Kefir, Kimchi & Probiotics...

[knackersyard]

Just wondering how many on here use (or make their own) Kefir or Kimchi or generally take Probiotics?

I'm surprised there's not a Healthunlocked forum dedicated to this.

[SeaVee79]

I make my own milk kefir and sauerkraut but find water kefir too sweet. Have also been taking a high strength probiotic called vsl3 at the advice of my nutritionalist. I had a stool test which showed hardly any diversity of stomach bacteria.

Cheers,

Chloe

[knackersyard]

That's interesting Cloe.

Was that test after you'd taken all this stuff?

I'm having my doubts about probiotics. We've just finished a 6 day course of a self-claimed high strength probiotic called Elixa. Neither my wife, son or me feel any effect at all. It's got me doubting tablet/capsule form probiotics. I wonder if live cultures can even survive in that form?? Live stuff like home made Kefir must be a better option. I've ordered som Kefir grains today.

[HEA72 in reply to knackersyard]

Hi knackersyard, apparantly the kefir and fermented veg lasts the digestive tract right down to the large intestine, whereas is dubious if the probiotic formula supplements do. It's also important to take the right type of probiotics. You may not be benefitting because you may need to take them for longer. 6 days isn't very long so far. Also the strains in the product you're taking your body may not need. There are so many different probiotics out there available to buy. Without a specific test of somesort you're only guessing what you actually need. Also it's good to get a brand that can guarantee the potency of the live bacteria on consumption rather than just at the manufacturing time. Because some products the number of viable live bacteria drops with the shelf life. You're right though, it is a topic in itself. Most of us need probiotic supplementation because of the over-use of antibiotics. Another thought is to make sure your diet isn't supporting the growth of the bad bacteria. Sugar and white flour products and white carbs (white rice, white pasta etc) are the main culpritts.

[knackersyard in reply to HEA72]

The one I've tried for 6 days is Elixa elixa-probiotic.com/uk/ & that's what they recommend. They make some big claims. TBH, I think I just poured £85 down the drain. Put that one down to bullsh1t tax...

I want to try Mutaflor, so will order some.

Look forward to getting into a Kefir.

[Brubru in reply to knackersyard]

Where did you get the grains from? I'm also considering making my own.

[knackersyard in reply to Brubru]

You can buy them really cheap on eBay & Amazon, but no idea what the quality & hygiene would be like.

I've ordered 2 lots from these places :

rawandpure.co.uk/kefir-kitc... - £8 incl delivery

happykombucha.co.uk/collect... - £18.20 incl delivery, Oouch!! They say they test for e-coli etc..

I'll feed back when I get them both.

[Isaacnewt]

I make my own green tea kombutcba and coconut milk kefir. This illness is slowly turning me into a hippy. The kefir becomes quite expensive due to the price of real coconut milk, but I'm avoiding dairy at the moment and don't have the energy to make my own coconut milk.

I've been taking these for about 6 months and have seen no noticeable improvement yet.

[Bluedragon in reply to Isaacnewt]

love your response - my friends and family response entirely lol.

[DawnWalker]

I make coconut milk kefir for my vegan daughter who has Hashis. She is certainly experiencing a lot less stomach-related symptoms since we started using it. But it would be difficult to make a direct correlation as we have made quite few dietary changes to support her recovery.

When we can afford it I use Essential's tinned coconut milk, but mostly I make the milk from soaking dessicated coconut. It is a bit of a faff, but works out quite a lot cheaper. I was already quite a long way down the road to being a hippy,so not such a leap for me as it sounds like for you, Isaacnewt ;0)

I soak 2 cups dessicated coconut in 4 cups hot water overnight in the blender. Blast it in the blender for a couple of mins in the morning, then strain through muslin. I'm sure there's something useful I could do with the leftover coconut mass, but mostly I run out of enthusiasm and put it in the compost bin. Our greyhound has developed a taste for it and steals it out of the compost if I don't get the lid on quick enough!

I bought my kefir grains on ebay from: ebay.co.uk/itm/Organic-Prob...

and they have served us well for the last few months.

[Angel_of_the_North]

I make goats milk kefir and buy raw sauerkraut - my house just doesn't seem to be warm enough to make it. The last lot of kefir grains I got were 1.99 + postage off ebay, but they should last forever unless you have an accident (I went away and house sitter forgot to change the milk). Lots of people give away grains in exchange for donation to charity.

[Margo in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

I too make goats milk kefir Angel_of_the_North. Was buying Sainsbury's sauerkraut but went off it a bit. When you mention raw sauerkraut what do you mean, i thought all sauerkraut was raw?

[Angel_of_the_North in reply to Margo]

Last time I looked at Sainsburys it wasn't even sauerkraut but cabbage pickled in white wine vinegar. Most sauerkraut is pasteurized.

[Margo in reply to Angel_of_the_North]

Thanks Angel_of_the_North it hadn't occurred to me that there was a difference, thanks for pointing it out. My brother who lives abroad is very much in to fermenting vegetables, when he comes here next month he is going to show me how he does it. I made some a few weeks back and it grew mould so clearly I did something wrong.

[nightingale-56]

I tried Symprove for 4 months without any difference whatsoever. Am currently making Cows Milk Kefir but have not tried it for long enough to know any different yet.

[penny]

I have been using water kefir for about 8 months now; can't tell the difference but take it anyway. Very easy to do and the grains multiply.

[Bluedragon]

I've not tried it - but doesn't it taste horrible? I get raw milk which I can use the sour milk, and the resulting curds and whey and haven't got the nerve up to try those yet.....

[Margo]

No it is quite nice Bluedragon depending how you make the kefir. I make mine with goats milk but to be honest can't really taste the difference between that and cows. We have ours before bed, then I just top up the jar with the kefir grains with goats milk and leave it on the work top all night, then in the morning put it in the fridge, when we drink it in the evening it is chilled and taste rather nice. Can't say I have noticed any difference, but I know it is good to have, so carry on.

[knackersyard]

Nothing could be easier than making your own!

[bobbyb]

I accidently got some from the local Polish shop thinking it was milk. I think its delicious and will give it whirl on a regular basis.

[knackersyard in reply to bobbyb]

I'm not sure if shop bought stuff has to be pasteurised, but imagine it does.

You can't beat home brew. Couldn't be easier.

[bobbyb]

I'll have to try making some. I would like to try non dairy as I'm always suffering with a bunged up nose.