The Most Stylish, Modern, & Functional Water Bottle on the Planet -- Ello's Syndicate Glass Water Bottle

I'm one of the many folks who love a unique, interesting water bottle (like the one here from Ello Products) since I'm an on-the-go kind of girl who either carries her beverage around in a travel-safe water bottle or doesn't drink her water. That's because I'm rarely in one place for very long throughout my day...

So, I'm here to introduce you other on-the-go folks -- who like to carry their water or other beverage in a unique, safe bottle -- to the Ello water bottle!

Ya'll know me, I'm all about sharing something I love here on Ribbons and Pearls, and when I share something I love, I also share a lot of images of that something. So, bear with me and just be happy that you have so many photos of the awesome Ello to cast your gaze upon while you read my review. 

The Syndicate Glass Water Bottle features a removable strap for carrying, which  makes it even easier to lug around.

I've become quite the water-bottle enthusiast over the last few years as I've been trying to find a great match for me and my needs -- you know, besides that pesky need of having water. 

From spills on my pants to spills in my purse (I sometimes have to carry my bottle in my purse), I've been through it all, and decided not only was it time I found myself a water-bottle that was interesting to look at, but also one that was actually functional and reliable. An ol' trusty who I could place my faith in holding the water so I could later drink it, rather than have it end up in my purse (have you ever seen mascara and keys try to swim amongst the other contents in an oversized handbag? I have. I sadly, sadly have.)

Aside from becoming my ol' trusty, I'm impressed with Ello Products because they are a "clean" and "green" company that uses eco-friendly materials. And well, I do like my water, but I am also very fond of not drinking water that may contain BPA, and I'm always looking to be a more eco-friendly kind of gal..

And really, who could resist the awesome, modern, stylish designs offered by Ello? Pink netting-like stuff wrapped around a nice, BPA-free glass bottle? I was all in.

And besides that, the lid has a unique way of preventing my mascara and other purse goodies from having to sink or swim... in a purse full of water, again.

  I was lucky enough -- and the folks at Ello Products were kind enough to toss me a bone . . . er, I mean a bottle -- and now the water bottle and I have become a lovely, totally carry-able, non-spill-able, stylish duo. The water bottle is those things -- such as non-spillable -- not me. I'm just the other part of the duo. And I am not non-spillable. I  am BPA free, though, now that I'm not drinking water that it has leached into!

This bottle is from Ello's Hydration line -- and it's called the Syndicate Glass Water Bottle.

 Before I go on, let me share with you how many times my spouse has said "I wish it came in blue too!" 

It does. 

Ello Products actually carries these in an awesome, light blue color, as well as teal, grey, and coral!

The one-touch flip cap is one of the most impressive features, aside from the things I mentioned above (like the bottle being BPA free, glass, cute and travel-friendly).

You press that pink button (like you see me doing in the photo above and below) an the lid springs open like a frog jumping from a dirty pond.

Notice the pretty pink circular piece on the top of the clear, plastic lid -- that thing creates suction so when you press the button, it un-suctions with an oddly satisfying pop...More about that in a second.

Ta-da! 

This also means it locks securely when closed. 

When the lid pops open, it makes the "pop" sound I mentioned, which is very satisfying to people who enjoy that sound. Someone I know has spent a lot of her time making the lid pop open because she loves the sound it makes.

The pink, silicone sleeve that encases the glass water bottle is not only really cute and fun to look at, but it also works as a grip -- helping you keep the bottle in your hand and not on the floor. 

And if it does hit the floor, the netting should help absorb some of the shock and keep your awesome bottle protected.

This silicone sleeve is removable, so you can take it off  when washing.

And of course, a company so dedicated to clean drinking made sure their outer "sleeve" is made of food grade silicone, so no worries with unhealthy materials in any Ello product. That makes me a happy girl. 

Almost as happy as the pop sound I get to experience each time I open the lid.

In this photo of the water bottle from Ello Products, I've crammed my finger behind the silicone encasing to show you the flexibility of it.

The bottle is dishwasher safe (including the silicone sleeve) and is great for cold drinks, but not for hot drinks or for freezing cold ones. 


I love it! I adore it.

I use the Syndicate Glass Water Bottle to carry around my water every single day. I'm not even joking. I have it sitting next to me right now. I've not put it down (except when drying) the entire time I've had it, which has been around 2 months.

