Kefir: Ancient and Modern Probiotic Jewel

[denniscaptain of 1,000]

For me kefir has become a discovery of significant importance in my life. It is rapidly becoming another passion. And those who have followed some of my posts know , I consider passion a virtue. Kefir has opened up a whole new world, for me and is natures answer to modern day health and nutrition problems. Physical and Mental . Kefir is The Ultimate Alternative Solution. I first got into living food, with soaking and sprouting, and then into living water, and the astonishing benefits of kefir cultures. Cultures are a perfect fit with my philosophy of great value for no money. They are easy and interesting, to grow, and not time consuming. Culturing is a way of producing something and becoming self sufficient. It is a way of being creative, and experimenting with new additives and developing different results. The benefits seen to be very rapid, almost instantaneous . I drank my first kefer water on January 1, 2011. The next day, I woke up and 5 O' clock, and I remember asking myself, why do I feel so good?. I feel like I am 21, again. Well, three weeks later , that wasn't a one time occurrence. Physically , I have never felt better, and my mind is flooded with new ideas. If I had not experienced it myself, I certainly would not have believed what has happened to me.
This is one of many articles I have read.
http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html

[Mummycaptain of 1,000]

Keep going....recipes, background, etc. please

[Songbirdcaptain of 1,000]

Kombucha is also wonderful and living...if you can get past the taste....also easy to start and make...My husband and I had quite a kombucha farm going on for a while....

[denniscaptain of 1,000]

Mummy, you are so funny. I just pulled a mummy fast one, on you mummy! Only It was just one link. You wont have to read the whole internet to get the answers. This link is one of the best on Kefir, there are thousands more. Personally I posted a request for kefir on this site and didnt get a satisfactory response. Then latter on I was speaking with my daughter in Colorado, and she said she has some. She said she got hers from one of my neighbors. Kinda like searching the WWW and finding it in ones own back yard. Next time you come Wanship, I will share with you.

[Mummycaptain of 1,000]

Mummy, you are so funny. I just pulled a mummy fast one, on you mummy! Only It was just one link. You wont have to read the whole internet to get the answers. This link is one of the best on Kefir, there are thousands more. Personally I posted a request for kefir on this site and didnt get a satisfactory response. Then latter on I was speaking with my daughter in Colorado, and she said she has some. She said she got hers from one of my neighbors. Kinda like searching the WWW and finding it in ones own back yard. Next time you come Wanship, I will share with you.

LOL....still trying to focus in on the colour green which enhances my potential for better recall of new knowledge! Yes you did pull a fast one! Though I must confess I haven't fully focused in to read that with the focus required since I'm listening to an audio speech in the background while reading several other articles. I'll repent though here shortly! Thank you for the link!

[denniscaptain of 1,000]

Put a couple of lap tops next to the desk top, turn on your Mp3, leave the TV, and the radio on in the back ground, open the scriptures and the conference report and put on the desk, answer the cell phone, receive a fax, and focus on GREEN.

or you could kick back with a couple of drinks of kefir, and let the holy ghost flood your mind with truth

[Mummycaptain of 1,000]

Put a couple of lap tops next to the desk top, turn on your Mp3, leave the TV, and the radio on in the back ground, open the scriptures and the conference report and put on the desk, answer the cell phone, receive a fax, and focus on GREEN.

or you could kick back with a couple of drinks of kefir, and let the holy ghost flood your mind with truth

LOL...Rodger!

[Mummycaptain of 1,000]

Where did you acquire your initial grains to propagate your cultures? Are you using store milk or real milk - cow, sheep, goat?

Also I must tell you that your comments on chia seeds have prompted an investigation into that as well....book I bought on Amazon should be here shortly!

[denniscaptain of 1,000]

Did you click on my web page "Wisdom of the ages: seed more valuable than gold or money in the bank".? I am an amazon affiliate. My bride hasnt learned to live on no money yet. So she is on to me to pay her living expenses. I have a motive for pushing the no money system. If a lot of people see the light and join in, she will think is is cool, and then try it out. She is all about keeping up appearances .
Got the kefir from the neighbor. I got goat milk from my brother, but it works with any milk including, coconut.

I was able to order chia seed in bulk,last summer, my dad is diabetic, at 90, and was going to do the larry miller thing, so I forced him to try chia, and he is going strong. A cousin lowered his blood sugar from 155 to 95 in only three day on chia. I have extra chia seed, If you come buy to get your kefir grains, I will throw in some chia. Besides you need to get out of that smog in the valley and come up to breath some LIVE AIR. That is another story.











