Black Cohosh Root & Kava Kava

Black Cohosh Root is also called Bugbane, Bugwort, Rattle Root, Rattleweed, Richweed and Squaw Root. Some nineteenth-century American physicians used Black Cohosh for problems such as fever, menstrual cramps, arthritis and insomnia.  Black Cohosh has been valued by many societies for its nutritional support for women. A popular herb for women, it is said to help restore healthy menses and soothe irritation and congestion of the cervix, uterus and vagina.  Black Cohosh can also help improve circulation and lower blood pressure by temporarily dilating blood vessels.  Having effective amounts of calcium, potassium, magnesium and iron, Black Cohosh Root is also said to contain an abundant source of estrogenic substances.  Commonly used to relieve arthritis, lower back pain and cramps caused by menstruation, Black Cohosh also relieves mucus production, thus easing persistent coughs caused by asthma, bronchitis and whooping cough. Additionally, Black Cohosh has been used to relieve swelling and soreness typical of rheumatism and it is also thought to be a safe sedative to relieve both nervousness and anxiety.

Kava Kava is also known by the names Ava, Ava Pepper, Intoxicating Pepper, Kawa Awa, Kawa Kawa, Wati, Yogona and Waka. This herb, a member of the pepper family, grows as a bush in the South Pacific. Explorer Captain James Cook, who gave this plant the name of "intoxicating pepper," first discovered Kava Kava for Western use.  Kava has been used for over three-thousand years for its medicinal effects as a sedative, muscle relaxant, diuretic and as a remedy for nervousness and insomnia. The plant has been used in parts of the Pacific at traditional social gatherings as a relaxant and in cultural and religious ceremonies to achieve a "higher level of consciousness." The rhizome (root stock) is used medicinally and can be made into a mildly narcotic beverage that is comparable to popular cocktails in our culture.  Kava is used ceremonially in the South Pacific to celebrate beginnings and endings, such as marriage, birth and death. It is often used to honor a guest, to enhance communication and even to help in settling disputes and sealing business agreements.