If I want to keep hydrated, I have to fill a bottle with water and keep it next to me, to remind me to drink it throughout the day -- this has been my routine forever, so it's important that the bottle I use holds a lot of water.

 The Syndicate Glass Bottle holds about as much as I usually consume in a one-day period. I occasionally refill it once more before the day's over. So, this is handy for me as I am not always around clean water to fill it with.

I have to say, Ello Products have some of the most interesting, stylish, and fun drink ware I've yet to see, and I am totally diggin' the pink Syndicate Bottle. Cannot get enough of it!

Specs:

• Ello Products are my BFF because all of their products are BPA-free, have intriguing designs while being totally functional for every day, long-term use.

• The Syndicate Glass Bottle is travel-friendly, completely "locks" and prevents any spills -- even tiny droplets, holds about enough water for an entire day's worth, for me and it is adorable!

Have you guys seen the drink ware from Ello Products? Do you have an Ello BFF, too? If so, which and what are your favorites? I'm totally eyeballing their awesome coffee bottles, too!

This review and all reviews here on Ribbons and Pearls are in compliance with the FTTC guidelines. I recieve no monetary compensation, but a prouct in exchange for a completely honest review. Each review is my honest opinion.  See my disclosure page and honesty pledge for more info on sponsored reviews!

LifeStraw Go Review -- Turn Dirty Water Clean!

LifeStraw Go (from Eartheasy)

What is LifeStraw?

LifeStraw is part of a line of other water-filtering/survival products, created (by Vestergaard Frandsen) to make clean water available at any time --removing  99.9999% of waterborne bacteria and 99.9% waterborne protozoa, you could get water from virtually anywhere!  

(Such a noble product that it's even been nominated for the LifeStraw creator won an Index Awards!)

LifeStraw Go includes a cup (with its own awesome qualities, to be mentioned later) with a built-in "LifeStraw," which means you can fill up your bottle with any water and drink it right away. As the name suggests, the "straw" is also a filter to filter away the impurities and bacteria and loads of other junk that may be found in water. Genius. Purely genius!

How to Use

Even better, it requires no knowledge to use (right up my alley!) You simply scoop up your water from any pond, stream or river & screw the lid/straw back on and drink away! After each drinking "session," unscrew lid & blow through straw to expel dirty water.

Back-side with instructions, information about LifeStraw Go

Note:  LifeStraw has a natural "brake" on the flow of water -- as a controlled flow between 100 ml to 150 ml per minute is needed to get the maximum benefit of the bacteria killing effect.

Also, as expected with any carbon type filtering, you will have tiny black flecks in the water. It's just the carbon, which is harmless, and if you've ever used a filter at home that uses this technology (most all do), then you'll be familiar with it. Simply spit out the first couple of swigs. 

Why I wanted a Life-Straw Go
I'm an avid water-filtering kind of girl, which may be obvious considering I've reviewed various water-filtering products (including one for pets, for Pete's sake!) here in the past. I take my clean water seriously! In fact I haven't drank a drop of tap water in years because I know all too well what's in it.
 

I used the typical filters that you find in Wal-Mart. Not to mention the cupboard full of random water filtering bottles I've purchased -- yes, I've got them all. 

But the difference between those and LifeStraw Go is that those "leading brands" do not remove bacteria, but only some minerals, chlorine, etc, (and even that has been under question.) But I could not ever, under any sane circumstances fill up any of those filters/bottles with just any water and be able to consume it without big health risks.

LifeStraw, on the other hand, was created with a lot more power (and safety, health for that matter) in mind. 

However, LifeStraw will not remove heavy metals, fluoride, iron, arsenic and possibly other heavy metals.

If it were possible for LifeStraw to have any downside to it whatsoever, this would be it -- that it doesn't remove heavy metals and fluoride. I only say that because I'd love to use LifeStraw Go every day, just for daily use and fluoride is in drinking water (even if you filter it. Unless you use reverse osmosis or a water source that does not have added fluoride). I've been trying to get as much fluoride out of my entire life as possible. However, this cannot be considered a downside to this product because it was intended for drastic situations, to save lives.

But, it makes me think if the creator of LifeStraw were to ever consider making a product for daily, house-hold use, to filter our tap, then I am positive it would be loved & I'm positive they would want it to be as great as possible at removing all harmful things.

LifeStraw is more suitable because again, it's created to keep you hydrated through drastic situations where the only water nearby is lake or something. Yes, my dear preppers -- it is like a dream come true!

