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A kava vendor is company or person who acquires kava and then resells it to the public. There are reputable kava vendors and then there are those who care less about their reputation and more about making money. It’s your job to determine the best kava vendor for you.

Treat it like a job interview. Dismiss the kava vendors who do not meet your standards and don’t feel bad about doing so.

It is up to you to research each kava vendor. But you don’t have to do this all by yourself.

To help you, we have listed specific qualities the best kava vendor suppliers exhibit. You can use this list during your search for a vendor. If you find a vendor that meets all these characteristics, then you have found the one who can meet your needs.

They Know Kava Origins

All kava originates from the South Pacific Islands including Vanuatu, Hawaii and Fiji. This is the only place where the true piper methysticum plant grows.

But just because the plant comes from the same region, each culture harvests and creates their own version of kava. Fiji kava can be slightly different than Hawaiian kava.

A good kava supplier will be able to tell you specifically where their kava originated.

They Work with the Best Kava Farmers

Kava vendors build relationships with the harvesters and wholesalers in the Pacific Islands. They have spent many hours distinguishing between reputable and shady kava suppliers.

A good kava vendor goes to great lengths to provide you, the customer, with the best product.

They avoid the farmers and harvesters that just want to make a quick dollar by selling less quality products for higher prices.

The best kava vendor checks references and reviews to find the highest quality farmer with the best kava extract.

They are Members of The American Kava Association

The American Kava Association was developed to help ensure only good kava is distributed in the United States. It is an organization with members who are growers, vendors, distributors, and retailers. They have set quality control standards and lab testing of kava.

This association provides education to consumers who are looking to learn how to purchase and use kava. They provide the latest kava research. They also update a watch list of kava vendors to avoid.

The American Kava Association is a great resource for everyone associated with kava, from farmer to consumer, and everyone in between. To find the best kava vendor for your needs, you want to make sure that they are members of the American Kava Association.

They Offer Many Varieties

Kava does not just come in plant form. In fact, when harvested, the root of the piper methysticum plant is pounded into powder form to preserve it so that it can be shipped around the world.

While kava powder is the most popular product, manufacturers have found creative ways to process and sell kava. For instance, there are kava capsules, concentrate, and mixes that people like to enjoy as well. This may be because the taste of kava in the powder form is less than tasty.

Kava drinks that are pre-made and sold in liquid form are also available. Kava tea is a best-selling product. This makes preparation simple and quick. You simply steep the kava tea bag in hot water and consume.

Kava paste is another product that is rising in popularity. The thick paste form gives you a higher concentration in a much smaller dose.

They Know the Right Dose

Knowing the right dosage of kava to consume is something that the best kava vendor and supplier should know. The recommended dose for a person is no more than 300 mg each day. Some choose to spread this 300 mg throughout the day, drinking 100mg three times a day.

Over doing it with kava can make you feel very sedated. The stronger the kava, the more sedated you will be. Kava vendors should know how much a newbie user should take versus a long-time user.

They Can Explain Effects

There are many great effects that follow drinking kava. Vendors should be able to tell you exactly what to expect from using kava. Vendors should know their stuff.

They should be able to tell you why kava makes you feel the way it does, because of the kavalactones within the kava root extracted.

There are many kavalactones. However, only a few contribute to certain effects. Kavalactone types with the best effects include dihydromethysticin, kavain, dihydrokavain, and yangonin.

These can make you feel sedated but also happy to socialize and you remain clear headed.

They Can Tell You the Difference Between Kava and Alcohol

The main difference between kava and alcohol is the ability to remain mentally alert. Alcohol can make some feel relaxed, yes. But alcohol also clouds the mind and impairs judgement. Kava does just the opposite.

It has been used for centuries to help villagers open their minds to receive communications from their Gods. It has also been used before, during and after major celebrations and rituals, aiding in positive social mingling.

In more recent times, kava is used to help people destress each day. Yet, it still allows them to be functioning and valuable in social settings.

Many of the best kava vendors also have kava lounges or bars. They recognize the need for people to have an alternative place to go to relax, other than a bar. So, they provide this location to bring together people with similar needs.

Choosing the best kava vendor for you will be a lot less difficult using this checklist. So go ahead, start your research today.

Kava comes in many forms. While most people drink it as a tea, you can also buy it in supplement, micronized, ready-mix or instant and even kava paste.

