HAVE TO READ THIS - Rages, itching, yeast, etc.

[EAMom]

It's a lot like yogurt. You can get it plain or flavored (strawberry, blueberry, etc...like yogurt). In Northern Ca it's everywhere...safeway, whole foods, trader joe's, even the little local produce market.

 

My younger dd thought the "Strawberries and Cream" flavor from whole foods was pretty good.

 

You could also add some into a smoothie.

[pmoreno]

Myrose & Suzan:

 

In answer to the question about mixing it with other supplements - It doesn't interact or interfere with other supplements, but eventually as it improves digestion (since it has enzymes), it actually helps absorption so that any extra vitamins you give might be more than they need. After a few months of taking it, most people really don't need any extra supplements because it is so rich in vitamins & minerals (particularly B vitamins), in tryptophan (which converts to serotonin) and helps with general calmness and better sleep. The beneficial bacteria establish themselves and colonize the gut (they adhere to the walls) and thereby help heal leaky gut syndrome and makes it unnecessary to take additional probiotics.

 

You can get commercial kefir (made from cow's milk) at almost any store, but even though it is thought to be OK for use by lactose intolerant individuals (due to the fact that lactose is broken down by kefir), I still am not crazy about the commercial brands due to the other additives and potentially inferior cultures. Also, some of the ones I've tried are kind of thick and kids might not like that real well. I get the goat milk kefir at Whole Foods. I know that this chain of health food stores are all over the country - if there isn't one near you, I'm sure there must be other health food stores in your area. The one that I use is very smooth and creamy - no lumps or curds. If you mix it with enough fresh fruit (you can even sweeten it substantially with agave syrup or honey) to the point where even picky eaters would like it. Pat (By the way - we are at 3 weeks now of consistently good moods with Gaby - just a very few occasional odd questions like "so, it's not OK to have negative thoughts?", just asked for reassurance. but absolutely no outbursts)

[myrose]

Thanks for all the info. The only health food close is a place called Chamberlains... have you one of those by you?

Also how much do you give and how many times per day?

Is it recommended that adults/children take the same amount?

 

 

Thanks for all the great info

[pmoreno]

Thanks for all the info. The only health food close is a place called Chamberlains... have you one of those by you?

Also how much do you give and how many times per day?

Is it recommended that adults/children take the same amount?

 

 

Thanks for all the great info

 

if you're asking about the kefir, it's fine to take a full glass in the morning and then do two or three a day with meals (since it has enzymes that help with digestion). Seems to be the same for kids or adults.

[ilovedogs]

OKay where can you get some? Publix any chance? Also what does it taste like and what is it....a creamy sauce or something??

 

Never heard of it LOL

 

What can you mix it in if it tastes really bad.....

 

Lastly, can one benefit from it with just using it alone and no other supplements etc....

 

Will it interfere with other things like supplements???

Mostly health food stores sell it and places like Trader Joes. I buy Peach b/c it's the only one the rest of the family will eat! It basically is like liquid yogurt. You can blend it into a homemade smoothie if you don't like the taste. I don't think it will interfere with supplements at all.

 

Also, on the Kombucha thing....I love Kombucha but it's expensive but does have good bacteria for the gut. I've thought about buying my own cultures and making it at home along with making my own yogurt. Since I've been on antibiotics for 2 weeks I've been drinking Kefir and Kombucha and I also use miso. Miso is also a fermented product that has good cultures for the gut. It is made from soy, though, so if you can't have soy that it wouldn't be beneficial. I make miso soup every time I feel a cold coming on or I add it to my homemade chicken noodle soup. It gives it a nice Oriental flavor.

 

B

[Chemar]

OKay where can you get some? Publix any chance? Also what does it taste like and what is it....a creamy sauce or something??

 

Never heard of it LOL

 

What can you mix it in if it tastes really bad.....

 

Lastly, can one benefit from it with just using it alone and no other supplements etc....

 

Will it interfere with other things like supplements???

 

myrose

you can find kefir in different flavors(all natural) in the organic section at all Publix stores.

 

the plain one is also good with honey

[pmoreno]

Hello All,

I guess we must be around 6 weeks now of very even behavior - no outbursts, no anger, no crying. Really good attention, doing a lot of work (especially homework) without any frustration or asking repetitive questions. At school there have been a few occasions where she will say that her brain feels gooey, but she is able to count to 10, then go on with whatever she is doing. Still doing the goat milk kefir smoothies in the morning. Have not really added anything new except for taurine a couple of weeks ago which our new ped. recommended to further improve her sleep - not sure if that's what's doing it, or all the tryptophan in the kefir - but she's been sleeping pretty well - falling asleep without a problem and wakes up maybe once during the night, moves around a little and goes back to sleep without talking, crying or complaining about not being able to sleep. Whatever else, her gut issues seem to be resolving. Started neurofeedback last week - had 2 sessions so far - supposed to help with concentration, memory, learning - we'll see. Now that she's so much more relaxed, this kind of therapy seems worthwhile doing because she can sit still and concentrate. Will continue to give you updates if anything changes. Keeping fingers crossed that this improvement is long-lasting. Pat

