The Power of Probiotics - Page 28

[Becken]

bump!

[PapayaVagina]

Holy cow! I just need to sub so that I can remember where this thread is

I'm getting started on dairy and water kefir and will be picking up some kombucha SCOBY this week! Yay!

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by manoj_2002

Very informative and eye opening thread, but after reading all the posts, I am totally confused.
Can someone please answer some of my basic questions:

1. From what I understand, we have to make 2 separate yogurts to capture most of the good bacteria. Now where do I buy the yogurt starters? Can you please also give me the specific names?
2. Are the freeze dried starters any good?

Goodpapa and many make separate yogurts to vary bacterial strains. But its not necessarily needed.

Yes, both Yogourmet and Natren are good starters. I've added bifidobacterium or acidophilus or Reuteri separately to my batches for high counts that I couldn't get from pills.

3. Is that correct to say we can make about 5 cycles of yogurt (using previous cycle's yogurt) before using the starter again?

Personally I use fresh starter but that's just me.

4. What is the best milk to use? Pasteurized and Non-homogenized? Can we get it in the store?

Raw grass fed. Has omega 3's and doesn't have oxidized cholesterol. Otherwise organic grass fed pasteurized homogenzied next best bet.

5. Apart from Yogurt, what are the other sources I can get the good bacteria. I know this is a difficult question to answer. But if you suggest some products (sauerkraut?)and brand names etc, that will be great.
I know these are too many questions, but answers would help a lot of people like me.

I highly recommend Kefir (raw milk the best). It contains beneficial yeasts as well as lactobacillus. Lactobacillus is very helpful for the digestion but it actually is a very small part (1% or less) of your gut flora. If you are having problems, best to include other strains for maximum effect.

There are Kefir grains that are renewable (and you can eat them too, your own personal probiotic factory!
http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html

Or powder:
http://www.mercola.com/forms/kefir.htm

Yogourmet makes a Kefir powder too but I haven't tried it.

Sauerkraut yes indeed, one of the best for L. Plantarum. Must not be pasteurized. I forget brands, there might be a thread in Traditional Foods, you can start one asking for recs if not.

Get the book "Nourishing Traditions" to learn how to make many different kinds of probiotic foods such as pickled cucumbers and red peppers (my favorite, search on my name for recipe). And why they are good for you, aid digestion, boost immune system, etc.

Fermented ketchup is great too, I just posted a recipe in recent ketchup thread in N&GE forum. Also can make other dairy ferments such as villi or fil mojik (sp?). And fermented beverages such as lacto fermented sodas, kombucha, water kefir, etc. etc. Traditional diets have also included probiotic foods for good health and yummy eating, they have died off in our horribly processed modern food culture.

You are welcome, sorry I didn't see until now! (hope you are around.)

[JaneS]

I get my freeze dried Yogourmet starter at Whole Foods but I've seen it many places online. Lucy's Kitchen Shop for ex. Never had a batch fail.

Natren's starter is in some stores on west coast or online at www.natren.com. I happen to be on a Natren kick right now b/c they have the super strains DDS-1 Acidophilus and LB something or other Bulgaricus.

[Lady Lilya]

subbing and bumping

[goodearthmama]

I didn't read through all 25 pages, but I did read something the other night that I did not know and thought was a great tidbit of info:

Your child receives 80-85% of their probiotic bacteria when they pass through the mother's birth canal during natural childbirth. The remaining 15-20% is acquired through the child's environment (soil-based org. in food & natural environment or probiotic supplements, etc.)

WOW! Just one more reason to advocate a natural birth!!

Also, after reading that, I am researching how to really boost up my personal probiotic count and intestinal flora before I give birth to my first this July(or June). I will post a thread soon about it when I know more!! or anyone else knowledgeable about this-let me know!!

[Love_Cyber_Cat]

Hello!
After reading this wonderful thread I still have a question- can you believe it?
Is it OK to feed 8 1/2 mo baby with homemade yougurt? She is going through stomach virus and i would love to help her immune system fight it off, it seems she is doing better but then in a few days she starts puking again. She is EBF with just a few solids here and there- nothing big...
Thanks!

[snuffles]

Yet another newbie here with questions.

I would like to give my 5 and 2 yr old probiotics for off and on yeast problems (they got from me.. I have always struggled with it.) They both have loose stools. I would also like something for myself (and I am nursing a 7 mo baby.)

I discovered Three-lac at amazon.com and it intrigues me. Has anyone tried it? It seems so expensive, and I would like to find something that would work for less but I am willing to try three-lac if it's the best.

Thoughts?

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by goodearthmama

Also, after reading that, I am researching how to really boost up my personal probiotic count and intestinal flora before I give birth to my first this July(or June). I will post a thread soon about it when I know more!! or anyone else knowledgeable about this-let me know!!

Please do link to your post. I think a number of things can effect vaginal flora, including probiotics we eat like the strongest versions of homemade yogurt and kefir. Possibly using super strains of yogurt bacteria like Natren's. And including bifidobacteria in your pg regime since it will be over 90% of a healthy babe's flora. Avoiding antibiotics is definitely a must.

