Scott Macair
Newbie
My journey to Kava started with a routine GP checkup that measured my blood pressure as 175 / 105 which is very high for someone who’s only 37 years of age and otherwise healthy. I was immediately prescribed Amlodipine, a calcium channel blocker, and asked to measure my blood pressure 3 times a day for the next week. Blood tests showed no obvious reason for the high blood pressure and the doctor, upon looking at my measurements for the week, pointed at stress as possible culprit. 3 kids aged 1, 2, & 3 combined with a full on job can take its toll it seems.
With little confidence in the long term safety of a synthetic calcium channel blocker, combined with numerous online reports of undesirable side effects I started to look for more natural solutions to the problem. After several weeks of research, diet changes and lifestyle changes I eventually stumbled across a medical paper that suggested that Kava could have medicinal value in terms of reducing stress and blood pressure.
Not long after discovering the existence of the Kava plant I also encountered numerous reports linking Kava to liver toxicity. Naturally I found this quite alarming and almost abandoned my interest in Kava at that point, however after dedicating several hours to educating myself on the subject I concluded, with the information I had read, that Noble Kava used a traditional manner is probably quite safe. There is a significant difference between using whole plant material combining various species that is used as the bases for a solvent extraction compared to a Noble Kava root that is prepare using a traditional water extraction.
With traditional cultivation and preparation a high priority I settled on a grower called Gourmet Hawaiian Kava. For me, deciding to use an exotic drug required a great deal of trust in the supplier, with paramount importance on quality, transparency and integrity. Noticing that Chris, the proprietor, was quite active in the forum helped considerably with emphasis on purity, tradition and transparency. It’s quite possible I would never have developed the confidence to try Kava without the support and knowledgable content from this grower.
With my worries eased I ordered a sample pack which contained three varieties. The package took exactly two weeks to arrive in the UK. Opening the package I found three smaller packages with re-sealable zip locks. The powder inside the first package, labelled Mo’i, was a fine brown / grey colour a little like wholemeal flour. To prepare the drink I blended a table spoon of the powder in hot water for 5mins then poured into a glass, added 3 ice cubes and let sit for 15 mins. By this point the entire family had taken a keen interest in what I was up to and my wife demanded she be included in the Kava drinking. A few mins later and I had a second batch on the counter for my wife.
Just before drinking the Kava I took my blood pressure which was 165 / 105.
To my surprise, and my wife’s, the brown liquid didn't taste unpleasant and was more like drinking a cupful of mother nature. Organic, earthy and root like with a slight numbing sensation in the mouth and throat as it’s consumed. I didn’t feel any grit or sludge in the drink.
10 mins after drinking the Kava my body and mind felt more relaxed and at ease. I experienced a pleasant head high accompanied with a lucid and clear mind. I experienced no nausea or discomfort. My wife’s experience was almost identical. This lasted for about two hours which took me up to bedtime. At this point I took my blood pressure again and it had dropped to 139 / 87
Falling asleep was easy and I entered a deep sleep that included positive vivid Kava themed dreams towards dawn - I rarely recall dreams. Next day I woke with no trace of a hangover, feeling refreshed I set off for work in awe of the wonders of the humble plant world.
It’s worth mentioning that I had stopped taking blood pressure medication several weeks before, I use no other medications and do not drink. Based on the initial blood pressure results it looks like Kava may be more effective than commonly prescribed pharmaceutical blood pressure medication especially where stress is a contributory factor.
Thanks to the forum for all the helpful content that helped me understand the use of Kava!
With little confidence in the long term safety of a synthetic calcium channel blocker, combined with numerous online reports of undesirable side effects I started to look for more natural solutions to the problem. After several weeks of research, diet changes and lifestyle changes I eventually stumbled across a medical paper that suggested that Kava could have medicinal value in terms of reducing stress and blood pressure.
Not long after discovering the existence of the Kava plant I also encountered numerous reports linking Kava to liver toxicity. Naturally I found this quite alarming and almost abandoned my interest in Kava at that point, however after dedicating several hours to educating myself on the subject I concluded, with the information I had read, that Noble Kava used a traditional manner is probably quite safe. There is a significant difference between using whole plant material combining various species that is used as the bases for a solvent extraction compared to a Noble Kava root that is prepare using a traditional water extraction.
With traditional cultivation and preparation a high priority I settled on a grower called Gourmet Hawaiian Kava. For me, deciding to use an exotic drug required a great deal of trust in the supplier, with paramount importance on quality, transparency and integrity. Noticing that Chris, the proprietor, was quite active in the forum helped considerably with emphasis on purity, tradition and transparency. It’s quite possible I would never have developed the confidence to try Kava without the support and knowledgable content from this grower.
With my worries eased I ordered a sample pack which contained three varieties. The package took exactly two weeks to arrive in the UK. Opening the package I found three smaller packages with re-sealable zip locks. The powder inside the first package, labelled Mo’i, was a fine brown / grey colour a little like wholemeal flour. To prepare the drink I blended a table spoon of the powder in hot water for 5mins then poured into a glass, added 3 ice cubes and let sit for 15 mins. By this point the entire family had taken a keen interest in what I was up to and my wife demanded she be included in the Kava drinking. A few mins later and I had a second batch on the counter for my wife.
Just before drinking the Kava I took my blood pressure which was 165 / 105.
To my surprise, and my wife’s, the brown liquid didn't taste unpleasant and was more like drinking a cupful of mother nature. Organic, earthy and root like with a slight numbing sensation in the mouth and throat as it’s consumed. I didn’t feel any grit or sludge in the drink.
10 mins after drinking the Kava my body and mind felt more relaxed and at ease. I experienced a pleasant head high accompanied with a lucid and clear mind. I experienced no nausea or discomfort. My wife’s experience was almost identical. This lasted for about two hours which took me up to bedtime. At this point I took my blood pressure again and it had dropped to 139 / 87
Falling asleep was easy and I entered a deep sleep that included positive vivid Kava themed dreams towards dawn - I rarely recall dreams. Next day I woke with no trace of a hangover, feeling refreshed I set off for work in awe of the wonders of the humble plant world.
It’s worth mentioning that I had stopped taking blood pressure medication several weeks before, I use no other medications and do not drink. Based on the initial blood pressure results it looks like Kava may be more effective than commonly prescribed pharmaceutical blood pressure medication especially where stress is a contributory factor.
Thanks to the forum for all the helpful content that helped me understand the use of Kava!
