Do you suffer with stomach issues like I did? Explosive bowels and bloating after eating?
Did you know Water Kefir is one of the easiest ways to grow your own probiotic, and this is what fixed my stomach after years of issues.
Due to the benefits of fermentation for the health of your gut I began my research about 5 years ago when my daughter was between 6 and 12 months old. Her digestion was in question as I found that when I gave her food she was not digesting properly. I knew this because her poo was not right. Yes we are going to talk about poo. After all the research I did, what kept coming into my awareness was Kefir. As this had 32 strains of good bacteria available I couldn't find a comparable product at the chemist or health food shop. Being a Gen X my first go to was to search the local shops for this Kefir and try and get my hands on the grains. At the time I searched high and low and came up empty. So I had to widen my search to ONLINE, this was a new experience for me and had me out of my comfort zone. BUT I spoke to a wonderful lady named Marg Blackney and she shared her knowledge with me and sent me some Water Kefir and Milk Kefir grains and the rest as they say is history.
I found that cultures have been traditionally fermenting foods for taste, preservation and health for years.
So why have we stopped fermenting food?
The benefits of fermentation have been slowly taken away from the next generation and the problems associated with lack of fermented foods are piling up. We have lost the knowledge over the last 30 - 40 years as commercial production of all fermented and preserved foods has made us lazy, and relieved us of the need to know how to. Refrigeration and importation of fresh fruit and vegetables has also added to this by taking away the need to preserve our food. This has led to a lack of consumption of these fermented products as we didn't even know how beneficial they really were till now.
What is Fermentation?
Fermentation happens when carbohydrates convert to alcohols, carbon dioxide and natural acids due to the presence of some form of bacteria or yeast, it is a process known as lacto-fermentation. When done in a certain way with beneficial bacteria, these foods and drinks can have a number of benefits such as boosting the amount of beneficial bacteria in the gut, which in turn can support effective digestion and absorption of nutrients from the food you eat. Traditionally fermented foods also have good levels of food enzymes and B-vitamins, great for supporting the bodies energy levels and dealing with stress. Plus they taste great!
I found all the proof I needed by just giving Kefir a go.
Did you know Water Kefir is one of the easiest ways to grow your own probiotic, and this is what fixed my stomach after years of issues.
Due to the benefits of fermentation for the health of your gut I began my research about 5 years ago when my daughter was between 6 and 12 months old. Her digestion was in question as I found that when I gave her food she was not digesting properly. I knew this because her poo was not right. Yes we are going to talk about poo. After all the research I did, what kept coming into my awareness was Kefir. As this had 32 strains of good bacteria available I couldn't find a comparable product at the chemist or health food shop. Being a Gen X my first go to was to search the local shops for this Kefir and try and get my hands on the grains. At the time I searched high and low and came up empty. So I had to widen my search to ONLINE, this was a new experience for me and had me out of my comfort zone. BUT I spoke to a wonderful lady named Marg Blackney and she shared her knowledge with me and sent me some Water Kefir and Milk Kefir grains and the rest as they say is history.
I found that cultures have been traditionally fermenting foods for taste, preservation and health for years.
So why have we stopped fermenting food?
The benefits of fermentation have been slowly taken away from the next generation and the problems associated with lack of fermented foods are piling up. We have lost the knowledge over the last 30 - 40 years as commercial production of all fermented and preserved foods has made us lazy, and relieved us of the need to know how to. Refrigeration and importation of fresh fruit and vegetables has also added to this by taking away the need to preserve our food. This has led to a lack of consumption of these fermented products as we didn't even know how beneficial they really were till now.
What is Fermentation?
Fermentation happens when carbohydrates convert to alcohols, carbon dioxide and natural acids due to the presence of some form of bacteria or yeast, it is a process known as lacto-fermentation. When done in a certain way with beneficial bacteria, these foods and drinks can have a number of benefits such as boosting the amount of beneficial bacteria in the gut, which in turn can support effective digestion and absorption of nutrients from the food you eat. Traditionally fermented foods also have good levels of food enzymes and B-vitamins, great for supporting the bodies energy levels and dealing with stress. Plus they taste great!
I found all the proof I needed by just giving Kefir a go.
| So now I am going to share with you the 6 benefits I found while on my journey of growing my own probiotics (Water Kefir). |  |
1. It's a whole food
Firstly growing my own meant I was growing the product from it's source. So since we are all doing our best to go back to whole food eating I thought this is was great start. With this I also enjoyed knowing what was in it.
2. 32 strains of good bacteria.
