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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2003 >> Kava Kava
        
(Message started by: HypnoticFreddy on Aug 6^th, 2003, 10:57am)

Title: Kava Kava
Post by HypnoticFreddy on Aug 6^th, 2003, 10:57am

Has anyone here tried Kava Kava for CHs? I believe it is used for a variety of ailments in the South Pacific.

Does anyone know how to prepare tea from the powdered form?

-HypnoticFreddy

Title: Re: Kava Kava
Post by forgetfulnot on Aug 6^th, 2003, 1:29pm

For me it calmed me down a little but had no effect on the clusters, I have read that some peeps have severe liver trouble taking this stuff, Didn't seem to bother me that way though.

Lee

Title: Re: Kava Kava
Post by floridian on Aug 6^th, 2003, 7:24pm

I have not found any cluster relief from kava kava. It is good for anxiety and relaxes skeletal muscles, but doesn't stop the pain of a cluster.

At first, I discounted the reports of liver trouble as hysterical illusory corellation. But the reports keep coming in, and I am convinced that kava kava causes as much liver damage as acetominophen, if not more (acetominophen is the ingredient in tylenol and many other pain killers) Maybe someday we will know enough about kava to prevent the liver damage (we know propolis extract protects against acetominophen damage). There are some indications that there is a difference between water extracts and extracts made with organic solvents - different solvents leave different chemicals behind in the process. But at this point, there is not enough knowledge to say that one process is safe.

I personally would not reccomend kava at this point.

The Polynesian recipe for Kava beverage involves finding some women to chew up the root and spit into a bowl. Drink the stuff in the bowl. Start with one cup, and wait a while. When you can't get up to get another cup, it is time to stop.

Maybe the Polynesian recipe is less toxic to the liver - there is some research going on now to determine the rate of liver disease in traditional kava societies. Salivary enzymes may innactivate some of the toxins. Or they may be filtered out by the chewers.

Title: Re: Kava Kava
Post by HypnoticFreddy on Aug 7^th, 2003, 6:40am

Thats very interesting that the women (or other sexes) have to chew it first. Saliva enzymes that remove toxins.....very interesting. Could I myself chew the root and then prepare the beverage that way? I would be drinking my own spittle!

I don't know, it's just a thought.

-HypnoticFreddy