Contrary to Government, the media, and anti-Kratomites, Kratom is actually not an opioid, rather it is a member of the coffee family. Kratom and opium have no physical connection in any way. Kratom does interact with certain opiate receptors in the brain, but in a way that chocolate, sugar, caffeine, and breast milk interacts with opiate receptors.
Kratom is completely natural. The process of producing Kratom involves plucking the leaves of Kratom plants and trees, drying out the leaves, grinding the leaves to a powder, and packaging the powder for shipment. That's it. There is no synthesis or chemical additives/alterations whatsoever. You are simply consuming leaves from a tree.
There are many different strains of Kratom which include:
- Bali
- Maeng Da
- Borneo
- Malaysian (Malay)
- Indonesian (Indo)
- Thai
- Vietnam
- Sumatra
- New strains continue to enter the market, but...
**You should know that many of these regions either do not grow Kratom at all, or they grow very little, or the Kratom is not native to the area. Just because a vendor says that a strain is "Borneo" or "Vietnam," that doesn't make it so. In fact, Kratom is only native to Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Papua New Guinea. Kratom is illegal in Thailand and Malaysia and penalties for growing, manufacturing, exporting, and/or consuming Kratom can be very strict. This begs the question: How much Thai and Malay Kratom is actually from these regions? Furthermore, Kratom is not native to Bali, Borneo, Sumatra, or Vietnam. Therefore, if you buy Kratom wearing this label, you are probably not purchasing a strain from these areas. Vendors like to create new "strains" all the time to attract business. These "strains" are probably a mixture of Kratom grown in different regions or the Kratom is an existing strain in disguise (vendor selling Bali is actually selling Indonesian Kratom, for example). Keep this in mind if you become the newest member to the Kratom family or if you are a veteran Kratom consumer. If you've been taking Kratom for as long as me, you've seen lots of strains magically appear on the market. Chances are, they've been created by the vendor. I am NOT saying that questionable strains lack a certain quality or potency. In fact, I've taken Bali Kratom from a vendor that was spectacular in quality. I'm merely saying that some vendors have stretched the truth labeling Kratom in order to increase business.
Each of these strains may have green vein, red vein, and white vein variations. The vein refers to the color of the veins found in the leaves. Green vein produces a more stimulating, energetic effect. Red vein gives users a calming, relaxing aroma. White vein produces a combination of energy and relaxation.
Depending on how much you consume, any strain may produce more energy or more sedation. Lower doses are regarded as more energetic while higher doses are known to be more sedative. Just know that different veins, strains, and dosages work differently for everyone. In fact, people commonly mix different strains together to customize a perfect level of relief for them.
There are three main ways people consume Kratom. You can brew it as a tea, you can take Kratom in capsule form, or you can mix it with a liquid (preferably juice). Some people claim that smoking Kratom produces a good effect, but that method does not work for me personally.
Contrary to popular belief, VERY few people consume Kratom recreationally. It simply does not produce a high coveted by prospecting drug users. Kratom does produce a level of energy which many describe to be similar to caffeine. It also produces a mood-lifting, calming, relaxing auroma. However, I would not describe the sensation as a "high" in any way. Years ago I was prescribed Hydrocodone for months, then Oxycodone for months by doctors. I can confidently state that Kratom is vastly different than traditional opioids, hence the reason I cannot compare it to opioids, other than Kratom's pain-relieving ability.
A small percentage of people use Kratom to aid in their withdrawal from opioids. Kratom is believed to be so effective because the active ingredient found in Kratom, Mitragynine, is very effective at suppressing the hopeless craving and addiction associated with opioid dependency. Further study needs to be conducted for us to have a better understanding as to how Kratom works so well for opioid withdrawal. People have also used Kratom to successfully remove alcohol abuse from their lives.
If you are looking for more information on how to use Kratom to successfully remove opioids from your life, I found an extensive step-by-step guide here. They also compiled a list of vitamins and herbs to further ease withdrawal.
Kratom is becoming cheaper by the day. As demand rises, new vendors keep springing up around the country to supply consumers. Purchasing online is the best method to obtain Kratom due to higher availability and as a consequence, lower prices. Kratom cafes are opening up around the nation as well, but have been receiving criticism by the media, who claim that Kratom is a dangerously addictive substance. Head shops and smoke shops also commonly sell Kratom, which has been giving Kratom a bad reputation. Stores who supply drug paraphernalia naturally tends to implicate Kratom as a controversial drug by association. Head shops also frequently package Kratom as a flashy legal drug, and they charge prices much higher than you will find online.
When you purchase Kratom online, first check the number of reviews of a Kratom strain as well as the overall rating. Read the reviews to gain a good understanding of how this strain works for others. Also pay attention to the reviews with regard to shipping and receiving their orders. Make sure the customers aren't frequently saying that their orders are taking a week or more. Many reputable vendors will also ensure you will receive your order within a week if you live inside the continental U.S.
