Some Reviews for Mmm, Speciosa!

Update, 1/31/2016
I've disabled comments for this post, and deleted the previous comments. An astute reader noted that this post had been "thread-jacked" -- a technique with which I was unfamiliar. It appeared that competitors were hitting this particular post, posing as either disgruntled customers, or outright promoting their own product. While I like to give a voice to everyone, I don't have the time or patience type type of underhanded, mean-spirited behavior that was beginning to manifest. Thanks to the reader who notified me.

A couple of months ago, I received a shipment of samples from my friends at Mmm, Speciosa! I like doing business with them because they're a local business. In Austin, Texas, we're big on supporting local businesses.

In exchange for the samples, the kind folks at Mmm, Speciosa! politely asked me to write a review of some of these samples. I've obviously been busy (read "extremely lazy"), and haven't gotten around to writing a review until now. Sorry, guys! :-( Without any further ado...

Classic Bali Review

Mmm, Speciosa! sent me a number of samples, and while they were all high-quality, a few really stood out:

1. Classic Bali
2. Tawa Tua
3. Plantation Maeng Da
4. "Test 219 A" Bali

Classic Bali

The Classic Bali was spectacular. Currently, Mmm, Speciosa! seems to be out of stock on this gem. Sadness! I took one tablespoon, and found myself relaxed physically, but with a high amount of mental energy. One tablespoon was almost too much, so in subsequent doses, I found that 1-2 teaspoons was sufficient. (One tablespoon is equivalent to three teaspoons.) I found this variety of Bali great as an evening pick-me up, and was especially helpful in keeping a step ahead of my eight year-old. This variety is one I hope to see back on the shelves at Mmm, Speciosa! soon.

Tawa Tua Indo

The Tawa Tua Indo offered a good pick-me-up as well, though not nearly as strong as the Classic Bali. I did find that two teaspoons of Classic Bali to one teaspoon of Tawa Tua was a good mix. I had a good amount of energy, and felt happy -- not a bad way to spend the after work hours!

Plantation Maeng Da

The Plantation Maeng Da turned out to be another favorite. I found it to be energizing, but did not notice the physical relaxation as much as I did with the Classic Bali. The mental energy levels were about equal, though. I'd definitely recommend this one if you need to focus, but don't need the physical relaxation as you might want for pain relief or meditation.

Test 219A

I wish I knew what the "Test 219A" Bali actually was, because it resulted in a relaxed body and happy mind. I would definitely add it to my regular rotation of purchases. As I look through my notes, I see my state-of-mind after taking this variety was such that I sat down and spent some time on this blog, which is something I find difficult to do most evenings. I really liked this variety; it wasn't "too much," but was definitely enough to make it worth a review.

S.O.S Stem and Vein

The S.O.S Stem and Vein gets an honorable mention among these reviews, because its effects are noticeable and not what I would expect from a stem and vein variety. After taking a tablespoon (approx 8-9 grams), I felt positive and productive. I've just placed a small order again, just to tide me over to my next payday order next week. Turns out I accidentally under-ordered last month because, well, math.

I'd like to thank the generous folks at Mmm, Speciosa! for their kindness. Please pay them a visit if you haven't yet. Their customer service is outstanding, and their products are always high-quality.

Kratom Protein Shake

I may not conform to the stereotype that most people have of a kratom consumer. I'm a software developer with a wife and child, and as of about six months ago, I began a power lifting routine again. I've enjoyed lifting weights for a long time, but since having our child eight years ago, I put weightlifting on the back burner. Also, I gained some fat.

In the past six months, I've noticed an increase in energy, muscle, and stamina. I suspect I've lost some fat, too, because my wife reports that my snoring has decreased! Needless to say, I'm happy with my progress.

I'm not sure why I hadn't thought of this sooner, but today I decided to mix kratom with my post-workout protein shake. I was apprehensive, because I like the taste of my protein shake; it's sweet, but not too sweet, so I was concerned the kratom would upset that fine balance. To my surprise and delight, the kratom had no ill effects on my protein shake. Yay! Here's the recipe I used, if you're interested:

• 1 scoop EAS Soy Protein - Vanilla Flavored
• 8 ounces of Milk - 1%
• 1 serving of kratom (i.e. whatever your normal dose is)
• Shake vigorously or blend, and enjoy!

New Vendor - Coastal Kratom

I've reviewed Coastal Kratom before after they sent me some samples to try, and I've been ordering them regularly for about six months now. Their quality and service has been great, and they've lowered their prices across the board! I'm pleased to add them to the Trusted Kratom Vendors page, and encourage you to check them out!

