Kava Kava Benefits, Uses, Side Effects According to Ayurveda

Metabolic Nature of Kava Kava

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

METABOLIC NATURE

Metabolic Nature

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

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 and is 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

The Three Doshas / Body Types

Ayurveda is a metabolic theory of medicine that explains individual health, tendencies, and disease patterns through the concept of doshas, which can be understood as your metabolic patterns and tendencies.
Each dosha reflects a distinct metabolic nature and describes strengths & weaknesses in bodily function, and how these affect energy levels, digestion, susceptibility to disease, and many other tendencies.
Your metabolic nature not only affects your physical characteristics, but also influences your mental thought patterns, confidence, and enthusiasm.
Ayurveda balances these metabolic strengths & weaknesses to support your body's vitality and prevent recurrent disease cycles. This support is a critical aid, especially in chronic or incurable disease conditions.
The 3 metabolic body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha).
Through dosha, Ayurveda empowers people to identify metabolic imbalances early, break repetitive patterns of disease, and cultivate habits that support long-term vitality and well-being.
Ultimately, these metabolic patterns also provide a framework for understanding yourself, including body, mind, and spiritual tendencies.
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PACIFIES

AGGRAVATES

GREEK MEDICINE / TEMPERAMENTS

The Four Temperaments / Humors

Ayurveda & Greek Medicine were the dominant form of medicine along the Silk Road from England to China and South Asia. They work by assessing your metabolic type, patterns, and nature. Greek medicine recognizes 4 metabolic temperaments, Melancholic, Choleric, Sanguine, and Phlegmatic.
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PACIFIES

MELANCHOLIC

ABOUT MELANCHOLIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Cold and dry with a slow, variable or erratic metabolism. Colicky, tense. Withdrawn, pensive, anxious, and hesitant. Analytical, intelligent, detail oriented and creative. Prone to ojas depletion, dehydration, an overactive nervous system, and depression.

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AGGRAVATES

CHOLERIC

ABOUT CHOLERIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Has a hot and dry metabolic nature. Enthusiastic, vibrant and bright. In excess burns up fluids and ojas, irritable. Corresponds to high bilirubin in the blood that irritates and heats up the body and liver.

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PHLEGMATIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Wet & cold. When out of balance becomes congested, stagnant, and overweight. Loving, trusting, and patient.

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SANGUINE

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Hot and oily with a moderate metabolism and a well nourished body. Vigorous, vivacious, outgoing and generous, and prone to impulsivity and self indulgence. Bullish and intense when out of balance.

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Other

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.

SEE ALL 'AROMATIC' FOODS / HERBS

Moves Energy:

Downward

DOWNWARD

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

SEE ALL 'DOWNWARD' FOODS / HERBS

Tissue (dhatu):

Nerves

NERVES

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

SEE ALL 'NERVES' FOODS / HERBS

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Kava Kava
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.

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Digestion:

Digestive

DIGESTIVE

Herbs that encourage healthy digestion.

SEE ALL 'DIGESTIVE' FOODS / HERBS

Cleanse & Detox:

Internal Detoxicant

INTERNAL-DETOXICANT

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

SEE ALL 'INTERNAL-DETOXICANT' FOODS / HERBS

Mind, Stress & Sleep:

Numbs Anasthetic

STRONG NUMBS-ANASTHETIC

Inhibits sensation in a particular area.

SEE ALL 'NUMBS-ANASTHETIC' FOODS / HERBS

Makes You Tired

MAKES-YOU-TIRED

Induces drowsiness and promotes sound sleep.

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

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.

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Analgesic

STRONG ANALGESIC

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

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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.

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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.

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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

Respiratory-Health:

Decongestant

DECONGESTANT

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

SEE ALL 'DECONGESTANT' FOODS / HERBS

Immune System:

Anti Inflammatory

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

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

SEE ALL 'ANTI-INFLAMMATORY' FOODS / HERBS

Anticarcinogenic

ANTICARCINOGENIC

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

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Kidney & Urinary:

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

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.

SEE ALL 'URINARY-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS

Reproductive Health:

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

Strength, Muscle Health:

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

Relieves Tension

RELIEVES-TENSION

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

SEE ALL 'RELIEVES-TENSION' FOODS / HERBS

Antispasmodic

ANTISPASMODIC

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

SEE ALL 'ANTISPASMODIC' FOODS / HERBS

Foods with a Similar Nature to Kava Kava

Chamomile

Chamomile has these Actions in Common
Digestive, Nervine, Analgesic, Anxiolytic, Makes-you-tired, Sedative, Anti-inflammatory, Boosts-gaba, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Antispasmodic
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Nutmeg

Nutmeg has these Actions in Common
Makes-you-tired, Nervine, Analgesic, Digestive, Muscle-relaxant, Sedative, Antispasmodic, Internal-detoxicant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Anxiolytic
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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
Anti-inflammatory, Digestive, Nervine, Antispasmodic, Internal-detoxicant, Numbs-anasthetic, Analgesic, Decongestant, 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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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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Poppy Seed

