The entire kava industry has been virtually shut-down since 2002 when Germany, France and other European countries blamed kava for some deaths. The alarm bells were sounded and countries like Canada jumped on the bandwagon and banned the sale of Kava.

Unfortunatly the status-quo has held since 2002 even though there has been a real lack of evidence that Kava itself is harmful. Poorer countries who could make a living with Kava have been basically shutdown.

Of course in the meantime large drug companies have been creating new addictive forms of painkillers, anti-depressents, andti-psychotics to the tune of Billions of dollars in annual profits.

The kava plant and industry has been demonized by western shortsightedness. A four-day Kava Symposium started today in Vanuatu to address the issue.  See the article below:

Radio New Zealand International  March 13, 2012: The International Kava Executive Council says legal advice it has obtained shows European countries which have banned the ceremonial drink may be breaking World Trade Organisation rules.

The ban was imposed in 2002 after kava extracts were believed to have caused liver damage and deaths of people in Germany, France and Switzerland.

A four-day International Kava symposium, which started in Vanuatu, is addressing the issue.

The chairperson of the council, Eddie Wilson, says under WTO rules the countries should have shown there was something wrong with the product.

“What has happened is we’ve so far presented scientific evidence that kava is safe and non-toxic. So far the counties that have imposed the restrictions have not come up with any scientific evidence whatsoever to back up its restrictions that have been imposed.”

Eddie Wilson says the lack of trade with the countries that won’t accept kava is costing exporters 200 million US dollars a year.

News Content © Radio New Zealand International           PO Box 123, Wellington, New Zealand

We’re lucky here in Canada we can still use and enjoy Kava but Health Canada should take a look at allowing good quality Kava to be sold within Kava. Currently Canadians can import Kava from the USA or Fiji or anywhere but cannot buy it locally in Canada because of the non-sensical ban. I hope Health Canada wakes up and smells the kronk!

I usually prefer mixing up some old-school kava using the powdered lateral roots of some delicious Vanuatu grown plants; there is nothing like sharing a well squeezed batch of fresh kava with good friends, good music and the great outdoors. As Spring gets closer here in Canada I look forward to being able to enjoy my kava ceremonies in the back yard…winter is long, cold and dark here in New Brunswick and my visit to The Big Island of Hawaii was a few years behind me so the closest I can come to enjoying tropical weather is the rare jewel of a day in July or August when we can stretch out beside the fish pond on our lawn chairs and sip some fresh kava under the gentle birch leaves around us.

My new favorite kava extract is a sweet and decadent chocolate orange blend from Hawaii that delivers 120 mg of kavalactones per gram.

What I have found to be very usefull and comforting is some of the great Kava Extracts  made on the Hawaiian islands by Paradise Kava. They make some VERY nice blends! They are not so much kava extracts in the traditional sense of being alcohol based kava extracts that most of us have tried. The Paradise Kava blends use a cold press carbon-dioxide process to safely extract the potent kavalactone juice from the kava plant and then this is mixed with some decadently delicious chocolates, honey, orange and lemon to create some ultra-powerful kava extracts.

One pea-sized ball of the extract under the tongue, held in the mouth to tantalize with the buzzing numbness that tickles the tongue is a great way to calm-down, relax and take the edge off the world.

My favorite is the chocolate orange hawaiian kava mix. It is delicious and really strong. One gram of the extract gives you 120 mg of kavalactones and you can really feel it your mouth as it numbs you up and spreads warmth and island zen throughout.

It is available in jars 30 grams, 60 grams and 120 grams. One serving is one gram so it is really worth it because you don’t need to mix it or squeeze it…you just need to enjoy it!!

Buy Paradise Kava Chocolate & Orange Extract

This sure helped me get through the Canadian Winter! I could sit under my house plants with my Hawaiian music playing and after a few grams of this kava extract I would be relaxed enough to laugh at the world around me…especially the snowstorms in Ontario and Quebec! Enjoy your Kava Canada!

