kava from the daily thought

foolsgold

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Kava plants have heart shaped leaves that use to grow wild but now must be cultivated or planted, nursed and "grown." It is usually the root of the kava plant that is used to make a kava drink. The roots look like a winding, tangled cord.

A very short, 6 minute video about kava is included within this article, scroll to bottom for viewing. Native drinkers talk about their experience in drinking kava.

Kava is a plant that grows in the South Pacific islands of Hawaii, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Tahiti.

Kava is also referred to as, “kava kava,” “awa,” “ava,” “gea,” “gi,” “ yaquona” or “piper methysticum” which is the scientific name for kava coming from the latin meaning, “intoxicating pepper.”

Kava is relevant because it is a natural supplement that is known to cure feelings of anxiety as well as ease depression.


.Kava does what Xanax, Ativan and Valium do in relieving anxiety but kava has no side effects and is not addictive.
Photo credit: sawgrasstikibar ..Earl Mindell Rph, PhD; shares in his book All About Kava that,

“Kava doesn't intoxicate like alcohol. Amazingly, it even improves thinking abilities..."

Kava has been compared to the prescription anxiety drug, Oxazepam, a tranquilizer similar to valium and the results were "equal" to that of the prescription drug but Kava has no side effects.

In the majority of the United States and most European countries, alcohol is the social drink used to ease anxiety and promote social interaction but in the Pacific Islands kava is the social drink.

Pacific Islanders have been using kava blended with water for centuries. Unlike alcohol, kava is a social drink that will not decrease reaction time after large amounts of consumption. One’s speech will not become slurred from consuming “too much” kava nor will one lose the ability to think clearly.

Kava has also been compared to the prescription drugs Xanax and Ativan which are both prescribed/used for anxiety, are highly addictive and tolerable in that one will develop a tolerance for a dosage amount and larger doses will be needed overtime; Kava has no addictive qualities and as mentioned, no side effects.

Both Xanax and Ativan leave users with symptoms of withdrawal that began psychologically but have the propensity to become physical; Such physical withdrawal symptoms can include “anxiety, trembling, low blood pressure, agitation, insomnia, dizziness, loss of appetite, ringing in the ears, blurred vision, diarrhea, psychosis and even seizures at most extreme.” (Mindell)

As mentioned, kava is not addictive, has no side effects but is just as potent if not more effective in relieving anxiety, maligning depression and creating a mood of contentment.

Pacific Islanders are very familiar with the usage of kava so it might be wise to seek advisory or information from such a native in usage of kava.

Anschutz Entertainment Group, Examiner.com nor I, the Sacramento African American Issues Examiner do not act in a professional manner in suggestion of usage of such drugs and should not be held liable or responsible in any way for use that results undesirably.

With usage of any substance, be wise and consult professional advisory prior to use. It is very important that persons currently taking anxiety drugs do not combine usage of such drugs with kava.

I encourage all to do their research and be smart about how you treat your body over, under or around the counter. For more about herbal remedy, you can view the following article:

Daily thought: natural herbs/plants that heal common...

For even more interest about kava, there are several interesting historical stories/legends about the origin of kava.

Some legends say it was created by the god, Tangaloa while others say it was created when a great chief sacrificed his own daughter in time of famine, buried her and the kava plant grew from the spot where her body remained.

http://www.examiner.com/article/daily-thought-kava?cid=rss
 
As mentioned, kava is not addictive, has no side effects but is just as potent if not more effective in relieving anxiety, maligning depression and creating a mood of contentment.

It's a good positive article, but like any drug kava still does have problems if over used, especially in indigenous communities.

body_kava.gif


Social effects

Communities have been particularly concerned about the social effects of drinking kava. Some people have spent large amounts of time drinking kava and neglecting family and community duties. Some people have spent large amounts of money to buy kava, leaving no money for food and other essential items. Communities are concerned that the health and nutritional status of infants and children are affected.

http://www.nt.gov.au/health/healthdev/health_promotion/bushbook/volume2/chap1/kava.htm

I've been to fiji on several occasions and had kave both with the locals there as a 'ceremony' and with my friends and with new friends i met there (who also scored me some weed) I found it to be a pretty mellow high, nothing over the top, the most noticeable effects i remember is a numbing sensation of the mouth and the blood shot eyes (mostly on the locals who drank it alot) and feeling a bit mellow and 'stoned' like.
 