If you are new to Kratom, you may consider buying "sampler packs" from vendors. They will provide you with multiple strains of Kratom; and some vendors allow you to choose your strains. It is always a good idea to experiment with different strains until you find one that works perfectly for you. Remember that people also will combine strains together if they are looking for more effective results that are tailored to their liking. But everyone's experience with Kratom is different. A strain someone states doesn't work may be quite potent for you. Once you find the strain that works for you, you can also branch out to other vendors and find a vendor that sells a quality of Kratom at a price that satisfies you. Also remember to keep your eye out! New vendors enter the market constantly and existing vendors often drop their prices to compete.
If you become a Kratom consumer, you will have to keep tolerance in mind. Personally, I have never ran into a problem with tolerance despite me taking Kratom daily for years. However, many people, if not a majority of daily Kratom consumers, claim to develop a tolerance to Kratom. People suggest that rotating strains can help. For example, if you take Malay for a period of time and you find yourself having to increase your dosages, you may want to experience with other strains until you find one that will produce a good effect at your original dosage. When you find another strain that works for you, rotate these strains regularly with your schedule. Switch strains every other week, for example. Keep in mind the strains that coincide with native regions where Kratom is grown. Otherwise you may find yourself buying the same Kratom that is merely wearing different strain labels.
Although people claim this method works, others advise that you should take a break from Kratom as often as possible. Ideally, you should take Kratom no more than a few time a week. This will prevent you from growing a tolerance to the alkaloids of Kratom.
I hope these suggestions help you out. I will add to this page as I find new information to include. Drop a comment if you have any questions and I'll be glad to help in any way I can. Best of luck to you!
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How to Avoid the Bitterness of Kratom
I thought I would share my Kratom intake method. The Key? Orange Juice. This is the best way you can consume Kratom and minimize the horrible aftertaste. This is best for daily users since taking Kratom is never an enjoyable experience and if you're like me, it gets worse over time if I do anything other than this method. I sometimes take with water if I have no juice and its awful. It's pretty tough to get it down, especially with warm water. Yuck!! But if I must use H2O, Ice water softens the blow. I've been told that using a few drops of cooking oil will prevent the mixture from foaming (if you use with water, not OJ).
What you need:
- Powder Kratom
- A can of frozen orange juice concentrate from the store (costs me $2.00). Fresh OJ works too for a higher cost (when using with Kratom, you can’t taste the difference).
- 12 oz plastic orange juice bottle (empty)
- A small cup
- Pocket-sized digital scale
- Spoon for scooping Kratom
- Small funnel
- A folded paper towel
Steps:
1. The first thing you do is measure out your Kratom dose. Place the plastic cup onto the scale and turn the scale on. Next, Measure the dose that works for you using a spoon. If you are unsure, start small (2-3 grams). You can take a little more if you feel no effects after 45 minutes.
2. When your dose is ready, take the pitcher of OJ and pour a small amount into the 12oz orange juice bottle, adding 1 ounce of juice for every 2 grams of Kratom. Make sure the orange juice is real cold.
3. Next, add the Kratom powder to the bottle. Use a funnel to add the Kratom to the orange juice.
4. Tighten the cap of the 12oz OJ bottle and shake vigorously. Either shake for 15 seconds or count by 4s up to 13 (1,2,3,4; 2,2,3,4; 3,2,3,4; 4,2,3,4; etc).
5. As soon as you finish shaking the Kratom and OJ together in the 12oz bottle, stand in front of the sink and immediately drink it down as fast as possible. After you chug the Kratom, the bitter aftertaste will start building in your mouth after a few seconds. Once empty, quickly put a splash of tap water in the bottle, cap the bottle, give 2-3 good shakes, uncap, and drink the splash of water. Repeat the splash of water as needed.
6. Rinse your mouth with water. Drinking a couple gulps of regular juice works too. Then eat something sweet. I always eat 2 Hershey Kisses after "doing the juice".
7. Rinse out the empty juice bottle well, as well as the cap, and set upside down on a folded paper towel for drying. Place the cap onto the paper towel for drying.
*Extra Tips*
- Either store the empty 12oz bottle without the cap on, or add 4 Oz orange juice in the bottle and place in the fridge for the next dose.
- Over time your 12oz bottle will start getting dirty from repetitive Kratom use. I get a new one every month. But you can clean with soap and water every few weeks and use the bottle indefinitely, if you’re strapped for cash.
It sounds like a lot to go through, but trust me, it doesn’t take long to master the process. It takes me 5 minutes to do everything from measuring out the Kratom dose to eating my sweet treat. Hope this makes your experience as painless as possible!
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