Kava paste is becoming so popular with consumers because it has many benefits. Keep reading to find out how kavalactones, effects, dosage and other benefits apply. But let’s first start with an understanding kava paste.

What is Kava Paste?

Kava paste is like other products in concentrated paste form. It is a powder mixed with a small amount of water to form a gooey paste. Think toothpaste, only with a brownish color. Oh, and it doesn’t clean your teeth. What it does, however, is make you feel great.

What makes you feel so great are the kavalactones in kava paste.

Kavalactones in Paste

In kava teas and mixes, not all the kavalactones available are used. Instead, they are mixed and matched to produce varying effects in each type. In kava paste, all kavalactones are used in some way. This gives it the strongest form of kava. It’s like “The Hulk” of kava products.

Desmethoxyyangonin is labeled with a “1”. Brain chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin increase when triggered by the kavalactone desmethoyyangonin. It can make you feel happier, even giving you a feeling of euphoria. It does this without interrupting your ability to focus and maintain attention.

Dihydrokavain is “2” in the list of kavalactones. This component enhances GABA chemicals in the brain. Gaba is responsible for enhancing immunity and relaxing you during periods of feeling overwhelmed.

Yangonin is listed as “3” and Kavain is “4”. These can work on the central nervous system to produce relaxing and calming effects. They are also said to help you get a good night’s sleep.

Kavain is often associated with some of the best types of kava to mix for drinking. Meaning, kava powders with the number “4” in the first two or three numbers identifying the chemotype will likely give you the best effects.

Dihydromethysticin is “5” and Methysticin is “6” in the lineup of kavalactones. Both increase serotonin chemicals in the brain. Many of the best kava varieties include either dihydromethysticin or methysticin in the first few numbers of the lineup.

What Are the Effects?

Kavalactones produce the relaxing effects in kava. After taking kava paste, you will start to feel the tension in your muscles fade away. You will feel calm, but not so much that you cannot function.

You will not be overwhelmed with sedation. Kava paste does not cause you to lose the ability to walk and talk. It may slow you down a little bit, but you remain fully functional.

Another effect of kava paste is that of restful sleep. It's calming and relaxing qualities allows you to have a deep sleep without interfering with REM sleep that is so important.

The reasons you may not be able to sleep can include worry, restlessness and racing thoughts. This helps you sleep by reducing the reasons you can’t fall asleep. It makes you just calm enough to fall into a deep sleep, but not so much you are overly sedated. Your brain still functions properly.

How to Use the Paste?

It’s easy. Kava paste is so simple you may wonder why you ever spent the time mixing and straining kava before.

You can eat the paste right out of the container. Just dip a small amount, a very small amount, up to three times a day. Within minutes you should begin to feel its effects.

It also does not have the terrible taste so many complain about when using the mixtures.

With this type of kava, you are getting the biggest bang for your buck. This is especially true when considering paste form can last up to a year if stored properly.



Kava Paste Dosage

Just like other kava products, the recommended dose of kava per day is 300 mg. However, because paste is higher in concentration, just a tiny bit, like the size of a pea, contains over 100 mg.

You can purchase kava paste with different kavalactone contents. For instance, you may choose to buy a version that just has kavain and dihydrokavain as ingredients. Or, you can choose a version that contains all the available kavalactones.

Based on the desired effect you are seeking, you will be able to purchase the right kava paste for your needs. Working with a reputable kava supplier is key.

Where to Find Kava Supplier

When choosing a kava paste supplier, you want to make sure they are professional suppliers who want you to enjoy your experience with kava. There are some suppliers who just want to make a quick buck.

Then there are the suppliers that want you to be repeat customers. They want to educate you on everything kava so you can know exactly how to take it, what to expect and what to do if it is not meeting your expectations.

You want a supplier that is accessible and can provide support. Your supplier should be an expert in all things kava. They should be able to teach you where your kava was harvested, its origins, and which strands are evident in the kava you purchase.

Kava has been around for centuries, offering benefits that cannot be compared to other herbs. Fortunately, kava harvesters have found multiple ways to mix kava so that it can be sold in many formats to the public.

Sampling all the varieties is the fun part. You can start today with kava paste.

