AYURVEDIC HERB SUPPLEMENTS

Kava Kava (PIPER METHYSTICUM)

Euphoric sedative and pain reliever. Relaxes muscles and reduces spasm. Anti-inflammatory. Urinary restorative. Astringent mucostatic. Hepatotoxic.

How Does This Ayurvedic Herb Supplement Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Sleep deep all night long with the help of Kava Kava Tincture. Wake refreshed each morning as insomnia fades into the past. The popularity of this traditional Polynesian sleep-aid is steadily growing.

SUGGESTED USE

1 dropper full 2x/day or as directed by your practitioner.
How should I take my tincture?
Follow these guidelines

Metabolic Nature of Kava Kava

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.
INCREASES
Guna Help

Increases These Biocharacteristics (Gunas)

Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic.

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DRY

ABOUT DRY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Dry is identified by lack of moisture, lack of fat, or anything that causes diuresis.

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HEAVY

ABOUT HEAVY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Heavy is identified by sedation, sluggishness, or increased weight.

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OILY

ABOUT OILY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

In Ayurveda, oily refers to anything moistening. More specifically, oily refers to building substances that increases fat, or are themselves fatty. For example, sugar is Oily.

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TASTES
Taste Help

The 6 Tastes

Taste is used to sense the most basic properties and effects of food. Each taste has a specific medicinal effect on your body. Cravings for food with certain tastes indicate your body is craving specific medicinal results from food. Taste is experienced on the tongue and represents your body's reaction to foods. Sweet taste causes physical satisfaction and attraction whereas bitter taste causes discomfort and aversion. Kapha should use less sweet taste while Vata and Pitta would benefit from using more sweet taste. One of the first signs of illness is that your taste and appetite for food changes. The six tastes are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter, and astringent. Do you crave foods with any of the tastes below?

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ASTRINGENT

ABOUT ASTRINGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Astringency is characterized by constriction, drawing together, or drying.

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BITTER

ABOUT BITTER BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Bitter taste has cholagogue action - it is cold, clear, light, and stimulating. It increases digestive enzymes, laxative, and drying.

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PUNGENT

ABOUT PUNGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Pungency is characterized by irritation, or sharp, spicy foods that irritate the mouth such as black pepper.

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DOSHAS
Dosha Help

The Three Doshas / Body Types

According to the biocharacteristic theory of medicine, people tend to get sick, over and over again, due to habitual causes and imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history.

The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. They are easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. They tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. If they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Anabolic people tend to be stable and grounded.

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PACIFIES
Pitta pacifying Vata pacifying
AGGRAVATES
Kapha aggravating
HAS THE FOLLOWING
Subtaste:
Aromatic

AROMATIC

Herbs or spices with volatile essential oils that present strong aromas. Aromatic oils shock, refresh and numb tissue, with the end result of relaxing, opening and clearing stagnant fluids in tissues.

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Moves Energy:
Downward

DOWNWARD

Downward-moving (Adho Gati Marga) substances move food downward in the GI tract, settle the nervous system, and relax muscles.

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Tissue (dhatu):
Nerves

NERVES

Marrow tissue (Majja Dhatu) includes bone marrow and nervous tissue.

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Affinity: Mind Stress Sleep
Family: Piperaceae
HERBAL ACTIONS
(see all)

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Kava Kava
Help
Experiences are Personal
Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition.

Digestive

DIGESTIVE

Herbs that encourage healthy digestion.

SEE ALL 'DIGESTIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Internal Detoxicant

INTERNAL-DETOXICANT

Liquefies, dissolves, decongests or dislodges internal stagnant toxins. Decongests the lymphatic system.

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Numbs Anasthetic

STRONG NUMBS-ANASTHETIC

Inhibits sensation in a particular area.

SEE ALL 'NUMBS-ANASTHETIC' FOODS / HERBS

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Makes You Tired

MAKES-YOU-TIRED

Induces drowsiness and promotes sound sleep.

SEE ALL 'MAKES-YOU-TIRED' FOODS / HERBS

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Nerve Relaxant Grounding

NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING

Encourages feelings of stability and heaviness. Makes you feel settled, mentally relaxed. Mildly sedates the nervous system to ease stress. Can bring a spacey or anxious person back to earth. Reduces agitation, irritation, stress and racing thoughts.

SEE ALL 'NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING' FOODS / HERBS

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Analgesic

STRONG ANALGESIC

Pain reliever, reduces pain without eliminating sensation. Also known as anodyne.