Let me elaborate on just how incredibly fantastic LifeStraw Go is...

Its filtering capacity is 264 gallons (1000 liters) is incredible! Note: Saline water through the LifeStraw would reduce effective life to 350 litres.

 I could use it even when I'm not in a dire situation, but feel like the water available isn't as clean as it could be.  It truly is a life-saving product that can be well, life-saving in many events.


"LifeStraw GO filters water down to 0.2 microns without the use of chemicals. When the filter has reached capacity (264 gallons) it will stop taking in water. Since the water filter is detachable, you can simply purchase a replacement filter when the filter has reached capacity.  The bottle can be reused indefinitely, saving waste from disposable plastic water bottles."

Features/Fantastic Qualities

LifeStraw Removes most micro-organisms that are common causes of waterborne disease.  

 LifeStraw kills disease-causing micro organisms which spread diarrhoea, dysentery, typhoid, and Cholera. 

The Following Bacteria & Protozoa are removed from Water using LifeStraw:

Bacteria:
Escherichia coli
    Campylobacter
    Vibrio cholerae
    Pseudomonas aeruginosa
    Shigella
    Salmonella

Protozoa:
    Giardia lamblia (Beaver Fever)
    Cryptosporidium Parvum
    Entamoeba histolytica

LifeStraw has been rigorously tested to surpass EPA standards for removing E. Coli, Giardia and Cryptosporidium oocysts, and many other waterborne contaminants.

How Does LifeStraw do All of This?

Note the silicone mouth straw.

 LifeStraw uses something called PuroTech (patented) Disinfecting Resin (PDR) to kill bacteria on contact. 

(If you're like me & never heard of this 'technology and are severely fascinated with how it works, you can read all about it here.)

A view of the bottom of the "straw" tube. This is the visible part of the filter. The other end which attaches to the lid is the same.

On top of that awesome PDR stuff, LifeStraw also uses Textile pre-filters, which  remove particles up to 15 microns. And also the typical and useful active carbon, which traps and holds particles such as parasites.

Other Features:

• Filters up to 264 gallons or 1000 liters of water down to 0.2 microns

• LifeStraw Go (the straw tube inside the water bottle) comes with a carabiner attached so you can carry it on a belt-loop or wherever.

• Holds 23 oz.

• Zero aftertaste as it contains no chemicals or iodine

• The geniuses who created LifeStraw products really have health-consciousness because the bottle is BPA-free tritan. The mouth straw is made of food grade silicone, which is nice and squishy (meaning it is comfortable and I admit, kind of fun) to use and won't clank against my teeth. 

Food grade silicone is one of the safest materials around as it is non-porous and will not harbor bacteria and is safe to use internally (that doesn't mean you can swallow the silicone mouth piece, though!)

• It's truly leak-proof! I can carry it around in my purse and not have spillage.

Even more details:

LifeStraw expires one year after the usage start date. That's based on a calculation of 2 liters (or 700 liters total) of water daily.

However, amazingly enough, "usage beyond that date will not deteriorate existing water quality."

Fall in love with the manufacturers of LifeStraw even more:

For each LifeStraw you buy, one school kid in Africa receives clean water for a whole school year.

In the review world, I'd give the LifeStraw products a 10 on 1-10 rating scale, if not more! This is because the products were designed with reality and actual safety in mind. This product is saving lives, it's affordable and it can allow a year's worth of drinking water consumption for one person (per straw.) This is a life-changing and life-saving product, and it warms my heart to see the company providing this handy tool to those in need (like the kids in Africa.) This is a genuine company who have hearts. I'm in love.

The Brita Filter Lie -- Fluoride Stays!

While doing some (more) research on drinking water and the so-called "filters" on the market, I came across a disturbing lie:

In their article titled "Water-Facts,"  the Water Industry.org" when referring to Brita filters, states that:

   "...The filters also eliminate fluoride, which may not be a benefit for children's teeth"

-From Staff Reports
Daily Californian
U. California-Berkeley

This, my friends is an enormous, flat-out lie... Or at its best "misinformation." It would appear that the "Water Industry dot org" didn't even do a search or you know, bother to ask Brita (and other filtering manufacturers) if this was even true before going and making the statement publicly, on their website. This concerns me. Enough that I'd write a blog post about it. Since there was no contact information for the site, I chose to post this. I hope to find a way to get in touch with these folks so that they can fix this great error. In the meantime, please only use trustworthy sources before you believe things, especially when it comes to something relating to your health (drinking water.) 

