My kava journey w/ GHK - Reverse Tolerance - day by day

[Bert07]

I can confirm that L-theanine can boost / reintroduce a kava buzz. I ususally take one of these : Amazon productbefore a kava session, and sometimes another when the kava fun is starting to wear off.

I've read about L-Theanine and its interactions on alcohol. It increases its effects making you having to drink less on top of preventing further liver damage. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16141543

I've never heard about L-Theanine and kava though. I'll be trying it. Btw, I suggest getting it in the form of Suntheanine. It's a higher concentrated form of pure L-Theanine. I get mine online.

 

[kilakila]

Am I weird? I'm fairly new to kava and I have absolutely no problem with the taste! Chugged or sipped. I like to appreciate the different sensations from different cultivars. Never tried it with anything other than water or occasionally coconut milk. Don't smoke or vape, but do like the occasional glass of wine. I wonder if having "clean" taste buds makes a difference to the experience?

 

[sɥɐʞɐs]

Am I weird? I'm fairly new to kava and I have absolutely no problem with the taste! Chugged or sipped. I like to appreciate the different sensations from different cultivars. Never tried it with anything other than water or occasionally coconut milk. Don't smoke or vape, but do like the occasional glass of wine. I wonder if having "clean" taste buds makes a difference to the experience?

A few people say they kinda like it. I only like it out of association. I think the worst part, with some strains more than others, is the persistent linger of bitterness. Alcohol can burn and taste gross but it's clean and quickly dissipating.

It reminds me of the reasoning behind why chinese people can happily eat putrid 'stinky tofu' (real name) but be grossed out by taking a bite of cheese. The cheese coats your tongue and lingers, while stinky tofu has a more clean and thin mouth-feel. It doesn't stay with you as long, even if you don't like it.

 

[kilakila]

Never tried this "stinky tofu" - why stinky? My husband is chinese and loves what I call "smelly" cheese (I love it too) - blue vein cheese and Stilton particularly.

I guess it depends on our tongue receptor cells - like with cilantro, you either love it or abhor it!!

 

[sɥɐʞɐs]

Stinky Tofu is a fermented tofu that sits around in a bacteria filled brine of rotting matter to pick up flavor.
I've had it before it wasn't as bad as it sounds, I kinda like it actually. It's serious chinese street food, you don't see it often in the US or anywhere else.

It tripped me out when I heard some people get a completely different flavor from cilantro. Too bad for them, it's such nice, mild, fresh flavor to me...I love it.

 

[kilakila]

Kinda in the same vein as sauerkraut or any fermented food then. It's healthy even if it's stinky! Yea, I love cilantro but my daughter hates it. Says it tastes like soap.

 

[redstar]

well, i really wanted this stuff to work, but i just cant stand the taste, i havent taken any in months but i still cringe just thinking about it. does instant kava taste as bad as micro?

 

[Steve Mariotti]

well, i really wanted this stuff to work, but i just cant stand the taste, i havent taken any in months but i still cringe just thinking about it. does instant kava taste as bad as micro?

Yeah, pretty much. Different consistency, but still a little chalky. Traditional Prep is the best.

Though if you're really taste averse, the concentrate from Kalm will get you 98% of the way there, and it tastes really good.

 

[Deleted User01]

@redstar, first off, you are supposed to gulp it so you don't taste it. If you take a sneak taste, you're doomed. If you buy some instant or miconized, try this. 6-8 oz Ginger Ale, 2 tablespoons of micronized/instant, squeeze of lime, fill with ice. So that's a pretty good dose and it tastes good. Stir before each drink. One more thing, some kavas taste worse than others. Micronized/instant Nene from GHK tastes like paper to me. And paper is a big improvement!

 

[KavaLot]

I agree with Deleted User01. Use a mixer to tone it down. I rarely drink kava by itself anymore. I like to sip rather than gulp, so I usually use an 80/20 split kava to preferred mix. Ginger ale is good but I prefer something along the lemon/lime variety. Lemonade works extremely well at conquering the bitterness. I'll also use cranberry juice on occasion. Cranberry/lemonade mix absolutely rocks. In my experience, mixing it with other liquids doesn't dilute kava's effectiveness....you can drink more when you enjoy it more

 

[HeadHodge]

@KavaLot good to see you again.

 

[KavaLot]

Thanks HeadHodge...my love for kava has never faded. Been watching from the bleachers for quite some time. Life is usually too crazy to get involved...work and raising three young girls....but I've always loved the Forum.

 

[Deleted User01]

@KavaLot, good to see you checking in with your buddies here. We missed you. But I totally understand the time constraints.