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Posted 3/4/2017 1:01 PM (GMT -5)
For those who would prefer to avoid the use of milk in their kefir, it's possible to make kefir with water or coconut milk:

www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/water-kefir/water-kefir-frequently-asked-questions-faq/
Posted 3/4/2017 1:46 PM (GMT -5)
Well, upon more goggling, I see there are many variations of kefir now, even commercially avail coco-nut dairy free, how they make kefir without real milk is ponderous.

I remember the regular one I had was loaded with sugar, that might have been the problem with the bloating and gas. Apparently many lactose free people have little neg affects from milk kefir, but some still do.

More experimenting.

Post Edited (astroman) : 3/4/2017 11:49:12 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 3/5/2017 11:51 AM (GMT -5)
For me kefir benifits, and yogurt, too, are instantly realized. I don't even see such quick results, as far as bowel regularity goes, with my expensive probiotic pills. Highly recommended. I go for full fat/whole milk kefir with no flavors or additives.
Posted 3/5/2017 12:23 PM (GMT -5)
I lucked out and found the best.

Just picked up one quart of Dairy/Lactose, Gluten, Soy Free, non-GMO "Good Karma" brand, was $4.50 though. Tastes like a strawberry shake. So if I consumed one quart per week, that's roughly $22 per month, a little less than a good probiotic.

From pasturized "flax milk" (cold pressed flax oil) and pea protein isolate with real strawberry's and seven live cultures.

I'm know I'm out numbered here, but I bet many more are milk intolerant too. Its not something people want to be, so I get why it takes so long for many to dairy free and figure out what a BIG part of their gut issues are.

Unlike "glutan free" which is almost a fad LOL, dairy free is almost thought of as evil..... ha ha!

Dairy Yogurt always made me feel bad (ate it for 40 years), but it sure tasted good - I'm getting over taste for real health finally, its not easy.

No more oily skin either from the natural hormone in animal milk. All real milk has hormones that stay in it, pregnant cow hormones people dont need. So this is also bothersome for some people, obviously not all.

Post Edited (astroman) : 3/5/2017 10:26:18 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 3/5/2017 12:35 PM (GMT -5)
I'm one of the lucky ones that doesn't have an issue with dairy or gluten.

....since my son has Celiac and it's either from my husband or I...we thought for sure one of us would also have Celiac...but nope...not yet anyway...
Posted 3/5/2017 1:41 PM (GMT -5)
Girlie- I wish science would figure food intolerance's out, for the sake of everyone's immune system.

Food sensitivities/intolerance's/allergies = gut issues which = leaky gut and out of whack immune systems and POSSIBLY autoimmune diseases.

I appear to be dairy and gluten "insensitive" not full blown intolerant at least, not as bad, but its still noticeable now that I'm completely off it. My gut is the best right now.

Recently read that some researcher have linked autoimmune vitaligo to cow milk hormones. I have vitaligo too,hmm... coincidence?

Then through lyme on top, and its an autoimmune smorgasbord.
Posted 3/5/2017 1:47 PM (GMT -5)
Celiac is an autoimmune disease.

My son's is a diagnosis...not based on signs/symptoms alone but blood testing. He had extremely high antibodies.
They're supposed to be less than 20. They stop 'counting at 200. It took many months - close to a year of being gluten free before he was under 200 and registering on the lab test....and then many months after that to get down to under 20.

I'm curious though if he got it from my husband or I. We haven't done genetic testing which would let us know which side of family it's on.
We've told family members to get antibodies tested...but no one has listened... foolish really.
Posted 3/5/2017 3:21 PM (GMT -5)
Girlie- could your son notice any difference once his celiac antibodies calmed down? Did/Does he have symptoms of general autoimmune even with G/F diet? Energy, skin, gut ect.

Glad I tested neg for that one, just sensitive to it, but like I said, gluten does produce mild, yet noticable symptoms to me..