 (Brita themselves have even stated that fluoride (and pretty much everything else) is not removed with their filters! In fact, most of us already know that fluoride is in water unless its RO (reverse osmosis) or came from very few specific sources, but no filter (unless RO system) will remove fluoride!

P.S. Stay tuned for my upcoming review of the LifeStraw (a real filtering system that enables you to drink water from ponds, streams, lakes by using the "straw" which filters bacteria and protozoa. 

AVP Pet Water Filtering Fountain

The whole shebang -- The brochure featuring AVP products and the actual fountain, in its box shown in photo

 

For my pet-lovin' readers (and I know most of you are), I've reviewed this awesome water fountain system called Nature Spa Pet water fountain from AVP Pet (American Valley Pet). 

 This fountain is so exciting to me that I have done a 2-part video showing you a few things -- how it's setup, what it looks like in-use)! Oh, the only reason the video is a 2-part is because my camera died in the middle of filming... Yea.. I'm not a good video-reviewer just yet.

 P.S. The video above is "Part 1." 

Below is "Part 2" of the Pet Fountain review (thanks to a dying camera battery). In Part one, I talk about setting up the filtering system and in part two, I discuss the complication I ran into and what the fountain looks like in-use, which is pretty fabulous, I must say. 

So I hope ya'll take a few minutes to watch those. Further down is the "written review" where I go into more detail about the product, company and how my pets are liking the fountain, etc.

How much Waer does the Basic Nature Spa hold?

The "Basic Nature Spa Pet fountain and the Nature Spa that comes with a UV sterilization light both hold 1.8 quarts.

I have 3 pets -- a weiner dog, and 2 cats. Obviously, they're all pretty small. Well, Fuzz is chubby.. But, being that they're small, they don't drink a whole crazy amount of water, so the "Nature SPA Basic" was a great size for them.

If I fill the NatureSPA up completely, it will last my pets for around 3-4 days, sometimes longer. It only lasts about 2 when I get the urge to stick my water bottle under the stream. Hey, what can I say, I get thirsty at inopportune times.

For someone who had large dogs, you'd probably need more water to keep from having to re-fill it multiple times a day. The Nature SPAs come in different sizes -- and as I said, mine's the "basic," so it's the smallest. However, you can purchase an "Extra capacity reservoir" for $12.99 to get  double the water space. 

This would be really handy if you were going out of town and wanted to make sure the fountain would stay filled for at least several days, or if you just have large pets who drink a lot.

On the other hand, there's also a UV sterlilization NatureSpa!I think that's just awesome that the UV light sterilizes the water and definitely see myself "upgrading" to that one eventually.

 Aside from the different Nature Spas you can get, AVP Pet also has something called a "spill mat" that you place the entire shenangian in and it catches any spills. When I first filled the Nature Spa up, and moved it onto the floor, it spilled water all over the place and I was sure I'd need one of those mats. 

On the other hand, I'm happy that the Pet Fountain "Nature Spa" doesn't leak water as one of my older pet watter bottles did. It was one of those you get at Wal-Mart that was shaped like the water containers you see in some stores where you can fill up a paper cup, and tipped upside down, placed into the bowl-thing. It had a tendency to leak all over the floor.

Thankfully, there aren't even little dribbes that leak from the Nature Spa. 

If your cat likes to play in the water, though, then something like the mat might be useful. Our youngest cat went through a phase where she'd sit at her water bottle (the one I explained that holds like 3 cups of water at once and just flows out as they drink) and use her paws to scoop out all the water! It would soak the kitchen floor. She'd spend hours doing this.

BPA-Free  Materials

I love that the company AVP Pet kept animals' health in mind throughout the entire design-process, as the container is BPA-free, which is obviously important to you if the cleanliness of your pets' water is. 

The Nature Spa is made of ABS plastic. ABS is dishwasher safe and non-porous, which is important because that means it will not harbor bacteria over time. 

The "UL listed Transformer" is low-voltage and considered "energy saving."

 Are the Pets Afraid of The Water Fountain?

Mine are not.  They were curious at first and all of them except the dog slowly approached it, sniffed, backed away, and then  drank  it in seconds.

The dog caught on instantly. 

What's cute is one of my cats licks straight from the stream! 