Many individuals who are interested in consuming kava often ask, "how long does kava last?". The answer is not as simple as some may think. Anything you consume takes time to process through the body. Diverse types of kava compositions may stay in your body longer than others.

If you check out forums on kava, you will see this is true. Some people claim they can feel the effects for four or more hours and others claim they only feel it for one or two hours. Some claim it stays in the body for 12 hours and others claim it stays in the body for a week.

The length of time kava lasts depends on many factors. These include your metabolism, the dose of kava you consumed and even the type of kava you consumed.

Factors That Determine How Long Kava Lasts

Unfortunately, there is not just one answer to the question: "how long does kava last?". There are many variables that depends on how long kava lasts. Some of these factors include:

• Your metabolism
• The life of kava
• Your dosage of kava
• The amount of kavalactones
• Possible reverse tolerance
• The type of kava consumed

Below, we explain each of these factors and how it affects the amount of time that kava lasts. 

Metabolism

Drugs enter the body and are changed from one chemical makeup into another. This is called metabolism. Your body mostly uses the liver to break down substances such as kava, so it can process through and be eliminated from the body.

Metabolism converts food and fuel to energy and eliminates nitrogenous wastes from the body. It is many chemical reactions that take place in the body, with the goal of giving us better ability to think, learn and move.

Kava and Metabolism

Kava is metabolized just as any other tea would be metabolized. This is based on individual body processes. Meaning, metabolism will be different for each person. It can vary based on the age, gender, and even weight of a person.

To determine how long does kava last, you also must take into consideration the half-life of kava.

The Life of Kava

The time it takes for a substance to lose half of its life or half of its effects is considered the half-life of that product. It is the amount of a drug and its concentration that is reduced by exactly one half.

Kava, and all other herbals, have a half-life.

Many reports state the half-life of kava is typically 9 hours. This means kava can linger in your system for up to 18 hours. Double the half-life to determine the full life of kava in your system.

Most users claim to feel the most effects of kava around the two-hour mark.

This may also depend on the dose of kava you take.

Kava Dosage

Some recommendations tell you to create a dose using one heaping tablespoon of kava for every half a cup of water.

The recommended dose of kava is no more than 300 mg a day. That means if you want to enjoy kava throughout the day, you can break the kava dosage down to meet your needs. If you drink it three times a day, each cup will have 100 mg of kava.

While there are no known overdoses connected to kava, if you consume a larger amount, you will feel more sedated than if you stick with the recommended dose of 300 mg a day. When you consume more, you are consuming more kavalactones.

Kavalactones are the reason for the affects you feel after drinking kava, it is important to determine the percentage in each serving.

Kavalactones

How long kava lasts also depends on the amount of kavalactones in the kava. It is good to purchase your kava based on the percentage of kavalactones you receive per serving. Good kava percentage can range from three to twenty percent kavalactone, with twenty percent producing the strongest affect.

For a light dose of kava, look for a kavalactone percentage of between fifty and seventy milligrams. The higher the dose you consume, the faster the affects appear. It can take between twenty and thirty minutes for you to begin seeing results.

Kava offers the desired effect of relaxation while remaining clear headed. Look for chemotypes of dihydrokavain, kavain and desmethoxyyangonin. These three chemotypes increase dopamine levels in the brain.

When dopamine levels are increased, your brain tells your body to feel good. Your muscles relax, and you have an overall sense of well-being. If you consume too much kava, you could feel affects for ten or more hours after consumption.

However, oddly enough, you may not feel anything the first time you drink kava.

Reverse Tolerance

Reverse tolerance with kava can mean a person drinking kava may not feel its effects at all when first using it.

You could even go weeks without feeling any effects of kava. Then one day, you drink your kava, and notice a difference, a good difference.

Reverse tolerance lengths will vary from person to person, just as kava’s effects will vary. It is based on how much kava you drink each day. It will also depend on your body metabolism, brain chemistry and much more.

Type of Kava

The kava you choose to take can make a significant difference in how long kava lasts and you experience its effects.

Know which type of kava you purchase: noble kava or non-noble kava. Some believe that non-noble kava effects last longer than the effects of noble varieties. 

Understanding the effects of different types of kava will also be a factor in how long kava lasts. 

So, how long does kava last? Like all other foods and drinks being consumed, results will vary per person, depending on many components. The longer you use a product, the longer it will stay in your system.

