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Difference between revisions of "Kava"
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==News About Kava== | ==News About Kava== | ||
'''First Colorado Springs kava bar promises relaxing, happy time''' | |||
*Source:http://gazette.com/first-colorado-springs-kava-bar-promises-relaxing-happy-time/article/1567603 | |||
:By Jen Mulson | |||
"Bula!" said Matthew Clark as we bellied up to the Ohana Kava Bar and clinked plastic coconut shells filled with kava. | |||
"Bula!" I said, echoing back the Fijian word for "cheers," before we slammed 4 ounces of the herbal liquid that resembled dirty dishwater. And by slammed, I mean he drank it like a whiskey shot while I took a couple of gulps, thereby breaking tradition in the beverage's long history. | |||
The concoction made from water and kava root from the Polynesian Islands wasn't delicious, but it wasn't terrible either. It surely didn't make me say, "Please, sir, may I have another?," but I suspect it could be an acquired taste. I was vaguely reminded of my favorite dandelion tea - earthy and strangely healthy-tasting. | |||
And then my tongue went the tiniest bit numb. | |||
Clark, owner of Ohana at 112 E. Boulder St., assured me it was a normal reaction due to the source of kava - the crushed roots of a plant in the pepper family called piper methysticum. | |||
As I deciphered my tongue's new texture, a slight buzzy sensation of contentedness settled over me. Again, a normal reaction, Clark said. And also? The coveted sensation. It's why people drink kava. | |||
Well, not the only reason. The potent potable has also played a vital role in the traditional ceremonies of Pacific Islanders for about 3,000 years. Beyond that, people say kava helps relieve anxiety, insomnia and pain and relaxes muscles. It's due to the kavalactones in the roots, compounds that help to sedate and numb the nervous system. | |||
"Relaxation and happiness are the immediate benefits," Clark said. "The initial effects last an hour or three and residual effects last for several hours." | |||
Clark discovered the beverage in West Palm Beach, Fla., where he went to nursing school. He's been a nurse for a decade and an emergency room nurse with Penrose-St. Francis Health Services since 2008. "I didn't want to drink alcohol," he said. "Alcohol makes me angry. This makes me happy. It turns that frown upside down." | |||
Clark brews up a fresh batch of kava every day or two and sticks it in the refrigerator. Though it's traditionally served at room temperature, he believes it's more palatable when cold. | |||
After our first round of kava ($5 single, $9 double), I cleansed my palate with a swig of hibiscus mint and ginger kombucha (he also keeps two flavors of Denver's Happy Leaf Kombucha on tap), and let half a fingernail-sized serving of lemon honey kava paste ("It's good for when you're stuck in traffic - calms you down," Clark said) melt in my mouth. And then there were two flavored shots with 30 percent kava extract. | |||
Had Ohana been a typical bar, I'd have been half in the bag at that point. But I sallied forth, intrigued by the idea of leaving enveloped in an aura of peace, love and harmony. | |||
The Intoxicated Pepper shot sizzled on the way down with its sweet heat and pineapple flavor and the Lemon Drop was nothing like what you'd find at a summer lemonade stand (one shot is $4, three for $10). | |||
And then there's the Kraken - 4 ounces of kava with 30 percent kava extract and whatever flavor of Torani syrup your taste buds prefer. The $12 drink is equal to three traditional servings of kava. | |||
"I've been in nursing for 10 years," Clark said. "This is good medicine and gives me an avenue to help those around me and make them feel good. I've created my happy place." | |||
:BUT IS IT SAFE? | |||
More than a decade ago kava was in the news and not in a good way. The herb was deemed toxic to the liver and folks were encouraged to steer clear. | |||
The tide has turned in the ensuing years, however, and new research suggests kava isn't destructive after all, though drinkers are still warned to monitor consumption and avoid combining it with alcohol, which could lead to liver damage. | |||
Kava bars are popping up all over the country, including Kavasutra Kava Bar in Denver and storefronts in Portland, Ore., Austin, Texas, and New York. | |||
Martha Rosenau, a registered dietitian and owner of Peak Nutrition, is pro kava. | |||
"It's absolutely OK to have a couple of shots," she said. "I doubt anybody will drink enough of it for it to be a problem." | |||
She does, however, caution against using too much of the kava paste. | |||
"As a responsible practitioner let's not keep drinking more and more of the paste, please," she said. "There is some evidence of liver damage at high dosages." | |||
While most people in America often seek over-caffeination, Rosenau believes the tide is turning. She sees it in the proliferation of anti- energy drinks at supermarkets and natural health food stores that promote a more mellow affect, including Marley's Mellow Mood by Ziggy Marley. While companies aren't using kava yet, she thinks it's only a matter of time. | |||
"Even with one shot of kava people feel calm, settled and peaceful," Rosenau said. "People report they notice a mood lift. They feel happy and content. I think they should try it." | |||
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'''Benefits of kava catching on in NZ and beyond''' | '''Benefits of kava catching on in NZ and beyond''' | ||
*Source:http://affinitemagazine.com/my-cup-of-tea-with-dr-cat | *Source:http://affinitemagazine.com/my-cup-of-tea-with-dr-cat | ||