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[Mummycaptain of 1,000]

Did you click on my web page "Wisdom of the ages: seed more valuable than gold or money in the bank".? I am an amazon affiliate. My bride hasnt learned to live on no money yet. So she is on to me to pay her living expenses. I have a motive for pushing the no money system. If a lot of people see the light and join in, she will think is is cool, and then try it out. She is all about keeping up appearances .
Got the kefir from the neighbor. I got goat milk from my brother, but it works with any milk including, coconut.

I was able to order chia seed in bulk,last summer, my dad is diabetic, at 90, and was going to do the larry miller thing, so I forced him to try chia, and he is going strong. A cousin lowered his blood sugar from 155 to 95 in only three day on chia. I have extra chia seed, If you come buy to get your kefir grains, I will throw in some chia. Besides you need to get out of that smog in the valley and come up to breath some LIVE AIR. That is another story.

Yeah that blood sugar war is a pain in the rump...I went vegan while unemployed a couple years back with no insurance. Able to go without insulin for nearly two months but then sugar levels came bouncing back with a vengeance despite working out 3 to 4 X a day. Very interested in trying the chia seeds....just ordered book on it (not the seeds) on Amazon....your selling seeds on Amazon?

curious about growing the plants for a steady supply....going to be an interesting gardening year between the blue corn, chia, yarrow, and whatever else seems like a cure all healthy benefit!

yeah I could use some fresh air and just may take you up on your offer....this kefir grains is very intriguing as well!

[nutmegcaptain of 100]

I have been wishing for some kefir grains. I'm a little confused, do you have the water kind or the milk kind? Previously you posted asking for the water kind. Anyway, I might have to come stalk you and get some grains. We've been buying kefir and its expensive and not as good as home-made, i'm sure. but we like it lots!

[Moss Mancaptain of 100]

My only concern, after looking at Dennis' first link, is that this food begins to transform into alcohol. I think that everyone should try making there own sour kraut. Mine is "curing" right now and should be done in a few months. This will give you your probiotics and vitamin C.

[chicafoomcaptain of 100]

I have been intrigued by kefir, but never tried it. I understand it's something similar to yogurt. My question is, do you just eat / drink it plain or add it to other things. I have heard of putting it in smoothies. Any other ideas. I'd like to try it out, but being pregnant, I don't want to do something too weird because I can only handle eating certain things right now.

[denniscaptain of 1,000]

Kefir is often compared to yogurt, but in my humble opinion, not joking, it is an entirely different animal. It has two separate and distinct divisions. Milk kefir grains, and tibico, (or water kerir grains.) Try growing yogurt in water. Bet it doesnt work.
The stuff they sell in the store tastes good, but it is not hing like the real thing. I am so excited about it because it is very easy to produce, (yes I am producing something!!)it is basically no cost and it is very nutritious A great blessing in my life!
I am remembering a post from way back, Hey chica drink chia. Have you tried chia yet? Chia and kefir a must have for every ones body , and every ones mind. Ask the anti doctor Take these two and never call again. You will be cured not bandaided

[chicafoomcaptain of 100]

Kefir is often compared to yogurt, but in my humble opinion, not joking, it is an entirely different animal. It has two separate and distinct divisions. Milk kefir grains, and tibico, (or water kerir grains.) Try growing yogurt in water. Bet it doesnt work.
The stuff they sell in the store tastes good, but it is not hing like the real thing. I am so excited about it because it is very easy to produce, (yes I am producing something!!)it is basically no cost and it is very nutritious A great blessing in my life!
I am remembering a post from way back, Hey chica drink chia. Have you tried chia yet? Chia and kefir a must have for every ones body , and every ones mind. Ask the anti doctor Take these two and never call again. You will be cured not bandaided

Yes, I do love chia, well using it as a fat replacer or to put in smoothies. I am not sure I can stomach drinking the gel on its own though. The texture might get to me too much. dennis, I saw on another thread you live in Wanship. A good portion of my mom's family live in Coalville, Henefer and Morgan. I was just up there this last Christmas season. I could have dropped by to get some kefir grains if I'd only known...

[denniscaptain of 1,000]

Well, great!!!Who are they? Just got back from stake conf, could have said Hi

[larsenbcaptain of 1,000]

Just to add my two cents on kefir. A friend at work got me my first culture a year ago. I had an experience similar to the one Dennis describes, but I had taken some fennil tea from fresh fennil leaves (not seeds) the morning after the evening I first ingested the kefir, and have not been sure whether to attribute the acute feeling of well being I experienced to the fennil or the kefir. It was really astonishing. The supply of fennil came from the same person, and I never asked for any more. Tea from fennil seeds hasn't had the same effect. Nor has subsequent ingestion of kefir.

