Monday, May 2. 2016
Why it May Be a Good Idea to Avoid Kratom Extracts
I have been taking kratom for many years now, and I would like to impart a little bit of advice that may or may not help you out along your journey with this remarkable plant.
When I first started taking kratom, the effects where phenomenal, and they remained so for quite a long time. One day, my favorite vendor was offering an extract, and being the curious person that I am, I bought it.
Every usage of kratom I mixed with the extract, and to say the least, the results where phenomenal, all pain gone, a remarkable euphoric feeling, and overall very enjoyable, that is until I ran out.
Once I ran out of extract, I went back to my regular usage of leaf, thinking all was well, and quickly found out otherwise – I was getting little-to-no effect from the leaf that used to do remarkably well for me. So I figured, I’d order more extract – bad idea.
Once this extract was gone and I switched back to plain leaf, my tolerance was high enough for the kratom to do absolutely nothing to me, and that was when I realized that I should probably cut it out.
It took almost a month to get back to the way I was before starting. Kratom extracts can absolutely wreck your tolerance, and if you keep using them, can certainly break the bank, especially if using them for reasons such as pain relief. Visit this page to learn a bit more on how tolerance develops from a scientific perspective.
I hope this word of warning may help you avoid the same mistakes I made. If you do decide to use kratom extracts, I don’t suggest using them more than once every few weeks or you will pay the consequences in time.
Saturday, April 23. 2016
Why You Should Try White Vein Kratom
White vein is one of the “big three” varieties of kratom which grow naturally in areas such as Borneo, Sumatra, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam (Mekong river area). Although white veins typically don’t contain the same levels of 7-OHM as red veins, they have a variety of effects that certainly make up for it.
The Characteristics of White Veins
When comparing different vein types of kratom on a spectrum of sedation to stimulation, white would be on the far right, green in the middle, and red on the left. For this reason, white veins tend to be one of the most uplifting of all types of kratom, but typically last for a shorter period of time then red or green veins.
Many people have successfully substituted their morning cup of coffee for a white vein strain, and have seen even better results because of the smooth energy, focus that this strain variety provides, all without the shakiness and nastiness caffeine can cause at high dosages.
Effects
The primary hallmark of a white vein, as previously discussed, is smooth energy. There are, however, some other characteristics that make this strain worthwhile.
• Energy
• Uplifting
• Increased creativity
• Improved focus
• Increased mental endurance
• Motivation
• Some pain relief
• Some anxiety relief
• Anti-depressant effects
As you can see, all of these effects show how effective this type of kratom can be under the right circumstances. The increased creativity, focus, and mental endurance can be a huge asset when doing difficult work that requires full concentration, such as writing, coding, art, brainstorming, designing, archeticture, etc. The possibilities of improvement for this strain are nearly endless.
The anti-depressant, anti-anxiety and motivating effects of this strain are another spectrum of effects that make this variety of kratom so noteworthy. Many people I know use this strain for social anxiety, decrease apathy, to improve work ethic, and generally to improve their experience of day-to-day life.
Notes on White Veins
As with any unbiased review, there are some things that should be taken into consideration before deciding that white vein kratom is for you.
The first factor is that it typically doesn’t last as long as many other strains, typically 3 to 4 hours, as opposed to the standard 4-6 hours of red and green veins. Although this may not be a problem for most, some may not prefer it.
Another factor is that white vein strains are typically not the best choice for pain relief, as dually noted here. For chronic pain, you will want to use a red or green vein strain, as the pain relief tends to be more pronounced. However, for those who have mild pain and don’t want to sacrifice energy or motivation, white vein strains can be quite effective.
The bottom line is that every person has different needs for their kratom strains. Those who want good energy, focus, motivation, creativity and a general uplifting feeling may find white vein kratom to be their greatest ally. Those who need kratom for purposes such as pain may find this variety of kratom to be lacking. Every person needs to figure this out for themselves.
Thursday, April 21. 2016
Kratom 'Apathy' from Long-Term, Heavy Usage
Because of the legal heat on kratom, and the wondrous benefits it can provide, not many people like to talk about the potential negatives of this plant, least of all me. That said, I feel like it is my duty to remind people that every medication, no matter how wonderful, is going to have some drawbacks.One of the drawbacks that some people have found with kratom, is that if you take it daily in high dosages (over 40 or so grams/day) over long periods of time (6 months or more), it can cause a slight apathy in some individuals.
Because I was once on prescription opiate medication which did the exact same thing to a much greater extent, it doesn’t bother me whatsoever as the regular use of kratom for my pain far outweighs the drawbacks. However, some may find a mild sense of apathy over prolonged usage.
This apathy is quite mild in most ways, and many feel it stems from the increased enjoyment in doing less that kratom provides. It’s an effect that basically lowers your tolerance for excitement to a degree.
For 90% of the population, this effect will never occur, but for some it can be an annoyance, and a few who have experienced it have decided to cut back on kratom.
I hope that this article is somewhat helpful and provides an unbiased review of kratom’s effects which will help guide you to smart use of this wonderful plant.
Friday, April 15. 2016
Most Well-Balanced Kratom Strains
When you look through the massive amounts of information about kratom in the internet, you often see posts such as: “What is the most energetic kratom” or “What is the best kratom for pain relief”, but you rarely see posts such as “What is the most well-balanced kratom”.
