Hello Maureen! Welcome to kavaforums. You've definitely come to the right place!
Also, I tend to have a weak stomach. I will throw up from a single vicodin or percocet...so I am concerned about some reading I did that Kava causes nausea...can this be prevented?
You and me both, sister. I have the digestive system of a newborn baby mouse and have battled IBS for years. Since discovering kava, I've been on a personal mission to minimize digestive discomfort, going through tons of extra measures that many others simply don't have to be concerned with. I think there are two nausea-inducers for me. The big one is the root fibers, which I try to strain out of the soaked root as completely as possible. The other is the action of several of the kavalactones (active ingredients) in the kava. In particular, DHM (dihydromethisticin) and DHK (dihydrokavain). Certain types of kava that are high in DHM in particular make me nauseated, but I've never gotten to the point where I've thrown up.
Also what would be a good dose for my first time? Sorry for all the questions, just want to make sure I seek advice to help ensure a pleasant first time. Thanks!
We love questions about kava. The amount you use depends on a lot of variables, but the most important one is the kind of kava you buy (whether it's medium grind root, micronized grind root, or instant.)
My recommendation to you to start would be to get some Medium Grind kava root, either from Kalm with Kava (
www.drinkkalm.com) in which case I suggest the Borongoru variety which he's currently out of but will start shipping again on the 27th of this month, or Gourmet Hawaiian Kava (
www.gourmethawaiiankava.com) and get some medium grind M'oi (if you are interested in more euphoric states) or Nene (if you're interested more in relaxation/sleep.)
With Medium Grind root, you will need to strain it, and I can recommend the Elite Chef nut milk bag for straining. It's a 80 micron monofilament nylon mesh that will be finer than the paint strainers, pantyhouse/stockings or muslin bags that others sell. (
www.amazon.com/Elite-Chef-Nut-Milk-Bag/dp/B00NUU7FH8).
The procedure would be: Soak 1/2 cup of ground root in 2 cups of warm water for 30 minutes, then pour it into the strainer bag sitting in a big bowl and squeeze and knead it under the water for 5-10 minutes, squishing it all around and periodically holding it above the water and twisting the hell out of it to try to get all of the moisture out. Then soak it back in the water and repeat. Toss out the contents of the bag after the final twisting squeeze, rinse the bag completely out both inside and out, and then pour the contents of the big bowl back through the strainer one more time for a final filtering.
The resulting liquid should be roughly the consistency of thin chocolate milk. That's your final product.
Drink 4oz of it to start with, wait 20 minutes, drink another 4oz of it, etc. I find that about 4 "shells" is all I need.
I found that nut milk bag to be a VAST improvement over more popular strainers for me and my weenie GI, though I eventually moved from an 80 micron mesh to a 25 micron mesh that I had to buy from a specialty filtration company. That works astoundingly well at eliminating stomach discomfort while letting me really enjoy the full effects of really good kava root.
Again, welcome! And good luck!
I second 