However, my friend has been taking kefir regularly for almost 3 years and has not been sick since he started it. I have not been really sick since I started taking it last year. What you do is ingest 3-4 dime-sized 'seeds' or grains (contains mainly the bacteria/fungus combination- up to 52 pro-biotic salugens), at the onset of feeling ill. It is especially effective (apparently) against gastrointestinal problems. This makes sense, when you understand that the probiotics in kefir will fight and overcome the pathogens in your gut. It really works.

Also, the main components of kefir are the 'seeds' or grains, along with a liquid called whey (a light yellow-greenish color), which will separate if not shaken regularly, and a third component is akin to or the same as curds, which is very much like yogurt in its more liquidy phase or like cottage cheese when it solidifies or combines to make larger particles. I normally drink a small cup with or without the grains every morning mixed with an equal part of some juice, such as grape juice. What I do is keep it in a standard mason jar (w/lid left on loose to allow gas venting) filled with the culture mixed with milk up to the beginning of the 'shoulder' of the jar. I've used whole, unpasteurized, unhomogenized milk; 2% fat pasteurized (not ultra pasteurized), homogenized milk; settling on the latter because of inconvenience of getting the former. My friend recommends shaking it every day and at least once a week, pour off the liquid (including whey) for ingestion the following week and restarting the mix with about 1/3rd cup of the grains from the previous week added to fresh milk. This keeps the acidity or sourness at a reasonable level. If you neglect this kind of recycling, it might start smelling like baby diarhea, and the seeds start turning yellow. You can recover from this, however, by taking certain mitigating steps.

The whey component is supposed to be very good for high blood pressure and other good effects I'm not aware of. My friend separates out the whey and drinks it separately every day.

Be warned, the grains are very much like semi-solidified snot (aka luggies). You really have to convince yourself they are benefiting you to be able to get them down without gagging. Though you do get used to it.

[chicafoomcaptain of 100]

Well, great!!!Who are they? Just got back from stake conf, could have said Hi

If you know any Richins (which it's likely you do since they are everyone up there), Chappells or Heiners, it's about 99% guaranteed they are a relative. Great people so I don't mind claiming them

[chicafoomcaptain of 100]

Just to add my two cents on kefir. A friend at work got me my first culture a year ago. I had an experience similar to the one Dennis describes, but I had taken some fennil tea from fresh fennil leaves (not seeds) the morning after the evening I first ingested the kefir, and have not been sure whether to attribute the acute feeling of well being I experienced to the fennil or the kefir. It was really astonishing. The supply of fennil came from the same person, and I never asked for any more. Tea from fennil seeds hasn't had the same effect. Nor has subsequent ingestion of kefir.

However, my friend has been taking kefir regularly for almost 3 years and has not been sick since he started it. I have not been really sick since I started taking it last year. What you do is ingest 3-4 dime-sized 'seeds' or grains (contains mainly the bacteria/fungus combination- up to 52 pro-biotic salugens), at the onset of feeling ill. It is especially effective (apparently) against gastrointestinal problems. This makes sense, when you understand that the probiotics in kefir will fight and overcome the pathogens in your gut. It really works.

Also, the main components of kefir are the 'seeds' or grains, along with a liquid called whey (a light gray-greenish color), which will separate if not shaken regularly, and a third component is akin to or the same as kurds, which is very much like yogurt in its more liquidy phase or like cottage cheese when it solidifies or combines to make larger particles. I normally drink a small cup with or without the grains every morning mixed with an equal part of some juice, such as grape juice. What I do is keep it in a standard mason jar (w/lid left on loose to allow gas venting) filled with the culture mixed with milk up to the beginning of the 'shoulder' of the jar. I've used whole, unpasteurized, unhomogenized milk; 2% fat pasteurized (not ultra pasteurized), homogenized milk; settling on the latter because of inconvenience of getting the former. My friend recommends shaking it every day and at least once a week, pour off the liquid (including whey) for ingestion the following week and restarting the mix with about 1/3rd cup of the grains from the previous week added to fresh milk. This keeps the acidity or sourness at a reasonable level. If you neglect this kind of recycling, it might start smelling like baby diarhea, and the seeds start turning yellow. You can recover from this, however, by taking certain mitigating steps.

The whey component is supposed to be very good for high blood pressure and other good effects I'm not aware of. My friend separates out the whey and drinks it separately every day.

Be warned, the grains are very much like semi-solidified snot (aka luggies). You really have to convince yourself they are benefiting you to be able to get them down without gagging. Though you do get used to it.