[lss]

Hello All,

I guess we must be around 6 weeks now of very even behavior - no outbursts, no anger, no crying. Really good attention, doing a lot of work (especially homework) without any frustration or asking repetitive questions. At school there have been a few occasions where she will say that her brain feels gooey, but she is able to count to 10, then go on with whatever she is doing. Still doing the goat milk kefir smoothies in the morning. Have not really added anything new except for taurine a couple of weeks ago which our new ped. recommended to further improve her sleep - not sure if that's what's doing it, or all the tryptophan in the kefir - but she's been sleeping pretty well - falling asleep without a problem and wakes up maybe once during the night, moves around a little and goes back to sleep without talking, crying or complaining about not being able to sleep. Whatever else, her gut issues seem to be resolving. Started neurofeedback last week - had 2 sessions so far - supposed to help with concentration, memory, learning - we'll see. Now that she's so much more relaxed, this kind of therapy seems worthwhile doing because she can sit still and concentrate. Will continue to give you updates if anything changes. Keeping fingers crossed that this improvement is long-lasting. Pat

 

 

Hi Pat,

 

I'm so glad to hear that Gaby is doing so well! Question about the kefir- I found a Helios brand kefir with FOS in different flavors at Whole Foods. The bottle says it has 7 probiotic kefir cultures and it is 2% reduced fat milk with vit. A & D. Is this the right type of kefir? It smells horrible, (sour) but my son seems to like it. What do you think?

 

Linda

[pmoreno]

Hello All,

I guess we must be around 6 weeks now of very even behavior - no outbursts, no anger, no crying. Really good attention, doing a lot of work (especially homework) without any frustration or asking repetitive questions. At school there have been a few occasions where she will say that her brain feels gooey, but she is able to count to 10, then go on with whatever she is doing. Still doing the goat milk kefir smoothies in the morning. Have not really added anything new except for taurine a couple of weeks ago which our new ped. recommended to further improve her sleep - not sure if that's what's doing it, or all the tryptophan in the kefir - but she's been sleeping pretty well - falling asleep without a problem and wakes up maybe once during the night, moves around a little and goes back to sleep without talking, crying or complaining about not being able to sleep. Whatever else, her gut issues seem to be resolving. Started neurofeedback last week - had 2 sessions so far - supposed to help with concentration, memory, learning - we'll see. Now that she's so much more relaxed, this kind of therapy seems worthwhile doing because she can sit still and concentrate. Will continue to give you updates if anything changes. Keeping fingers crossed that this improvement is long-lasting. Pat

 

 

Hi Pat,

 

I'm so glad to hear that Gaby is doing so well! Question about the kefir- I found a Helios brand kefir with FOS in different flavors at Whole Foods. The bottle says it has 7 probiotic kefir cultures and it is 2% reduced fat milk with vit. A & D. Is this the right type of kefir? It smells horrible, (sour) but my son seems to like it. What do you think?

 

Linda

 

 

I believe that is cow's milk, but if you have no issue with that, it should be fine. From what I've read, people who are trying to stay casein free seem to be OK with kefir (even if it's from cow's milk) because of the enzymes - apparently they break down casein). I still prefer the goat milk kefir (our Whole Foods carries both a plain and a blueberry flavored one), but if your son likes the helios brand, then by all means, encourage him to keep drinking it. I may, at some point, switch over to the helios brand since it is 2% reduced fat. Gaby is getting a little too chubby on all that nice whole milk fat goat kefir. Pat

[myrose]

Cheri....Thank You

 

I will have to look for this at Publix this week. Hope we like it!

[sheeboo]

Hi All,

 

I too really believe in the benefits of probiotics and it is interesting to read your thoughts on kifer, which I love! I went to two places today to try and find "young green coconuts" to try making Pat's recipe.

 

I have a few questions though:

 

1) Do you think it matters if one uses the sweetened fruit flavors types of goat milk kifer? It seems that all the ones I've seen aside from the plain have some kind of sugar in them. Isn't this a big no-no when the desire is to control yeast?

 

2) I used to be in love with agave until I read that many brands are actually mixed with corn syrup. Furthermore, some argue that agave doesn't really break down quite the way it is advertised to. Here is a link to the article: http://www.living-foods.com/articles/agave.html

 

I'm just not sure how I'll get my dd to drink the plain stuff!

 

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

[pmoreno]

Hi All,

 

I too really believe in the benefits of probiotics and it is interesting to read your thoughts on kifer, which I love! I went to two places today to try and find "young green coconuts" to try making Pat's recipe.

