Where to find Acidophilus in Germany

[EmmaJean]

My friend just moved to Ramstein and really needs some acidophilus but is hesitant to go out searching for it. She's going to go to the local German pharmacy and ask, but is just afraid she'll need a prescription for it or something. I don't think so, but I was just wondering if anyone has some good ideas for her, brands to look for, specific words to use, etc??? I told her to bring a bottle of her old stuff to show the pharmacist and he/she should know what she's talking about. Is there anything like an American "health food store" (a German word for that? She's missing her "Whole Foods/Wild Oats"!) or is it all just at the regular grocery store? I feel like these are stupid questions, but I just have to ask! I spent 8 yrs of my life in Germany but didn't care about "natural" stuff as a kid! :)

TIA! ANY info would be appreciated!!

Emily

[Hollycrand]

I don't know how 'crunchy' NordRhein-Westfallen is, but if your friend is looking for Whole foods type of things, she should try to find a BIO laden or Reformhaus in Kaiserslautern or any other of the larger towns/cities out there.
Because there is such a huge US military population out there, I think your friend could probably just bring in the box of what she's looking for into the pharmacy and ask. The pharmacies usually have competant staff, and they can usually suggest (expertly) an alternative medication if what you need is unavailable.

Could she also special order it from the US to be sent to her APO address? Most of the 'crunchy' US mamas affiliated with the military do that.

Good luck

[UlrikeDG]

Acidophilus is a specific type of probiotic. I got different strains. I purchased them at a variety of Apotheka (did I spell that right?) without a prescription. I can't remember the name of the stuff I usually got. I'll have to look it up later, as it will take some digging for me to figure out where I posted about it (I'm on IL's computer, so I don't have access to all the info I gathered on probiotics while I was living in Germany). I do know that VSL#3 is available in Germany. You can order it at the pharmacy or online. Try http://www.vsl3.com/ for more info in english and http://www.vsl3.de/ to order in Germany.

I have to run. DH is calling from downstairs (going to look for a house!), but I'll try to find my old posts on probiotics and give you more details later today/tomorrow.

[EmmaJean]

Thanks for the info, Ulrike and Holly. Please post again if you find any of your old info, Ulrike!

[LailaCA]

Hi all.

1) What do you use it for?

2) I am bringing Nux Vomica with me definitely. I am thinking of asking one of my local whole foods...if I need to order from Germany...if I may do so...and have it shipped to me. I hope they will accomodate.\


How is access to organic veggies and fruits? What about meat?

[EmmaJean]

hi laila. I can't answer your other questions, but the acidoph. is for thrush.

have fun!

[Plaid Leopard]

There are lots of Naturkostladens and Reformhaus where natural and organic foods are available. ALso, in many areas it is possible to have organic produce, dairy products, bread and cheese delivered to your house.

Is Ramstein in Saarland? (I really should know this - in any case it is not far from where I live) if so www.martinshof.de is a delivery service for Saarland, parts of Belgium, Luxembourg and France.

Most Apotheke carry homeopathic remedies - and sometimes will have a homeopath working there as well who can give you info on various remedies.

[UlrikeDG]

OK, thus far, no luck on finding my old post. All my other info is saved on my computer, which I can't access right now, and probably won't be able to until September at the earliest. (All our stuff is in storage until we get a house.)

I cannot remember the name of the probiotic I liked. However, I can tell you how to find probiotics. I didn't see any at the Reformhaus or other HFS in Heidelberg, I only found it at the Apotheke. Just ask the pharmasist for:

Saccharomyces boulardii, a probiotic yeast, which is especially effective in preventing thrust during antibiotics and in preventing/treating diarrhea. It is sold in the US as Florastor (http://www.florastor.com/), and it is even more widely available in Germany. Novartis sells one brand of it, which was less expensive. Biocodex, the company that makes Florastor, also sells it in Germany under a different name.
Lactobacillus, a family of probiotic bacteria which often get lumps together as acidophilus, which is actually a specific strain of Lactobacillus. Novartis sells a combination of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria that was relatively inexpensive. I used this a lot when we lived in Germany. There may be other brands available as well.
Bifidobacterium is another family of probiotic bacteria. You could try asking for this as well, although it's usually sold in combination with one or more lactobacillus strains.

Also, Lactobacillus GG (LGG), the strain sold in the US as Culturelle (http://www.culturelle.com/index.jsp), is available in Germany in a yogurt drink called EmmiFit (http://www.emmi.ch/index/emmi-weltweit-ix/emmi-weltweit/emmi-weltweit-germany/emmi-weltweit-germany-emmifit.htm), which I purchased at Aldi and Familia Centre. Oh, cool! While looking for that link, I found LGG capsules on a German website (http://www.dr-hagen.de/fwa/themata/nahrungplus/lgg/), which means you may be able to get those at your local Apotheke as well. They weren't available in Germany the last time I looked!

Danactive (http://danactive.com/) is sold as Actimel (http://www.actimel.de/) in Germany. I also found do-it-yourself yogurt and kefir packets at my local HFS in Heidelberg. Yogurts and Kefir contain a much higher concentration of good bacteria than you can get in a mere capsule, but they contain different strains of bacteria, which tend to be more transient. I did a combination of yogurt drinks like EmmiFit and capsules like those from Novartis.

Also, the pharmacist can recommend homeopathic & other OTC remedies for thrush.

[LailaCA]

Anyone know if there are organic shops (reformhauser) in the Schweinfurt and Wurzburg areas?

How are German schools with children who are not vaccinated?

[UlrikeDG]

You can search for a Reformhaus in your town on their website. http://www.reformhaus.de/branche/reformhaeuser.htm The one in Heidelberg didn't have any organic produce, just some organic dairy, plus herbs, etc. I believe the organic grocery store was called the Fuhlhorn? Something like that. IdentityCrisisMama should be able to tell you, if you ask her. It had tons of stuff, including my favorite wool soakers (which they stopped carrying a year ago), organic produce, meat, milk alternatives, natural cosmetics, etc.

There was also an organic farm that would deliver fresh produce to your home. And, Aldi carried some organic foods as well. So, shop around. Bio foods seemed to be very popular in Germany.

[EmmaJean]

thank you ulrike for your info, it is just what I needed. I really appreciate it!!!

[UlrikeDG]

No problem. And, I finally remembered the name of the German probiotic: Omniflora! There are 2 of them, one bacterial, and one probiotic yeast.