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==News About Kava==
==News About Kava==
'''Kava could help in cancer fight'''
*Source:http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/320178/kava-could-help-in-cancer-fight
:(Radio NZ)
New research has found that traditionally prepared kava could help treat or prevent cancer.
Scientists used ground kava combined with other elements including sap from different sources in Micronesia.
Prepared this way, in a form used by people in the Pacific, rather than filtered, kava was more active in inhibiting breast and colon cancer cells.
One of the principal scientists behind the study, Linda Saxe Einbond from the New York Botanical Garden and the City University of New York, said the results were encouraging.
"We prepare kava the way it's prepared traditionally, as a water extract high in particular content and we did it squeezed or strained through hibiscus bark, in traditional preparation.
"I find it very interesting that what people were actually drinking turned out to be more active."
Dr Einbond said the study arose because epidemiological data showed cancer incidence was inversely associated with kava in countries like Fiji, Samoa and Vanuatu.
"And we found that the less we did to it, the unfiltered preparation was more active than the filtered, that what people actually drink has particles in it is more active than the next step of filtering it or purifying it."
Dr Einbond said the extracts used in the study were from Fiji and Hawaii, with those from Fiji most active against cancer cells.
Dr Einbond said it would be worthwhile to develop and further assess traditional kava to prevent and treat colon and other cancers.
----
'''10 Amazing Benefits Of Kava Tea'''
*Source:http://skintreatmentz.blogspot.com/2015/05/10-amazing-benefits-of-kava-tea.html
:(Rabeca, skintreatmentz)
Have you ever heard of kava before? Wondering what it is we are talking about and what good it can be? Then this post is a must-read for you, as kava, a plant native to South Africa, comes with a host of health benefits.
Are you interested in knowing more? Keep reading!
:About Kava:
Kava, a native plant to South Africa, is referred by different names, like Ava Pepper, Ava Root, Kew, Kava Kava, Intoxicating pepper, Intoxicating long pepper, Kao, and many more.
The name ‘Kava’ was given by the legendary explorer, Captain Cook. However, the name was not discovered by Captain Cook. Kava was popular among Pacific Islanders for thousands of years. It is a popular social drink in South Pacific akin to alcohol in Western societies. Moreover, it still holds an important role in various ceremonies and rituals.
Kava tea is loaded with chemicals known as kava lactones. These lactones are the key active ingredient in Kava. However, any treatment with the Kava tea would show its effect after a minimum period of eight weeks. Although there is little research present about Kava benefits, it is used widely around the Southern Pacific region.
:About Kava Tea:
The benefits of Kava plant come from its roots. Kava tea is prepared by finely grinding the roots and further letting this powder infuse in hot water to prepare tea. Kava roots are known to be loaded with rhizome components and lactones that are further purported to feature numerous health benefits. These lactones are generally believed to alleviate anxiety as well as mood swings.
Although it is new to many people, it has been popularly in use, not only for its pleasing qualities, but also for the various health benefits associated with it.
:Identification & Effectiveness:
Kava plant belongs to the pepper family. The roots and underground stem are the parts used for medicinal purposes. These parts of the plant are treated and prepared to make drinks, pills, and extracts for use.
As stated by MedlinePlus, Kava tea could possibly be effective in the management of withdrawal symptoms related to medications (like benzodiazepines) for the treatment of anxiety.
Besides being an effective stress relieving agent, Kava tea has also been considered for over 3,000 years to possess medicinal properties. Additionally, the popularity of Kava tea in the food supplement market is due to its naturally occurring soothing properties.
Many studies have also revealed that the use of kava tea aids healthy weight loss and weight management.
Kava tea is usually available in the form of capsules, liquids, tablets, tinctures, and soft gels. Besides, it is also known for its anaesthetic and analgesic properties. These properties and benefits are explained further.
1. Ideal Stress Reliever:
Being a well-accepted natural sedative, the Kava tea proves quite effective in treating patients with chronic depression and stress. As a natural tranquilizer, Kava tea helps relieve stress and various symptoms associated with it, including depression, restlessness, anxiety, dizziness, and nervousness. It has also been proved by studies that the Kava root, the basic ingredient of kava tea, can relieve palpitations prompted by panic attacks.
2. Analgesic:
Loaded with intrinsic analgesic properties, Kava tea proves highly beneficial in relieving pain due to arthritis and muscle spasms. Moreover, the chronic pain experienced because of fibromyalgia can also be treated to a great extent through the regular use of this amazing tea.
3. Antispasmodic:
There are numerous medical and health conditions that feature muscle spasms as a common symptom, including menstruation. Research conducted on Kava root and the tea prepared with this root has proven that it can be used in the treatment of serious spasms.
4. Anaesthetic:
Kava tea is known to be blessed with anaesthetic properties. Consumption and use of kava root and the tea is known to numb body parts, albeit for a temporary period.
5. Treats Menopausal Syndrome:
Menopause is considered as one of the most difficult stages in the life of a woman. This stage is accompanied by various physical and psychological problems. Kava tea is bequeathed with anaesthetic, antispasmodic, sedative, and alterative properties. All these properties, when combined, help combat the menopausal syndrome in a more convenient manner.
6. Natural Cure For Insomnia:
The sedative and tranquilizing properties of the Kava root, which is transformed into finely ground powder, have been used by conventional physicians to treat various sleep disorders. Insomnia patients are often advised to consume Kava tea for better sleep at night.
7. Helps To Treat Uro-Genital Problems:
As reported by NCCAM (National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine), the antispasmodic, antifungal, and diuretic properties of Kava tea have been used since time immemorial to treat various infections that are known to affect the urinary tract and bladder.
8. Supports Fast Recovery From Stroke:
Kava tea has the remarkable ability to control the area of the brain that is impacted by ischemia and stroke. This tea ensures, although indirectly, that there is no extensive damage to the brain. This way, it paves the way for a better and faster recovery from stroke.
9. Potential Cure For Cancer:
Studies have revealed that Kava root may play a role in the treatment of leukaemia and ovarian cancer (6). Being a natural anti-inflammatory agent as well as a natural analgesic, it is considered to be compatible with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like ibuprofen and acetaminophen. This helps provide relief from the pain experienced during such conditions.
Moreover, Kava tea also features sedative properties that induce sleep and have an effect of partial numbing. All these properties of Kava tea help cancer patients cope with the disease in a better and more convenient manner.
10. Helps Overcome Addiction Challenges:
Giving up any form of addiction is quite challenging. In addition to helping a person quit his addiction, the tranquilizing and sedative properties of Kava tea help combat withdrawal symptoms associated with the de-addiction process in a better way.
:Interesting Facts About Kava Tea Preparation:
1. A Soothing Cup Of Tea:
Kava Kava, a native plant to Polynesia, is used in parts, specifically the roots, to make a relaxing and calming tea. Kava kava relaxes muscles, thereby ensuring better sleep besides reducing stress and making people more sociable. Surprisingly, Kava tea is also usually offered during important government meetings and weddings. It also is offered during other stressful events, such as demise in the family, to produce a calming effect on the nerves and thus reducing the chances of conflict.
2. A Cold Cup Of Kava Tea:
The active and main ingredients of Kava Kava are usually destroyed at a high temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, when making Kava tea, it is recommended to use a thermometer, so as to make sure the temperature of the brew doesn’t cross 120 degrees F. This would help to keep the benefits of kava kava intact and unharmed.
One good option is to prepare large amounts of the tea. This can be done by putting the root powder or the roots in a crock pot with a liquid of your choice and then turning it on to a temperature of 120 degrees F or even less. Thereafter, let the powder steep for about an hour. Thereafter, the cool tea can be consumed to enjoy its benefits.
3. Cream For The Tea:
While learning to prepare Kava tea, you might discover that the use of a fatty liquid base, like soy milk, coconut milk, or cow’s milk, can increase the extraction rate as well as the strength of the tea. It has also been found that these liquid bases also improve the texture as well as the taste of the tea. Using water can increase the amount of time required to steep the tea.
4. Create The Perfect Brew:
Once you have decided to heat the liquid base, add Kava root powder to the heated liquid and cover it with a lid. If you are preparing your tea in milk, steep the tea for about 30 minutes; or else you can steep in water for about 45 minutes. Once the tea has reached the required strength, avoid reheating. However, it is important to ensure the temperature of the liquid does not exceed 120 degrees F.
If you are making cold Kava tea, put the powder in a cold liquid and put it inside the refrigerator overnight for an improved taste and effective results. Remember, it is very important to grind Kava root finely to extract all its benefits. Also, make sure you use a fine strainer, like muslin or coffee filter, to extract the powder from the liquid. This should be done prior to drinking the tea.
Recipes To Prepare Kava Tea:
Every individual has a different recipe to prepare Kava tea. The common methods to prepare this tea include:
::Method I – The Kava Tea Powder:
Generally, Kava tea powder is easily available at local health food stores. There are many different types of Kava available under different brand names. Look for a good brand through trial and error.
The next step is to mix the powder in water. However, remember to remove the root powder before drinking. This can be done through a large teabag or by filtering the drink later. However, for those who like some extra fibre can leave the tea unstrained.
Finally, the amount of Kava powder is added to the drink according to your taste. More amount of powder means a more potent drink.
::Method II – The Strainer Method:
The initial step in the preparation of the tea by the strainer method begins with adding the Kava powder directly into the water and mixing it thoroughly. If needed, you can opt to use a blender for large quantities or use a spoon for preparing one cup.
Allow the Kava and water to mix for at least 10 minutes. During this time, allow the blender to have a couple of breaks. The next step is to filter the Kava using a strainer. It can be a wire mesh or cheesecloth. It is worth noting that coffee filters don’t work well for filtering Kava tea.
::Method III – The Kneading Method:
For this method, take a shallow bowl. Fill it with the desired quantity of water. Three cups or more is an appropriate quantity. Follow by placing a square cloth inside the bowl. Fill the clean cloth with the desired quantity of Kava powder. Then knead this Kava in the water. Make sure the powder doesn’t escape into the bowl. As the process is completed, pull the straining cloth out and squeeze out as much liquid as possible from it.