One of my two thyroid antibodies did go under the limit last year (yippie) but did not lower thy med need at all (sigh).

General ranting:

Its funny how some people unaffected by autoimmune assume its easy to fix with diet and no big deal. Well- It is a big deal - one that can run off on its own, despite a perfect diet. That said, I'm devoted to trying everything for it. Obviously dont want my bouncing lupus antibody to become permanent either.

In the recent few years, this became a choice for me, the big 50 made me take a deep look- take the down hill road to death, or take the high road to (try) regaining optimal heath. Luckily weight and lipids have never been issues for me (prob from my past athletic life)- but just goes to show you can look healthy and still have autoimmune going on inside. In my height of lyme I did look pretty rough though, siblings commented on that LOL, bags under my eyes, crispy hair, falling asleep standing up, shaking hands ect.

Some of my family and relatives (and getting older with health issues) who previously rolled their eyes about my "natural health ventures", do actually ask questions now and then and are finally getting the fact that modern western medicine is somewhat clueless.

But the ones who seem closer to death every year continue to poison them selves with poor diets and no exercise. Sad. You can see the difference in their children too. Poverty is NOT is their list of poor diet excuses either.
Posted 3/5/2017 4:02 PM (GMT -5)
We noticed he had fatigue when he was about 4 or 5 years old...Dr. ignored it...
Then several months later, I noticed a lot of hair on his shirt...I went back...and thats when they discovered he had low hemoglobin and ferritin levels. Spent 9 years trying to bring them up with supplementing.
Finally a locum asked if he'd had his gluten antibodies tested...and voila...that was it.

He always took a long time in the bathroom (read a book in there) - but the Dr,'s ignored that as well.

Constipation along with no iron being absorbed in the small intestine...should have been a red flag for something happening in the intestines.

Through his childhood he was weaker than he should have been...and had flexible joints (I looked into Ehlers Danlos )

So, finally at 14 years old, the diagnosis through blood work. We declined the scope to check for damage...and he promised without the proof - that he would be gluten free for the rest of his life.
We did not want to scope because he was going to have to do a gluten challenge (after we had already taken him off gluten for a couple months) - and eat a high amount of gluten daily for several weeks. I did not want to poison him any longer....and the scope is invasive.

Interesting - he doesn't have the flexible joints anymore ...and his muscles aren't weak anymore. All that was from his body being sick from gluten.
(and he's not constipated anymore either) But this didn't happen overnight - it took a long time before his body recovered.

The Dr.'s don't believe that it affected his joints and muscles...(why wouldn't it???)

He never had the skin issues...and really didn't feel too bad when he was actually quite sick.

These days gluten free eating isn't an issue...it used to be a struggle when we went to a restaurant...not anymore...there's a lot of choices.
Posted 3/5/2017 4:25 PM (GMT -5)
Wow, thats quite a story on your son and...........on modern medicine failing on the job.

10 years ago I had a gastro Dr tell me gluten sensitivity and intolerance exists only in people heads as a "fad" and only true celiac disease exists. Quest Labs even has an insurance covered blood tests for glutan and different milk sensitivity / intolerance's , yes the ones that dont even make antibodies. This gastro Dr was a true idiot.

I just cant get over how stubborn and stupid some Drs are. The ability to memorizes a text book and stay awake 20 hrs does not prove "useful intelligence". Many of the PHDS scientists I've worked with are not very bright either, beyond their specialty, some are downright stupid.

Sorry if I offended any PHD's out there, hopefully any reading are in the "smarter" category, unlike your peers.
Posted 3/5/2017 5:26 PM (GMT -5)

astroman said...
Wow, thats quite a story on your son and...........on modern medicine failing on the job.

10 years ago I had a gastro Dr tell me gluten sensitivity and intolerance exists only in people heads as a "fad" and only true celiac disease exists. Quest Labs even has an insurance covered blood tests for glutan and different milk sensitivity / intolerance's , yes the ones that dont even make antibodies. This gastro Dr was a true idiot.

