What is Kratom?
Kratom is a plant, a natural opioid that has been used in Eastern medicine for centuries to treat a variety of health issues as well as to improve mood, relieve pain, give you energy or help you sleep through the night.
Kratom can help with depression, anxiety, insomnia, low energy, pain and increase your motivation and give you a sense of well being. Many who live with chronic pain use kratom in order to have a livable life where they would otherwise be forced to live on prescription medication and depend on opiates. And speaking of, many have used kratom to wean off hardcore meds and/or drugs. Many that live with depression and are on prozac have transitioned to relying on kratom to help their mood instead of chemicals. These people are able to choose a holistic lifestyle when it comes to treating day to day, typical issues one typically face. Kratom can considerably enhance one’s life and bring relief to things where they have never had relief for.
Kratom derives from Southeast Asia, mainly Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Bali and is actually apart of the coffee family. The leaves can be chewed but are typically dried, crushed and processed to form a fine powder that people consume as a supplement, dosed in various ways which I will share some examples in other videos.
There are many different types of strains of kratom and they are all based on color which is the type of leaf, just like various types of coffee beans. Colors are red, green, white and yellow. The processed powder one received will generally be a shade of green but the original leaf will have more of the colors I just mentioned. The reaction one has is determined by the color.
There are three types of kratom: Fast, slow and moderate. Fast strains give you energy and increase your productivity. Slow ones can help relax you and maybe even give you a euphoric mentality. Moderate ones are somewhere in between the two, helping you be both productive and calm.
But remember we are all different. What works for one might not work for another, so everything said here is purely based on the majority of consumers.
Side effects to taking kratom.
Kratom is a natural supplement with the expected possible side effects. Before I mentioned those, I am going to tell you the side effects of it’s sister plant, coffee beans.: Caffeine can cause insomnia, nervousness and restlessness, stomach irritation, nausea and vomiting, increased heart rate and respiration, and other side effects.
How about SamE, a supplement one might take for a mood lifter. It’s side effects are as follows:It can sometimes cause gas, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, dry mouth, headache, mild insomnia, anorexia, sweating, dizziness, and nervousness, especially at higher doses.
Now, possible commonly mentioned side effects for kratom are: constipation, upset stomach, dizziness, nervousness, insomnia, or diarrhea. The upset stomach and dizziness is usually caused by consuming too much, which dosage varies HEAVILY on each individual.
Why does kratom have a bad rep?
One either has never heard of it or they have heard bad things about it. Many consumers do not know the details of this plant, nor might they know how to explain the benefits of this leaf to another and therefore increasing the positivity of kratom, giving it a better light, normalizing the supplement. Many consumers choose to not talk about it because of its legal battle it has in some states here in the US, as well as countries around the world. Sure, it’s legal in the majority of countries, but the parts where it is not has rumors, misconceptions and lies about what kratom actually is and how it could help a person in need of it.
It’s not addicting. It doesn’t make you “high”. The equivalent of saying that taking kratom is like popping a vicodin is like saying drinking caffeine feels like you just took a valium or speed. It’s ridiculous, ignorant and damaging to have these theories going around. That is why normalizing kratom is a goal I personally have. Having more accomplished people speaking out about it, educated people, business owners, doctors, and the alike. We need a bigger voice if we want to win the battle against the DEA who is always looking to ban kratom in another state.
So why does kratom have a bad reputation? Same reason marijuana does, the type of audience and demographic of people that tend to take kratom tend to have a bad record or be exdrug addicts. It’s unfortunate that that is even deemed “bad” because these people have stopped taking drugs, these people saved their lives by finding kratom and replacing their addiction with a plant that is holistic and beneficial to their overall wellbeing.
I just explained to you what kratom is, the truth of the benefits it can offer you. Be ready for my next video which will explain what each strain could do for you and which one would be best for you to try.