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Kava – Worldwide Legal Status

Britain/United Kingdom/U.K.

Britain has banned the sale of medicines that contain kava extracts, but the importation of it by individuals as an herbal supplement is still reportedly legal or at least accepted. So, it seems that at least plain root powder is still legal for sale, but it’s unclear what the actual law is in relation to this. See: Reuters, Dec 2002.

It also appears that kava is banned for import or sale for the purpose of ingestion (internal use): Statutory Instrument 2002 No.3170 : The Medicines for Human Use (Kava-kava) (prohibition) Order 2002 :The Stationery Office Ltd , UK Government E1856 12/02. Kava Ban Update

here's that update -

Current Legal Status of Kava-kava in Wales.

Cropwatch wrote to the Food Standards Authority (FSA) on 7th April 2006 concerning the confusion over current legal status of Kava-kava in Wales, and within a fortnight received an informative reply from Phil Morgan, the Assistant Director FSA Wales. Cropwatch reproduces this reply here in the public interest.

“Thank you for your letter of 7th April….seeking clarification as to the current legal status in Wales of Kava-kava food & medicinal products.

May I first begin by explaining that the use of kava-kava for medicinal products is not permitted by virtue of the Medicines for Human Use (Kava-kava) (Prohibition) Order 2002. These regulations were made using powers contained in the Medicines Act 1968. These functions have not been transferred to the National Assembly for Wales, and the above order therefore applies jointly to England & Wales.

In so far as foods containing Kava-kava are concerned, the powers to inhibit the sale & marketing of these products have been devolved. In response to concerns by the Independent Committee on Toxicology that Kava-kava posed a rare but serious risk to public health (due to an association with abnormal liver toxicology) controls on sales of food products were introduced across the UK in 2002 (including the Kava-kava in Food (Wales) Regulations 2002). Unfortunately after the Regulations had been made it came to light that there had been a technical flaw in the making process. On advice from Council, Assembly Ministers accepted the Regulations should be revoked and remade. Accordingly the Regulations were formerly revoked in late 2003. However the equivalent Regulations in the remainder of the UK were unaffected by this decision and therefore remain in force.

The making of fresh regulations in respect of Wales have since been delayed for a variety of reasons, but particularly to allow a review of the evidence base relating to the safety of Kava-kava Medicines & Food Regulations in England to be concluded. These parallel reviews, including consultations with stakeholders, took place in 2005. At broadly the same time, FSA Wales undertook a consultation involving mainly Welsh stakeholders on proposals to introduce fresh regulations prohibiting the sale and importation of Kava-kava for use in foods in Wales. This consultation was supported by draft Regulatory Appraisal outlining a range of policy options.

Although the consultation was completed some months ago – and incidentally no responses were forthcoming from stakeholders – no further action has been possible while the FSA/MHRA review processes were in progress. These processes, which included consideration by the relevant scientific advisory bodies of any available new data, have now been concluded. COT members concluded that the new data were not sufficient to demonstrate the safety of food products containing Kava-kava, particularly with regard to the severe nature of liver toxicity associated with Kava-kava consumption. The MHRA’s Expert Working Group concluded that on the basis of the available evidence the prohibition of Kava-kava in unlicensed medicines remains proportionate & justified.

FSA Wales will therefore shortly be advising Assembly Ministers of the outcome of the above reviews, and reporting the results of the consultation last year with stakeholders in Wales. Ministers will then be able to come to a considered view on re-introducing prohibitions on the sale of Kava-kava food products in Wales.

Finally I can add to the best of my knowledge there are currently no Kava-kava food products on direct retail sale in Wales.”

http://www.konakavafarm.com/blog/?p=37

http://www.cropwatch.org/kavaupdate.htm
 
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