For instance, if you use kava only once a week, it will leave your system each week. However, if you are a daily consumer of kava, the herb will likely remain in your system and will not leave until you stop drinking it for a few days.

Working with a trusted kava supplier can help you in determining the right dose and brand for your desired effects. 

And because they are experts on kava, they will be able to teach you even more about how long it will last. Next time you ask yourself "how long does kava last?", you will be able to understand the different variables that determine the answer. 

Lactones plus the kava root equals greatness. In this world full of noise and chaos, kavalactones can bring peace and calm. They give you relaxation when you feel tense. They give you an alert mind when you need to calm down and focus at the same time.

Kavalactones can even help you sleep better. But, what exactly are they?

Kavalactones Defined

The compounds that make up the chemotype of kava root are kavalactones. This root originates from the piper methysticum plant found only in the Pacific Islands. Farmers in locations like Hawaii and Fiji harvest strands of the roots, and export them to suppliers around the world.

Kava, when mixed with water, release psychoactive elements. There are about eighteen kavalactones known at this time. Out of those eighteen, kava typically only contains six types of them.

Kavalactones only make up about 15 percent of the kava root. Interestingly, kava root contains many non-kavalactone components. These include water that is most of the root and starch. Other non-kavalactone components are fiber, starch and protein.

Chalconoids or flavokavains are gaining a lot of interest from researchers due to its biological actions on the body. Some even state flavokavain A has benefits in fighting cancer cells. 

Kavalactone Types

The six common types of kavalactones associated with giving you the euphoric and calming affects you desire are: desmethoxyyangonin, dihydrokavain, yangonin, kavain, dihydromethysticin, and methysticin.

Depending on how the chemotypes are ordered, you can feel anywhere from slightly sedated to a deep sleep to a relaxed socially happy effect. Each kava chemotype has distinctive characteristics and knowing the difference between them all can help prevent any surprise effects.

Kavalactones work in specific areas of the body and the brain. Some boost energy, while others calm you down when you have too much energy. Some kavalactones help with pain relief, while others help you reach a sedative like effect.

Effects of Different Kavalactone Types

Depending on the mood and feelings you desire, knowing the specific kavalactone components will ensure you reach your goal. Keep reading to learn which kavalactones will meet your needs.

Increase Dopamine

Dopamine chemicals in the brain and gut, when boosted, give you a feeling of euphoria. You enjoy a small high while also feeling relaxed and calm.

A dopamine imbalance makes you feel overly tired, experience sadness for no apparent reason, and produces an inability to concentrate. You may also notice you can’t find pleasure in activities that normally you enjoyed.

The kavalactone desmethoxyyangonin is labeled with a “1”. Brain chemicals such as dopamine increase when triggered by the kavalactone desmethoyyangonin.

People who drink kava have reported feeling happier and more interested in socialization. Kava is also associated with helping you stay mentally aware and alert. Kava has qualities that help fight the effects of low dopamine.

Increase GABA

GABA is the chemical associated with reducing anxiety. It works on your nervous system to regulate emotions. GABA helps you counter excitability that is getting out of hand. This chemical is responsible for enhancing immunity and relaxing you during periods of feeling overwhelmed.

A deficiency of GABA can lead to irritable bowel syndrome, worry, fear, and tension throughout your body. Over time, a deficiency can lead to mood problems and even psychological disorders.

There are some kavalactones that help to increase GABA.

Dihydrokavain is “2” in the list of kavalactone types. This component enhances GABA chemicals in the brain, promoting relaxation and reducing tension in the body.

Calms Nerves

Yangonin is listed as “3” and Kavain is “4”. These can work on the central nervous system to produce relaxing and calming effects. They may also help you get a good night’s sleep.

Many believe that Kavain is some of the best types of kava to mix for drinking. Meaning, kava powders with the number “4” in the first two or three numbers identifying the kavalactone will likely give you the best effects.

The central nervous system controls your thought processes and sensations throughout the body. Occasionally, these processes and sensations do not function properly, causing your body to have negative sensations.

Negative sensations can produce stress, insomnia, and pain to name a few. Drinking kava works with the nervous system to help calm you down. It is so relaxing it can help you get a better night’s sleep. Some claim kava helps relieve minor pains and aches.