We’ve updated our website! It’s the perfect time to do it…end of January, snow and ice everywhere and darkness…a perfect time to enjoy kava!

Our new website is at http://kavacanada.ca

We’re still making some changes and finishing the translations but we think the new products are a nice addition. To celebrate the opening we have a 5% off coupon available. Use coupon code KC2012 at checkout and get 5% off all orders over $50.

We also now accept Canadian Dollars with our new checkout shopping cart system!

We also have Kava Canada points so each time you buy kava you get points that can be redeemed for free kava treats!

Thanks for all your support, we’ve been working hard over the years to bring kava into people’s lives.

Our new website is at http://kavacanada.ca

When I don't want to go through the whole kava blending and squeezing process I use Instant Kava for a quick beverage that is super potent. If you want to make it stronger just add a bit more instant kava mix.

I think I’ve finally found the most potent kava recipe that really gives me the best kava buzz. I don’t always drink kava to have a buzz; sometimes I want a mellow drink so I can relax outside in the backyard and sit with the birds, sometimes I want something a little more intense so I can kick back with friends and family and enjoy a more relaxed session of chatting and hanging out.

But when I want to get a real potent kava kick, when I want to start to feel a little “drunk” on something besides alcohol I think I’ve finally found the perfect mix of kava products that works best for me! I mean, being “drunk” on anything isn’t good so maybe I should say “feeling fine” on kava as it’s more a relaxed, calming, zen-like experience…not so much what we usually mean by “drunk” which is more like intoxicated and I don’t feel “intoxicated” on kava. Ok, so…when I want to get “feeling extra fine” on kava I use the instant mix and my own secret recipe.

So, if I had to review the best kava for me I’d have to say it is a mix of Kava Kwik Instant Kava and Kona Kava Farm Vanilla Banana Flavored Instant Kava. The Kava Kwik kava powder is dehydrated kava juice and is probably the toughest kava mix to drink, the flavor usally makes me shake my head and pucker up my eyeballs as it tastes quite disgusting….but ohhh it sure has a nice effect! I add the Kona Kava Farm Instant Banana Vanilla Flavored powder to add some palatable flavor to the Kava Kwik and it works fantastic! I get the intense, potent, head-strong buzz of the Kava Kwik with the nice flavor of the Kona Kava Instant Kava flavors!

I put 1 tablespoon of Kona Kava Instant and 1/2 a teaspoon of Kava Kwik into a glass of water and stir it up real good. I usually add 8 ounces of water and stir it and keep the spoon in the cup because the instant kavas tend to settle a bit of sediment so I stir between sips.

I know most kava purists will probably poo poo my instant kava fetish and I admit I also like the traditional powders and enjoy the root powder as well but I guess the easy, breezy, beautiful aspect of my instant kava buzz makes it an essential part of my life. One thing I like about the instant kava is that I can bring it with me wherever I go because you only need to add water and stir and enjoy! A little powder in a water bottle, shake it up and enjoy kava on the go!

Never drive or operate equipment or go to work or try to pass an advanced algebra test on kava; you’ll be groggy, slow and not in the shape for thinking sharply…but it’s great and easy on nature walks, if you’re chilling with your compadres, listening to music, painting a picture, if you’re in a stressfull situation or if you want to enjoy something like an alcohol substitute and do what you might do usually when you are drinking alcohol.

Kava is much easier on the system and I’ve never found a time when I can overindulge. I’ve never woke up with a kava hangover. But still, this kava is very potent and can really make you groggy and you will be a bit dizzy and has an intense feeling so you should be respectful of using kava and never do anything that would endanger or harm someone else.

Of course I don’t only use instant kava and when we have our traditional kava cermenoies here at home in Canada we mix up the root powder the old fashioned way and squeeze until our fingers are tired and share our coconut cups of kava over stories and jokes but I really have a soft spot for these great instant kavas…especially my new favorite recipe:

1 Tablespoon Kona Kava Farm Instant Kava
1/2 Teaspoon Kava Kwik Dehydrated Kava
10 ounces of clean water
Stir and drink

The kava can take 20 minutes to take full effect so it’s better to go slow with your instant kava and not just pour them back like you were drinking cold beer on a hot day…take your time with kava and let your mind expand in a natural way.