::Method IV – Kava Teabags:
Besides the powder, Kava teabags are a great option to prepare tasty and effective Kava tea. It also is easy and saves time. Kava tea bags form the real crux of any Kava supplement. However, if you are not using whole kava root and a powder mix, capsule, or powder tea, try making sure the chosen supplement contains Kava extract and not just the dried and powdered root. This is because, without extraction of any form, plain powdered root might not be active physiologically.
:Here is how you can brew Kava tea using Kava teabags:
:• Pour boiling water over 1-2 tea bags.
:• Allow the bags to steep for about 5-10 minutes.
:• It is highly recommended to use cool water, as water heated at more than 140 degrees Fahrenheit might degrade kava lactones, thus reducing the effectiveness of the brew.
:Precautionary Tips:
The use of herbs to strengthen the body and protect it from various diseases has been in practice for thousands of years. However, herbs also contain certain components that can prompt side effects and react with other herbs, medications and/or supplements. Hence, it is advisable to consume herbs and herbal products with care.
It is best to consume herbs under expert supervision of a physician or health care provider who is qualified and has vast knowledge of botanical medicine.
Kava tea is not recommended for pregnant and lactating women(7). Also, avoid drinking this tea if you are going to have a surgery as it can protract the impact of anaesthesia.
We hope this post has helped you. Do give your feedback by commenting in the box below!
----
'''Kava Kava Benefits'''
*Source:http://www.businessinsider.com/what-kava-tastes-like-2016-6/#the-outside-looks-like-any-other-bar-i-arrived-at-around-445-pm-shortly-before-happy-hour-began-1
:By Tracey Roizman (D.C.)
Kava-kava, an herb with certain effects similar to alcohol, has long been used and reserved for ceremonial purposes in the Pacific Islands. These days you can find kava-kava, also simply referred to as kava, as a supplement in your local health food store. It's also available in beverages in a number of trendy kava bars across the United States. While it is sought after because of its relaxing effects and other potential health benefits, kava may cause some potentially serious side effects. Always consult your doctor for guidance before using kava-kava or other medicinal herbs.
:Anxiety
Kava-kava provides relief from some forms of stress and anxiety without being addictive or causing other undesirable side effects, such as drowsiness, according to a double-blind study published in the August 2009 issue of the journal "Psychopharmacology." Three weeks of kava supplementation in participants with generalized anxiety resulted in significant symptom improvement and was safe and well tolerated. Participants took five doses per day, totaling 250 milligrams of kavalactones, the active compound in the herb. Researchers also noted that kava relieved symptoms of depression along with alleviating anxiety.
:Muscle Relaxant
High doses of kava may help take the edge off tense muscles and decrease pain, according to New York University's Langone Medical Center, which notes that the herb may have similar activity to valium but affect different parts of the brain. A laboratory animal study published in the October 2000 issue of the journal "Planta Medica" found that kava relaxed airway muscles and this suggests use for managing asthma. However, this was an in vitro study; therefore, its potential use in humans for this purpose would require much more clinical research. Also note that kava may impair voluntary muscle movement and you should not use kava if you have a neurological disorder, according to nutritionist Phyllis Balch, author of the book "Prescription for Herbal Healing, 2nd Edition: An Easy-to-Use A-to-Z Reference to Hundreds of Common Disorders and Their Herbal Remedies."
:Alertness
Kava calms your nerves while keeping you alert, according to a review of previously published research that appeared in the March 2011 issue of the journal "Human Psychopharmacology." No negative effects of kava on cognitive function were found and in some studies cognitive function received a boost from kava in the form of improved visual attention and working memory. However, kava caused certain physical side effects, such as body sway and decreased ability to maintain visual focus during particularly challenging cognitive tests. Kava's ability to regulate the activity of neurotransmitter noradrenaline, particularly in brain areas responsible for critical thinking, may account for its cognitive benefits.
:Sleep Aid
Stress-induced insomnia responded well to kava in a study published in the September 2001 issue of the journal "Phytotherapy Research." Participants took 120 milligrams of kava per day for six weeks and noticed that it took significantly less time to fall asleep, they slept longer and they were in a better mood when they woke up. In a second phase of the study, two weeks after discontinuing kava, volunteers took 600 milligrams of valerian root per day for six weeks. Results showed that kava and valerian were equally effective at relieving symptoms of stress and decreasing insomnia. However, 12 percent of the volunteers experienced dizziness as a side effect of kava.
----
'''Kava Is an Effective and Safe Treatment of Anxiety'''
*Source:http://www.businessinsider.com/what-kava-tastes-like-2016-6/#the-outside-looks-like-any-other-bar-i-arrived-at-around-445-pm-shortly-before-happy-hour-began-1
:By James Lake, MD (Integrative Mental Health Care)
Many research studies confirm the anti-anxiety benefits of Kava
Kava Kava (Piper methysticum) is an effective treatment of generalized anxiety
In traditional Polynesian cultures Kava is used for ceremonial purposes and as an inebriant. In contrast to benzodiazepines when a standardized Kava extract is used at recommended doses (typically between 60 and 300mg/day) the majority of people do not experience mental slowing or impaired cognitive functioning. The use of Kava as a treatment of anxiety has been extensively reviewed in the biomedical and alternative medical literature. Animal studies suggest that the anxiety reducing mechanism of action involves serotonin blockade in the amygdala by alpha-pyrones, a principle bioactive constituent of Kava. Kava interferes with norepinephrine reuptake and is known to have binding affinity with both GABA and NMDA receptors, both of which modulate anxiety. Kava may also reduce anxiety by influencing vagal heart tone in patients with generalized anxiety (Watkins 2001).
A Cochrane systematic review of 11 controlled double-blind studies that met inclusion criteria and over 600 patients concluded that Kava was superior to placebo for the short-term management of generalized anxiety (Pittler 2004). Double-blind studies and a meta-analysis (Singh and Blumenthal, 1996; Hansel 1996) support the use of Kava preparations standardized to 70% kava lactones at doses between 70mg to 240mg/day for the treatment of “stress” and moderate anxiety, but not severe anxiety or agitation. An early systematic review of 7 quality studies involving a total of 377 patients concluded that Kava 300mg/day is more effective than placebo in reducing non-psychotic anxiety states (Pittler 1998). Daily use of kava 100-200mg/day effectively reduces anxiety symptoms associated with menopause (De Leo 2000).
Kava compares favorably to benzodiazepines (e.g. lorazepam, clonazepam, alprazolam) and other prescription anti-anxiety medications. The findings of a small double-blind controlled trial suggest that generally anxious patients who gradually increase their daily dose of kava (up to 300mg/day of a standardized extract) while tapering off a benzodiazepine do not experience worsening anxiety or benzodiazepine withdrawal (Malsch 2001). A randomized placebo-controlled multi-center study enrolling 129 outpatients concluded that a standardized Kava preparation (LI 150) was as effective as two commonly prescribed anti-anxiety agents (Buspirone™ and Opipramol™) in the treatment of generalized anxiety (Boerner 2003). Three fourths of patients in both the Kava group and the conventional drug group were classified as “treatment responders,” and experienced 50% or greater reductions in HAM-A.
:Safety issues associated with Kava
Kava is generally well tolerated even at doses significantly above usual therapeutic doses. Uncommon adverse effects include gastrointestinal upset, rash, headaches and dizziness (Schulz 2001). In recent decades there have been reports of Kava inebriation (Matthews 1988), although this social phenomenon has not been observed in Europe where Kava preparations are used medicinally to treat anxiety. Rare case reports suggest that Kava may potentiate the action of benzodiazepines resulting in increased sedation (Almeida 1996), but Kava does not potentiate the effects of alcohol consumption in humans. Rare case reports of hepatitis (Escher 2001) and fulminent liver failure (Kraft 2002) have led to restrictions in the sale of Kava products in many European countries and a warning by the FDA. However, independent experts have concluded that most reported cases of liver failure were associated with a processing mistake resulting in potentially toxic levels of alkaloids in a single batch of Kava (Waller 2002; Dragull 2003). Nevertheless, it is judicious to advise patients against taking Kava (Bone 1993) when there is a question of alcohol abuse or heavy use of conventional sedative-hypnotics. One case report suggests that Kava may interfere with anti-Parkinsonian drugs (Izzo 2001).
----
'''I tried a cup of kava, the South Pacific drink that some say could replace alcohol — here's what it was like'''
*Source:http://www.businessinsider.com/what-kava-tastes-like-2016-6/#the-outside-looks-like-any-other-bar-i-arrived-at-around-445-pm-shortly-before-happy-hour-began-1
:By Emma Rechenberg
Some adventurous eaters are starting to swap out their happy-hour cocktails for something a little more natural.
Kava drinks — often referred to as "kava tea" — are made from the roots of a plant grown in the South Pacific, and they're known for their purported anti-anxiety and antidepressant effects.
When ground up and mixed with water, the root turns into a juice that some claim can be a natural alternative to alcohol. It has been used for thousands of years as a ceremonial and social drink in the South Pacific.
Basically, the drink mimics alcohol's relaxing and sedative effects without the downsides — no extreme emotions, no memory loss, and no hangover. Tech Insider previously reported on kava's key compound, kavain, which mimics a sedative and triggers relaxation in the body. It works as a muscle relaxer, so while you're mentally alert, you feel physically loose.
Some people even claim that drinking kava makes them feel high.
The drink has made its way to the US and is now being served at six KavaSutra bars across the country. Last Friday, I stopped by the New York City location to see if this magical drink was worth the hype.
----
'''Health Benefits Of Kava Tea '''
*Source:https://www.healthbenefitstimes.com/health-benefits-of-kava-tea/
:(Health Benefits Times)
Kava, which is also known by different names, like Intoxicating pepper, Ava Pepper,Intoxicating long pepper, Ava Root, Kao, Kew, Kava Kava and many more is actually  a native plant to South Africa.
The name ‘Kava’ was given by the legendary explorer, Captain Cook. However, the name was not discovered by Captain Cook. Kava was popular among Pacific Islanders for thousands of years. It is a popular social drink in South Pacific akin to alcohol in Western societies. Moreover, it still holds an important role in various ceremonies and rituals.
