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New to Kava Kiersten

Hello,

I have a liquid extract version of Kava 1 fluid ounce (30 ml) and it says to take 30 drops/ 1 ml 1-3 times daily or as needed. I think I took it twice today an hour apart. I’m not feeling much. I have pretty severe anxiety and my eyelid is still twitching. I took it yesterday as well and got really moody the first time almost like deep anger/ sadness for the first little bit. Am I taking too little or too much and how can a get a desired effect that makes me rely less on a bottle of wine per night? Other information is that it is a 500mg strength per serving and a Herb Strength Ratio of 1:2 Selectively Imported Vanuatu Kava Root other Ingredients are 55-65 percent grain alcohol. Thanks for any help! Happy to stumble upon this forum!
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
Hello,

I have a liquid extract version of Kava 1 fluid ounce (30 ml) and it says to take 30 drops/ 1 ml 1-3 times daily or as needed. I think I took it twice today an hour apart. I’m not feeling much. I have pretty severe anxiety and my eyelid is still twitching. I took it yesterday as well and got really moody the first time almost like deep anger/ sadness for the first little bit. Am I taking too little or too much and how can a get a desired effect that makes me rely less on a bottle of wine per night? Other information is that it is a 500mg strength per serving and a Herb Strength Ratio of 1:2 Selectively Imported Vanuatu Kava Root other Ingredients are 55-65 percent grain alcohol. Thanks for any help! Happy to stumble upon this forum!
I'm not really sure what it is you are consuming, so I can't really say. My guess, though, is that this would probably not be a way of using kava-derived products to decrease alcohol consumption. Many people here have completely stopped drinking alcohol, or brought it down to very acceptable and non-problematic levels after drinking kava for some time. There are some here who are going through the process right now and doing very well, but in all cases that I know of this involved drinking kava itself, that is to say, traditionally (or close to it) prepared grog made from just powdered kava roots and water.

In my own case I went from several beer every day for about 40 years to complete abstention and total lack of interest in alcohol in about 5 months. For my wife it took 7. It took place without any effort or struggle on our part, just drinking grog regularly, which was also very enjoyable and a lot of fun. Hope this information helps.

If you could tell us a bit more, like what brand it is and what specifically you want kava to do for you I'm sure others more knowledgable or experienced than myself can offer good info for you.
 
I'm not really sure what it is you are consuming, so I can't really say. My guess, though, is that this would probably not be a way of using kava-derived products to decrease alcohol consumption. Many people here have completely stopped drinking alcohol, or brought it down to very acceptable and non-problematic levels after drinking kava for some time. There are some here who are going through the process right now and doing very well, but in all cases that I know of this involved drinking kava itself, that is to say, traditionally (or close to it) prepared grog made from just powdered kava roots and water.

In my own case I went from several beer every day for about 40 years to complete abstention and total lack of interest in alcohol in about 5 months. For my wife it took 7. It took place without any effort or struggle on our part, just drinking grog regularly, which was also very enjoyable and a lot of fun. Hope this information helps.

If you could tell us a bit more, like what brand it is and what specifically you want kava to do for you I'm sure others more knowledgable or experienced than myself can offer good info for you.
Oh the brand is Fresh Thyme Market
 

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Avg. Dosage: 8 Tbsp. (58g)
Review Maestro
Little extract tinctures and pastes typically won't give you the real or full kava experience. They also seem to be the most 'sketchy' kava products and in some cases may actually be dangerous if used regularly. The safest way of using kava is the traditional way, but it requires some effort to prepare though. It's much more effective and should be the direction you take if you plan on using kava for the long term.

