Not feelin the Fu'u

[kl.Swingline]

I am just posting this in case there is anyone out there who feels the same way as I and wants some company. With my body chemistry the Fu'u just makes me feel really really sleepy. No euphoria no giddiness. Relaxation comes but the sleepiness is intense. I will save it for bed time. Taste is fine. Maybe I am drinking too much? 8 tablespoons (about a half cup) to 32 oz of water. I am digging the v3. Thoughts?

 

[kl.Gray Owl]

8 Tbsp is probably too much, it's a lot stronger than it tastes.

 

[Prince Philip]

Tongan is one of my favorites, though I've never had BKH Fu'u as such.



If you do it just right, Tongan kava will "Tong" you. I wish I could explain it better. It is very physical, very relaxing, but with a certain almost manic edge from the high Kavain content. The best way I can describe it is feeling like you've just had a brilliant idea, a true "Eureka!" moment, but with no actual idea behind it.



If that makes sense, you've been Tonged.

 

[Nihilist]

Are you talking about kind from Rex Prince Philip? I kind of want to try it now.

 

[endwatcher]

Yup, I've been Tonged!

I think you explained it quite well

 

[Prince Philip]

Are you talking about kind from Rex Prince Philip? I kind of want to try it now.

Yes, Kava By Rex.  My first experience with Tongan was with Nakamal@Home as part of their now defunct Hammerhead pack (a sampler pack of Chief's Jungle, Tongan, WOW, and Shaman).  It had me on the Internet researching as hard as I could for what the hell this stuff was, because it isn't like any other kava.

As far as I know, only Nakamal@Home ever really marketed it as a very different kava, which surprises me.

The review that really captures the difference is this one here: http://kavasseur.blogspot...e-tongan-white-kava.html

For the Kava By Rex Tongan Warrior, I do have to say that I can't "Tong" on the recommended mixture of one cup per gallon.  I have to use at least a cup and a half, maybe two cups if I want to really Tong.  For whatever reason, it is only at the higher doses that the Tongan does the trick.

Chemotype is 465213  (smiley: glasses), for all you nerds out there.

 

[Nihilist]

Thanks Prince Philip. I read the review too; very interesting.

Any ideas if they will be selling it again? I wanted to try Solomon also but it doesn't seem as if any is coming in.

 

[Bula Kava House]

Sorry you're not loving our Fu'u, Swingline. It is definitely one of our most popular both in the kava bar and for online orders, and most people describe the effect like Price Phillip's description of Tongan kavas. Our Fu'u is simply a very high grade of Tongan White Kava from the island of Eua. It is almost 100% lateral root, is grown organically for five years, is dried quickly and is pounded and sold fresh. Of course everyone has a different body chemistry which can cause one person to feel differently after drinking a certain kava than someone else, and some people simply like different effects. Give it another try though, could have just been a bad day to drink that particular type. Maybe try a different ratio, it is quite a strong kava with high kavain content. Thanks for the business nonetheless.

 

[Vekta]

Too true Judd. I gave a friend of mine some Boroguru and besides turning her into a giggly, punch-missing, odd-ball mess it also caused her to become about as hyper as she gets when she's pumped full of caffeine. It was a very different reaction than most of the others I have given kava to and oh was it hilarious. Another friend of ours came in about 30 minutes after I gave her the kava and he had to ask...



Him: She's acting weird...is she ok?

Me: I gave her some kava...

Him: Ahhhh....*points* haha!

Her: What? Nooo...it's not working. This is how I normally am...

Him and me: Riiiiiight(smiley: laugh)
I'm a little curious to see what different varieties like fu'fu would do to her.(smiley: grin)

 

[Prince Philip]

Thanks Prince Philip. I read the review too; very interesting.

Any ideas if they will be selling it again? I wanted to try Solomon also but it doesn't seem as if any is coming in.

If by "They," you mean Nakamal@Home, then no way.  They have pared down their product line to Vanuatu and PNG.  All of the other Island Paradise's are just too expensive to import.  To their credit, they did suffer a bit of a loss due to the FDA laying siege to a shipment... from the Solomons if I remember correctly.  Also with international trade is the constantly shifting values of the underlying currencies.

I can voice for Kava By Rex.  I wrote them an E-Mail saying that their Tongang "Tongs."  Judd says his Tongan (Fu'u) also "Tongs," per his customers.  I use the term because it's an onomonpea for the coming-forth of a great idea, that "Eureka!" moment when the lightbulb above my head goes on.  (Again, with no actual idea behind it.  It's just that feeling of clarity when you see the solution to a problem...).  I think they may be a few other growers that have this.  I asked Paradise if they have anything like it in Hawaii, but I couldn't describe what "Tonging" feels like until recently.