Kava tea is loaded with chemicals known as kava lactones. These lactones are the key active ingredient in Kava. However, any treatment with the Kava tea would show its effect after a minimum period of eight weeks. Although there is little research present about Kava benefits, it is used widely around the Southern Pacific region.
The benefits of Kava plant come from its roots. Kava tea is prepared by finely grinding the roots and further letting this powder infuse in hot water to prepare tea. Kava roots are known to be loaded with rhizome components and lactones that are further purported to feature numerous health benefits. These lactones are generally believed to alleviate anxiety as well as mood swings.
Although it is new to many people, it has been popularly in use, not only for its pleasing qualities, but also for the various health benefits associated with it.
:Health Benefits Of Kava Tea
Kava tea is usually available in the form of capsules, liquids, tablets, tinctures, and soft gels. Besides, it is also known for its anaesthetic and analgesic properties. The properties and health benefits of kava tea are explained further.
:Good for Anxiety & stress
Kava tea can be a major help for relieving stress and anxiety. It has been clinically proven that low dose benzodiazepines present in kava kava help to relieve anxiety by normalizing the hormonal activities in the body and minimizing the release content of stress hormones in the blood stream. However, since the effects are pretty mild, it can take as long as 8 weeks to make the process work and show results in condition. Due to presence of phytochemicas known as kavalactones following health benefits can be obtain:
Kava tea is loaded with kavalactones, which are known to promote healthy sleep patterns by calming the mind and easing body aches. Hence, if you suffering from sleepless nights off late due to tension, stress, anxiety or some other types of bodily pains and discomforts, kava tea can come in as a huge help for treating insomnia and sleeplessness.
Stress can be a major reason for weight gain. People suffering from unwanted and uncontrolled stress often tend to snack heavily between meals, thereby gaining weight. This problem can be easily solved by consuming kava tea. Kava tea helps to soothe the mind, thereby easing stress, controlling appetite and promoting systematic weight loss.
As discussed before, stress can be a major stigma for heavy hair loss. Kava tea with the help of its nerve soothing properties, is known to minimize hair fall and hair loss, thereby keeping hair fall problems like hair thinning and balding at bay.
Kava kava is a wonderful aid for quitting addiction. It’s nerve soothing properties help to calm anxiety and stress, thereby curbing all cravings for addictive objects like cigarette, alcohol and cigars. A cup of Kava tea can completely help you come out off addictions in case you really want to do so.
ADHD is becoming a major problem in children and regular consumption of Kava tea can really aid in treating the disorder in children as well as adults. Kavalactones present in kava kava helps to calm the mind while promoting concentration and focus. It also helps to curb major symptoms of ADHD, namely hyperactivity, stress, tension, anxiety, forgetfulness and attention deficiency.
:Analgesic Properties
Kava Tea is an amazing medicine for relieving all sorts of pain and muscle spams. Though it’s analgesic properties are not as prominent as the other properties, it can surely help you come out of severe pain.
:Menopause Aid
Menopause can be a tough phase in the life of women. Ranging from frequent mood swings to suffering from hot flashes, women often go through a lot of discomforting feelings during this phase. Kava tea has shown positive results in controlling these symptoms and aiding in promoting sound hormonal health. Regular consumption of Kava tea can help women deal with the symptoms of menopause, especially mood swings and irritability.
:Calm Hyperactive Children
Kava tea is also a fabulous remedy for calming children who are hyperactive. It’s nerve soothing properties help to calm the hyperactive nerves, thereby reducing hyper physical activities and initiating stability. What’s more, the nerve soothing properties of Kava tea have been proven to be more effective than prescribed medicines.
:Cancer Prevention
Kava kava has been found to possess cancer preventing properties. Though researchers have not succeeded in determining its potentiality, it has shown positive signs of being a potential cancer treatment and may come out as a major cancer medicine in the recent future.
:Stroke Recovery
Offering kava tea to patients who have suffered stroke can help them recover from the effects and can even prevent the convulsive effect, thereby minimizing the chances of future stroke recurrence. It is due to the natural abilities of kava kava to arrest brain damage due to ischaemia that kava tea can help stroke patients recover quickly.
:Beneficial for Kidney problems
Kava tea being a diuretic, is also an amazing remedy for treating kidney problems and ensuring sound kidney health. People suffering from kidney problems tend to experience recurring problems even after prior treatments. Hence, if you want to treat these problems or even want to prevent such problems to occur in the future, a cup of Kava tea a day can save you from falling prey to such common yet dangerous ailments.
:Aid For Body Building
Proper elimination and retention of adequate amount of water is inevitable for building muscles. Since excessive water retention can turn out to be a disaster for muscle building and achieving the right tone, kava tea being a diuretic, can help in eliminating excess water from body.
:Sore Throat
Kava tea is also tremendously popular for its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. Hence, it can help curb major problems related to cough and cold, like respiratory tract infections and sore throat.
:Toothache
Nerve soothing properties of Kava tea can help curb toothaches. Consume 1-2 cups of Kava tea on a regular basis to get relief from toothache due to cavity formation or even after going through a dental surgery.
:Urinary Tract Infections
Kava is antibacterial and antifungal, hence, help in eradicating infections from the bladder. Being diuretic, it flushes all bacteria causing germs from the bladder and helps in treating UTI and other bladder infections.
:Anaesthetic
Kava has numbing properties and can reduce and numb sensations in various body parts for temporary periods of time. It thus can be used to numb pain sensations in aching body parts and causes numbing in the tongue for some time after it is chewed.
:Different methods of  Making  Kava Tea
Every individual has a different recipe to prepare Kava tea. The common methods to prepare this tea include:
::Method I – The Kava Tea Powder:
Generally, Kava tea powder is easily available at local health food stores. There are many different types of Kava available under different brand names. Look for a good brand through trial and error.
The next step is to mix the powder in water. However, remember to remove the root powder before drinking. This can be done through a large teabag or by filtering the drink later. However, for those who like some extra fibre can leave the tea unstrained.
Finally, the amount of Kava powder is added to the drink according to your taste. More amount of powder means a more potent drink.
::Method II – The Strainer Method:
The initial step in the preparation of the tea by the strainer method begins with adding the Kava powder directly into the water and mixing it thoroughly. If needed, you can opt to use a blender for large quantities or use a spoon for preparing one cup.
Allow the Kava and water to mix for at least 10 minutes. During this time, allow the blender to have a couple of breaks. The next step is to filter the Kava using a strainer. It can be a wire mesh or cheesecloth. It is worth noting that coffee filters don’t work well for filtering Kava tea.
::Method III – The Kneading Method:
For this method, take a shallow bowl. Fill it with the desired quantity of water. Three cups or more is an appropriate quantity. Follow by placing a square cloth inside the bowl. Fill the clean cloth with the desired quantity of Kava powder. Then knead this Kava in the water. Make sure the powder doesn’t escape into the bowl. As the process is completed, pull the straining cloth out and squeeze out as much liquid as possible from it.
::Method IV – Kava Teabags:
Besides the powder, Kava teabags are a great option to prepare tasty and effective Kava tea. It also is easy and saves time. Kava tea bags form the real crux of any Kava supplement. However, if you are not using whole kava root and a powder mix, capsule, or powder tea, try making sure the chosen supplement contains Kava extract and not just the dried and powdered root. This is because, without extraction of any form, plain powdered root might not be active physiologically.
Here is how you can brew Kava tea using Kava tea bags:
:1. Pour boiling water over 1-2 tea bags.
:2. Allow the bags to steep for about 5-10 minutes.
:3. It is highly suggested to make use of cool water, because water heated at more than 140 degrees Fahrenheit might degrade kava lactones, therefore decreasing the efficiency of the brew.
:Precautionary Tips:
The use of herbs to strengthen the body and protect it from various diseases has been in practice for thousands of years. However, herbs also contain certain components that can prompt side effects and react with other herbs, medications and/or supplements. Hence, it is advisable to consume herbs and herbal products with care.
It is best to consume herbs under expert supervision of a physician or health care provider who is qualified and has vast knowledge of botanical medicine.
Kava tea is not recommended for pregnant and lactating women. Also, avoid drinking this tea if you are going to have a surgery as it can protract the impact of anaesthesia.
----
'''Kava'''
*Source:http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/mind-body/supplements-az/kava/news-story/982990e69619722992db6fa1c783d0cf
:(Body and Soul)
An ancient ceremonial drug of the Asia Pacific, Kava is famed for its sedative and anaesthetic properties.
Kava - or ‘kava kava’ as sometimes called - is a root that has been used medicinally for many centuries in the South Pacific for its calming and anaesthetic effects. Its active principal ingredients are the kavalactones, of which at least 15 have been identified and are all considered psychoactive. Kava is consumed primarily to relax without disrupting mental clarity.
:Where it's found
Kava is extracted from a root plant - grown mostly in the Republic of Vanuatu, now widely recognised as the "home" of kava. It’s also consumed throughout the Pacific Ocean cultures of Polynesia, Hawaii, Vanuatu, Melanesia and some parts of Micronesia - ingested as a liquid drink.
:How it can benefit you
Kava is a sedative so has a calming effect, producing changes in the brain similar to those that occur with medicines such as diazepam (Valium, for example). Kava also can prevent convulsions and relax muscles. Research has also shown that kava's calming effect relieves anxiety, restlessness, sleeplessness, and stress-related symptoms such as muscle tension or spasm.
:Naturopath Mim Beim says:
“I love Kava. It is such a great herb for anxiety. It works pretty quickly, within about 40 minutes after taking it. It’s good for performance anxiety, or interview jitters. For some people it doesn’t work at all, in which case, don’t keep trying. Also, it can help you sleep, although it’s not a sedative herb, but it’s good if stress and anxiety are behind your insomnia.”
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'''Medicinal Plant Kava Safe And Effective In Reducing Anxiety, Study Suggests'''
*Source:https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090511122619.htm
:(Springer)
Researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia have found a traditional extract of Kava, a medicinal plant from the South Pacific, to be safe and effective in reducing anxiety.
To be published online this week in the Springer journal Psychopharmacology, the results of a world-first clinical trial which found that a water-soluble extract of Kava was effective in treating anxiety and improving mood. The Kava was prescribed in the form of tablets.