Note: If your pets have a tendency to chew on cords, you'll want to be very cautious, and perhaps do a good job of somehow concealing the cord on the Nature Spa, if you use it. This problem didn't occur to me until my grandmother saw it and said her dog would elecrocute herself because she chews cords.

Ya'll know I couldn't resist showing pictures of Fuzz drinking from it!

Look! You can even see what I call her "water beard," the water drip on her little chin! I've yet to snap one of the other pets drinking. They get suspicious when I watch them drink.

Oh, and as for noise, the description on the AVP Pet site, and the Nautre Spa's box was right -- it's virtually silent, which made me wonder if it was shut off when I first got it. I kept expecting to hear a sound while it runs, but it's noiseless. Every once in a while, if it's dead quiet, I'll hear a splash.

However, while your pet drinks, it may be loud! It depends if your pet is a loud drinker. Not that the fountain makes them drink any louder than normal.

The youngest cat drinks so loudly that it wakes me up. I think  it's because she lets the stream hit her tongue rather than drinking right out of the bowl area like the rest.  

What do the Charcoal Filters do?

As per AVP Pet: "the filter traps bad tastes and  odors while spout constantly aerates the water increasing  oxygen levels which enhances
pet health."

Basically, to put it briefly and simply, charcoal filters, due to the charcoal's porous nature, filters out impurities in water.  These mostly filter out chlorine and organic impurities and not things like heavy metals (lead, or sodium fluoride, etc.).

This produces a different tasting water -- one with less of a metallic or chlorine taste.

 How long do the Charcoal Filters Last?

Just like with our own charcoal water filter-systems, the Nature Spa pet fountain also uses a charcoal filter that requires replacement after so long. 

AVP Pet recommends changing it every 3-4 weeks.

The replacement filters come 4 to a pack (the fountain comes with one) and can be found and purchased for $9.99 here. 

I am not a specialist, doctor or any kind of expert. Content on this blog is not intended to be taken as medical advice, diagnosis, treatment or advice of any sort. 

I'm simply sharing information about my own experiences (or my pets') and results from use of a product or activity in hopes of providing useful information/suggestions to readers, not to be taken as a patient/medical adviser/vet relationship. I am not responsible for what readers or pets choose to do after viewing the content here. 

Furthermore, I do not hold an "exceptional" or other special relationship with the company mentioned. I'm simply a consumer who worked with the company for a review that is in compliance with FTTC's guidelines. That means, everything you read here is my own words, not anything of the company's. I was not provided monetary compensation for my review. All information posted has been done so with complete honesty. No action should be taken based solely on the content of this publication (I'm not to be held responsible.) Readers or pets who rely on the information in this blog to replace the advise of an appropriate health care provider assume all risks of such behavior.

 All reviews, including this one are in compliance with the FTC guidelines. I recieve no monetary compensation, but my pet may receive prouct in exchange for a completely honest review (that part's done by me, not the pets, just FYI). Each review is my honest opinion.  See my disclosure page and honesty pledge for more info on sponsored reviews!

RZO Kava Drink for Relaxation

When life hands us lemons, stressful individuals don't always know where the hell to even find the pitcher to make the lemonade in. Forget trying to make the lemonade! Stress is huge. It can be overwhelming, and add a dose of fear to the mix and then you get anxiety. Then you're really a mess and at this point, why even bother with the blasted lemonade. You need something stronger.

Image source: Holistifit.com

I don't know about you herbal-lovin' fellas but I've taken a big interest in Kava lately. I have been dealing with more stressful events than I have in years. If ever, all at once. It was beyond overwhelming and I was getting lost. Usually, things let up and you get going and move on. Back to normal. But when the crap just keeps piling up (you know, those times when as soon as you fixed the first huge stress, you run into another one, then before you even fix it, another one has hit you in the head like a ton of bricks) it's easy to lose yourself. And your mind. 

That is how I was feeling.

And as always, when I start having trouble in any area, I look to herbs to help out. This time, it was clear that these stressful events were not going to clear up quickly, and neither was my mind. I wasn't even feeling like me. So, I done some research and started considering trying a few different herbs, one of them being Kava to help take the edge off while I am battling with these recent events. 

Basically, I've desperately needed to just calm the F down.

That is what lead me to relaxation in a can -- a very tasty way to relax, too I must say.

Thankfully enough, after hearing about RZO Kava, I was able to get a few to try out, and they just so happen to arrive here a day or two before we were leaving for vacation! Perfect time to relax! Kava also reduces anxiety, as well as other things that I will discuss near the bottom.