Knowing there was 32 strains of good bacteria compared to the 4 found in the inner health product from the pharmacy I had used before, meant I felt I was going to create a bigger and faster change in my gut health than what I had previously experienced. I was right by the way, after 2 weeks on Kefir I noticed a conciderable change to my bowel movements and found that my gut health was defiantly on the improve.
3. Regular movements
Yes again I am talking about poo. The first 2 weeks were a little interesting, but I stuck with it. I found that my stomach was making adjustments and there was lots of growling and gassy movements going on. After the 2 weeks, I found that it was easier and more regular. There was no degree of difficulty and I was beginning to go at the same times each day, a couple of times. I had never felt this good about the whole toileting thing. My life had changed forever.
4. Helping my daughter
Kefir fixed my daughters inability to digest food properly. I started her off on about 2 teaspoons per day for a week and gradually worked her up to 1/2 a cup twice a day. With in 2-3 weeks her poo was normal and her stomach was not experiencing the gassy, runny symptoms from before. I could tell she was more comfortable and I was more comfortable knowing that her poo was looking the way babies poo should look.
5. Delicious to drink.
You can mix it in with any beverage of your choice, I liked to put it in with the kids green smoothies. It also tastes great on its own or if you do a second ferment with some ginger and lemon.
6. Best of all, it's FREE!!
Apart from the initial cost of set up with the grains, sugar and bicarb soda it is a fantastic way to grow your own high potency probiotic for FREE!!
Kefir has changed the life of my whole family. I have shared the grains on with friends and family and we are all enjoying far better gut health than before. I can not recommend this little symbiotic organism more highly, it is just fantastic.
Here at Light of wellness we just love to share our knowledge with all who seek it. If you would like to know more about Kefir and how to grow your own high potency probiotics, then you may like to join us on the 30th of April in Buderim for a small workshop we are running along with Hannah Ubl - The Raw Model. Kefir, Kombucha and Kimchi are on the menu. Here is the link our web page where you can access all the information. http://www.lightofwellness.com/fermented-food-workshop.html
Please leave your comments and questions below, I look forward to hearing from you.
Love and light
Nat
Firstly growing my own meant I was growing the product from it's source. So since we are all doing our best to go back to whole food eating I thought this is was great start. With this I also enjoyed knowing what was in it.
2. 32 strains of good bacteria.
Knowing there was 32 strains of good bacteria compared to the 4 found in the inner health product from the pharmacy I had used before, meant I felt I was going to create a bigger and faster change in my gut health than what I had previously experienced. I was right by the way, after 2 weeks on Kefir I noticed a conciderable change to my bowel movements and found that my gut health was defiantly on the improve.
3. Regular movements
Yes again I am talking about poo. The first 2 weeks were a little interesting, but I stuck with it. I found that my stomach was making adjustments and there was lots of growling and gassy movements going on. After the 2 weeks, I found that it was easier and more regular. There was no degree of difficulty and I was beginning to go at the same times each day, a couple of times. I had never felt this good about the whole toileting thing. My life had changed forever.
4. Helping my daughter
Kefir fixed my daughters inability to digest food properly. I started her off on about 2 teaspoons per day for a week and gradually worked her up to 1/2 a cup twice a day. With in 2-3 weeks her poo was normal and her stomach was not experiencing the gassy, runny symptoms from before. I could tell she was more comfortable and I was more comfortable knowing that her poo was looking the way babies poo should look.
5. Delicious to drink.
You can mix it in with any beverage of your choice, I liked to put it in with the kids green smoothies. It also tastes great on its own or if you do a second ferment with some ginger and lemon.
6. Best of all, it's FREE!!
Apart from the initial cost of set up with the grains, sugar and bicarb soda it is a fantastic way to grow your own high potency probiotic for FREE!!
Kefir has changed the life of my whole family. I have shared the grains on with friends and family and we are all enjoying far better gut health than before. I can not recommend this little symbiotic organism more highly, it is just fantastic.
Here at Light of wellness we just love to share our knowledge with all who seek it. If you would like to know more about Kefir and how to grow your own high potency probiotics, then you may like to join us on the 30th of April in Buderim for a small workshop we are running along with Hannah Ubl - The Raw Model. Kefir, Kombucha and Kimchi are on the menu. Here is the link our web page where you can access all the information. http://www.lightofwellness.com/fermented-food-workshop.html
Please leave your comments and questions below, I look forward to hearing from you.
Love and light
Nat
A picture of my kitchen bench these days. Five years on and I have diversified a little as I want to enjoy the benefits of all the different strains of good bacteria available to us. Here we are growing milk and water Kefir, and Kombucha. My family love them. My pet name for them are my "BUDDIES" as you may find they are like having a pet, they need love and attention to grow.
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