Overwhelmed and getting confused

[raginred]

A "newbie" here..... i've been reading a lot about kava over the past few weeks. i'm glad i finally found this forum. however, the more i read, the more confused i tend to get. I've read things like "use cold water extraction, heat can kill it!" but then i see people saying they use warm water, and sometimes even boiling water. I've heard "it's a sedative, so avoid coffee/caffeine to get effects." but then i saw someone else post that when they consumed it with coffee, it intensified the effects. I'm also wondering about reverse tolerance. how long does it take to break through??? I first started this journey by purchasing capsules and extract from a health store while waiting for my shipment of power to arrive. over the course of the week i consumed the entire bottle of capsules, and this is day two of drinking prepared kava. which, by the way i must say, it's ALL I CAN DO to get this stuff down.

I'm sorry if these questions are repeats, as I know there's a lot of information already posted in the FAQ's and other areas on this site. I truly do appreciate all the information that is out there, but as i said, it's starting to become confusing and overwhelming. Thanks in advance.

 

[raginred]

and one more question..... i've read that you should consume it on an empty stomach, but i've also read that fat helps your body accept the effects. how longer after consuming the kava should i wait before i eat something with fat in it?

 

[Zac Imiola (Herbalist)]

Yeah it can be confusing but this is all about individual body chemistry that causes all that. For me personally coffee doesn't mix to well and can keep me awake to long. But others have no issue and enjoy it. It depends what effects your looking for... the fat thing is just an observation not neccesarry and too unhealthy of a meal after kava and you'll feel like shit.

Just drink on empty stomach wait a good 30 minutes or so and then gradually munch on something healthy fatty or not

 

[Squanch72]

Yeah the hot water destroys kavalactones myth thing was my first newbie post too. Best temperature for maximum kavalactone extraction is 120 degrees, basically run your tap till it heats and that is what you want. But even when I use room temperature V8 Splash orange pineapple to make my grog it comes out plenty strong. Everyone is different but RT took about three weeks for me. I still got krunk a few times and felt mild effects during RT. I also think I got better at preparing my kava and that might of been part of my "RT".

 

[sɥɐʞɐs]

Some people react differently to the same things, so, in some, your ideal kava experience is a personal thing that you'll have to determine on your own.
The most important thing is to simply prepare kava and drink it...all the variations you read about have minimal effect on the overall experience. If you squeeze a good amount of kava in water, and drink it, you're good. Cold water is fine, warm water is normal, hot water is best...and if you boil it for too long it goes to shit.
Coffee seems counter productive, but if someone says it boosts the effects, it's likely due to the hot liquid kicking your stomach into gear more so than the caffeine.
Reverse tolerance also depends on the person, it can be short...it can be long...you might need to use more kava, you might not...

 

[kavadude]

I was going to make a post, but bizarro shakas already did it for me. Keep drinking powdered kava and be patient. Hot water, fat, coffee, these are all very very minor tangential things.

 

[sɥɐʞɐs]

bizarro shakas

 

[Edward]

I have to mention my favourite trick which I notice makes a difference for me and I've only been drinking kava for a month or two... Have your kava whether it's a session or just one shell... eat something small, fatty or not, then drink half a pint of milk. I don't know what it is about milk but I first noticed that if I'd had a decent amount of kava and drank milk the next morning I would get a weird secondary boost from the kava, the next morning! So when I tried drinking milk a little while after my kava session on the same evening I noticed the same boost. Then when I drank milk the next morning I didn't get the boost... Must be something to do with the milk helping my body use the kavalactones? Try it and see.

 

[Edward]

One other thing... it's good to try different types of kava to see how they affect you but I find that the more times I have the same kava the better effect I get from it. I had a tablespoon of BKH instant green tonight and felt a lot more than I usually do even though I haven't had that kava for a week or so. I have just started a kava diary writing down the type, amount, mixing method, effects, etc. Should be useful to look back on in future to find out what works best for me and what and how much to use next time for the effects I want on that particular occasion.

 

[Deleted User01]

Yeah, frigging Bizarro. Since I can't duplicate his username, then I can't message him to tell him about all the free kava, money, and stuff that we were going to send him. Oh well .
I say this, buy a sample pack of Kava. Get one with powder, micronized, and instant if possible. Then come back and we will guide you (in great detail) through each type of kava. That way we focus on one single thing at a time and we beat it to death until you know it by heart. When I train operators, I use the same technique and I don't let them run astray and they don't get to ask extraneous questions till afterwards.

 

[TheKavaSociety]

Drinking on an empty stomach DOES make a huge difference. But, drinking something hot or eating a warm meal AFTER kava can potentiate/prolong its effects (drinking hot tea in between shells also works).
The best combination of taste and potency is achieved (IMO) with warm water. The best taste is achieved with cold water and the best potency with hot or even boiling water (which turns kava into gravy - not a very pleasant thing to drink).

 

[raginred]

thanks for all the help, everyone!! cheers

 

[August West]

I whip up a batch with warm/hot water during the kneading. Once I'm finished with the emulsion/extraction process, i then dump a tray of ice cubes in it to chill it down. The cold will make it more palatable. Think hot beer vs cold beer. Cold is good(well, it's better. Not really good). Also I fast for at least four hours before consumption. I also wait at least a half hour after my last shell before eating, but small slices of fruit are good chasers.

 

[raginred]

i'm starting to notice some nice effects. i have consumed quite a bit today. perhaps i'm starting to get past that reverse tolerance i guess time will tell

 

[kavakeiki]

Hi, I always butter a couple of crackers to have before morning kava sessions and usually have a strong small coffee 40 mins later. It enhances and sets off more energy.
Appetite peaks after a couple of hours, taste imo are enhanced.
Honey, fine kava and guarana with ginko makes a great warm and power brew...grog.

 

[Steve Mariotti]

I believe traditional prep is best. Just ground root, hot water and elbow grease. Always great.

If you're starting to feel the effects, @raginred, then perhaps RT is done. How is it making you feel?