
Then I saved the 'makas' in a plastic container and popped that into the freezer.

I drank 1 full cup 8 ounces (2 shells) The taste reminds me of a bitter anise and it didn't bother me much. I guess I'm used to taking herbs and I've had worse.
It made my mouth numb and my throat still has a funny numbness

Gonna take a shower to use that 30 min clock.

When should I take more? (or should I)

If you feel like it, right about now would be a good time for a 4 oz shell. Then just space them out, a 4 oz shell every half hour or so, longer if the effects are strong. For as long as feels good and is what you want. But try to quit at least an hour before bed, and drink a bunch of water, more than you think you need to. Hope you enjoy it.

 

[Bastion]

I drank a second full (8oz) shell about 40 mins later.

So far, not couched, just mellow and a little slower. And I feel it on the back of my neck..a coolness. Almost like the feeling when one gets nauseaous-- but no nausea.

 

[Krunkie McKrunkface]

I drank a second full (8oz) shell about 40 mins later.

So far, not couched, just mellow and a little slower. And I feel it on the back of my neck..a coolness. Almost like the feeling when one gets nauseaous-- but no nausea.

Mellow and a little slower is good..... Kava makes my right hand feel cooler. Never understood why.

 

[Bastion]

went from not couched
to
cant keep my arms on the arm rests of the chair...just felt better to let my arms hang...dangle
and the heaviness creeped up into the back of my skull

then asleep sitting up watching a show with my wife

The anxiolytic effect is good.
A mild humm, worries aren't really worrying me.

I wonder if this gets better over time since is the still the first time I've used it and also I think it could of been made stronger.


So far so nice
off to sleep

 

[Deleted User01]

Welcome to the forums. I don't recommend taking kava while driving for sure. If nothing else, it makes you wanna pee. KalmWithKava is a very good vendor. Good stuff and tests well. You can take a big dose of kava on Saturday nite to make your Sundays more mellow. Perhaps a few doses in the afternoon would help the medicine go down to. If you dread Sundays because you are hungover, I gotta admit that Kava is a good cure for that too. But remember, that kind of kava you bought will make you sleepy so plan accordingly.

 

[Zac Imiola (Herbalist)]

@Edward drives not semis but a larger truck in the U.K maybe he can offer insight about the kava and driving for work

 

[Edward]

@Edward drives not semis but a larger truck in the U.K maybe he can offer insight about the kava and driving for work

I drive big trucks but not as big as a US truck... we have pedestrians and shit over here...

@Bastion I have driven plenty of miles after drinking kava, if you stick to a heady, non sedative type of which Pouni Ono is perfect then it doesn't affect your coordination in any way and just puts you into a focused state of mind. Of course dose is everything, don't go knocking back huge shells of strong stuff, keep it medicinal during the day, but yes, you can do it. Then when you park you can mix yourself a nice heavy kava and drift off into a nice kava sleep. Consider M'oi for daytime too. Micro or instant is easier on the road but consider an alubottle with med grind for more variety.

 

[nickbroken]

Use a dirty sock, it adds to the effects.