Kava is a plant that has been used by tribes in Fiji, Micronesia and Polynesia for treatment of anxiety. It is considered to be a mild psychoactive beverage that is very similar to wine. Kava is member of the pepper family which root is ground and shredded. Before serving it is always strained into a bowl with the method of cold water. It’s typically consumed out of half a coconut shell.
Besides anxiety there are some proves that kava can be used for elimination of stress, insomnia and depression. According to some experts kava has almost the same effect as most of the pharmaceutical drugs have.
Dr. Jerome Sarris claims that General Anxiety Disorder, or GAD, can be effectively treated with kava. Talking on this topic he stated the following:
“We have recognized that plant based medicines may be a viable treatment for patients with chronic anxiety,” .“In this study we’ve been able to show that kava offers a potential natural alternative for the treatment of chronic clinical anxiety. Unlike some other options it has less risk of dependency and less potential side effects.”
The School of Veterinary Medicine in Berlin, Germany conducted a study which proved that kava has the same effect as Valium. However these studies were conducted on animals and there is a need for some further analyses that will show that it has the same effect in humans.
“When extracted in the appropriate way, kava may pose less or no potential liver problems,” notes Dr. Sarris. “I hope the results will encourage governments to reconsider the ban.”