I just cant get over how stubborn and stupid some Drs are. The ability to memorizes a text book and stay awake 20 hrs does not prove "useful intelligence". Many of the PHDS scientists I've worked with are not very bright either, beyond their specialty, some are downright stupid.

Sorry if I offended any PHD's out there, hopefully any reading are in the "smarter" category, unlike your peers.

Well in my son's case it was true Celiac...even that was missed. But, I don't get the ignorance about it not affecting his muscles and joints...he was iron deficient for over 9 years...(and very low hemoglobin as well).
I had to even fight for the hemoglobin/ferritin test initially. "I doubt if it's that...let's test his sugars" (response from the Dr....and "Is he tired...or just lazy?"
Posted 3/5/2017 5:28 PM (GMT -5)
Interesting what we put up with...not realizing there's something wrong sometimes.

He didn't know any better. Never complained about being tired...I could see it when he was playing with his friends outside.


Same with Lyme - for some people...they have a few subtle symptoms at first...and shrug it off.

I ignored a few of my symptoms in the beginning.
Posted 3/5/2017 6:15 PM (GMT -5)
I definitely ignored symptoms - thought I was getting older, pushing too hard, etc. I stopped all athletic activity and still had problems. That's when I knew something was up.

I bought an organic kefir probiotic at the store today after reading through this thread. I've been really achy, twitchy and lethargic last couple of days. Maybe it will help!
Posted 3/7/2017 1:37 PM (GMT -5)
Fermented foods - kefir, saurkraut, dill pickles, etc - are probiotic and provide a greater diversity for the microbiome. The fermentation process does break down some of the proteins that can disrupt digestion - the bacteria does it first! The less digestion that is provided in the stomach, i.e shorter transit time, the more bacteria will make it into the gut. Some will survive digestion anyway. Certain protein powders need to be digested in the stomach first. If they make into the gut too fast the microbiome converts them into gas first before the next round of bacteria converts the gas into other resources. A lot of trial and error to find the best combination for each individual, but the results will likely be worth it! As the various combinations are tried, new bacteria are colonized that are tuned to digest the new stuff coming in and the gas is reduced. REAL buttermilk - most grocery store "buttermilk" is milk soured with acid - is a cultured product as well. Which is why our grandparents (or great grandparents) drank it as a tonic.

Post Edited (OldSalty) : 3/7/2017 11:40:47 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 3/7/2017 2:42 PM (GMT -5)
What great info! Thanks Salty.
Posted 3/8/2017 10:18 AM (GMT -5)
I added the kefir to my morning power smoothie. I have noticed less achiness the last couple of days, but it could be from getting used to the detox diet my dr asked me to do. I noticed kefir is on his "no" list as are all yogurts not based from goat/sheep/coconut.

I'm beginning to see a lot of this is trial and error. I'm much less bloated since detoxing, but not sure what to do with the kefir now. I think I'll finish this bottle and then see how I feel when I stop adding it.
Posted 3/8/2017 10:30 AM (GMT -5)
Homemade kefir is the only probiotic I use, unless my psoriasis is showing it's ugly little self again, then I have to take B. infantis ("Align" brand probiotic) as well or instead of - depending on what my guy is up to.

It's been an amazing addition to my 'tools' for my gut health, but you do have to start off slowly to find the dose you need. Increasing the dose too much or too quickly will produce negative side effects too.

And I always flavor my kefir! I love fresh berries, but when I can't find them, I use vanilla extract and stevia!
Posted 3/8/2017 10:37 AM (GMT -5)
Kat1000, I've added a little Kefer every day also after reading these Comments. It was an occasional thing only because of docs no gluten, no sugar and no dairy.
I'm in a pulse of Ceftin which amps up aches and lowers energy and I'm feeling better these last few days.
Posted 11/15/2020 10:11 AM (GMT -5)
Kefir Milk has kept me UC free for 10 months. 2 cups a day!
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