 

I have a few questions though:

 

1) Do you think it matters if one uses the sweetened fruit flavors types of goat milk kifer? It seems that all the ones I've seen aside from the plain have some kind of sugar in them. Isn't this a big no-no when the desire is to control yeast?

 

2) I used to be in love with agave until I read that many brands are actually mixed with corn syrup. Furthermore, some argue that agave doesn't really break down quite the way it is advertised to. Here is a link to the article: http://www.living-foods.com/articles/agave.html

 

I'm just not sure how I'll get my dd to drink the plain stuff!

 

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

 

I hear you about not wanting to use the sweetened fruit flavor types. I tend to use the plain and sweeten it naturally with ripe bananas & fresh pineapple or fresh dates (usually throw half an avocado in too). There has been some controversy about agave syrup, as you say. I guess you have to be really careful to check the ingredients, but another way to sweeten besides the fruit is with raw honey. It's true that you want to stay away from excessive sweeteners if you are fighting yeast, but I don't think small amounts would hurt, especially because the bacteria & enzymes in the kefir do a pretty job in counteracting any bad effects from sugar. If there's currently a lot of yeast going on, I would definitely give s.boulardii along with the kefir just for a while as an extra boost.

 

I have been considering making some kefir from raw goat milk. A nurse that I work with raises goats & their family drinks the milk. I may get some from her and try it. A lot of nutrients are destroyed with pasteurization and it's not all that its made out to be. If you leave pasteurized milk sit out for a while it becomes curdy and pretty disgusting in a short time, but unpasteurized milk just becomes pleasantly sour. The good bacteria in raw milk actually protects you from getting sick from drinking spoiled milk. As long as the animals and the milking utensils are clean, there shouldn't be any great risk.

 

I found a web site that gives a lot of good information on kefir and kefir grains (you can read for days) by a man in Australia - just look up Dom's Kefir grains and it should pop up.

 

In conclusion, I imagine that some of the brands of kefir (depending on how much sugar content or other ingredients there are) are better than others, but I can only think that any kefir is better than none, so I would start with something and then work on trying to find the best product. Pat

[sheeboo]

Pat, what a wonderful website!!!!! Thanks so much!

 

If you don't mind, I have one more question---Do you have any take on Fructooligosaccharides? We are using a probiotic that was recommended by my daughter's neurologist, yet 5 days into her course of antibiotics, she has a yeast infection. She's been drinking (cow) milk kiefer too. Fructooligosaccharides are in fact a sugar, which has me wondering if these are the best probiotics for keeping yeast at bay......

 

Thanks

~Brie

[pmoreno]

Pat, what a wonderful website!!!!! Thanks so much!

 

If you don't mind, I have one more question---Do you have any take on Fructooligosaccharides? We are using a probiotic that was recommended by my daughter's neurologist, yet 5 days into her course of antibiotics, she has a yeast infection. She's been drinking (cow) milk kiefer too. Fructooligosaccharides are in fact a sugar, which has me wondering if these are the best probiotics for keeping yeast at bay......

 

Thanks

~Brie

 

 

Brie,

Fructooligosaccharides (or prebiotics as they are also known) are food for probiotics so they actually feed good bacteria that you need to proliferate and choke out the pathogenic bacteria. You find them in ordinary foods such as bananas, garlic, asparagus, tomatoes, to name a few. Tell me the name of the probiotics that were recommended by the neurologist. As I may have mentioned before, the best thing to use when you want to get rid of yeast and you don't want a bad die-off reaction is another yeast (s. boulardii) - It's a good yeast that grows fast and takes over, thus crowding out the bad yeast - takes a little longer (maybe 2 or 3 weeks), but certainly easier on the system than diflucan. I don't know the ingredients in the cow milk kiefer that she is drinking, but some of the flavored kinds contain evaporated cane juice or other sweeteners. I prefer to use plain unsweetened kefir and add in fruit - apparently raw honey is not supposed to feed yeast, so you could use small amounts of that if you need to sweeten things. Pat

[sheeboo]

Hi Pat,

 

I'm using plain Kiefer from Lifeway and adding berries and a few dates along with the water I soak them in overnight. She's drinking it, but not as easily as I'd like (I hate for it to be a chore).

 

We're taking Metagenics Ultra Flora Plus--here is the break down:

A 50:50 blend of: 15 billion live organisms†

Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM® Strain

Bifidobacterium lactis Bi-07

(formerly known as B. infantis††)

Globulin Protein Concentrate 560 mg

Ingredients: Fructooligosaccharides (FOS), concentrate of immunoglobulin proteins from whey (milk), Bifidobacterium lactis (milk, soy), Lactobacillus acidophilus (milk), and maltodextrin. Contains: milk, soy.

 

Which probiotic do you recommend? I know from my own experience the die-off is almost as bad as the illness! I'm glad to hear there are ways to lessen it.

 

Thanks!!!!!

~Brie