Enjoy with your friends!

Summer is short in Canada and sitting in the backyard sharing a batch of fresh kava is an amazing way to enjoy the experience!

We love to sit in the backyard beside our fish pond and enjoy our own kava ceremony for two! What could be better than sitting in the sunshine, watching the birds flitter and chirp in the trees while we kick back on our comfy chairs and enjoy a peaceful kava moment in the sun! We get all mellow, smooth and relaxed with our favorite kava mix and can look up at the blue sky and contemplate the mystery and beauty of it all. 

Kava is great for relaxing and taking the edge off! I enjoy the instant kava because I don’t have to go through the blending and squeezing of the root powder…not that I am lazy but the instant kava has a nice kick to it and the flavors are good. 

One of my favorite mixes involves a half and half mix of Kava Kwik and some of the Kona Kava Farm Instant banana flavored kava mix. I put in one teaspoon of Kava Kwik and one tablespoon of banana instant kava from Kona Kava Farm and stir vigorously into a glass of filtered water and it makes a great kava drink! Keep the spoon in your glass because you’ll have to stir it up before every sip as the instant doesn’t completely dissolve! I find the Kava Kwik to be a very potent kava mix and a few cups will really leave me feeling buzzed…the taste is pretty nasty though which is why I like to mix it with the Kona Kava Farm instant blends which have a nice and sweet edge. 

I recently tried the Paradise Kava for the first time, this is touted as a rather potent and somewhat mild tasting organic kava  that is a blend of a few Hawaiian Cultivars, such as Mahakea, Hiwa and Mo’i that make for a kava beverage different from the Vanuatu or Fiji blends we’re familiar with. I liked the packaging information and the labeling shows when the batch of Paradise Kava root was ground and blended so you know that no two batches of micro processed kava are  identical, and this is the intriguing part of buying this kava. It is more expensive than the kava from Vanuatu and Fiji or the Kona Kava Farm blend but we enjoyed trying it and keep a few bags in the freezer so we have the freshest version of this Paradise Kava blend here in Canada! 

We’ve started storing all our kava root powder in the freezer to make sure it stays as fresh as possible. I admit that I have some lingering bags of kava from Vanuatu stored in the cupboard and when I mix them up it all tastes fine but the freezer is now our official method of storing root powder. 

Paradise Kava - We tried it and we like it!

We really liked the Paradise Kava and have tried a few different production batches. With any kava we have tried there seems to be a difference between batches which is part of the pleasure of drinking kava but also one of the reasons that it has been impossible for us to say that one particular kava blend is the best ever… 

Having grown up in British Columbia, Manitoba, Alberta, Quebec, The North-West Territories, Newfoundland and now living in New Brunswick I find it easiest to carry the kava extract or the kava instant mixes with me when I am camping, snowshoeing, travelling or visiting friends. The kava root is great if you have a blender and nylon stocking with you but that isn’t always the case! 

Another thing I love about the Kava Kwik instant kava and the Kona Kava Farm instant blends is that they are so easy to mix up when we are camping or on the road…from Quebec to New Brunswick I always take a bit with me so I can just add a bit of the instant kava to my water bottle and be brought right back to the feeling of being in my lawn chair under the trees and sunshine beside my fish pond! 

Thank-you Kava!! 

I’ve had a few people ask me if it is legal to buy kava in Canada and of course it is…you just can’t buy it at a retail store. You can legally buy kava in Canada as long as it is coming to your Canadian address from outside of Canada; kava shipped from Hawaii, Vanuatu, Fiji, or the mainland USA is fine. The only restriction is that kava is not available on retail stores situated in Canada.

