New to kava

[kl.scmama86]

Hello I just tried kava yesterday for the first time. I went to vitamin cottage and bought the herb pharm liquid extract. I've been researching online about how it works. I've read a lot of people saying it didn't work well I guess I'm lucky because so far it's working! I feel like I'm much calmer and my anxiety level is lower. I'm not sure how to measure it? It says on the bottle put 30 to 40 drops and I realized that was half the bottle so I put it back and did just two drops and started feeling the effects about 10 min or so later. I drank it with a little water. Then about 30 min later did it again. I drank about 5 cups that way with 2 drops and it made me pretty relaxed. Idk if I did too much or if that's how it's supposed to be done? Also what are some good websites to order from? Wanted to try this out before I bought from anywhere. Thanks for reading and hope to talk soon! Thanks!

 

[The Kap'n]

Being new to kava, I'd suggest trying out various extracts and instants before you dive directly into kneading out your own batch.

www.paradisekava.com - Excellent...and I do mean excellent extract. Also wonderful Hawaiian powdered kava

www.nakamalathome.com - Shaman instant kava is fire.

www.bulakavahouse.com - Excellent instant



All three of these sellers have excellent powdered dried kavas, but being new I'd suggest getting your feet wet with things that are less likely to turn you off. The taste of real kava can be very de-motivating. It's not well known for it's instantly likable flavor.



Try as many as you can, and when you feel you're ready for the fully leaded get a strainer from www.kickbackwithkava.com and come back here, and we'll teach you how to do it.

 

[kl.new2kava]

Your much better off with root than tinctures. Tintures are actaully bad as there is a naturally occuring metabolite in kava that helps the liver metabolize kavalactones that is not soluble in alcohol. So the alcohol based extracts are more taxing on the liver than root unlike extracts made by supercritical CO2 extraction like paradise's or water based extracts that are usually instant kavas like bulakavahouses's instant green or nakamalathome's fire island or shaman which contain both the kavalactones and liver protective enzymes.



It is a good sign that you are getting immediate results. Most of us had to power through a reverse tolerance where kava did little or nothing until our bodies became accustomed to kava. Most of the people who claim kava doesn't work only tried it once and got crappy root capsules or kona kava (don't get kona kava, it's a n00b mistake made by many) and got no effect and then concluded kava to be bunk. It took me around a month to get good and krunked off conceravtive amounts of kava. The best thing about reverse tolerance is that when it builds less does more.



I don't really know how to advocate tincture usage. The recommendations on the bottle are likely conformed to the FDA's absurb ruling that no more than 325mg of kavalactones should be taken at once. I did the math and I usually take in 3-7 grams of kavalactones each kava session(50-100 grams of root made into 25-50oz grog), so where the FDA came up with that is beyond me. Those tinctures are hard because it is nearly impossible to know how many mg of kavalactones are in each drop. My suggestion to you would be; to take small doses and just build up your reverse tolerance and in the meantime order a lb or 2 of some good root.



Root is really the way to go and the suppliers I'd recommend would be paradisekava or bulakavahouse, their both regulars on this site and have really great kava. Nakamal at home and kavabyrex are also legit vendors. Every one of these vendors will include instructions on how to made kava with the order or on their website. Also there are archives of various rootheads debating the best ways to make kava juice on this forum.

 

[Prince Philip]

There are some good root kits out there. My favorite is from kickbackwithkava.com. My major complaint is a certain lack of processing in their grind. The finer the grind, the easier it is to make potent grog. Still, they have a very nice box and a beautiful and unique nylon strainer bag. Don't order "kava strainer bags" from kava places, though. They're just 5-gallon paint strainers and those are usually cheaper just going to the hardware or paint stores.



For the extracts and instants, I cannot recommend Fire Island highly enough. To me, this gives me an idea of what grog should be like in terms of effects and potency, and I judge all others from that template. I keep several small, 10g jars of Paradise extract around everywhere in Buckingham Palace. I never know when I'm going to just need a little pick-me-up (or perhaps it's a set-me-down?).