If you have any interest in herbal botanicals, there's a good chance you've heard of the kava plant. Some people are hesitant to try kava because they aren't sure how it will affect them. Let us be the first to tell you that it's completely safe, and full of positive effects for the mind and body!

Perhaps the best way to think about kava is to consider how it's traditionally been used. Pacific Islanders have used kava for centuries for medicinal purposes as well as for ceremonial, political, and even social purposes. Kava can ease anxiety and put you in a calm and clear state of mind. For many, kava works as well or better than a doctor-prescribed anti-anxiety medication. You won't experience any of the lethargy or confusion common with those medications, either, since kava doesn't contain benzodiazepines.

Physically, kava can be used as a local anesthetic or pain reliever. When you drink it, it can produce a numbness in the mouth and tongue area as your blood vessels in that area contract. This just means it's working--relax, and let the soothing kavalactones do their thing! Emotionally, kava produces a sense of general well-being, as well as a noticeably increased urge for talking. It's no wonder that kava consumption is often the harbinger of long tales and intense discussions!

In recent years, some studies have alleged kava use has dangerous side effects. These reports, sponsored by pharmaceutical companies whose drugs compete with kava products, have been largely discounted. Additionally, many of them were based on uses of kava that contradict the traditional methods. Here at Kona Kava Farm, we grow only the best kava kava plants, and we do so according to strict organic farming guidelines. Our kava products are made using only the root of the kava plant, which is just how Pacific Islanders have enjoyed kava for hundreds of years. So go ahead--see just how rested, calm, and alert you feel with a little bit of kava in your diet.