One of my favorite mixes involves a half and half mix of Kava Kwik and some of the Kona Kava Farm Instant

Kavalactones can be better extracted when making your kava if a little fat is used. I used to put soy lecithin but since I have stopped consuming soy products I found coconut oil works fine when I don’t use coconut milk, and by doing so I discovered many of the oil’s miraculous properties.

I use organic cold pressed coconut oil and put a very small amount, maybe half a teaspoon in the blender for my 2-4 cup mix. The one time I didn’t use the blender and massaged the kava in the bag, I noticed my hands were silky soft! I was so impressed I started using it on my skin, and I noticed a major change especially on my face, chest and back: it is clearing all my acne and fine wrinkles! My hands look 10 years younger only after a week! To me, that is clear proof coconut oil is a powerful anti-bacterial with bonuses.

The Coconut Oil Miracle Book

I had bought the book The Coconut Miracle and finally after this discovery I was ready to really start discovering the miracle. My mother bought some as well; she doesn’t drink kava but she will start using it on her skin and replacing her cooking oil with it. She has recurring athlete’s foot and I suspect it could be candida so she will give it a try.

I also had the idea to put my cat on it as well. My sweetie has been battling mycoplasma since she was a baby and no antibiotic works; they only slow it down and they kill the good bacteria and make her sick. I read the coconut oil can break the mycoplasma bacteria’s tough layer so I will give it a try. I give her half a teaspoon per day along with probiotics. She doesn’t like the oil texture so I have to force her and use a dropper. The veterinary didn’t recommend a syringe or dropper in case it might get into the lungs and not be absorbed and I am afraid she refers to mineral oil which is not absorbed by the body; I understand how it could be fatal if droplets would ever go into the lungs but coconut oil is very well absorbed by the body so I am not too worried. So far it’s been more than a week and the bacteria is coming on stronger so I might have to increase the coconut oil dose slowly and see what happens.

Virgin Coconut Oil

It is important to make sure the oil you buy is organic, virgin and cold pressed for many reasons like oxidation and purity. Mine is refined for cooking and it seems to work. I will try an unrefined kind the next time I need to buy more.

Now one of my favorite songs, Coconut by Harry Nillson takes a whole new meaning! Coconut and kava are heaven sent which is probably why people in the pacific are the happiest on earth!

Roobos Tea Canada

Also called red bush, the rooibos tree grows in South Africa in poor acidic soil. The fermented stems and leaves are used to make a red tea that is known to cure digestive troubles when taken orally and to treat skin allergies like eczema when used topically. It is said to be high in antioxidants and it doesn’t contain caffeine like tea or coffee.

I was first introduced to rooibos tea when I visited Mamma J in Sechelt, British Columbia a while ago. She used to buy bulk organic rooibos at a tea shop downtown. What I liked most about it was that it didn’t have any tannin so you could brew a strong tasting tea without the bitterness of green or black tea. I liked its mild taste and found it very soothing. I took a break from it for a while and then I started drinking it again after I quit drinking coffee and tea.

My preferred morning drink is roasted dandelion root tea and now that I don’t drink caffeinated tea anymore (not even regular green tea) I like to drink my cup of rooibos tea in mid morning and mid afternoon. If I don’t drink it all, I simply make fresh iced tea to accompany my next meal. It is very refreshing with a slice of lemon and/or orange.

I noticed that regular rooibos tea with nothing added was sometimes hard to find in small towns. They always put too much stuff and I like mine just plain. If it’s your case, you have to try the Numi organic rooibos tea at Well.ca. At only .65 cents a cup, it’s delivered for free to your door anywhere in Canada; all you have to do is provide the water and the cup and the rest is all taken care of!

Numi Rooibos Tea

Dandelions on the Hillsborough Trail in New Brunswick. These would make great dandelion tea!

Dear friends,

I quit drinking coffee a month ago. It was hard but it was something I had to do and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I ever took in my life along with quitting smoking 9 years ago. I must admit it was very hard the first days; I was sleepy, grumpy and the headaches were very unpleasant but after the second week I was free! More money in my pocket meant more money to buy kava!