SEE ALL 'ANALGESIC' FOODS / HERBS

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Anxiolytic

ANXIOLYTIC

Herbs that help people suffering from anxiety or panic. They promote a state of calm and often improve sleep. Most anxiolytic herbs are also nervines.

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Boosts Gaba

BOOSTS-GABA

GABA, or gamma-aminobutyric acid, reduces nerve excitability. It is the body's primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. Thus, it promotes relaxation, calm, and sleep.

SEE ALL 'BOOSTS-GABA' FOODS / HERBS

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Nervine

NERVINE

Balances the nervous system. They can help with stress, memory, early alzheimer's, and even chronic pain. Often they are aromatic in nature.

SEE ALL 'NERVINE' FOODS / HERBS

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Sedative

SEDATIVE

Sedative herbs create a sense of calm in the mind and body by specifically calming or quieting the nervous system. Excellent for anxiety, stress and chronic pain.

SEE ALL 'SEDATIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Decongestant

DECONGESTANT

An herb that reduces mucus production often by restricting blood flow to mucus membranes.

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Anti Inflammatory

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

Reduces inflammation in the body. Different herbs and carriers target different body systems.

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Anticarcinogenic

ANTICARCINOGENIC

Herbs that inhibit or prevent the activity of a carcinogen or the development of cancer.

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Diuretic

DIURETIC

Herbs that promote urine formation, thereby flushing the kidneys and urinary tract while eliminating any excess water retention. As diuretics reduce water retention, they are often used to reduce blood pressure.

SEE ALL 'DIURETIC' FOODS / HERBS

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Urinary Tonic

URINARY-TONIC

An herb that tonifies and strengthens the urinary system. These can be helpful for urinary incontinence or improving function after a urinary tract infection. They can also strengthen the bladder to ward off a urinary tract infection.

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Antiandrogen

ANTIANDROGEN

Reduces androgen (testosterone), which can reduce excess growth, drive, and libido. Reduces skin oiliness. Helpful for prostate enlargement.

SEE ALL 'ANTIANDROGEN' FOODS / HERBS

Muscle Relaxant

MUSCLE-RELAXANT

Herbs that relax muscles. Helpful for chronic pain or tension as well as healing from physical trauma.

SEE ALL 'MUSCLE-RELAXANT' FOODS / HERBS

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Relieves Tension

RELIEVES-TENSION

An herb that releases tightness, constriction, and rigidity in a muscle.

SEE ALL 'RELIEVES-TENSION' FOODS / HERBS

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Antispasmodic

ANTISPASMODIC

Herbs that reduce or inhibit muscle spasms or cramping, such as in asthma, menstruation, hear palpitations, migraine, or IBS.

SEE ALL 'ANTISPASMODIC' FOODS / HERBS

Foods with a Similar Nature to Kava Kava

Chamomile

Chamomile has these Actions in Common

Anti-inflammatory, Boosts-gaba, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Antispasmodic, Digestive, Nervine, Analgesic, Anxiolytic, Makes-you-tired, Sedative

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Mustard

Mustard has these Actions in Common

Analgesic, Digestive, Muscle-relaxant, Antispasmodic, Diuretic, Relieves-tension, Decongestant, Internal-detoxicant

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Basil

Basil has these Actions in Common

Antispasmodic, Digestive, Nervine, Anti-inflammatory, Anxiolytic, Diuretic, Antiandrogen, Decongestant, Internal-detoxicant

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Allspice

Allspice has these Actions in Common

Analgesic, Decongestant, Muscle-relaxant, Anti-inflammatory, Digestive, Nervine, Antispasmodic, Internal-detoxicant, Numbs-anasthetic

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Mustard Powder

Mustard Powder has these Actions in Common

Antispasmodic, Diuretic, Relieves-tension, Decongestant, Internal-detoxicant, Analgesic, Digestive, Muscle-relaxant

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Lavender

Lavender has these Actions in Common

Antispasmodic, Makes-you-tired, Sedative, Anxiolytic, Muscle-relaxant, Analgesic, Boosts-gaba, Nervine

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Nutmeg

Nutmeg has these Actions in Common

Anxiolytic, Makes-you-tired, Analgesic, Digestive, Nervine, Antispasmodic, Internal-detoxicant, Sedative

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Poppy Seed

Poppy Seed has these Actions in Common

Analgesic, Makes-you-tired, Relieves-tension, Antispasmodic, Muscle-relaxant, Sedative, Anxiolytic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding

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Nigella (black cumin)

Nigella (black cumin) has these Actions in Common

Anticarcinogenic, Diuretic, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Internal-detoxicant, Anti-inflammatory, Digestive, Nervine

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Fennel Seeds

Fennel Seeds has these Actions in Common

Antispasmodic, Diuretic, Analgesic, Decongestant, Internal-detoxicant, Antiandrogen, Digestive, Nervine

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Cloves

Cloves has these Actions in Common

Anxiolytic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Analgesic, Digestive, Nervine, Antispasmodic, Internal-detoxicant, Numbs-anasthetic

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Herb Supplements with a Similar Nature to Kava Kava

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha has these Actions in Common

Muscle-relaxant, Analgesic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Anti-inflammatory, Nervine, Anticarcinogenic, Relieves-tension, Antispasmodic, Sedative, Anxiolytic, Urinary-tonic, Boosts-gaba, Diuretic

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Eleuthero Ginseng

Eleuthero Ginseng has these Actions in Common

Analgesic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Anti-inflammatory, Nervine, Anticarcinogenic, Relieves-tension, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Digestive, Internal-detoxicant, Muscle-relaxant

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Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi)

Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi) has these Actions in Common

Internal-detoxicant, Muscle-relaxant, Anti-inflammatory, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Antispasmodic, Nervine, Anxiolytic, Sedative, Boosts-gaba, Decongestant, Diuretic

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Gokshura

Gokshura has these Actions in Common

Antispasmodic, Urinary-tonic, Diuretic, Internal-detoxicant, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nervine, Relieves-tension, Analgesic, Sedative

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Motherwort

Motherwort has these Actions in Common

Diuretic, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Analgesic, Nervine, Anti-inflammatory, Relieves-tension, Antiandrogen, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic

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Dong Quai

Dong Quai has these Actions in Common

Analgesic, Nervine, Anti-inflammatory, Relieves-tension, Anticarcinogenic, Antispasmodic, Boosts-gaba, Digestive, Internal-detoxicant, Muscle-relaxant

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California Poppy

California Poppy has these Actions in Common

Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nervine, Relieves-tension, Analgesic, Sedative, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Boosts-gaba

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Hops

Hops has these Actions in Common

Digestive, Diuretic, Internal-detoxicant, Nervine, Analgesic, Sedative, Anti-inflammatory, Anxiolytic, Boosts-gaba

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Black Cohosh

Black Cohosh has these Actions in Common

Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nervine, Analgesic, Sedative, Anti-inflammatory, Anticarcinogenic

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Valerian

Valerian has these Actions in Common

Sedative, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Boosts-gaba, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nervine

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Joyful Belly is a recognized school of biocharacteristics medicine.

TRADITIONALLY INDICATED FOR THESE SYMPTOMS

Kava Kava may be beneficial for these symptoms. The suitability of any herb supplement for a condition is highly dependent on the individual. Please see your doctor before using this herb supplement to treat a medical condition.

HERB DRUG INTERACTION RISK

Here are some potential herb drug interactions. Please see your health care provider for more information.
  • Analgesic: If the mechanism of pain relief is narcotic, do not combine with antihistamines.
  • Decongestant: For decongestants whose mechanism is vasoconstriction, could potentially increase blood pressure.
  • Diuretic: Diuretics may clear pharmaceutical drugs more quickly, lowering the effect.
  • Muscle-relaxant: Do not combine muscle relaxants with antihistamines.
  • Sedative: Do not combine nerve suppressing sedatives with nerve stimulants, pharmaceutical sedatives, most anxiolyitcs, or antihistamines.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Look for similar items by category

Herbs-and-Formulas, Tinctures, Vata-Reducing, Mind-Stress-Sleep

Reviews for Kava Kava

blank start reviewblank start reviewblank start reviewblank start reviewblank start reviewSign in to rate this remedy

From an ayurvedic perspective, would this be a safe herb to use while nursing? Safe, defined as, not drying up milk supply, or getting into milk supply and making the child too drowsy? I imagine it could be fine, since it relaxes, and one needs to be somewhat relaxed to have a letdown.
- Sabrina, Clearwater, FL , 03-15-17 (Reply)
I'm not sure whether it is safe to take while breastfeeding. Kava kava is not an Ayurvedic herb, so there isn't really an Ayurvedic perspective on it. I suggest talking to your doctor about it.
- Kimberly Kubicke, Asbury park, NJ , 03-15-17 (Reply)
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