Lead researcher Jerome Sarris, a PhD candidate from UQ’s School of Medicine, said the placebo-controlled study found Kava to be an effective and safe treatment option for people with chronic anxiety and varying levels of depression.
“We’ve been able to show that Kava offers a natural alternative for the treatment of anxiety, and unlike some pharmaceutical options, has less risk of dependency and less potential of side effects,” Mr. Sarris said.
Each week participants were given a clinical assessment as well as a self-rating questionnaire to measure their anxiety and depression levels. The researchers found anxiety levels decreased dramatically for participants taking five tablets of Kava per day as opposed to the placebo group which took dummy pills.
“We also found that Kava had a positive impact on reducing depression levels, something which had not been tested before,” Mr. Sarris said. In 2002 Kava was banned in Europe, UK and Canada due to concerns over liver toxicity.
While the three-week trial raised no major health concerns regarding the Kava extract used, the researchers said larger studies were required to confirm the drug’s safety.
“When extracted in the appropriate way, Kava may pose less or no potential liver problems. I hope the results will encourage governments to reconsider the ban,” Mr. Sarris said.
“Ethanol and acetone extracts, which sometimes use the incorrect parts of the Kava, were being sold in Europe. That is not the traditional way of prescribing Kava in the Pacific Islands. Our study used a water-soluble extract from the peeled rootstock of a medicinal cultivar of the plant, which is approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration of Australia and is currently legal in Australia for medicinal use.”
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'''Academic says kava good for mental health'''
*Source:http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/programmes/datelinepacific/audio/201841183/academic-says-kava-good-for-mental-health
:(Dateline Pacific)
A Tongan academic says he hopes to see kava more commonly used to combat mental illness among Pacific people in the future. 
Massey University lecturer, Dr Sione Vaka presented a paper at a kava conference on how kava use was hugely beneficial for people in a number of health areas, including mental illness.
His previous doctorate research on the topic focused on Tongan men.
He says while kava drinking is already used widely in many social and formal Pacific culture and traditions.
Dr Sione Vaka began by telling Sara Vui-Talitu that the crop containts relaxant properties and the setting makes people reconnect with others around the kava circle and they get to share their views on life.
:Transcript
SIONE VAKA: Talking about how we incorporate kava, because to engage with Tongan men to get in-depth data, kava is very useful in that context and also the language there - to collect that information from people. And we use that to look at how Tongan people define mental illness and also, on another project which I presented, as well as discussing with Tongan in the kava circle, how can we decrease smoking. Because while [smoking] is decreasing [for other groups], for Tongan men it is still going up.
SARA VUI-TALITU: So what drew you to such research?
SV: My background is in mental health and my PHD research was looking at definitions of mental illness from a Tongan perspective. But I find the importance of using kava, because the group that I use kava for was the one that provided the most information. So I did another project on smoking and that's when we used the kava there as well.
SVT: What has been your perception of kava and how do you see it evolving as we move through the decades?
SV: I think kava is quite important for our Pasifika people because it identifies land, it identifies our identity, identifies who we are and it keeps us connected to the crown and also where we come from as well. So kava has all those symbols and also reminds us where we come from. It's also a forum where we get to learn more about who we are. So for the future i hope it will be around for a very long time, because I know in mental health - to have good mental well-being you have to be connected culture-wise with your level of identity, so those levels of support will be good to maintain mental well-being.
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'''Drinking kava becoming popular with Tongan women'''
*Source:http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/330400/drinking-kava-becoming-popular-with-tongan-women
:By Sara Vui-Talitu (Senior Journalist)
For Ikanamoe Ma'u, that is exactly what she has been doing for almost two decades.
She proudly calls herself a heavy kava drinker.
"I can drink kava all night and drink more cups than men," she says proudly.
Now living in Aotearoa, it was a pleasant surprise to notice a shift in female kava consumption on a recent trip back to Tonga, she said.
"I went home and was surprised to see a lot of young females as kava consumers and they do drink the kava."
She said when she started drinking kava heavily in the late 1990s, she hadn't heard of any other Tongan women who also did it.
By tradition, the Tongan fai kava or practise of drinking kava is usually done with men sitting around the kava bowl circle and a woman serving kava to the men is known as a tou'a.
"So I was often labelled a rebel for breaking with strict cultural traditions, but I'd much rather drink kava than alcohol," she said.
Tongan academic Nalei Taufa said cultural protocols were hard to break.
She talks about the role of the tou'a: "Traditionally and historically it was a very privileged and prestigious demonstration of a woman's virtue and titled key ceremonies."
She believed Ikanamoe's behaviour wasn't common so further research into women in general as kava consumers was overdue.
"Certainly given its commercialisation, it also just kind of creates more awareness around kava as a trend where women will start to be consumers more frequently."
But Nalei Taufa warned in her research about male kava drinkers, that there were risks to consuming too much.
"If you are at a long kava session there is sleep deprivation and there is tiredness and are already sleep deprived, and then drive home with a strong sedative, depending on how strong the kava mix is as well," she said.
Mele Lino said she used to just serve the kava as a tou'a until she joined up with a female Tongan kava group when visiting America.
"With the tou'a I think I played a different role where I just sit there and serve but in the circle with the girls, I got to drink and participate in the conversation."
And kava drinker Mele Havli said change was a good thing.
She said she would often drink kava with her late father as a way to communicate.
"I used to be able to do it often with my late dad and I loved it as it enabled us to chat and catch up," she said.
"I think that because we have come here to New Zealand and other places, and we see that for Fijiians it is a social thing that some women do. So some Tongan women have taken it on and done it as a sort of social gathering, even though it is not common."
Kava researcher Apa Aparosa said that the response to a presentation from Ikanamoe Ma'u at a recent kava workshop was really positive and inspiring.
"I think for her to talk about kava from a Tongan woman's perspective is pretty controversial," he said.
"There is this general rhetoric out there that Tongan women don't drink kava and Ikanamoe definitely challenges that."
Ikanamoe Ma'u encouraged women to drink the kava on their own terms.
"Be yourself and just do it," she said with a wide smile.
"It's your personal choice as a Tongan woman to do what you want to. So if you feel like drinking a lot of kava with other women, go for it."
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'''Introduction of the kava manual will boost its industry '''
*Source:http://www.fbc.com.fj/fiji/48902/introduction-of-the-kava-manual-will-boost-its-industry-
:(Fiji Broadcasting Company News)
The National Kava Standard and Fiji Kava Quality Manual were officially launched last night.
This is an effort to improve kava quality and grow exports.
While launching the manual, Acting Minister for Agriculture Osea Naiqamu says the manual has been launched at the right time given the renewed interest of markets for kava in Europe and the United States.
“We must explore every opportunity to protect and promote Fiji kava as an authentic high quality Fijian products when competition in the international markets.”
Naiqamu says kava producing countries in the Pacific including Fiji struggled in the aftermath of a kava ban imposed by Germany in 2012.
He adds that the ban was later lifted in 2014 and while Fiji’s kava earnings have gradually increased, recovery has been relatively slow.
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'''Health Benefits of Kava'''
*Source:http://www.naturalalternativeremedy.com/health-benefits-of-kava/
:By Joshua Rogers 
Kava is a herb that first started becoming utilized in the Pacific. Also scientifically called Piper Methysticum, the stem and the roots are where the crucial ingredient is that’s been employed both in alternative and conventional westernized instances of medicine.
Typically crushed or chewed up in order to create a liquid, Kava can now be generally discovered in capsules, liquids, and even in tea. All of these forms of the herb are aimed at decreasing a number of tension associated problems, pressures, and illnesses.
:The Health Benefits of Kava
Scientific study has found that the herb has a lot of usefulness in sending feelings of well being to the brain, which then helps muscle relaxation, increases focus, reduces sleeplessness, lowers inhibitions, and can be appropriate for discomfort such as back pain or hyperactivity in kids. It has been recommended that kava may impact dopamine and serotonin neurotransmitters, even though there’s no complete proof.
The herb’s root’s extracts have been used to supply people with instant access to the many amazing benefits and uses of kava. Other health advantages of this natural treatment include aid with asthma, menopausal symptoms, depression, and urinary tract infections. Because of its calming, relaxing characteristics, a health improvement has been provided by it to numerous people that will have otherwise had to endure quite a bit of chronic pain.
In recent years people and sports individuals, to significantly enhance efficiency by decreasing daily pressures, have used kava. It’s also fascinating to notice that kava has actually been applied by the military. This has been the case for certain uses of the herb in specific areas across the globe in order to decrease stress and enhance the concentration of its soldiers.
Lately, there have been quite a few people asking about how safe kava is when taken on a frequent basis. Among these primary issues happens to be the liver, where liver toxicity and failure occurred in a few patients which were discovered to be using a nutritional supplement containing the kava extract. Though this is something that couldn’t be proven as alcohol and other forms of medicine had also been ingested by the patients.
The consequences of prolonged usage of the organic material are, however, as of yet unknown. There were indications that ingesting large doses of kava all at once may lead to skin rashes and headaches. Just one dose of the natural treatment has been found to have little to no negative effects.
Researchers have recommended that kava is never to be utilized with other medications, alcohol, or by pregnant women. Just like anything new, you should contact your primary care physician before starting any treatment of kava.
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'''6 Herbs Proven to Help Treat Depression and Anxiety'''
*Source:http://www.care2.com/greenliving/6-herbs-proven-to-help-treat-depression-and-anxiety.html
:By Zoe Blarowski
Antidepressant medications are among the most widely prescribed drugs in the world. Possible side effects include impaired sexual function, suicidal thoughts, an increased risk for internal bleeding and potential withdrawal-like symptoms when the drugs are discontinued.
Herbal remedies may provide a more natural way to treat depression and anxiety with less potential side effects. Recent studies have shown the following herbs are some of the best for reducing depression and anxiety.
1. St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
A review of various herbal remedies, such as lavender, passionflower and lemon balm, found that St. John’s wort was the only one that was effective for treating depression.
