.: evil jungle prince :.

For whatever reason -- genetics I suppose -- anxiety runs in my family and we have all dealt with various forms of it throughout our lives. For a number of years I dealt with this by taking a drug called Serzone, until one day a friend of mine let me know that Europe was pulling this product from the market because of deaths due to liver toxicity. Needless to say, I weaned myself off it as quickly as was possible. I was fortunate to be able to do this because at that same time, I was transitioning into a new career which was, and remains, about 200% less stressful than the last one. I'm happy to say I've been off of prescription antidepressants ever since.

This doesn't mean however than I'm anxiety free. Nobody is, and living without anxiety is a complicated task. One needs a sound mind, a life that is fulfilling, an exercise routine, and a healthy diet among many other factors which may contribute to the goal of anxiety reduction. I try as best I can to juggle such goals in a way that is most beneficial to me, but everybody must find their own path. And it's always an ongoing learning experience.

Recently I've begun consuming kava kava (Piper methysticum) an am enjoying it immensely. Kava has a peppery taste and has long been a part of religious, political, and cultural life throughout the Pacific. Kava has a calming effect which I'll describe in the following paragraph, similar to an antidepressant but without the strange side effects. I'm still experimenting with different preparations, but my favorite so far has been "kava chai," or Indian chai prepared with kava in place of black tea. (See EVP's chai entry for a chai recipe.) I'll mince no words: kava is nasty! But preparing it heavily spiced and sweetened with honey renders it quite tasty. By itself, it is peppery and nothing you'd want to recreationally consume.

The effects of kava are singular. With the first sip, one's tongue immediately feels numb. The mind and the body then feel progressively relaxed but without feeling sleepy. A sense of well-being follows. These effects last for an hour or so and they altogether mild. One's troubles seem to become a secondary type of reality -- removed from a satisifying, lackadaisical existence. Worries may continue to exist but they become peripheral as opposed to oppositional.

I have noticed over time that many of my worries are a regular cycle. That is, they really have less to do with the things I'm worried about than they do with my mind attaching itself to the next stressful topic. In such circumstances, I allow these worries to pass over me while I enjoy a cup of kava. They aren't worth the trouble.

Today's cup was enjoyed with some yummy, dairy free ginger bread. Good combo!

By the way, if you're interested in experimenting with kava yourself, be sure that you never use kava products which utilize stem peelings and leaves because these products can lead to liver toxicity as well. Traditional use of kava only uses the root and this has been proven safe by hundreds of years of practical use and consumption. I use Kava King which only uses root in its product.