So, I hauled a couple of these babies with me, and I actually had the most wonderful time ever. The best vacation I have ever had. Not only because of Kava, but it sure did help to keep my mind at ease, which is usually the part that makes a vacation stressful for me -- my dang mind!

Now, you know what the RZO Kava drink does if you've read this far -- it relaxes you. I've experimented with this awesome tasting Kava Beverage a little bit this week to see what works best for me, personally and I will share my experience and my partner's with you. Then, I'll discuss more about Kava -- the active ingredient in RZO Kava Relaxation Drink.

TASTE
After doing a little research on Kava, I waited until I was in the bed at  the hotel we stayed in in Panama before I popped open the can. I was expecting an herbal, somewhat icky taste, but RZO Kava actually has a very, very pleasant taste. In fact, I found it hard to put it down, even once I got to the point of total relaxation. This is the same thing that happens each time I open one!

RZO Kava has a very citrusy taste -- the ingredients include orange juice, apple juice,  lemon juice and lime juice, so that would explain why.

I didn't taste much of the apple juice, but the orange is what stood out to me most. It doesn't taste like Sunny D or Tang -- and is not as thick as either, and far more delicious than both. It's thin, slightly tangy, but refreshingly sweet. Perfect.

I haven't noticed any herbal taste except for when I drank a RZO Kava drink at room temperature, and it was very subtle.

 The can says it's best when chilled, and that's true. The taste is a little more pleasant when chilled, but it's not bad at all when at room temperature, either.

What It Makes Me Feel Like
 Now that's what you want to know, I'm sure. Kava is no joke. It can cause a "mild state of euphoria." 

I knew that prior to drinking it, which was one reason I wanted to in the first place, but I really wasn't sure what to expect from the RZO drink. 

I figured since I am a bit sensitive to herbs and drugs that have sedative effects, I would feel relaxed at the least. Perhaps sensitive isn't the word. I sleep easily, though and do feel tired easier than others when I take things like herbs with sedative effects. Heck, I'm the only person I know who gets tired from taking MSM! It gives other people energy. Not me. Note: I don't have ADHD or ADD or anything like that, just easily tired, I guess. I really don't know how Kava would effect someone with ADD or ADHD, but I do think it would relax even them, at least a little bit.

Okay, moving on. 

The first time I drank the RZO Kava Relaxation drink, I was already very tired from the 8-hour long trip to Panama. So I crashed right to sleep quickly, without even fully finishing the drink. It put me in a really quickly relaxed state, though, which I wasn't totally sure would happen given the pressure and stress I was feeling prior to leaving.

Since I was already in the bed, reading a book on my kindle as I drank the RZO Kava, and especially since I fell asleep so soon, I didn't pay much attention to anything but how tired and relaxed all over I felt.  My limbs felt heavy, and like they did not want to move, even if I wanted to. I wouldn't say I felt anything like paralysis, though so don't worry. It is not that intense. Just super relaxing. 

In fact, the first night I tried the Kava drink, my partner told me that I had my Kindle rested on my thighs and was sleeping, and would quickly open my eyes and start trying to read again, then fall right back asleep! He's been joking with me ever since saying it looked like I was thinking "must read! Must read!"  I thought this was kind of funny because I didn't remember ever opening my eyes back up.


                                                                                                 The 3rd night we were there, he said I was smiling really    big in my sleep -- so I this stuff must've been helpful for increasing my mood from stressful to happy.

    Image source: kelihasablog.wordpress.com   Me after drinking RZO

Oh, and due to this extra stress (and my years long battle of endometriosis and IBS on and off) I was feeling a lot of stomach problems around this time. So, I was of course worried that they'd be a bother to me on our vacation. The first night I drank it and laid down, I told my partner that it seemed like it calmed my stomach, too, even though I'd felt icky and bloated all day. The next day, my stomach was calmer than it had been in 2 weeks. 

I was right about it being the RZO Kava drink that soothed my stomach because later, I looked into it and read that it actually helps with stomach discomforts! It only gets better and better. It's also helpful for headaches (something else I deal with regularly), arthritis, infection, asthma, etc.

Note: I really haven't paid much attention to whether or not RZO Kava has improved my migraines, but I've been using it as well as a host of other supplements and have experienced less of them in the last month. I can't say if it's the Kava or not, though. But I'm happy to have some relief either way. I'm absolutely positive it would be relieving for a mild headache, though! Especially a tension one, considering how un-tense and great I feel when I drink RZO. I would pretty much bet on it bringing some relief to mild headaches. I'll try it next time I have one.