From this, it would seem that many users are looking for strains at the far end of the spectrums, but when you look at the actual kratom community, it doesn’t seem to be the case. In fact, most people who use kratom for pain relief want strains that provide relief but don’t cause excess sedation, and even those who want energetic kratom still want some euphoric properties from it.
It is for this reason that I decided to create a post on some of the most well-balanced strains. Without further ado, here they are:
Malaysian Kratom
Malaysian kratom has been around for a long time, and many have recognized its vast potential for both pain relief and mild energy. There is some variation between different types of malay, but green vein, often known as super green Malaysian, is one of the most balanced, and is very long-lasting compared to many other strains, although it can vary from batch to batch and vendor to vendor.
Riau Kratom
This variety of kratom, although it has been around for a while, has become quite popular recently. Riau kratom is similar to Malaysian, but it contains a more Indo feel with less stimulation. It tends to be quite smooth, and many consider it highly effective for pain as well as some mild energy.
Vietnam Kratom
Although this variety is overall well balanced, it is a bit more energetic than the previous two overall. That said, it does contain quite a high ability for pain relief. Many characterize this strain as clean, uplifting and energetic, much the same as a stimulating borneo. If you haven’t tried this variety, I highly suggest it.
Saturday, April 9. 2016
The Guide to Vietnam Kratom
Although kratom has grown wildly in several regions of Vietnam for thousands of years, it is only recently that it has made a big impact on the kratom market.
Because the climate conditions of Vietnam are fairly different from other high kratom producing regions, such as Borneo, as well as differences in the unique makeup of the plants from Vietnam, this type of kratom has quite unique effects.
About Vietnam Kratom
First, to understand Vietnam kratom strains, it should be understood that not all regions of this country are suitable for strong kratom. In fact, only a small area is known for producing kratom in this region, but where it is produced, it is quite strong.
The vast majority of kratom is grown around the Mekong river, where water flows from the higher elevation mountainous regions, bring with it immense amounts of minerals, enriching the soil and providing the essential requisites for the growth of strong kratom plants.
What to Expect: Effects
As kratom users know, no matter how nice the leaf smells or how sweet it is, it doesn’t matter unless it has good effects.
The way in which Vietnam kratom differs from other strains is that it tends to be well-balanced. Almost all varieties of this strain provide both mental energy and physical relaxation, a best-of-both-worlds kind of effect that gives this strain its uniqueness.
Some of the most prominent effects are:
• Pain Relief
• Mental Energy
• Focus
• Physical Relaxation
• Natural Feeling Mood Boost
Although the pain relief isn’t as pronounced as in Borneo or Indo strains, it is still very effective for most uses and is without the sedation that can sometimes cause a conflict of interest in those who are looking for a good strain of kratom for pain relief, as well described in this article on Vietnam kratom strains.
Varieties of Vietnam Kratom
There are a few varieties of Vietnam kratom strains commonly sold, each with slightly differing effects.
Yellow/Gold Vein:
Vietnam kratom, although we don’t yet know why, has a propensity for producing gold or yellow colored veins when dried in a certain manners; this drying process oxidizes alkaloids and creates somewhat different effects from other varieties of kratom, similar to what is done with particular types of tea fermentation. These strains tend to provide a strong uplifting feeling along with fairly notable amounts of pain relief.
White Vein:
White vein Vietnam strains are definitely the most energetic of the Vietnam strains, and can be great for lengthy or tedious mental or physical work.
Green Vein:
Green vein Vietnam strains are quite effect for pain relief, and provide mild stimulation along with anxiety relief. This variety, like most other green veins, tends to last a bit longer than the other counterparts, especially white vein.
Red Vein:
Although not that common, this variety is the best Vietnam strain for pain relief. Although it does have a slight energetic component, it is not as pronounced as with the other varieties. This is a great choice for physical relaxation.
Vietnam strains come in a large variety of forms, but the characteristics and effects they share make them quite a unique and valuable kratom strain for any connoisseur of kratom.
Saturday, April 2. 2016
Legality of Kratom in Florida
The legality of kratom in Florida has been tenuous ever since the sad case of a young man who in southern Florida committed suicide. Although this young man was on handfuls of anti-depressants and illegal narcotics, the parents in their emotional state wanted justification, and they found in kratom the perfect scapegoat.
Ever since that day, certain Florida politicians, backed by the pharmaceutical industry no less, have been lobbying to make kratom illegal. Luckily, the kratom community’s dedication to this plant through their writing to congress and protest has swayed many congressmen and women and has lead to the bill being down the bill for the second time as March 2016.
Kratom has been a beneficial tool for so many individuals looking for pain relief or to simply get off of dangerous prescription, or illegal, painkillers. It’s sad that so many individuals resort to fear instead of understanding in situations such as this.
We expect to see the bill return next year in another form, as the pharmaceutical industry seems quite dedicated to this cause. It is up to us, the community of kratom lovers, to fight these inaccurate and unjust charges against kratom. Until then, stay strong and remember to fight for this plant and the users of it.
About
I’m glad you made it to this West Coast Care & Health. The goal of this website is basically one of holistic health. Although modern medicine has made large strides in furthering our understanding of treatments and illness, many are beginning to understand the vast complexity and interdependence of our bodies, and see how essential it is to begin formulating treatments that treat the root conditions of illness -- or at the very least treat the symptoms more effectively.This site is dedicated to these practices, herbs, and medications.
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wch@westcarehealth.org