The studies also showed that St. John’s wort had no significant side effects when taken by itself. Although, it can interact negatively when it’s taken with other medications. Speak to your doctor before consuming St. John’s wort to make sure it’s compatible with other pharmaceuticals you might be taking.
St. John’s wort is available in capsules and extracts in most health food stores. The plant is also easy to grow in your own garden. It’s a small shrub hardy to USDA zone 5 that blooms with attractive yellow flowers all summer. You can eat 2 to 4 grams of the dried herb daily or steep it into a tea. Both leaves and flowers are safe to use.
2. Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)
An herb traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine, ashwagandha translates to “smell of horse.” This refers to its distinct smell as well as the belief that the herb will give you the strength of a horse.
It is a shrub native to India and North Africa and the roots are used medicinally. Ashwagandha is what’s known as an adaptogen, a plant that can increase your body’s ability to resist the damaging effects of stress and promote healthy physical function.
Various studies have found that ashwagandha is a safe, non-toxic herb that can reduce depression, anxiety and stress responses in your body. Interestingly, it’s also been shown to increase hemoglobin and iron circulating in your blood. This provides more energy to the body in general and could be a factor in improving mood and physiological reactions to stress.
3. Camu Camu (Myrciaria dubia)
This is a shrub native to South America. The berries of camu camu are high in vitamin C and are often sold as a powder, juice or in capsules. They’re not typically eaten fresh because they’re very sour.
Many health benefits are claimed about camu camu, including that it combats depression. Research is still limited, but it’s been proven that camu camu has excellent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. There is a definite link between inflammation in the body and depression, so it would be logical that reducing your inflammation will also help reduce depression.
Currently, no toxic effects of camu camu have been found.
4. Maca (Lepidium meyenii)
Maca is cultivated exclusively at an altitude of 4000-4500 meters (13,100 to 14,700 feet) in the Peruvian Central Andes. It has been used traditionally for its nutritional and medicinal properties. Maca is exported as a powder, flour and liquor, as well as in capsules and extracts.
A few studies have shown that maca acts as an antidepressant in mice and helps to control oxidative stress in the brain. Human trials have also shown improvements in mood and energy when people consume maca. For example, a group of postmenopausal women who received 3.3 grams per day of maca for 6 weeks had significant improvement in depression symptoms compared to women who did not consume maca.
Maca has also been shown to have no apparent toxicity.
5. Rhodiola (Rhodiola rosea)
Originally from northern and mountainous regions of Europe and Asia, rhodiola is also an adaptogen like ashwagandha. The root has been proven to reduce stress and fatigue as well as increase mental and physical performance.
An Armenian study found that a rhodiola extract given in either 340 or 680 milligram dosages over 6 weeks had an anti-depressive effect for people with mild to moderate depression. No serious side effects were reported in the study.
6. Kava (Piper methysticum)
Kava is a plant native to the islands of the South Pacific. The roots have long been used to treat insomnia, fatigue and anxiety.
A review of eleven different scientific studies concluded that kava appears to be an effective treatment for anxiety. The studies suggest that kava is relatively safe for short-term treatment of 1 to 24 weeks.
Although, cases of liver damage associated with kava have been reported worldwide. Some experts argue that the connection between kava and liver damage isn’t certain. For instance, some of the reported cases could have been from other drugs the people were taking, or using excessive doses of kava.
Regardless, kava has been banned in countries like the United Kingdom and Germany due to its potential toxicity. If you’re considering taking kava, speak to a health care professional first about any possible side effects, especially if you have any pre-existing liver conditions.
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'''What Is Kava and Should You Try It?'''
*Source:http://www.bkmag.com/2016/03/31/what-is-kava-should-try-it/
:By Kristina Headrick
Kava found me a few years back when I was trying to manage what can be crippling anxiety. A child of the “there’s a pill for that” era, I’d tried everything from a Xanax prescription to self-medicating with red wine. Both these options led to further anxiety in the long run and I’m one of the lucky ones who never developed a crippling dependence to either. The powers of Google offered overwhelming but hopeful promises to my search for “holistic remedies for anxiety.” That week I purchased a tincture of Valerian and a few boxes of Yogi brand kava tea. The latter calmed me without inducing brain fog, a hangover, or sending me straight to the land of nod.
National chain Kavasutra has been open for awhile in the city, but Bushwick now claims not just one, but both of Brooklyn’s only kava bars. Brooklyn Kava and House of Kava opened within weeks of one another, and each brings a unique spin to the experience. Sourced from the islands of Fiji, Hawaii, Vanuatu and Samoa, kava is traditionally consumed from the half-shell of a coconut. Don’t be surprised if you hear your kava drinking receptacle referred to as a shell. 
Brooklyn Kava, owned by Harding Stowe and Nick Haycock, is a full-service cafe. “This is the only place like this on the East Coast. We wanted to create something super healthy,” Harding says of the choice to only serve all natural ingredients, Counter Culture coffee, and kombucha on tap. The minimal vibe is served by the incredibly detailed, pencil-drawn artwork of artist Sarah Tse and hardly recalls its former tenant, Cafeteria La Mejor, though it did inherit its legacy as a purveyor of delicious morning coffee. While kava is typically more popular in the post-work hours, Brooklyn Kava already has a loyal contingent who take their morning brew with kava, which “provides a nice relaxed focus.” Harding found the beverage the way many do: searching for an antidote job-related stress. “I felt like the only thing to do every night was drink. I was looking for a natural alternative to alcohol,” he explains. He tried to kava and to his “amazement,” it worked. Kava bars were already popular in his home state of North Carolina, particularly the crunchier mountain towns like Boone and Asheville. Prior to opening Brooklyn Kava, he and Nick sold ready-to-drink kava beverages at Whole Foods Markets.
Kava’s popularity is well established in another southern state: Florida. Though born in Brooklyn, House of Kava co-owner Joyci Borovsky grew up primarily in Florida, where “people kava hop. Florida has over 30 kava bars alone.” Like Harding, she came to kava as an alternative to alcohol because she “couldn’t afford to be hungover all the time. An ex brought me to a kava bar because he was recovering and drank it all the time. I thought he was drinking dirt. I fell in love with it because it made me feel great but didn’t alter my mind in any way.” She would do homework at kava bars and “end up hanging out for hours.” The large, loungey space on Central Avenue will soon have a movie projector, which feels like the most logical pairing for the relaxing tonic.
A biology major with an interest in pharmacology, Joyci hopes her spot becomes a community for people seeking safe alternatives to alcohol and other drugs. Those interested in nootropics might already be aware of kava’s reverse tolerance effect: the more you drink, the less you need. As a result, House of Kava offers the first shell for free as first timers will feel its effects less.
Studies have confirmed kava’s efficacy in treating short-term social anxiety should you desire FDA-style approval. Then again, the FDA approves plenty of substances it shouldn’t because big pharma totally has your best interests in mind. While kava has the FDA stamp of approval, House of Kava also sells kratom tea, which does not. In headline-grabbing fashion, VICE once called kratom “the beverage of recovering heroin addicts.” Some of the strains also have caffeine, and Joyci drinks it in the morning as a substitute for coffee.
Having only tried Yogi Tea kava, I was surprised by the intensity of the ingredient served on its own. The drink has an earthy taste, slightly numbing to the tongue thanks to analgesic properties. A chocolate and red rooibos beverage at Brooklyn Kava is a nice option, as the chocolate complements the kava’s earthen taste instead of masking the flavor entirely. Think chocolate milk that relaxes you. At House of Kava a peach flavored shot goes down easily enough. Those who prefer to go hard can order a shell of the pure stuff at either establishment.
I wonder if it will catch on here and find the popularity it deserves. Will Netflix and kava become a “thing”? Will someone try to serve it in mason jars? These are hard hitting questions I can’t answer. For now, I do hope it provides some chill the city desperately needs.
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'''Kava trade and retail'''
*Source:http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=375623
:By Samantha Rina
KAVA is an important agricultural commodity for a number of Pacific Island countries, forming an integral part of cultural, economic and social life.
About 30,000 households are involved in its cultivation in Vanuatu, with a further 3000 earning an income from the kava trade and retail (nakamal) operations.
Kava is widely consumed in Vanuatu and Fiji, but is also exported to countries such as New Zealand, New Caledonia, the US, and the EU.
There has been great interest in kava as a "nutraceutical", a herbal alternative to pharmaceutical sleeping and anti-anxiety pills because of kava's soporific and calming qualities.
The global nutraceuticals market is valued in the billions of dollars.
:A regional quality standard
A milestone agreement was reached at a regional meeting of the Codex Alimentarius (or Codex) Commission.
This body sets global food standards, guidelines and codes of practice (known as the Codex) aimed at ensuring the safety of food traded internationally.
The Codex Commission is supported by a Secretariat which is managed by two UN bodies — the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) — and is based in Rome.
Regional chapters of the Codex Commission meet to discuss regional food safety standards, and it was the FAO/WHO Co-ordinating Committee for North America and South West Pacific that met in Vanuatu in September, and agreed to develop a new regional standard for kava.
The Codex agreement is a significant step that holds renewed promise for the future of the kava industry.
:Support from the PHAMA program
The pathway to this point has been a long and winding one. There has been talk of developing a regional standard for kava for many years.
Given the importance of kava to Pacific livelihoods and its significant market and export potential, the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access (PHAMA) Program, an Australian Government initiative, co-funded by the New Zealand Government has been providing market access assistance for kava for about two years.
In Vanuatu, the first step was to bring the various government and private sector players together to form a Kava Industry Working Group (KIWG). PHAMA provided support to the KIWG to develop an industry strategy outlining priority areas for development.
In Fiji, industry co-operation was made easier by the existence of the Yaqona Taskforce, with which PHAMA partners. Number one on the list of priorities for the industry in both countries was the need to rebuild the image of kava following a ban on kava imports put in place by the EU because of health concerns raised by various pieces of research.
The EU ban (since lifted in 2015 following subsequent research) had a devastating effect on exports of kava from the region.
:Documenting varieties
In order to rebuild kava's image, PHAMA, the KIWG and the Yaqona Taskforce recognised the importance of demonstrating the quality of exported kava.
There are over 80 varieties of kava in Vanuatu and 13 in Fiji.