Coffee is such a big part of our Canadian culture but it is not that good for us despite all the hype and studies about it. A lot of prescriptions are given in doctor’s offices while coffee is dismissed and overlooked as a main cause of many troubles: insomnia, anxiety, head aches, nausea, and even psychosis. A lot of people don’t tolerate caffeine well and attribute their anxiety problems to other factors because they don’t drink that much coffee. Black tea, green tea and chocolate also contain some amounts of caffeine and therefore should be avoided by people with anxiety troubles.

Dandelion root tea has shown “choleretic” effects, which means that it can stimulate the liver to increase bile flow.* Once bile is released by the liver, its two main functions are to carry away waste and to break down fats during digestion. Dandelion's beneficial effects on liver and biliary tract function have been proven in pharmacological studies.

I found that roasted dandelion tea was the best caffeine free alternative to my morning coffee: I don’t even miss it anymore. It has the same bitter after taste without the caffeine and I like to drink it black. Morning before breakfast is really the best time to drink it because it increases the bile flow. Lots of nutrients need the help of bile to be absorbed and so that is a good thing.

Dandelion root tea has many other benefits; some claim it clears their acne others it keeps their cancer at bay. You should really try and see for yourself!

Buy Traditional Medicinals Organic Roasted Dandelion Root Tea

Dandelion Medicine Book on Amazon:

Another kava recipe for you dear Kava Canadian friends: This one is so healthy and delicious! This kava recipe would make a good alternative to Bailey’s Irish Cream.

Our super easy coconut kava recipe:

(Yields 1 serving)

1tsp fine kava root powder

Half a cup (125ml) coconut milk

Sweeten with stevia or your favorite sweetener

Put the kava powder in a glass or cup. Incorporate about 1 Tablespoon coconut milk and stir until you have a paste and then stir in the rest of the liquid. Add your sweetener and there you have a sweet tasting coconut kava that will taste not unlike Kona Kava Farm’s very own instant kava. I like to drink between 1 and 3 servings of this recipe with about 30 minutes intervals.

We have started making our own coconut milk and it is so much better than the canned stuff. It is not really cheaper than buying a can and it’s a little more work but it doesn’t have all the additives they put in the cans.

Here’s how to make the coconut milk:

1 – You need to make holes in the 3 eyes of the coconut and discard the water. Using a sharp knife or a saw, cut around the circumference.

2 – Use a hammer to break the coconut open, along the line you just cut. If it breaks nicely, you will be left with one coconut cup that you can use to drink your kava from.

3 – Take the flesh out and remove the brown skin if any. Cut in chunks and put them in a blender, mix in equal amount of lukewarm water and blend for a few minutes.

4 – Pour into a strainer bag (we really like the ones we got at the Kona Kava Farm), and squeeze out the liquid. Put the milk in the fridge and the fat will separate and rise to the top: you will have your coconut milk on the bottom and you coconut cream on top! The pulp can also be used in any recipes like stir-fry, cookies, and muffins so you don’t need to throw it away, it will still have some nutrients and is good fiber.

Once a while we like to experiment different ways to have our kava, and today the result was a warm, mouth numbing, sweet and chocolaty kava drink. I called it “chocolate lava kava”. Here’s the recipe.

Makes 1 cup

1 Tbsp fine powdered kava
1 Tbsp raw honey
1 Tbsp powdered cocoa
236 ml hot but not boiling water
2 Tbsp milk

In a cup, melt honey in the microwave for 20 seconds. Blend the powdered kava and the cocoa into the melted honey to make a paste. Add hot but not boiling water and the milk. Stir well to mix and enjoy! Keep a spoon handy to stir the drink once a while in between sips.

I hope you like this recipe. If you don’t happen to have all the ingredients and would like to try something very close to this recipe (even better), I recommend you “Feeling Good” chocolate kava honey – it’s exactly how it’ll make you feel!