I'm also thinking that some of the allergy doctors advice I've come across to supplement babes immediately right after birth with bifidobacterium makes a lot of sense.

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by mat4mel

Yet another newbie here with questions.

I would like to give my 5 and 2 yr old probiotics for off and on yeast problems (they got from me.. I have always struggled with it.) They both have loose stools. I would also like something for myself (and I am nursing a 7 mo baby.)

I discovered Three-lac at amazon.com and it intrigues me. Has anyone tried it? It seems so expensive, and I would like to find something that would work for less but I am willing to try three-lac if it's the best.

Thoughts?

There are a few threads around on it, have you searched? Personally I would go with homemade kefir for the beneficial yeasts and high counts. Raw milk dairy kefir stopped my thrush while bf'ing. You can make dairy or water kefir.

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by Love_Cyber_Cat

Hello!
After reading this wonderful thread I still have a question- can you believe it?
Is it OK to feed 8 1/2 mo baby with homemade yougurt? She is going through stomach virus and i would love to help her immune system fight it off, it seems she is doing better but then in a few days she starts puking again. She is EBF with just a few solids here and there- nothing big...
Thanks!

Maybe, it's really individual. If she has had digestive and gut flora problems it could lead to allergic reaction but if not it's fine. Yogurt predigests the proteins so really it makes sense for yogurt to be the first introduction to dairy for a babe. You can also take the probiotics yourself, there's really nothing better than healthy breastmilk for the digestive system. I think at her age she probably still needs bifidobacterium and maybe L. Reuteri and L. acidophilus will help combat the crisis.

Vitamin A is also excellent at treating viruses (standard measles treatment) get some high vitamin cod liver oil and take a tablespoon yourself, she will get the A thru your milk.

[cohsmama]

Help. Please!

I started doing kefir about 2 weeks ago. I gave my dd and ds kefir twice since then. My daughter developed a stomach ache 5 days ago. For 2 days it was just stomach ache. Then, she developed a fever and has been doing cold/flu symptoms with a major sore tummy. Is there any chance that I gave her some germ-y kefir?

I had one day where the kefir smelled like acetone. I dumped it, rinsed it and have been kefiring successfully since then. She hasn't eaten it since before that day. My ds is fine and I am fine.

Thanks for helping me figure this out.

Ann

[TushasAmi]

Dairy free?

I started reading this thread a few weeks ago and was getting excited to make my own yougurt and then figured out that dd is sensitive to dairy. So then I thought I could make water kefir using the Body Ecology kefir starter powder. However, I emailed them and they told me that their starters are cultered on dairy and therefore are obviously not dairy-free.

What are my options for homemade probiotic foods that are dairy-free? and what starter can I use?

Thanks for any help you can give me. I'm eager to get started!

-Heather

[PapayaVagina]

Originally Posted by TushasAmi

I started reading this thread a few weeks ago and was getting excited to make my own yougurt and then figured out that dd is sensitive to dairy. So then I thought I could make water kefir using the Body Ecology kefir starter powder. However, I emailed them and they told me that their starters are cultered on dairy and therefore are obviously not dairy-free.

What are my options for homemade probiotic foods that are dairy-free? and what starter can I use?

Thanks for any help you can give me. I'm eager to get started!

-Heather

You could do water kefir grains

[TushasAmi]

Originally Posted by PapayaVagina

You could do water kefir grains

Great! Thank you. Any suggestions about which ones and where to find them?

[PapayaVagina]

Originally Posted by TushasAmi

Great! Thank you. Any suggestions about which ones and where to find them?

Here's a thread where you can post for people to send you some

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=517191

[TushasAmi]

Originally Posted by PapayaVagina

Here's a thread where you can post for people to send you some

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=517191

Thanks a lot! I hadn't ventured over to the tradional foods forum yet. Lots of good info there!

[WuWei]

Bumping to read more.

Pat

[WuWei]

[naturalmom08]

Originally Posted by goodearthmama

I didn't read through all 25 pages, but I did read something the other night that I did not know and thought was a great tidbit of info:

Your child receives 80-85% of their probiotic bacteria when they pass through the mother's birth canal during natural childbirth. The remaining 15-20% is acquired through the child's environment (soil-based org. in food & natural environment or probiotic supplements, etc.)

WOW! Just one more reason to advocate a natural birth!!

Also, after reading that, I am researching how to really boost up my personal probiotic count and intestinal flora before I give birth to my first this July(or June). I will post a thread soon about it when I know more!! or anyone else knowledgeable about this-let me know!!

Came across this old post today, and wondered if anyone else had any more info on this. This is the first I've heard about this. I know babies get probiotics through breastmilk, but hadn't heard about getting it during natural birth. And what about other births (with meds administered) causes the babies to not get probiotics during birth?

Also to add, for those of you asking about what to give young babies, I've always given my 9 mo. old dd a probiotic...natrogen or Jarrowdophilus, or Primadophilus for kids. I don't give more than the suggested amount, but have given due to antibiotics (she's had 2 surgeries), and flu season. Interesting tidbit as well...did you know that about 70% of our immune system is related to our guts? Good reason to take a probiotic.