Increase Serotonin

Dihydromethysticin is “5” and Methysticin is “6” in the lineup of kavalactones. Both increase serotonin chemicals in the brain. Many of the best kava varieties include either dihydromethysticin or methysticin in the first few numbers of the lineup.

Serotonin is found in the brain and central nervous system, but mostly in the gastrointestinal tract. A deficiency in serotonin can lead to depression and anxiety. Serotonin can regulate mood, appetite, and sleep.

Drinking kava has proven to enhance both mood and sleep, and controls appetite.

Finding Which Type Is Best for You

To avoid guessing which kavalactones you are getting when you consume kava, find a kava supplier with a good reputation. Consulting the American Kava Association is a great starting point. Any supplier registered through this association can be trusted to provide the best kava to consumers.

You can also purchase kava through kava lounges in your area, or kava stores. Many alternative nutritional stores supply kava also. However, they don’t always provide the kava with the most kavalactones.

It is best to have at least 30 percent kavalactones.

A good kava supplier can also work with you to find the correct dosage for your desired effects. They can also explain what to expect, including reverse tolerance, when trying kava for the first time.

Understanding kavalactones is well worth the effort when you are able to enjoy kava.

Kava lounges and bars are popping up across the United States and they are very popular. The vibe in a kava lounge is relaxed and welcoming. When you enter a kava lounge, you instantly realize this is a positive atmosphere, much different than that of night clubs and sports bars.

Kava lounges are quickly becoming the replacement bar for people to visit, relax and meet new people. Often at a kava lounge or bar, you will find yourself striking up conversations with strangers. But by the end of the evening, you have become friends.

Making new friends is just one of the awesome benefits of visiting a kava lounge. Keep reading to learn 10 more.

Drink Kava

One of the most obvious reasons is to drink kava. The staff at a kava lounge have perfected the process of making kava tea for your enjoyment. They know the different blends that offer different effects. Depending on how relaxed you want to be, they know how to mix your tea.

Kava is not like alcohol. With kava, you remain mental aware, yet the rest of your body feels relaxed and calm. It also makes you feel like socializing.

Socialize

Meeting new people at a kava bar is easy. Everyone there is interested in having meaningful conversations while also enjoying the occasional musical performance.

Here you can meet others like you. Drinking kava can help break the ice among lounge visitors, but it does not have the negative effects of alcohol. Instead, you can mingle with others without the fear of an altered state of mind.

You can enjoy a relaxation that mellows you.

Legal Consumption

Kava is legal for consumption and it has been used for centuries to help calm the body while opening the mind. It is an alternative, wholistic herbal remedy that helps you calm down and ease tensions throughout your body.

Kava is safe to use and while once it was banned, researchers learned the ban was based on incorrect information. The ban has since been lifted.

Entertainment

Kava bars offer many sources of entertainment. For starters, they are equipped with computer outlets, so you can plug in your devices and stay connected to the rest of the world. They provide Wi-Fi for those who prefer to use wireless connections.

Some kava lounges show movies, peaceful movies, to visitors. Other lounges host music concerts. The music you hear in a kava lounge will support the relaxing and calming atmosphere. It is unlikely you will hear headbanging music in an environment producing serenity.

Showcase Your Talents

Are you an artist? Maybe you have written poetry and want to share your work. Maybe you are a musician and looking for a place to showcase your talents. Or, maybe you are seeking a place for your artwork to shine.

Kava lounges often provide opportunities for local talents to showcase their work. If you are looking for places to gain experience, try a kava lounge near you to see if they have the availability for you to get on stage.

Specialty Drinks

Kava bars don’t just serve kava. They have other teas and coffees from around the world for you to sample. While kava may be the main staple, there are many varieties of other natural drinks available.

In addition, kava lounges offer special mixtures that use kava as just one ingredient. Their signature kava drink recipes are some of the most delicious you will taste anywhere. Some require organic fruits like mango, while others require Chai, lemon and honey.

For those who do not like kava, there are traditional coffees and teas available.

Food

Kava lounges offer food, too. When drinking kava, you may not feel hungry at all. Because you are feeling so good physically and mentally, eating is not always the main reason to visit a kava bar.

But if you do get hungry, kava lounges provide great natural treats for customers. Your food options will vary from day to day, but you can count on them being organic, vegetarian and gluten free.