All of the varieties in Fiji are "noble" varieties, but in Vanuatu there is a mixture of noble, wild and what is termed "tudei" varieties.
Question marks remain about the safety of consuming tudei and wild varieties of kava, indicating the importance of being able to distinguish between noble and other varieties.
The way kava is harvested and dried is also important, as certain parts of the plant should not be used and poor drying can lead to mould and aflatoxin contamination.
Given this context, stakeholders in both Fiji and Vanuatu requested PHAMA's assistance in undertaking research into the varieties of kava grown locally.
In Vanuatu, this research was conducted by renowned kava expert, Dr Vincent Lebot, who documented the 80+ varieties grown in Vanuatu and identified the different chemical properties of the varieties such as the level of kavalactones.
Similar research was supported by PHAMA in Fiji in partnership with Mr Usaia Dolodolotawake at the University of the South Pacific.
:Promoting quality kava cultivation
Following on from this, PHAMA then worked with the KIWG in Vanuatu and the Yaqona Taskforce in Fiji to develop a quality assurance system for kava in each country.
Comprehensive kava quality manuals and awareness materials have been developed for distribution to farmers in each country, outlining how to produce quality kava products for export.
In Vanuatu, PHAMA is partnering with the kava industry, government and FAO to disseminate the PHAMA materials and provide training for farmers.
The efforts of PHAMA and its partners have raised awareness of correct production, processing and storage at all levels of the value chain. Fiji meanwhile is feeling the devastating effects of Severe TC Winston, which destroyed about 55 per cent of the kava crop.
Thought is being given to how production can be rejuvenated such as through the development of kava nurseries, distribution of planting material and other support to farmers.
:A test to regulate exports
PHAMA also teamed up again with Dr Lebot on the development of a simple and cost effective kava quality test.
This colour test can be used by exporters and regulatory authorities across the region to distinguish between noble and other varieties of kava.
The development of practical and economical quality testing tools like this will enable more effective quality assurance along the value chain.
:National quality standards
Exports cannot be regulated if legislation is not in place or if farmers and exporters have not been made aware of quality requirements.
PHAMA has therefore worked with the governments in Vanuatu and Fiji to develop their own national quality standards for kava.
In Vanuatu, the national standard has been widely consulted and is soon to come into force through an amendment to the Kava Act.
Fiji is also close to finalising its standard following consultations with farmers and industry in June and July 2016.
The Fiji Yaqona Taskforce and Ministry of Agriculture have also identified the need to progress legislation to formalise the representative industry body, provide a basis for quality standards and develop an industry plan for kava.
:Pacific collaboration
All stakeholders recognise that the Pacific kava producing countries need to work together to promote quality exports.
If one country exports poor quality kava, and this results in restrictions by importing countries, it risks affecting exports of kava from other Pacific countries.
For Vanuatu, that could mean the loss of $US7 million ($F14.43m) of annual exports.
This underlines the importance of developing a regional standard that is informed by the work already undertaken on national standards.
This is why PHAMA supported a number of Pacific Island countries to prepare for and attend the recent regional Codex Commission meeting in Port Vila.
While tangible progress has been made at the national level, the process for developing a regional Codex standard has only just begun.
The development and finalisation of a regional standard could take a few years. PHAMA expects to continue its support on the development of this standard, but will also cement its work in Fiji and Vanuatu to promote the quality of kava production and exports that are so important to the livelihoods of so many people.
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'''Relax with kava on the Big Island'''
*Source:http://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/Relax-with-kava-on-the-Big-Island-3279859.php
:By David Thompson (Special to The Chronicle)
Fights don't break out at kava bars.
Unlike regular bars, where tempers can rise with the voices as the night wears on, the more people drink at a kava bar, the more hushed the place becomes. The later it gets, the greater the sense of peace and goodwill.
Kava the drink is made from the pulverized root of kava the plant, a relative of the pepper. It may taste like dirt, but you don't drink it to please the palate, which, in fact, it numbs. You drink it for the same reasons Polynesians have for thousands of years: It makes your worries seem manageable, your bones seem to settle into place, and your brain feel focused, friendly and clear. It's as if you've just done 90 minutes of intense vinyasa flow yoga, without the sweat-soaked laundry. And it relieves toothaches.
The Big Island is the unofficial kava capital of Hawaii. There are probably more kava bars per capita there than anywhere else. Here are the four biggies:
:Kanaka Kava
This tiny, open-air kava watering hole sits smack in the boozy, touristy heart of Kailua-Kona, a counterintuitive spot for a mellow kava experience. But calm at the center of the storm is what native Hawaiian kava farmer Zack Gibson had in mind when he opened the place - that and creating a market for the certified organic kava he grows.
Gibson believes that Hawaii would be a lot better off if it drank less alcohol and more kava. "So we went right down to where the beer and partying is and created a peaceful place," he says.
Kava didn't taste any better in ancient Hawaiian times than it does now, which is why kava drinkers then usually had pupus on hand. Kanaka Kava serves traditional Hawaiian pupus such as sweet potato, poi, kalua pork and a hard-to-find, chewy shellfish called opii.
:Kava Kafe
At the northern tip of the island in the one-street former plantation town of Hawi, this thoroughly laid-back kava hangout is the kind of place where young moms let diapered kids roam, and nobody has to leave the dog in the car.
On the frequent live music nights, it feels more like a house party than anything else. The crowd spills out onto the tiered decks, because there's just enough room inside for, say, a three-piece reggae band, a low-slung couch filled with local girls and a handful of dancers trying not to trip over the mutts and free-range toddlers.
The kava's gone vegan here, with wheat- and gluten-free kava brownies, and kava drinks concocted with coconut milk, honey, ginger, chocolate, cayenne and cinnamon.
:Bayfront Coffee, Kava and Tea
Looking across the highway and through the palms at Hilo Bay, this kava bar in Hilo's old downtown has the breezy appeal of a sidewalk cafe. It also pours the easiest-to-drink kava on the island, made from a blend of certified organic or no-spray varieties served cold.
The temperature makes a huge difference. A coconut shell cup of cold, fresh kava goes down far more smoothly than a shell of room-temperature dried kava, which is how it's typically served. Smoother still is the "alii style," prepared with fresh coconut water instead of tap water.
"The coconut water makes it taste better, and you get a more thorough extraction," says proprietor Dave Stevenson. "In other words, it's more potent."
:Uncle's Awa Bar
Kava goes by its Hawaiian name, awa (pronounced with a "v"), at this outdoor bar in the front yard of Uncle Robert Keliihoomalu, in Kalapana, a centuries-old fishing settlement almost entirely destroyed by lava in 1990. The huge flow rose to the top of the rock wall at the edge of Uncle Robert's property, then changed direction and spared his home.
By day tourists tromp through his yard, inspecting a sculpture barn, a fading photo display of Kalapana's destruction and an exhibit laying out the legal case for the restoration of the overthrown Hawaiian monarchy. By night the awa drinkers turn out, sitting at a couple of picnic tables or around the horseshoe bar, sipping plastic cups of potent, powdered Hawaiian awa and conversing in hushed tones beneath the beneath the stars late into the evening.
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'''What can kava herb do as an aphrodisiac?'''
*Source:http://www.sfgate.com/style/article/What-can-kava-herb-do-as-an-aphrodisiac-3144085.php
:By Louanne Cole Weston, Ph.D.,
Q: Recently I've been hearing about an herb called kava. I've seen some products containing kava that tout the herb to be an aphrodisiac. Is this true?
A: If a substance that reduces anxiety can be considered an aphrodisiac, then add kava to the list.
For approximately 3,000 years, South Pacific civilizations have used the root of this plant to make a ceremonial drink to celebrate births, coronations, weddings, visiting royalty and most social gatherings, according to Richard Huemer, M.D., a medical nutritional consultant in Washington.
Today kava is used in Germany (where it is sold over the counter) to treat anxiety, says Cheryl Richitt, vice president of marketing at Natrol.
The kava plant, a cousin to the black pepper plant, has an unusual fable that describes a shift in the cultivation of kava. This fable may be a source of some of the aphrodisiac claims.
Here's the fable according to Chris Kilham, a botanical researcher of the South Seas, in "Kava: Medicine Hunting in Paradise" (1996, Park Street Press): Two sisters were out gathering wild yams. After collecting many, the women went to a tide pool to wash dirt off the yams and to scrape off their peels. They squatted by the water's edge and began to work on the yams.
Unbeknownst to the women, a kava plant had been hidden in the rocks near the water by a voyaging warrior. While working at the water's edge, she felt delightful sensations in her body, and this brought a broad smile to her face. She called out, "Oh, my sister. Something is giving me sweet pleasure. Tell me, do you see what it is?"
The sister looked and saw the nearby kava was the stealthy agent of happiness. Realizing that this was no ordinary kava plant, the two sisters removed the plant from where it had been hidden, and brought it home. They planted the kava in their garden and tended it secretly.
The story continues on and describes how the sisters introduced this "true kava" to the men of their village, how they cultivated it in gardens and how they eventually caused the men to prefer it over the kava found in the wild.
Today it is generally acknowledged that a group of compounds known as kavalactones are primarily responsible for the effects of the plant. Documented effects of kava include: general relaxation, anti-anxiety activity, muscle relaxation and anti-convulsive effects.
Unlike alcohol, which dulls perceptions, kava generates a calm, but not intoxicated, state. This is relevant to the sexual activity because it may permit some who are anxious to calm themselves without some of the negative sexual side effects of anti-anxiety medications.
Over-the-counter kava in Europe typically contains 200-250 mg. of kava extract. One to three capsules per day is the general range of use. Calming effects usually take about 20 minutes to begin. "Kava should be used as needed and not taken daily," says Richard Kunin, M.D., psychiatrist and nutrition physician in San Francisco.
"Overuse can lead to skin reactions such as inflammation and yellowing."
Many people find that exciting sex includes having some anxiety - just not too much of it. Kava may be helpful for people who find aspects of sex to cause overwhelming amounts of anxiety or for people who just want to feel an even greater sense of calm.