Poppy Seed has these Actions in Common
Antispasmodic, Muscle-relaxant, Sedative, Anxiolytic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Analgesic, Makes-you-tired, Relieves-tension
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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
Analgesic, Digestive, Nervine, Antispasmodic, Internal-detoxicant, Numbs-anasthetic, Anxiolytic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding
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Rosemary

Rosemary has these Actions in Common
Anticarcinogenic, Digestive, Nervine, Antispasmodic, Internal-detoxicant, Analgesic, Decongestant, Muscle-relaxant
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Mustard Seed

Mustard Seed has these Actions in Common
Antispasmodic, Diuretic, Relieves-tension, Decongestant, Internal-detoxicant, Analgesic, Digestive, Muscle-relaxant
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Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Kava Kava

Ashwagandha

Ashwagandha has these Actions in Common
Analgesic, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Anti-inflammatory, Nervine, Anticarcinogenic, Relieves-tension, Antispasmodic, Sedative, Anxiolytic, Urinary-tonic, Boosts-gaba, Diuretic, Muscle-relaxant
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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
Muscle-relaxant, Anti-inflammatory, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Antispasmodic, Nervine, Anxiolytic, Sedative, Boosts-gaba, Decongestant, Diuretic, Internal-detoxicant
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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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Hops

Hops has these Actions in Common
Digestive, Diuretic, Internal-detoxicant, Nervine, Analgesic, Sedative, Anti-inflammatory, Anxiolytic, Boosts-gaba
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California Poppy

California Poppy has these Actions in Common
Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding, Nervine, Relieves-tension, Sedative, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, 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
Nervine, Sedative, Analgesic, Antispasmodic, Anxiolytic, Boosts-gaba, Muscle-relaxant, Nerve-relaxant-grounding
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Joyful Belly is a recognized college of biocharacteristics medicine.

Reviews for Kava Kava

Sabrina Clearwater, FL

2017-03-15

“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."

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Kimberly Kubicke Asbury park, NJ

“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."

College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

AYURVEDIC HERB SUPPLEMENTS

Kava Kava (Piper methysticum)

Table of Contents

How Does This Ayurvedic Herb Supplement Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Metabolic Nature of Kava Kava

Metabolic Nature

ABOUT DRY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

ABOUT HEAVY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

ABOUT OILY BIOCHARACTERISTIC

The 6 Tastes

ABOUT ASTRINGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

ABOUT BITTER BIOCHARACTERISTIC

ABOUT PUNGENT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

The Three Doshas / Body Types

The Four Temperaments / Humors

ABOUT MELANCHOLIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

ABOUT CHOLERIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

ABOUT PHLEGMATIC BIOCHARACTERISTIC

ABOUT SANGUINE BIOCHARACTERISTIC

Other

AROMATIC

DOWNWARD

NERVES

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Kava Kava 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

INTERNAL-DETOXICANT

STRONG NUMBS-ANASTHETIC

MAKES-YOU-TIRED

NERVE-RELAXANT-GROUNDING

STRONG ANALGESIC

ANXIOLYTIC

BOOSTS-GABA

NERVINE

SEDATIVE

DECONGESTANT

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

ANTICARCINOGENIC

DIURETIC

URINARY-TONIC

ANTIANDROGEN

MUSCLE-RELAXANT

RELIEVES-TENSION

ANTISPASMODIC

Foods with a Similar Nature to Kava Kava

Chamomile has these Actions in Common

Nutmeg has these Actions in Common

Basil has these Actions in Common

Allspice has these Actions in Common

Lavender has these Actions in Common

Nigella (black cumin) has these Actions in Common

Poppy Seed has these Actions in Common

Fennel Seeds has these Actions in Common

Cloves has these Actions in Common

Rosemary has these Actions in Common

Mustard Seed has these Actions in Common

Herbs & Supplements with a Similar Nature to Kava Kava

Ashwagandha has these Actions in Common

Eleuthero Ginseng has these Actions in Common

Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi) has these Actions in Common

Gokshura has these Actions in Common

Motherwort has these Actions in Common

Dong Quai has these Actions in Common

Hops has these Actions in Common

California Poppy has these Actions in Common

Black Cohosh has these Actions in Common

Valerian has these Actions in Common

Guidelines - Preparation & Dose

TRADITIONALLY INDICATED FOR THESE SYMPTOMS

Mind, Stress & Sleep

Kidney, Bladder & Urinary

Skin Care

Bones, Muscles & Tendons

Lifestyle

Reproductive-Health

Digestion

Heart, Blood & Circulation

CONTRAINDICATED FOR THESE SYMPTOMS

Herb Drug Interaction Risk

Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Kava Kava
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.

TRADITIONALLY INDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS

CONTRAINDICATED FOR
THESE SYMPTOMS