The other times I drank the RZO Kava drink, I was able to finish the can before passing out -- being back home made it easier. I really enjoy drinking RZO Kava Relaxation when I'm in bed reading a good book on my Kindle -- not that I'll remember what I read the next day, but it's enjoyable at the moment! Ha. Ha. No, the RZO drink won't make you drunk-like or cause you to lose memory really (I don't think), but being so tired and relaxed does slightly have this effect on me. 

Some nights, the effects of the Kava are way more intense feeling than others. For instance, last night, I crashed big time. I finished the drink and grabbed my Kindle planning to read, but before I even unzipped the Kindle from its case, I must've fell asleep because I woke up with it beside me -- never even taken out of the case or turned on! I sleep hard and well when I drink these, too. So that's one big positive about the RZO Kava drink -- those who have a little trouble sleeping well or staying asleep will benefit greatly from this! 

And those of us who do sleep decently, but are tense or un-relaxed in our sleep benefit just as well because it causes your body to fully relax, including the mind, which was my biggest problem. I can sleep, but my jaws and other parts are so tense I often wake up with them aching! I also sometimes sleep less well because my mind is still going like I am awake. RZO Kava has been more useful than anything for this, including sleeping aids and even high doses of melatonin.

Another effect I have noticed a couple of times is that I will feel just ever so slightly... high. High really is not the word for it because it's not that intense, but definitely sedated. Definitely. It's a good drink for someone who doesn't need super strong meds to conquer insomnia, but for someone who just needs extra boosts relaxing and sleeping well. 

Of course you don't have to drink RZO right before sleeping, but I prefer to since it would certainly make me less useful any other time of the day! As the can says, it may impair your ability to drive or operate machinery -- totally agreed. I don't think I would drive long distances after drinking a whole can of this stuff. Not if I am already tired.

It's not quite as strong as say Kanna to me, but the next best thing. With Kanna, the relief I notice in my mind and muscles is almost instant. With RZO Kava, it's very similar. If you've ever taken small doses of Kanna or perhaps felt a sedative effect off of Valerian root, this is somewhat a similar effect as RZO Kava.

The can does say "it chills you out, it calms you down, it gives you a buzz..."

My partner and I both agree with those statements. I personally would say the "buzz" is very minimal, though. I mean, I have noticed it on most occasions where I've drank a can of RZO, but not anything like what you'd expect from marijuana -- not that I am endorsing that or anything at all. Just trying to give you a good idea of what RZO Kava makes some people feel like. 

As I said, I sleep nice and hard when I've drank RZO. The only times I've woken up throughout the night is when I have a big, huge urge to urinate -- I can't even swallow my own spit before bed without having to go pee in the middle of the night!

I was surprised it was able to calm me and my spinning mind down so much, so that part alone makes RZO Kava a must for stressful times.
My Partner's Experience with RZO Kava Relaxation

My partner drank an RZO Kava a while after having a beer and said "when you drink that RZO stuff, does it F you up?" Apparently, pairing it with alcohol does increase the effects, and for him, quite drastically. 

He has serious trouble sleeping. I'm talking this guy wakes up a million times a night. He's uncomfortable in every way when he sleeps -- no matter what mattress! And RZO Kava helped knocked his hiney out for a full night's sleep.  He said he felt a big buzz, although he'd only had one beer.

He loves the RZO Kava, as do I. The sleep is incredible, and we always welcome good sleep!

It's funny, on RZO's website, it says even "die-hard Red Bull fans" will enjoy RZO. It's funny because my partner is the perfect example of this! He really is a die-hard Red Bull fan. I'm serious. You guys really have no idea. He is one of those! Ha Ha. And he loves Kava -- a drink that does the opposite of what Red Bull does. 

As for me, I am not that much a fan of the Red Bull stuff considering what it was originally created for (I encourage you to go look that up! You will be very shocked, if you don't already know) and because of the effects of those awful ingredients.  I do have a couple of sips of his every once in a while, so I'm a bit guilty of it, too! That's a post for another day, though.


P.S. There is no crash or hangover after drinking RZO Kava. None that we have noticed, anyway. We both wake up feeling just fine. Something to note though -- we both take these trace mineral drops (in our water) and it seems to combine with RZO Kava to increase deep sleep when we've been using the mineral drops and drinking RZO Kava. Not sure if there's anything to it, but it was interesting that we both did notice something of a difference. 

