Strains!

I'm really bad about keeping my strains straight. In fact, I can't. Unless it's Bali, I really can't tell you how the strain affects me. Luckily, some folks have put the time to compile a list of strains, and their effects. Yay! I referred to one of these earlier this evening when I was trying to remember which of my current sampling of strains was a good evening strain for relaxation. (Hint: it's an Indo.)

Here they are:

• Kratom Strains Guide: What are the Differences in Popular Strains?: A summary of effects for a good variety of kratom strains.
• Strains, Effects, and Dosage: A chart with brief descriptions of some of the most popular strains, along with common doses.
• Kratom Powder: Bikhuk's summary of strains, doses, and effects.

If you have a good reference to share, pass it along, and I'll add it to this list.

Happy Tuesday!

Red Vein at Night...

There's an old weather adage that helps us make a semi-accurate forecast, based on the sunrise and sunset:

"Red sky at night, sailor's delight; red sky in the morning, sailor's warning."

In other words, look for a stormy day if the sunrise has a red hue. A red sunset, however, supposedly signals that the next day will be a pleasant one.

Substitute "red sky" for "red vein", and we have sage advice for me, and likely others who take kratom. It's taken me a while to understand that Red Vein kratom does not work for me in the way that I need during the daylight hours. It seems to work well as a sedative for me, which is great in the evenings after my son goes to bed. It tends to mean that I fall asleep easier, and end up with a better night's sleep. However, a dose of a red vein kratom in the morning is simply not enough to keep me alert and focused, and is in fact, counterproductive.

Sometimes, it takes time and experimentation to learn the nuances of the ways in which certain stimuli affect one's body chemistry. Kratom is an amazing plant, but understanding one's needs, and how different varieties of kratom address those needs, is essential for maximizing kratom's benefit.

Go Forth and Comment!

This article is out of England, but still worth a comment. As one reader indicated, it's the first result in a Google News search, so there's an additional level of importance.

Leave your comments, and let the world know that kratom is not the demon that it's portrayed to be.

Winchester University student killed by effects of 'legal high'

Kratom and Alcohol

I've found that if I have a bit of kratom after a night of indulging with booze, that the residual effects the next morning aren't quite as bad as they were in my pre-kratom days. At the ripe young age of thirty-eight, I don't necessarily drink to the point where major hangovers are a problem. (I generally stop drinking after I've been told I'm starting to be a pain in the ass.) I'd be interested to know how your relationship with alcohol has changed since you discovered kratom. I've definitely become less of a drinker since discovering kratom. What's your experience?

Sampling a New Vendor

I received my order of Red Vein Borneo powder from Botanical Wellness (formerly Kratom Wellness) today, and am impressed with the quality of the product! It's both relaxing and energizing, so I'm in a very good, productive place right now. I was drawn them by their prices; I was excited by the lower prices, yet concerned that a lower price would mean lower quality product. I ordered one pound of kratom for $95.00, plus $5.00 shipping for a total of an even $100. They're out of Kentucky, so I don't get shipments as fast as I do with local vendors, but I ordered on Thursday morning of last week and received my shipment on Saturday. It will take some more transactions for me to be able to evaluate their customer service, but I'm not picky. If the correct product arrives on time, I'm a happy camper.

Back Pain

I have a recurring problem with my lower back that rears its head from time to time. It typically happens about once per year or two, and my last flare-up was, in fact, probably over two years ago. Today, it decided to pay me a visit. Hello! I've been throwing kratom at it today without much success, though my last dose of about a tablespoon seems to be helping me cope with it. The pain is still apparent, but I'm in somewhat better spirits (definitely a kratom effect), and feel like the pain is less severe. Sure, a nice Soma-Vicodin combo would be great, but I really try to stay away from the synthetics when I can manage the symptoms naturally.

How about you? Is kratom your "go-to" remedy for pain, or do you find kratom largely ineffective for managing pain?

Oops!

It's with great embarrassment that I apologize for the ads that were appearing all over the blog, unbeknownst to me. When I first attempted to set up Ads, they weren't displaying, and I assumed that they either weren't active yet, or I had configured something incorrectly.

It turns that the ad-blocking plugin I have on my browser was doing exactly as it was told, and blocking these ads -- for me! The rest of you (if an ad blocker wasn't getting in the way) were seeing ads all over the place! I apologize for the tacky layout. That issue has been remedied. While I am working on incorporating some ads, please rest assured that they will not be obnoxious, and crammed all over the site.

Again, I'm terribly sorry for that. Enjoy your week!

Kratom Delivery

One of the vendors I use regularly, Mood & Mind, was kind enough to send me some free samples, due to the traffic this blog generates for them. This blog originally started as a single page on my main site. I had no idea that it would become anything useful, much less be seen by more than a few folks. The package arrived today, and in it was included a package of stevia extract powder, and not the kind of stevia you find in your typical grocery store. As Mood & Mind indicates in their description:

PLEASE NOTE!: MOST STORE BOUGHT STEVIA AND ALL STEVIA PACKET PRODUCTS CONTAIN FILLERS (DEXTROSE, MALTODEXTRIN, ETC), BINDERS, OR SWEETENERS SUCH AS ERYTHRITOL THAT DILUTE THE STEVIA. THIS IS NOT THE SAME PRODUCT, AND IS PURE STEVIA EXTRACT! IF YOU ARE ACCUSTOMED TO STEVIA PRODUCTS THAT CONTAINS THESE FILLERS, PURE STEVIA EXTRACT MAY SEEM VERY STRONG. SOME PRODUCTS SUCH AS "NOW" BRAND STEVIA, ETC ARE LABELED "STEVIA EXTRACT", BUT ACTUALLY CONTAIN FILLERS.

Indeed, this is super, super sweet. It's so sweet, in fact, that a quarter of a teaspoon was almost too sweet mixed in with my kratom tea. Needless to say, I'll only be using an eighth of a teaspoon the next time! A little bit goes a long way, and I recommend trying some pure stevia extract the next time you're looking to sweeten your kratom tea!

I am most grateful to Mood & Mind for their generosity.