I don't know if you can "coax" this feeling by assuming the posture and maybe even saying "I just figured it out!" in a bright and brilliant voice, but neurology usually follows physiology.

And of the course the wonderful thing about kava is that it doesn't change the fundamental thinking person you are, so you won't accidentally convince yourself that your stupid idea is in fact brilliant.  (smiley: happy)

 

[Nihilist]

Thanks I did read about the custom sieges a few places. Sad that they would do such a thing.

 

[Prince Philip]

I don't want the FDA to crackdown on me for saying they're full of shit, so I'll let the FDA say it themselves:



http://www.fda.gov/iceci/...ingletters/ucm202825.htm



Seriously... if that's what the FDA has to say about Walnuts, does kava stand a chance?

 

[Nihilist]

It's funny while I was reading that article I was eating these mixed nuts I got today.
It does have a long disclaimer on the side that says "evidence suggest" it "doesn't prove".
I think sometimes the FDA goes overboard. Then other times they don't test things enough.

 

[kl.KarmaG]

Uh oh, someone opened a can of worms. Here's my 2 cents.
Thanks to the FDA and their bedfellows Pfizer, we've been eating arsenic-laden chicken for the last 60 years. Funny all the things that are "safe" for human consumption when big pharma is behind the operation. Look up Roxarsone if you don't believe me. Here's an article for those curious: http://grist.org/food-saf...st-positive-for-arsenic/
Thanks, FDA, for looking out for my safety and well-being. You're doing a top-notch job of it!
Sorry to everyone for contributing to the thread derailment. I get easily sidetracked, especially when it comes to the ridiculousness of the FDA.

 

[Prince Philip]

Well, we want cheap kava.



Or, in my case, we want the abandonment of the monetary system (even if it does have my pretty wife's picture on it in all the cool countries) and a transition to a resource-based economy where the driving force is not the accumulation of wealth but rather the intelligent management of the finite resources of the planet we all share, kava being the most important resource for my well-being. This, to me, is the central message of the John Frum Movement - the removal of the accumulation of resources (both material and leisure time) from the very rich and the best possible lifestyle for all. For example, with money, it would take 30 billion dollars to feed everyone in the world - the same amount of money spent every eight days by the US on its countless wars.



As a member of the Life Extension Foundation, I've been educated mostly on the drug side of the FDA, but watching Food, Inc. has just totally got me against it. In a resource-based economy, we'd have things like the FFDA, the free food and drug administration, to make sure all the world's citizens have a supply of nutritious food and life-preserving medication.



To combine the subjects of RBE and FDA, we now know how to cure cancer, but because the medicine is off-patent, there's no profit motive in doing so. The more money people spend on patented but useless cancer treatment, the better the gross domestic product, but think about what this means in terms of human suffering? It's time to amputate the Invisible Hand.

 

[kl..]

As far as derailments go, this one was/is awesome. *applause* I sent the walnut link to some friends I think it may help settle an arguement. With the Frum reference I think I now understand your moniker, your Highness.

 

[kl.homobonobo]

I think the FDA is as good or bad as we the people choose to make it. I think it serves a very important function, but the industrial food and drug lobbies have done a great job of making it completely toothless about the things that really matter - protecting public safety, inspecting factory farms and meat processors especially. It's to the point now where they serve the food/drug companies way more than the people, but it doesn't have to be that way. Personally I think they should be given all the money they need to conduct RESEARCH into the safety of supplements like kava. I have faith that the science would vindicate us. As it is, some sketchy and out-of-date studies are all we have, and that's the reason kava's got a bad name to some.
I used to write for a sustainable food blog, so I have very strong and very mixed feelings about the FDA and the Dept of Agriculture, haha... But a really good book to read is Food Politics by Marion Nestle. It goes into detail about how industry lobbyists have systematically de-fanged food and drug legislation, which, even if you think some of the stuff the FDA does is stupid, is no good in the long run. I don't want factory farm companies making regulatory decisions of any kind, and more research into supplement safety and effectiveness is always a good thing. She's also got a blog by the same name that has some really excellent, no-nonsense, no-bias, scientifically based info on nutrition science and, yeah, food politics.
As for Fu'u... it makes me high as a kite! I'm on a Fu'u/Borogu mix as we speak and I feel aaaaaawesooooome!(smiley: roll)

 

[kl.Swingline]

FDA. . On another note I think I will try the Fu'u again.

 

[Buddhacide]

I havent had much luck with Tongan pride or Fu'u. I get effects, and I like the taste of both, but have not been "tonganed". I'll make up another batch of fu'u tonight me thinks and give it a revisit.