Brief summary on What Kava Does:

Obviously, it relaxes you, calms your mind, reduces stress, pressure and can help with depression. It also reduces muscle tension and has a sedative effect. 

Besides that, and despite Kava being an herb that makes you relax, it actually promotes mental clarity and patience, says RZO. No wonder I felt so engaged in my reading on the nights I actually stay awake long enough to read!

Another interesting thing about Kava -- it can help with fatigue! It does make you sleep better, but something about it also is supposed to help with fatigue. I figure since using it before bed helps you sleep so well, it makes sense that you'll feel less fatigued throughout the day. 



I encourage ya'll to visit RZO's "About Kava" page and read what all they have to say on it. It's very interesting, and I'll include a bit of it here. 

Something I read on their "About Kava" page that really stood out to me, something I think would be good for all to know this quote:

“Your head is affected most pleasantly. Thoughts come cleanly.

You feel friendly…never cross…You cannot hate with kava in you.”

-Tom Harrison, Savage Civilization, 1937

Kava has been used for over 3,000 years to improve relaxation while not messing with mental clarity. This is what I love about Kava! There's no hazy-mind or hangover-like side effects. It's like you've naturally been relaxed like never before. Not like a drug-induced relaxation, if you have ever experienced that. Kava is far more pleasant. 

Kava also leaves you with an overall sense of well-being -- something else to praise Kava for as other things do not do this. OTC sleeping meds are nothing compared to the pleasant effects of Kava. They don't make you feel good like Kava does. 

As I said earlier, Kava also reduces anxiety, helps you let loose a little bit (not like you would with alcohol), relieves soreness and tightness in the muscles. 


It's also been said that Kava helps people communicate with others better. Besides being helpful for anxiety and stress, it also is a diuretic, and helpful for urinary issues, too. 

The diuretic part means you may have to take a trip to the bathroom before going to bed if you've drank RZO right before, like me. It helps to go right after I have the RZO, so I can sleep through the night.




RZO Kava Relaxation contains no alcohol, no caffeine, and no added sugar! These are good because I don't really care to drink alcohol these days. I just don't feel it like I used to, and really don't need it. Kudos to RZO for not throwing in added sugars! One can contains 100 calories, if you care. 

More benefits of drinking RZO Kava:

RZO Kava contains 1800 IU of Vitamin A, 30 milligrams of Vitamin C. 15 milligrams of Polyphenols.

115 milligrams of Kava extract (an effective-for-most dose, which is a big positive because a lot of companies slap a word like "relaxation" on a beverage, yet the amount of active ingredient is so low that it does little good. More points to RZO for putting in a great amount of Kava.

If you look at the full list of ingredients, you just might be as impressed as I was. RZO contains natural flavors and has not added in any harmful, crappy ingredients. RZO contains 80% juice.

Ingredients list:
Orange juice, apple juice, lemon juice, lime juice, water, juice concentrates, water, natural flavors, Kava Extract, ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), Stevia, Reb A Blue California, Oxyphyte Natural antioxidant apple powder extract and apple juice powder, beta carotene (for color.)

Note: The last ingredient, Beta Carotene -- that is what gives the RZO drink its light orange color.

Who is RZO?

RZO is the company that manufactures RZO Kava Relaxation. They are a Hawaii- based company who has obviously done their research and created a tasty drink that is effective in helping people relax as well as calming the mind. I. am. Impressed. 

Safety of RZO:

If you're like me and like to do your research before consuming something new, you're in luck because RZO includes a good bit of information to questions like these concerning their Kava drink. 

On their website, it says
"RZO is very safe. Kava is not addictive, there is no tolerance build up, and the FDA could find no link between drinking kava and any medical conditions. In addition to the kava, the ingredients are all-natural."

Kava also hasn't shown any damaging effects to the liver, unlike alcohol. I think it could be a really fantastic alternative for someone who drinks often and wants to cut back. 

I could be wrong, but I was a somewhat heavy drinker years ago -- not an alcoholic, but I overdid it any chance I got, which was often. That is why I make the statement that it may be possible to help those who want to cut back on alcohol. I would've found a Kava drink like RZO to be very useful back then. 


On their "About RZO Page" you can read a lot of interesting information and answers to questions, including the safety of Kava and how the company began.