Is it hard to stop drinking kava for a while?
sawa8 We are proposing a kava related research project and would need some volunteers living in south pacific areas. However, there are some concerns regarding it: 1) How hard would it be to ask a regular kava drinker to stop using kava for only one week? We heard kava is not addictive, but would there be some uncomfortable symptoms following a sudden stop of kava usage? 2) Are there non-kava drinkers in those islands? Would there be some other than health factors prohibiting them from drinking kava? Any opinions are very welcomed! Thank you! sawa8
yee Sometimes the way a question is phrased affects how it's answered. Hawai'i is not considered part of the South Pacific, we're in Oceania, specifically Polynesia. Hopefully this might be of help if you include Hawai'i. 1. To me there are no cravings or uncomfortable symptoms per se with stopping kava. However, I have no reason to stop, other than for convenience. When I'm on my 3-4 day trips to the neighbor islands, I travel light and do not take my kava with me. And believe or not, I bypass some kava bars because I feel I do a better job preparing the kava - just an opinion [:p]... Actually I should be upfront and say I just don't qualify. I'm literally surrounded by kava every single day outside from my trips. 2. There are non-kava drinkers here. In fact I was at a friend's house the other night - a scientist specialist in cacao, coffee and kava - and although he is an avid kava drinker, his wife refuses the stuff. I understand this is based on the kava flavor. She proposed that until it's adequately mixed with some other flavoring and sugar she just won't drink it. Perhaps not unlike my initial reaction to coffee. Other than health factors include price and convenience. If you saw an 'awa harvest video (search video, harvest) and knew what it takes to grow it or the mess I make in preparing a drink in the kitchen...[B)] I think an interesting perspective would be to look at kava from its long historic and cultural ties in Oceania. Our societies here have certainly have taken note of kava's aspects that you may have an interest. Dr. Gaugau Tavana's research (search video, Tavana) is perhaps an example of some of the insights into kava. There's maybe no point in trying to re-invent the wheel for such a culturally established beverage, however, it would be interesting to learn more about its scientific findings... Perhaps one analogy: Imagine if you were living in a region of Oceania, haven't tried chocolate, and have recently heard all kinds of things about it, including somebody evangelizing that it causes liver damage, how would you conduct your research?... For starters, perhaps it would be interesting to ask the stockboy who is surrounded by that stuff every single day. And I think I better stop. [:)] Aloha, Jonathan Hawaiian Kava Center, LLC http://hawaiiankava.com
sawa8 Thank you very much, Jonathan! sawa
quote:
Originally posted by yee
Sometimes the way a question is phrased affects how it's answered. Hawai'i is not considered part of the South Pacific, we're in Oceania, specifically Polynesia. Hopefully this might be of help if you include Hawai'i. 1. To me there are no cravings or uncomfortable symptoms per se with stopping kava. However, I have no reason to stop, other than for convenience. When I'm on my 3-4 day trips to the neighbor islands, I travel light and do not take my kava with me. And believe or not, I bypass some kava bars because I feel I do a better job preparing the kava - just an opinion [:p]... Actually I should be upfront and say I just don't qualify. I'm literally surrounded by kava every single day outside from my trips. 2. There are non-kava drinkers here. In fact I was at a friend's house the other night - a scientist specialist in cacao, coffee and kava - and although he is an avid kava drinker, his wife refuses the stuff. I understand this is based on the kava flavor. She proposed that until it's adequately mixed with some other flavoring and sugar she just won't drink it. Perhaps not unlike my initial reaction to coffee. Other than health factors include price and convenience. If you saw an 'awa harvest video (search video, harvest) and knew what it takes to grow it or the mess I make in preparing a drink in the kitchen...[B)] I think an interesting perspective would be to look at kava from its long historic and cultural ties in Oceania. Our societies here have certainly have taken note of kava's aspects that you may have an interest. Dr. Gaugau Tavana's research (search video, Tavana) is perhaps an example of some of the insights into kava. There's maybe no point in trying to re-invent the wheel for such a culturally established beverage, however, it would be interesting to learn more about its scientific findings... Perhaps one analogy: Imagine if you were living in a region of Oceania, haven't tried chocolate, and have recently heard all kinds of things about it, including somebody evangelizing that it causes liver damage, how would you conduct your research?... For starters, perhaps it would be interesting to ask the stockboy who is surrounded by that stuff every single day. And I think I better stop. [:)] Aloha, Jonathan Hawaiian Kava Center, LLC http://hawaiiankava.com