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'''Study shows traditional preparation of Kava may help prevent cancer'''
*Source:http://fox13now.com/2016/12/12/study-shows-traditional-preparation-of-kava-may-help-prevent-cancer/
:By Tamara Vaifanua
SALT LAKE CITY – A root known as Kava that grows in the Pacific Islands could yield some promising health benefits. Scientists in New York say it’s becoming a useful weapon in the fight against cancer.
Kava is used in traditional ceremonies on the islands and elsewhere. Pacific islanders grind the root and mix it with water. The mixture is then squeezed and strained into a coconut shell, ready to serve.
People say they feel tingling and numbness in their tongue.
“I was able to see Kava ceremonies performed in the islands, they're beautiful parts of the culture,” said Karen Mulitalo.
Mulitalo is of Samoan descent and the director of the University of Utah’s Physician’s Assistant program. She has studied the healing effects of Kava.
“The healing properties began to be noticed when there was a high incidence of smoking in the Pacific Islands, like there is in the states," she said.
Mulitalo is encouraged by a recent study conducted by scientists in New York. They found that squeezing the Kava extract through sea hibiscus bark inhibited the growth of breast and colon cancer.
This supports previous research that shows that, in places where Kava is used, incidence of cancers is low despite high smoking rates.
“Some of the studies even looked into Kava that they found in one island was more effective than the Kava they found in another,” Mulitalo said.
In this particular study, extracts that were most effective against cancer cells were from Fiji. Mulitalo says there’s definitely a correlation, but there could be other factors at play, such as lifestyle.
“Certainly, very exciting," she said. "It's always nice to find that there is something that is hopeful in preventing cancers.”
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'''5 natural remedies for anxiety'''
*Source:http://www.thehealthsite.com/photo-gallery/diseases-conditions/natural-remedies-for-anxiety-v0116/
:By Anuradha Varanasi
Anxiety disorders can be extremely challenging to deal with as patients struggle to cope with feelings of overwhelming fear and constant worrying. While there are different types of anxiety disorders, symptoms include trouble sleeping, sweaty hands and an inability to stay calm, among others. These 5 natural remedies could help in fighting against anxiety.
Passionflower: Iranian researchers included 36 anxiety patients in their study where half of them were given extracts of passion flower (45 drops per day), while the others were given an anti-anxiety drug called oxazepam for four weeks. They found that passion flower extracts were as effective as the medicine in reducing symptoms.
St. John’s Wort: These extracts are derived from the flowerings of this shrub found in Europe most commonly. It is used commonly in Germany to treat anxiety and depression. Several studies have established it is effective in fighting against symptoms of depression that is linked to anxiety.
Magnesium supplements: Studies have found that magnesium intake has anti-anxiety effects on patients. British researchers found that 200mg of magnesium along with 50 mg of vitamin B6 is effective in fighting against premenstrual anxiety among women.
Kava: Kava is a root found most commonly in the Pacific region and its roots extracts have been found to be effective in tackling symptoms of anxiety. Researchers first discovered its anti-anxiety properties in 1997 after conducting a study that included 101 patients.
Chamomile: Chamomile tea is known for its relaxing effects. Researchers have found that the extracts can also treat patients with mild to moderate anxiety disorders.
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'''Kava Tea and Its Benefits''''
*Source:http://www.drinkherbaltea.com/kava-tea-benefits/
:(Drink Herbal Tea)
Kava kava root has been used for hundreds of years in the Pacific Islands for both its cultural significance and medicinal properties. In the last few decades, kava tea has become popular as a sleep aid and a natural remedy for anxiety. While its use is not without controversy, kava offers many benefits for the conscientious consumer.
:What Is Kava Tea?
Kava’s scientific name is Piper methysticum, but it also goes by kava kava, cava, and yangona. It is native to the Pacific Island area and is a member of the pepper family. The plants grow in shrubs up to 12 feet tall and are distinguished by thick stems and heart-shaped leaves. The plants can range from green to black and may flower with yellow-green spikes. Kava tea, however, is generally made from the root of the plant, which is soft when first harvested but hardens when it dries out.
What Is Kava Tea Good For?
While kava tea has many traditional medicinal uses, it is best known today for its calming effect on the nervous system. It’s commonly used to relieve symptoms associated with:
:• Anxiety. Kava’s anti-inflammatory effect on the central nervous system makes it popular with those who suffer from anxiety and chronic stress. Some studies have shown that kava works even better for some people than prescription anti-anxiety medications.
:• Insomnia. Those same stress-reducing and calming properties also help the body relax and prepare for sleep. It’s common to start feeling drowsy as soon as 20 minutes after drinking kava tea.
:• Headaches. Kava has been used as a traditional remedy for aches and pains, and the roots can be chewed to relieve severe headaches. These same pain relieving properties can also be experienced when ingesting the plant in tea form.
:• Arthritis. Kava is also good for pain associated with arthritis, sore muscles and general achiness.
The kava root is very potent. If you’re drinking kava tea to help with anxiety or sleeplessness, you may want to drink it before bed and when you’re ready for sleep until you get an idea of how your body responds and the right dosage for you.
:What Does Kava Tea Taste Like?
Pure kava tea has a decidedly warm, earthy taste that can be somewhat bitter at times. When prepared and brewed correctly, it may have a hint of pepper or spice to it as well. The aroma is often described as a “spicy dirt” smell.
:Tea Pairings
Many people prefer to temper the flavor with milk or creamer and a bit of honey, but you can also find kava tea that is blended with other herbs to bring out its inherent warmth. Spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg are common. Other earthy, rich flavors such as licorice, sarsaparilla, and ginger are a nice complement.
:Healing Benefits of Kava Tea
Kava tea’s main healing benefits are its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. The kavalactones in the tea affect the body’s central nervous system, producing a calming effect — sometimes to the point of drowsiness. Kavalactones also reduce the stress response in the body, lowering blood pressure and pulse to normal levels.
:Biochemical Profile of Kava Tea
The main component and active ingredient in kava tea is a substance known as kavalactones, which are fat soluble. These are responsible for the plant’s calming and sleep-inducing properties. Traditionally, people chewed the kava roots to take advantage of the various medicinal properties, but now dried and powdered roots and teas are widely available.
Are There Any Side Effects from Kava Tea?
The main possible issue with taking kava tea is the chance of liver damage. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released a warning that dietary supplements containing kava may increase the chances of cirrhosis, hepatitis, and liver failure. Those who are already taking medications for liver issues or are at risk of liver problems should not take kava in any form. Women who are pregnant or nursing should also avoid kava. There have not been any conclusive scientific studies conducted on the effect of kava during pregnancy or breastfeeding, but it is possible that the plant can affect the uterus or pass through breastmilk.
Because kava affects the nervous system, those taking antidepressant or sedatives should not use kava tea. Kava can increase the effects of these medications and possibly increase depressive symptoms as well. Kava may also increase the effectiveness of anesthetics and should be avoided for at least two weeks before any surgical procedures.
:Dosage and How to Make Kava Tea
Because of the relatively small amount of research done on kava tea, it’s unclear if there is a certain dosage that will bring about the most benefits. Due to the concerns over issues with the liver, however, the American Herbal Products Council has advised limiting yourself to less than 300 milligrams kavalactones a day or just as needed during times of stress, anxiety, or insomnia. Most people are able to get relief from these symptoms with 70 to 150 milligrams taken 30 to 60 minutes before bed. While the tea is generally considered less potent than the extract form, kava tea should also not be used for longer than three months at a time.
If you’re using commercially prepared tea bags, one tea bag per cup of boiling water is a good start, and this tea does best when allowed to steep for 3 to 6 minutes. Using spring or filtered water can also help ensure you get an unadulterated flavor profile. Fresh kava root will give a much stronger tea, so you may want to stick with packaged varieties until you see how the tea affects you.
:Where to Buy Kava Tea?
Kava tea is not as common as some herbal varieties like chamomile or peppermint, so you may have to find a health food store or order online. Both Yogi Kava Stress Relief and Buddha Tea’s Kava Kava Root Tea are good choices. The Yogi blend includes cinnamon, sarsaparilla, and carob for a rich, spicy taste, while Buddha Tea delivers a pure flavor by using only the kava root in its version.
Who Can Benefit From This Herbal Tea?
Kava tea is a great choice for healthy adults who experience occasional anxiety or sleeplessness, especially related to stress. The tea’s relaxing properties provide relief within 20 to 30 minutes, and when consumed sparingly, there is less need to worry about possible complications with the liver.
:What We Like About This Herbal Tea
We love the rich, well-rounded taste of kava tea, its stress-reducing properties and how quickly you can benefit from its effects. While it can be a challenge to find in the grocery store, it’s a good staple to have in your tea collection for nights when you need a little extra help drifting off to a peaceful night’s sleep.
:Did You Know?
The kava plant goes by more than 30 different names, but it’s said to have been named Piper methysticum, which means intoxicating pepper, by Captain Cook when he visited the Pacific Island countries. Kava was traditionally used as a topical remedy for leprosy and canker sores. The kava plant and the drink made from the root also have a long history of cultural significance among the Pacific Islanders and were traditionally used as a way to honor visitors and finalize business deals.
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'''The truth about kava'''
*Source:https://theaggie.org/2016/11/21/the-truth-about-kava/
:By Meral Basit
:What kava is, what it’s used for, common myths
Kava is a root that has been used ceremonially, medicinally and recreationally for over 2500 years in Polynesian, Melanesian and Micronesian cultures. Recently, kava bars have been popping up in the United States, and demand for the root is growing steadily.
Travis Lowin and Tyler Blythe are co-owners of The Root of Happiness Kava Bar, which has locations in Davis and Rancho Cordova. When they opened their own kava bar, Lowin and Blythe saw that there was a significant lack of testing in the field.
“Originally, what we noticed with kava is that there really wasn’t a standard of quality,” Lowin said. “Is it being tested for purity microbiologically? Are you [testing] for pure microbes whenever it comes in? Is it being ran through for not only the purity, but also the quality?”
Because of the lack of quantifiable standards in the kava industry, Lowin and Blythe made it a personal mission to test their products before offering them to the public, and they established a system for measuring kava potency and quality.