Kratom and Diabetes

Here's an interesting blog post that discusses kratom's apparent ability to manage diabetes. Most of us who incorporate kratom into our healthy lifestyles are aware of kratom's healing properties, so it's always great to see these anecdotes. Hopefully, as the media and legislators open their minds, we'll start to see more studies that confirm what many of us already know about kratom: it heals.

Tolerance

Most of us have dealt with kratom tolerance. Some of you are probably a bit more careful/disciplined about maintaining a low tolerance. What about the rest of us, though? I've often read that taking a break from kratom for a few days helps. For me, that solution isn't practical, because kratom treats some very annoying symptoms for me that come back with a vengeance within a day of stopping. Some folks recommend a stem and vein mix of kratom, which contains more stem content and ultimately fewer alkaloids. I've had limited success with this technique, though to be fair, I haven't really given it much of a shot. One of the trusted vendors that I use, Mmm, Speciosa, has a stem and vein product that I've used occasionally.

What seems to work best for me is reducing my dose by half for a few days every month. This regular dose reduction has helped me maintain a 7g/3x per day dose for the past year or so. It's not nearly as extreme as a full kratom break, and it works well for the conditions I'm treating.

If you're looking for ways to reduce your kratom tolerance, check out these links for some ideas:

• How to Avoid Kratom Tolerance
• Reducing Kratom Tolerance
• Kratom Tolerance - Why It Happens and How to Overcome It

Happy Kratoming!

A PayPal Alternative for Kratom Vendors?

Given PayPal's less-than-stellar reputation and refusal to do business with kratom vendors, I'd be interested in kratom vendors giving Dwolla a serious look. I am aware that Bikhuk takes payments through Dwolla, but haven't encountered any other vendors that use it.

Dwolla is a secure alternative to using credit cards to make purchases online, and their fees are lower than PayPal's. It would be nice to see a few vendors implement Dwolla, especially for those of us who have been burned using our credit cards online.

Dwolla doesn't know I exist, and they aren't paying me to refer vendors to use their service. I'm only mentioning them because they're the main viable alternative to PayPal of which I'm aware, and I would like to see vendors look at alternatives to PayPal.

Coastal Kratom

I recently had the pleasure of interacting with Robert from Coastal Kratom. Robert reached out to me through Facebook to tell me how much he appreciated this blog, and the traffic that the Trusted Kratom Vendors page brings to him. Coastal Kratom wasn't listed specifically on that page, but was mentioned several times in the comments, which apparently brought him enough traffic to check out my little site. Robert very generously offered to send me some samples of his kratom, and I gratefully accepted that offer.

The Coastal Kratom product is outstanding. In particular, I fell in love with the Bright Eyes Bali and the Premium Plantation Bali, the latter of which is currently giving me a shot of energy, clarity, and sense of well-being as I write this review. The other samples were some of the best I've sampled as well, but the two aforementioned items really stood out.

Coastal Kratom sends their product in bottles, which is a convenient way of keeping your strains separately. My usual way of labeling various glass bottles works fine, but it's nice to see someone else take this into consideration as well. The only issue I had with the bottles was that the mouth of each bottle was just a bit too narrow for my measuring spoons (I use teaspoon/tablespoons as opposed to measuring specific amounts), and trying to fill the spoons by dispensing the kratom from the bottles proved to be a bit messy. Ultimately, I ended up transferring the kratom from the small bottles provided by Coastal Kratom, to my glass bottles. Not everyone would have the same issue I had, and it's great to see how these folks take the time to package the product so thoughtfully. It's a nice touch, and I almost feel silly for bringing up this minor issue.

Coastal Kratom hadn't previously made my list of trusted vendors because their price range exceeded my monthly kratom budget. (The criteria I used to build the list was price, service, and product quality.) I was very forthcoming about the cost to Robert, who was understanding. I will likely purchase smaller amounts from Coastal Kratom when I'm looking for some variety -- or that terrific Plantation Bali! If your budget permits, I highly recommend Coastal Kratom for their service and quality. Again, I extend my gratitude to Robert and Coastal Kratom for the generous offer.

We All Love Kratom!

Thank goodness there's a site devoted to kratom lovers! With forums, a blog, and vendor reviews written by members, it's a one-stop shop for all things kratom. Check it out, read the blog, or become a member and help contribute to the kratom community.

Visit I Love Kratom now!

N.B.: I am not affiliated with this particular site in any way. I'm simply very enthusiastic about its existence!