Probiotics.....

[Zuzka1]

Do I? Don't I? If I do which ones would I?

Another mine field I'm trying to learn about!!

Hope everyone's had a nice weekend.

😊

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Zuzka1 There are many different strains, we have to look into them and see which we will benefit from. I know Dr P always mentions Acidophilus, so choosing one that contain that is a good idea, also ring the changes occasionally so you benefit from the different strains, and choose one that contains multiple strains.

probiotics.org/strains/

drdavidwilliams.com/how-to-...

drperlmutter.com/learn/reso...

[galathea]

I did a month of VSL 3,. Made a huge difference and sirted out my high blood sufar levels...... I top up when i remeber now days.

Xx

[Serendipitious in reply to galathea]

I tried a pack of VSL3 and after a few days it made me even more bloated and uncomfortable. We're all different. I've still not found something that either helps or doesn't make me feel worse.

[Ianswife]

I am on nourish kefir milk at the moment and absolutely love it , I have graves disease / hyperthyroidism and I no longer have acid reflux . It has also massively helped with reducing bloating .

[Hidden in reply to Ianswife]

I've started on Kefir too. Managed to get some grains just before the subject was on Trust Me I'm a Doctor.

I strain it for a thicker yogurty texture and then drink the gold, so no waste of the probiotic.

Seems to be helping gut and also being off sugar makes the transition to more sour tastes easier to bear 😊.

[BadHare in reply to Hidden]

The whey wil have the B vits in.

[Hidden in reply to BadHare]

I read somewhere it's sometimes referred to as liquid gold and I liked that term 😊.

I didn't know about the B vits, all the more reason not to waste a drop.

I think it's an amazingly cheap way to improve health. I had to buy the grains (though I think there are share sites) but for £1 for 4 pints of quality whole milk from my local shop, you can't beat it for a 'permanent' supply of Kefir.

[BadHare in reply to Hidden]

B vits are water soluble. I'm sure there's more than Bs in the whey.

I use organic whole milk, for the taste, though the bacteria prefers the extra sugar in semi-skimmed. I ferment it a second time with fruit or seeds. It goes crazy with organic lemon zest & a little juice. It's a nice summer drink when it goes slightly fizzy.

Have you left a batch to go cheesey? It makes nice oat pancakes, as a replacement for cottage cheese, both in & on top.

[Hidden in reply to BadHare]

Wow! Great info and will have a try of that. I wasn't sure about the fizzy style, so I don't seal the lid. But for jazzing up the whey that sounds more appealing.

Looks like I need to start experimenting a bit. Had thought about cheese.

I wasn't sure about it at all at first, but now I love the yogurt I make and have it with fruit. I wouldn't go back to even the best creamy commercial stuff now.

[Josiesmum]

Making your own kefir is really easy:

amazon.co.uk/Organic-Milk-K...

Or I came across this farm which delivers goats milk kefir:

chucklinggoat.co.uk/product...

[mb008 in reply to Josiesmum]

HI there,

I bought some Kefir from a Health shop - but am unsure when to drink it, how often and how much? Also, is it okay for kids - age 8 and 13?

Do you know? Thanks

[Josiesmum in reply to mb008]

Apparently good to drink a glass first thing on an empty stomach. Fine for kids although tastes nicer blended with banana. It lasts a good while in the fridge, which slows fermentation. If you are super sensitive you can start slowly, e.g. a teaspoon a day, and build up gradually.

[elaine2447 in reply to mb008]

After I watched Trust Me I'm a Doctor, I looked into it but read that one should only take it for 6 months??? So best not go too mad with it which is what I tend to do with anything new that I think is going to have a miraculous effect lol! webmd.com/vitamins-suppleme...

[Josiesmum in reply to elaine2447]

That's odd, never heard of time limit before. Maybe they mean that 6 months is the period of time it's been studied for? Having said that, I think it's good to mix things up a bit and have a break from time to time to maximise diversity.

[elaine2447 in reply to Josiesmum]

No nothing to do with study time. I am dubious for myself because I have 12 times the high end normal amount of antibodies and thus have a compromised immune system.

"Kefir is POSSIBLY SAFE for most adults when taken by mouth for up to 6 months.

Kefir can cause intestinal cramping and constipation, especially when use is started.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Children: Kefir is POSSIBLY SAFE for children between the ages of 1 and 5 years when taken by mouth for up to 10 days.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There is not enough reliable information about the safety of taking kefir if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

AIDS and other conditions that weaken the immune system: Kefir contains actively growing bacteria and yeast. There is some concern that people with a weakened immune system might be more likely to develop infections from these bacteria or yeast"

[Josiesmum in reply to elaine2447]

I think when trying any new thing it's good to start slow and build up gradually to give your body time to adjust and see whether it agrees with you. From everything I've read, fermented foods seem to be particularly recommended for those with autoimmune problems.

[BadHare in reply to mb008]

It's good for everybody. Possibly even lactose intolerant people, as the bacteria use the lactose for food.

It would make a good microbiology project for your children to grow their own, as it needs to be tended.

[mb008]

great, thanks

[BadHare]

Kefir!

Also contains K2.

chriskresser.com/kefir-the-...

chriskresser.com/heal-your-...

[Zuzka1]

Thanx Everyone.

[SilverAvocado]

As well as kefir, many other ferments are easy to make at home! My preferred is kombucha, as it only needs changing once a week, and as I have limited mobility it's easier to keep on top of. There is also water kefir, which is very similar to milk version, but grows on water with a little dried fruit or lemon and tastes like lemonade.

Sauerkraut that takes several weeks to develop, but doesn't require any special microbes to be bought, as the cabbage comes with its own microbes, yoghurt which is miles better than shop bought. Although you can try out making it using shop bought yoghurt as your starter, but there are many much more interesting starter cultures available to try on the internet, most of which you can't find ready made in any shops in the UK. That requires heating the milk and some kind of incubator.

And these are just the ones I've tried. There are many more ambitious ones that can also be done! Be careful if buying ready made from shops, as many have been pasteurised so the good microbes are gone.

[Tanya-B]

Try Kifer it's amazing. You can get the grains on eBay and then they keep growing.

[whispers60]

I personally use symprove, which seems to have worked quite well for me