Kava Drinkware

It is worth a trip to a kava lounge just to drink from the kava bowl. Kava bowls have just as much history as kava itself. The wooden bowl holds the kava mixture and it is passed around in communal form to all who are present.

You can get your own kava drinkware in many kava lounges to take home with you. You can find several types of kava drinkware for sale, so you can enjoy kava in your home as well as in the lounge.

Trusted Suppliers

Kava lounges are owned and run by trusted suppliers of kava and all other products. They work with the best resources to supply you with the highest quality kava, teas, coffees and more.

Buying from trusted suppliers is key to enjoying the positive effects of kava. 

Kava to Go

Once you have experienced kava at a kava lounge, you will most likely want to take some with you for later use, maybe after a grueling day at work. You can purchase kava to go at a kava lounge.

If you don’t have time to make your own kava mixture, kava lounges will have alternative versions of kava available for purchase. These can include kava supplements and already mixed tinctures. Kava candy is a big hit among users, as well as instant kava.

With instant kava you just mix the recommended amount with your favorite drink and enjoy. It is just that simple.

Visiting a kava lounge should be added to your list of things to do in the next week or so. Instead of going to a club this weekend and filling up on beer, visit a kava lounge instead. Enjoy the kava drinks they offer. You will leave the kava lounge feeling good will, relaxed and in a mood to be social.

Stress happens when mental or physical demands are placed on a person causing tension. It is the way your body reacts to circumstances that your body believes as producing pressure or threats.

Stress fills you with cortisol and adrenaline, putting your body and mind into a reactive state. They can lead to damaging effects on your body. Luckily, there are ways to combat this tension through mindfulness exercises.

Mindfulness is when you are completely aware of both your mental and physical needs. You become aware of those needs and can focus on improvements.

Using mindfulness to combat the effects of stress has been a popular technique for hundreds of years. Mindfulness redirects your attention away from the stressors and onto fixing problems within your body.

Mindfulness can reduce stress in many ways. Keep reading to discover the positive effect mindfulness exercises have on the body.

Reduced Activity in the Amygdala

The part of the brain that creates and activates stress is the amygdala. The amygdala is the area where “fight or flight” decisions are made. Meaning, when we feel threatened in any way, our brain decides if we should stay and confront the situation or get away from the perceived threat.

Instead of automatically triggering a negative response to a situation your brain considers stressful, mindfulness exercises teach you how to maintain positivity.

Improved Focus

Focus involves concentration. It requires attention to details. This is hard to do if you are filled with anxiety or overwhelming angst related to stress.

Stress causes a lack of concentration. It becomes hard to focus on work. Acute stress can hinder short term memory. You start to feel as if your memory is just not as good as it once was.

You may even go to one room but forget why you went there. Or, misplacing ordinary items become more frequent. This is frustrating because things you wouldn’t normally forget, you are now forgetting.

Mindfulness exercises help teach you how to focus. It improves memory and concentration. With mindfulness, you can learn to use all your senses to help you maintain focus.

Improved Attitude

Your attitude reflects how you are feeling and thinking. Attitude influences how you behave based on your thoughts and feelings. Stress can directly affect your attitude.

Stress lowers the value we place on ourselves. Over time, you start to see everything through a negative perspective. We even start to use negative self-talk, lowering our esteem. Negative self-talk leads to negative expectations.

Meaning, we begin to expect dreadful things to happen to us. This is the start of a cycle and it becomes harder to change.

Mindfulness exercises can reverse negative thinking and negative attitudes.

Improves Sleep

Sleep offers healing of the body, especially during the deepest sleep stages. It restores our mental and physical abilities.

When you do not get good sleep, you can expect to experience exhaustion, lack of focus, and increased mental health problems.

Mindfulness exercises help you to receive better sleep. Practicing mindfulness helps you erase the negative thoughts and feelings from your mind. It clears your head so that you can focus on falling asleep.

Improves Mental Health

Mindfulness has been associated with improved mental health, combating the negative effects stress has on mental health.

Stress can lead to depression and anxiety, as well as other mental health disorders. Mindfulness exercises help you recognize the needs of your mind and body. It gives you the time necessary to listen to what your body needs to heal.

Mindfulness helps you manage your thoughts and feelings. You can remain realistic in your perceptions. Reports state mindfulness exercises can help you avoid relapse in both mental health and addiction type disorders.