That doesn't mean your tincture is necessarily trash or dangerous, you can still use it for now, but we have no way of knowing or trusting if the company really uses kava in it, they probably do, but then we don't know if they're using quality kava, or parts of the plant that shouldn't be used. Also, if I take them at their word and each dose is 500mg (of kavalactones?) then you could take that dose at least 1 or 2 more times over an hour or two to see if you get better effects. Always wait at least 15 min in between to see how each step up effects you.
::chugger::
 

fait

Position 5 Hard Support
If you're strictly doing paste/tinctures, you'll want to invest in this: Amazon product Or if you're looking for something more budget, try this: https://rootofhappinesskava.com/products/premium-kava-concentrate-10g-jar

If you plan to make kava a habit, most folks around here do a kava grog from medium grind root powder, micronized, or instant powders. Medium grind is your best budget option with a minimum initial investment of however much you can get a strainer bag to knead your root in. Should be around $10 for the strainer bag. Drinking kava will enable you to space out the many kavalactones that will work your body over to ease your mind and your body. You typically drink a small cup of kava every so often (pacing varies per person with some doing it as frequently as 15 minutes). The effects from an evening kava session will go with you as you go to bed. There are daily kava drinkers around here but you don't have to drink kava every day if you don't feel like it. You won't get withdrawal from stopping.
 

muddywaters

Kava Enthusiast
I never liked extracts myself and think they should be left alone. Drinking it is the best, the only thing a lot of people gotta get over is the taste but once you down it it's gone. Though it's all up to you how you wanna pace it. I like to drink it all in one go and get it over with since the taste is really bad to me but I like a hard, fast rush anyways so it still works out just fine. I usually drink 3-4 times a week.
 

fait

Position 5 Hard Support
I think they [extracts] should be left alone.
For the most part, I agree with you. Extracts are what a lot of people try as their first kava product and it's not a reliable gateway into the traditional preparation of kava. Someone may try an extract, question its efficacy, and rather than looking more into kava, they may just disregard kava entirely and try something else. The market is littered with inferior extracts that are likely to use non-noble kava or aerial parts and the average consumer with little to no kava knowledge will buy it without knowing the potential risks of long-term extract use.

But I'm convinced there are good extracts, like the one Bula Kava House makes. It's a luxury item that only regular kava users would appreciate, which is all the more reason I'd have new kava drinkers go to the traditional grog first. Something like BKH's offering is a supplementary kava product to have that kava chill on the go or when you're too busy to take out the strainer bag or the Aluball shaker. But for the money-conscious, if you're only going to have kava one way, go the traditional way. It was the only way for a long time in the South Pacific and it's tried and true.
 

muddywaters

Kava Enthusiast
For the most part, I agree with you. Extracts are what a lot of people try as their first kava product and it's not a reliable gateway into the traditional preparation of kava. Someone may try an extract, question its efficacy, and rather than looking more into kava, they may just disregard kava entirely and try something else. The market is littered with inferior extracts that are likely to use non-noble kava or aerial parts and the average consumer with little to no kava knowledge will buy it without knowing the potential risks of long-term extract use.

But I'm convinced there are good extracts, like the one Bula Kava House makes. It's a luxury item that only regular kava users would appreciate, which is all the more reason I'd have new kava drinkers go to the traditional grog first. Something like BKH's offering is a supplementary kava product to have that kava chill on the go or when you're too busy to take out the strainer bag or the Aluball shaker. But for the money-conscious, if you're only going to have kava one way, go the traditional way. It was the only way for a long time in the South Pacific and it's tried and true.
I should give it a try at some point and see how it is, certainly devoted a lot of money to exploring the whole kavaverse and I've spent enough right now trying new med grind finding a new favorite blend. Probably one of the things I like the most about it, I'm always learning something new no matter what I get. To me it's way more than something I drink now, kava has become a way of life. It's not like with a one trick pony like coffee for example where you have a few options and some different flavor profiles. Kava has an entire spectrum of effect profiles and everything in between. So far every kind I ever tried has been distinct enough for me to tell it apart from another.
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
For the most part, I agree with you. Extracts are what a lot of people try as their first kava product and it's not a reliable gateway into the traditional preparation of kava. Someone may try an extract, question its efficacy, and rather than looking more into kava, they may just disregard kava entirely and try something else. The market is littered with inferior extracts that are likely to use non-noble kava or aerial parts and the average consumer with little to no kava knowledge will buy it without knowing the potential risks of long-term extract use.