Thanks for all the info. I just bought a kefir drink at the store. Basically, it is a little more liquidy and sour than yogurt, but I am thinking it's probably not got all the benefits of getting the grains and doing things as you described above. I am going to have to see if I can try to stomach the snot texture. With my pregnancy, I don't brush my teeth without gagging a few times, so I might have to wait a few more weeks before I can try it. The gag reflex is still a little too sensitive.

[denniscaptain of 1,000]

Why would any one eat the mother cow, when she is giving milk and having babies?

[Songbirdcaptain of 1,000]

Dennis, Would you be interested in making your own yogurt full of the live probiotics?

[denniscaptain of 1,000]

If it comes with a pretty lady, like the one bob got. I seek after anything, good , lovely , praiseworthy, of good report, and free, and with a good melody. By the way, when i was in argentina , I learned to translate the singing of Song birds . Just so you know I have you figured out Sister. Anyway, another favorite scripture in the Pearl of Great Price, Christ created all things, He saves all his creations, and all things are made to testify of Him. So one beautiful morning, all mornings are beautiful in Argentina, I was walking in the Garden, of Eden, and starting singing the bird song. Christ Lives Christ Lives Christ lives Thats Chirp Chirp in the Adamic language.

[shadowcaptain of 1,000]

If it comes with a pretty lady, like the one bob got. I seek after anything, good , lovely , praiseworthy, of good report, and free, and with a good melody. By the way, when i was in argentina , I learned to translate the singing of Song birds . Just so you know I have you figured out Sister. Anyway, another favorite scripture in the Pearl of Great Price, Christ created all things, He saves all his creations, and all things are made to testify of Him. So one beautiful morning, all mornings are beautiful in Argentina, I was walking in the Garden, of Eden, and starting singing the bird song. Christ Lives Christ Lives Christ lives Thats Chirp Chirp in the Adamic language.

Dennis, you're not supposed to let the Kefir get too fermented

[denniscaptain of 1,000]

Great one liner. Nice and funny shadow! The correct terminology is Culture, and refinement something one cant get too much of.
They say when one develops a talent , other talents improve. My writing has gone from Zero, to having my own web page. I think of it as my golden plates. And planting seeds in the WWW. But as for singing< I will let Songbird lead the choir. of the birdies

[shadowcaptain of 1,000]

Hey Dennis, where did you get your Kefir? I'm seriously wanting some.

BTW, I wasn't knocking your talent(s). You're living the good life IMO. I wish I was as industrious as you.

[denniscaptain of 1,000]

I posted this on another thread for you. Been waiting and couldnt see my shadow

As precious as kefir is to me, I would love to share, you know where Wanship is? Just past where The Dean used to live. I am in the log home, on the Old Lincoln Hwy, (got that address Stasi guys?) I guess you just have to beat the secret police here

[shadowcaptain of 1,000]

I posted this on another thread for you. Been waiting and couldnt see my shadow

As precious as kefir is to me, I would love to share, you know where Wanship is? Just past where The Dean used to live. I am in the log home, on the Old Lincoln Hwy, (got that address Stasi guys?) I guess you just have to beat the secret police here

Sweet! Thanks for the offer . It's worth the drive for me to get some so I'll have to figure a day when I can and you're there!
(If Mummy comes calling don't answer, he's the secret police Stasi guy )

[Mummycaptain of 1,000]

I posted this on another thread for you. Been waiting and couldnt see my shadow

As precious as kefir is to me, I would love to share, you know where Wanship is? Just past where The Dean used to live. I am in the log home, on the Old Lincoln Hwy, (got that address Stasi guys?) I guess you just have to beat the secret police here

Sweet! Thanks for the offer . It's worth the drive for me to get some so I'll have to figure a day when I can and you're there!
(If Mummy comes calling don't answer, he's the secret police Stasi guy )

LOL....takes one to know one! Isn't it usually the thief that has the most secure house in the neighborhood???

[highfivecaptain of 100]

So I ordered some water kefir crystals, and need some input before I use them. I am sure I have seen info on them soemwhere (on this forum?) but don't know where. I am pretty excited about starting them. Do water and milk crystals have the same or different benefits?

[denniscaptain of 1,000]

The benefits are too numerous to list. You increase specific benefits and remedies by what else you add to it. Such as orange lemon or tangerine peel. other dried fruit. I have used fresh blue berries , apples, ginger, Honey, etc. Congratulations, I have wanted to write about home made ginger ale that cures what ales you, maybe you could write something about it. I got slowed down researching MS . Looks like this stuff could fix several things.