“Everything we serve here, you can literally pull out the binder and go through,” Lowin said. “From our concentrated powders, to our lemon honey concentrate, to the raw materials in general.”
Kava is largely associated with having calming properties, both for the body and the mind. Glenn Reddy, a second-year economics and computer science major at Vanderbilt University, was recently visiting a friend in Davis when he decided to go to The Root of Happiness.
“Because it was something that was entirely legal, and it was something that you didn’t have to be 21 for […] I really didn’t expect much at all,” Reddy said. “[After a few drinks] I was very content to relax and to sit on the very plush couches. It felt really nice.”
Kava’s relaxing properties can be directly attributed to its chemical composition.
“The active ingredients [in kava] are kavalactones. There’s 18 total identifiable kavalactones, six of which contribute the pharmacological effect,” Blythe said. “It’s not like a  standardized, one-chemical deal […] It’s six different chemicals, and each chemical has multiple pharmacological contributions to the whole effect.”
These kavalactones interact with the human body to produce calming effects in multiple ways. In addition to affecting calcium channel blockers, kavalactones interact with the endocannabinoid system, which has a role in the modulation of pain and inflammation.
“The human body already has this fascinating endocannabinoid system and within it, you [have a] very intricate network of cannabinoid receptors that our body naturally knows how to use to process naturally occurring chemicals, let’s say in plants, that interact with that system,” Lowin said. “We found kavalactones, [which] obviously come from kava, but directly interact with a benefit within the endocannabinoid.”
As indicated by the name, the cannabinoid system is also affected by cannabis. However, it also is stimulated by black pepper, rosemary and other plants, according to Blythe.
A curious abnormality of kava usage is the reverse tolerance principle. Kava users find that the more often they consume kava, the less kava they have to take to feel the effects. This idea seems counterintuitive when compared to more commonly consumed substances like alcohol and coffee, whose effects are abated with time. According to Blythe, one possible explanation is the stability of the kavalactones.
“There’s long-term acting chemicals that hang around in kava. Whether [or not] they’re affecting you on a noticeable level, they’re still lingering around, they are long half-life chemicals,” Blythe said. “That’s one explanation for what it is, is that they hang around. Maybe for a day or two, maybe for longer. After you’ve been [consuming the chemicals] day after day after day, it accumulates in your system.”
One of the largest concerns around the root deals with a reported trend between kava usage and liver toxicity. According to Blythe, these concerns can be ameliorated.
“What happened in the early ‘90’s to 2000’s is that a bad batch of kava got made, and due to the poor quality controls, record keeping wasn’t up to spec,” Blythe said. “That [instance] traced back to one pharmaceutical company in Germany, Schwabe Pharmaceuticals, who had made a batch of [bad] kava extract and gotten a bunch of people sick.”
Because the recordkeeping was so poor, Blythe said that there are still a lot of unanswered questions about the purity, quality and extractions methods that Schwabe Pharmaceuticals used. However, even the reported cases of liver toxicity were few and far between, according to Blythe.
“We have 500 million daily doses of kava being distributed within Europe over a 10 year period [and] 37 cases of possible correlation of liver toxicity were reported,” Blythe said. “A group of three German scientists who were in charge of investigating those cases narrowed all of them down to three [legitimate] cases […] So out of 500 million daily doses distributed over a decade in Europe, due to one [bad] batch of kava, we had three cases of liver toxicity and never again.”
In starting Root Of Happiness, Blythe and Lowin are excited to offer kava as an alternative to other substances. Winding down at the end of the day with a bowl of kava as opposed to the traditional cold beer is the more relaxing option, according to Blythe.
“[Kava] soothes all your day to day tension,” Blythe said. “It kinda feels like how you should feel without kava. Just kind of calm, and soothing and easy going.”
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'''Kava Plant May Treat Anxiety'''
*Source:http://www.livescience.com/34497-kava-anxiety-treatment.html
:By Bahar Gholipour (Staff Writer)
An extract from the kava plant can treat people with chronic anxiety, a study from Australia finds.
Patients with generalized anxiety disorder who took kava extract tablets for six weeks showed a significant reduction in their symptoms, compared with a control group that took placebo pills, the results showed.
The study confirms previous findings showing the anti-anxiety effects of kava, a psychoactive plant native to the Pacific region.
Kava is culturally important among many Pacific Islanders, and is used in rituals and ceremonies. Consuming kava may induce a mild sedation and euphoria, a numbing effect and enhanced social interaction. It is prepared in various forms, such as grinding the plant or brewing its roots.
It's believed the roots contain chemicals that may treat anxiety. The active ingredients of the plant are compounds called kavalactones. These chemicals have similar effects to medications such as Xanax, which are used to treat anxiety and panic disorders.
In the new study, 75 patients with anxiety disorders were given either kava or placebo pills, and their anxiety levels were regularly assessed over the next six weeks.
Patients who consumed kava tablets showed significant improvements in their symptoms, as measured by a commonly used psychological test.
By the end of the experiment, 26 percent of kava-consuming patients were in remission from their symptoms compared with 6 percent of the placebo group, according to the study, which was published this month in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology.
Kava is less addictive and has a lower risk of side effects compared with conventional anxiety medications, according to the study.
In the study, some people taking kava reported headaches, but no other side effects were seen. Previous studies have suggested the plant may have negative effects on the liver, but liver tests in the study participants showed no problems.
Researchers also found that people’s genetics may affect their response to kava. Genes that code for proteins that transport a brain chemical called GABA may play a role in this, .
“If this finding is replicated, it may pave the way for simple genetic tests to determine which people may be likely to have a beneficial anxiety-reducing effect from taking kava,” said Jerome Sarris, study author from the University of Melbourne.
The new study adds to the evidence of kava's medicinal potential. A 2010 review of 12 controlled trials concluded that kava is likely to be an effective treatment for anxiety, and its short-term use is likely to be safe. The reviewers, however, called for larger studies to bolster these results.
Kava is a major export of the Pacific. It was once banned in some Western countries, primarily out of concern for its alleged effects on the liver. It is now legal in most places and available in various forms, such as in relaxation supplements and “anti-energy” drinks.
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'''What Causes The Weird Effects Of Kava?'''
*Source:http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/07/what-causes-the-weird-effects-of-kava/
:By  Esther Inglis Arkell
Those who have an eye on the fast-paced world of recreational pharmacology will probably have heard of kava. Kava (or kava-kava) is a plant, long known in the South Pacific, that induces a sense of relaxation. It also induces euphoria. And helps you diet. And acts as an effective anesthetic. How does it manage all this? Find out!
If you are in America and go to a sufficiently hippie-inspired store you will probably find a wall full of “relaxation” teas. Most of those teas are of no more worth, when it comes to relaxation, than a regular cup of hot water. However, one might help you out a little bit. That would be “kava” or “kava-kava” tea. They may not be high quality, but the plant they contain is one of the better-known legal drugs.
Kava is a plant found widely throughout the Pacific islands. Its use varies, from island to island. In some places it is part of a solemn ceremony. In others it’s consumed in the equivalent of bars. Wherever it is consumed, it is pounded, ground up, or chewed, and then soaked in water. People then drink the water by the bowlful over the course of an evening, and, given its effects, it’s not surprising to see why. While kava’s taste is described as both bitter and “dirt-like,” it gives the drinker a sense of calm and relaxation, and sometimes a sense of euphoria. It also has a host of other effects, one of which is bitterly disputed.
Kava, once gulped down, goes to work on the body via about fifteen different compounds, known as kavalactones. These different compounds are present in different amounts, depending on the exact strain of kava, but the ones that are responsible for kava’s popularity are known as kavain and desmethoxyyangonin. Kavain induces a feeling of relaxation, like a sedative. Unlike a sedative, it doesn’t do so by knocking out the brain. Instead it’s a muscle relaxant, physically relaxing the body and letting the brain follow along. This leaves kava drinkers relaxed but alert. Desmethyoxyyangonin, meanwhile, increases dopamine in the brain, giving people a mild euphoric sensation. (Another kavalactone, yangonin, works the same brain channel as THC, and also contributes to the good feelings that people have while on kava.)
Kavain has a less-pleasant effect. It’s a topical anesthetic that numbs on contact. People gargle with kava for tooth aches, but mostly it’s a source of embarrassment for people who haven’t tasted kava before and attempt to talk after their first bowl. With their numbed mouths they like they have just had dental surgery. Kava consumed before a big meal might be a real problem, but few people feel like eating after kava. There’s a reason why most topical anesthetics aren’t swallowed. Kavain keeps numbing as it moves through the body, and people who swallow can experience extreme nausea as the anesthetic goes to work on their stomach. Habitual kava drinkers lose the nausea, eventually, but the numbing agent still works. Kava suppresses the appetite.
With all these effects – euphoria, relaxation, and appetite suppression – one would think that kava use would be much more widespread than it is. There’s a reason no one drinks a kava-n-kale smoothie to slim down. In the early 2000s, heavy kava drinkers in Europe and America started having liver problems. A study linked kava to liver damage and a few fatal poisonings. The drug dropped out of sight most places, and was banned entirely in Germany, Switzerland, and Canada. But does kava destroy the liver?
Like many scientific questions, there isn’t a definitive answer. Over the next few years, some researchers have poked holes in the original paper. Other studies, done on kava drinkers in the south Pacific, have noted that they don’t suffer from liver damage any more than any other population. Some speculate that certain kava exporters weren’t careful to only include the roots of the plant, and were grinding the toxic leaves and stems of the kava plant into their powders to increase the weight.
Today, kava seems to be making a comeback. It’s possible that kava drinkers are more careful. It’s possible that the health scare was unsubstantiated. And it’s possible that the idea of getting high without getting the munchies might be more valuable than a liver.
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'''What is kava, is it really a good remedy for anxiety and can you get it in the UK?'''
'''What is kava, is it really a good remedy for anxiety and can you get it in the UK?'''
*Source: http://metro.co.uk/2016/10/11/what-is-kava-and-is-it-really-a-good-remedy-for-anxiety-6185929/
*Source: http://metro.co.uk/2016/10/11/what-is-kava-and-is-it-really-a-good-remedy-for-anxiety-6185929/
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