But I'm convinced there are good extracts, like the one Bula Kava House makes. It's a luxury item that only regular kava users would appreciate, which is all the more reason I'd have new kava drinkers go to the traditional grog first. Something like BKH's offering is a supplementary kava product to have that kava chill on the go or when you're too busy to take out the strainer bag or the Aluball shaker. But for the money-conscious, if you're only going to have kava one way, go the traditional way. It was the only way for a long time in the South Pacific and it's tried and true.
yeah, there's a couple of good extracts now, from Root of Happiness and from Bula Kava House. I especially like the Polynesian Gold 70% extract from RoH. That does pretty much anything and everything I would ever want or need from an extract, but my wife is a huge fan of the honey lemon stuff. A tad weaker but still very very good. Other than that, I don't really see any interest, but then again, I love the taste of grog.
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
I should give it a try at some point and see how it is, certainly devoted a lot of money to exploring the whole kavaverse and I've spent enough right now trying new med grind finding a new favorite blend. Probably one of the things I like the most about it, I'm always learning something new no matter what I get. To me it's way more than something I drink now, kava has become a way of life. It's not like with a one trick pony like coffee for example where you have a few options and some different flavor profiles. Kava has an entire spectrum of effect profiles and everything in between. So far every kind I ever tried has been distinct enough for me to tell it apart from another.
I quickly settled into "every day drinking grog" which I stock up on, and then "special treat" top shelf stuff I break out for guests or when I need something super nice. For me it still averages out to about $4 a day and I drink anywhere from 2 to 4 litres every day, averaging pretty solidly around 3L. For the cheaper stuff I found experimenting with blending to be crucial to my economies. For example, I don't find the Best Fijian Waka and the Tikaram's Kava Tonga to be terribly wonderful on their own. Fine kava for everyday use, don't get me wrong, but nothing special. BUT, blend them together 1:1 and yup, it's much more special. And they are both at or close to the very bottom of the current price range for medium grind. If I could only drink that for the rest of my life, I wouldn't complain. And, of course, my extensive makas salvage operations squeeze about as much as I possibly can out of every kava I have. 6 or more washes (in descending water ratios) is pretty mercenary but but but, I'm..... honouring the root. Yeah, that's it. Kavalactones want to be inside us, and I'm just helping them fulfill their destiny.
 
I quickly settled into "every day drinking grog" which I stock up on, and then "special treat" top shelf stuff I break out for guests or when I need something super nice. For me it still averages out to about $4 a day and I drink anywhere from 2 to 4 litres every day, averaging pretty solidly around 3L. For the cheaper stuff I found experimenting with blending to be crucial to my economies. For example, I don't find the Best Fijian Waka and the Tikaram's Kava Tonga to be terribly wonderful on their own. Fine kava for everyday use, don't get me wrong, but nothing special. BUT, blend them together 1:1 and yup, it's much more special. And they are both at or close to the very bottom of the current price range for medium grind. If I could only drink that for the rest of my life, I wouldn't complain. And, of course, my extensive makas salvage operations squeeze about as much as I possibly can out of every kava I have. 6 or more washes (in descending water ratios) is pretty mercenary but but but, I'm..... honouring the root. Yeah, that's it. Kavalactones want to be inside us, and I'm just helping them fulfill their destiny.
Thanks for this Krunkie. What are the effects of the 1:1 blend. I'm interested in trying this?
 

Krunkie McKrunkface

Kava Connoisseur
Thanks for this Krunkie. What are the effects of the 1:1 blend. I'm interested in trying this?
This is true of almost any blend of Fijian waka with Tongan: lightly euphoria, heady but calming. Good for conversation or work or a picnic. Definitely serve cold. Tastes very good.
 
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