Enhance Mindfulness Exercises with Kava

People have been using kava for centuries to promote relaxation among users.

Consuming kava before your mindfulness exercises is one of the best ways to conquer your inability to relax, focus and sleep.

You can purchase strands of kava based on your current needs. Kava also helps to improve attitude. Many report that kava makes you feel good will towards others and makes you want to socialize.

Kava also has the ability to improve sleep quality and helps you remain mentally alert and awake. In ancient times, kava was used to open the mind, so village leaders could hear from their Gods.

All of kava’s benefits help with improvement of relaxation. When combined with mindfulness exercises and techniques, you are creating a routine for yourself that can help you overcome the negative effects of stress.

If you are considering including kava as part of your routine, or if you just want to enjoy its benefits occasionally, you may want to learn about the product first. You may want to know the history of kava, the effects of it, the kava half-life, and how long it will last in your system in total.

Every substance has a life. Meaning, how long you can feel its effects. The life of a substance is determined by how long it takes for the body to cleanse the substance from your system. This includes cleansing from the kidneys, liver and any other body processing.

Because every substance has a life, it also has a half-life. In order to understand kava half-life, we must first understand what a half-life is. 

What is Half-Life?

The time it takes for a substance to lose half of its life or half of its effects is considered the half-life of that product. It is the amount of a drug and its concentration that is reduced by exactly one half.

For example, when a person takes an aspirin and it typically has an effect that lasts four hours, the half-life is two hours.

All products, even herbal remedies like kava, have a half-life.

Kava Basics

Kava comes from the root of the piper methysticum plant in the South Pacific Islands. The root is pounded into a powder that can be mixed with water and strained. The strained liquid is consumed and gives you a relaxing and calming effect.

Kava gives you mental alertness while at the same time you feel tension in your body fade away. Kava gives you a positive attitude and an interest in being social with others. Different varieties of kava can produce different effects.

Some varieties are created to help you sleep better, while others are developed to energize you.

Kava and alcohol are often seen as similar, but this is not true. In fact, some are replacing alcohol with kava. This is because kava does not offer any of the negative effects alcohol offers. While alcohol clouds your judgment, kava keeps your mind alert.

Alcohol produces hangovers in some people, however, kava has not been associated with hangover symptoms. 

Kavalactones

Kava contains compounds such as kavain, lactones and pyrones. There are a variety of chemotypes that make up each strain of kava. Those that begin with kavalactones such as dihydromethysticin and Dihydrokavain are considered to give the best effects.

Kavalactones can be arranged to produce sedative effects that help you sleep. They can also be arranged to produce a physically calm effect but mental energized effect. Or, you can use a strain that helps you feel physically energized but with a clear mind.

It is important to know for sure which strain of kava you are consuming so you can know exactly what to expect to feel physically and mentally. Although the kava half-life generally remains the same for different strands, it does differ between noble and tudei kava. 

Kava Half-Life

In general, kava remains in your system for about 18 hours. This means that the kava half-life is 9 hours. This is great if you are consuming noble kava.

Noble kava is considered top quality kava. It is made from the root of the kava plant only.

You must beware of some suppliers who sell ignoble kava, also known as tudei kava. Tudei kava is made from the stems and leaves of the piper methysticum plant. This type of kava does not give you positive effects.

Tudei kava can produce effects such as nausea, vomiting, and hangover like symptoms. These effects can last up to two days or 48 hours, giving it a kava half-life of one day or 24 hours. This is a half-life you want to avoid.

Kava Pharmacokinetics

The better strands of kava are consumed orally in a brief period of about ten minutes it is absorbed into the digestive system. It enters the blood stream quickly after that.

You can expect to feel the maximum effects of kava between 1.5 and 2 hours. Meaning, within two hours you will feel kava at its strongest, at its climax. If you are taking kava to help you sleep, you can expect to be heavily sedated after one hour.

If you are taking kava to feel relaxed but remain awake and aware, you can expect to be at your most relaxed, yet aware, state within two hours.

Although the climax is around two hours, the half-life remains around 9 hours. After this you can expect the effects to lessen over the next few hours. Traces of it can be found in your system, however, for 18 hours.

This means you can receive the benefits of kava on varying levels for many hours.