*Note: Kava CAN be dangerous is not prepared correctly. It can harm the liver. Please make sure you know what you are taking.Kava has been used in traditional, tribal settings on the islands of Fiji, Micronesia and Polynesia for hundreds of years. These cultures use the psychoactive beverage as a social and ceremonial offering in a way that’s often compared to how wine is used and consumed in European countries. Traditionally, after being harvested, the root is then pulverized, ground (often by mouth) and shredded. The herbal preparation is then repetitively strained into a bowl using a cold water extraction method, before being served in, and drunk out of, a half coconut shell. This preparation is enjoyed reverently due to its calming and sedating qualities. Because of these effects, growing evidence is starting to support claims that kava is useful for those suffering from insomnia, high stress, depression and anxiety. Interestingly, kava is proving to be as effective as dissolving anxiety as pharmaceutical drugs that are often prescribed for this condition.
The array of active ingredients responsible for the psychoactive effects of kava are known to science as kavaclones. These chemicals include compounds such as dihydrokavain, methysticum and kawaii, all of which have been thoroughly studied in laboratory settings. As a result, there’s empirical evidence that these compounds promote sleep, decrease convulsions and relax muscles in animals. The chemicals described have also shown to be effective painkillers, which is associated with the temporary numbness of the tongue that kava beverages induce when drunk. A double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled study conducted by The University of Melbourne in Australia found kava to be significantly more effective than a placebo at reducing anxiety in a group of 75 participants, all of whom were diagnosed with GAD (General Anxiety Disorder)."
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