As promised the long awaited article on the benefits fermented foods and even that has challenged me in getting the benefits across without writing the dead sea scrolls.
So, I have split this into two parts as well, this and next week, and have concentrated the communications on Kefir and Kombucha. The content is based on factual research and also my own personal experience as I take both every day and have benefitted enormously. It just so happens that I make both and can supply these to you just as I have with other patients who are also seeing huge benefits.
So here we go:
Fermented Foods, Part 1 – Kefir:
Lots of articles are popping up about reasons you should consume kefir, but few of the people writing the articles have actually consumed kefir every day, this post is specifically talking about Milk Kefir and not Water Kefir. My reasons for consuming kefir are very personal and specific to me but here is what I've noticed coupled with significant research from highly accredited sources. Whatever your ailment, kefir seems to address the problem on an individual basis and when people comment, "I no longer need my inhaler for asthma since drinking Kefir", "Kefir improved my kidney function”, “My liver was damaged from hepatitis C and since taking Kefir it has become fully healthy again" Everybody who takes Kefir has a different experience, nothing guaranteed, but I am constantly amazed at the positive reports on taking Kefir with little or no negative comments.
I am a firm believer that Kefir is not just a food, but rather a healer.
So what is Kefir?:
Kefir is a fermented drink / yoghurt traditionally made from milk and originated thousands of years ago in the mountains of the North Caucasus region of Russia, as well as in Tibet and Mongolia. People began producing and consuming Kefir more widely during the 19th century.
Interestingly, the Kefir “grains”, the bacteria and yeast used in the fermentation process, only occur naturally and can’t be produced artificially. This means that the grains used to make Kefir today are direct descendants of those first discovered thousands of years ago and are truly a natural product.
Despite the name, Kefir grains are not grains in the usual sense. They’re actually a collection of bacteria, yeast, and other microorganisms that are all clumped together and look a bit like cauliflower or cottage cheese. This is the culture used in the fermentation process and to make the finished food.
The microorganisms in kefir grains are symbiotic, meaning they can exist together without the need for other food. However, when kefir grains are added to milk, the bacteria and yeast use it as food and multiply and this starts the process of fermentation. The probiotics, or “good” bacteria, in kefir are part of the reason it may have health benefits and
Some mass-produced Kefir products use bacteria and yeasts extracted from Kefir Grains rather than the grains themselves, this reduces the number and diversity of probiotics in the kefir but gives the product it’s shelf life. Not nearly as good as locally made and distributed “pure” Kefir.
Reasons that Kefir is good for you:
Kefir Lowers Blood Pressure:
Kefir has been found to work on an enzyme in the stomach, much like an ACE inhibitor drug will do, to lower blood pressure naturally and much the same as Statins do, but without the horrendous side effects. It also reduces inflammation throughout the body and more and more studies are finding that probiotic-fermented milk has blood-pressure-lowering effects in pre-hypertensive and hypertensive patients.
Kefir Lowers Blood Sugar:
Many studies are confirming that altered gut biome are present in humans and animals with obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, and hypertension. Growing research suggests that people who are obese, and resistant to insulin, have microbes in their gut that are different from the microbes of healthy people. There is evidence to suggest, that feeding probiotics and prebiotics to those with diabetes-related obesity and metabolic disorders can dramatically reduce insulin resistance, restore glucose sensitivity, and lower blood pressure and weight by altering their gut flora and encouraging the right kind of microbes to thrive and grow.
Kefir and Acid Reflux:
Patients who have terrible acid reflux have reported that by taking Kefir, not only did it stop their acid reflux so they wouldn't have to take antacids every day, but it also normalized and restored balance to their gut. People are unaware that many and prescription drugs destroy certain bacteria we need to keep acid reflux in check. It's becoming quite common, and more and more people are getting reflux due to this particular bacteria being destroyed. Martin J. Blaser, M.D., talks more about this in his book Missing Microbes. We don't realize how we affect the inner workings of so many functions in the body by destroying needed microbes with antibiotics, Kefir helps correct this.
Kefir and Allergies:
When you have hay fever or any other allergic reaction, your immune system is overreacting to a substance it shouldn't react to. Our immune system must distinguish between "allies" that can be beneficial to our health and "enemies" that can have harmful effects. The trillions of bacteria that live in our gut help to determine this recognition and when it fails, an immune response occurs. Restoring beneficial bacteria strains in the biome allows the body to function as it should. A study was done with 60 hay fever sufferers who were given daily drinks containing Lactobacillus Casei (this is found in Kefir), those who received the probiotic drink saw changes in allergic inflammation in their nasal lining, as well as changes in their blood that are associated with an immune response. Many things influence your seasonal allergies, and it has as much to do with what you shouldn't eat as well as what you should be adding to your diet and staying away from inflammatory foods is crucial.
Kefir Detoxes and Keeps Balance:
Kefir boosts the immune system but it is also a very powerful detoxifier. With more than fifty good strains of microbes, it will colonize the body, remove pathogens, and re-establish the proper balance of strains of microbes throughout the biome and the rest of the body. This includes keeping the Candida yeast in its proper place, one of the fastest ways to get a yeast overgrowth is by taking an antibiotic. The connection between healthy gut flora and allergies was directly shown in a study by immunologist Gary Huffnagle and his colleagues at the University of Michigan. In this experiment, a group of mice was given antibiotics in an effort to disturb the natural bacteria levels in their systems. After the bacteria were killed off, the scientists threw off the balance of the microbiome even more by feeding the mice the yeast Candida Albicans. The resulting low bacteria-high yeast ratio approximates the conditions of having a yeast infection, which is a sure sign of a gut imbalance. This group of mice and a control group were then exposed to spores of the mold Aspergillus Fumigatus and to egg white protein, two substances known to cause allergic reactions. The mice in the control group, whose gut bacteria were undisturbed, had a much milder reaction to the allergens than those that had been treated with antibiotics, which was severe. Having lots of kefir will help you keep the biome balanced and will also help with liver function by assisting the liver in detoxification.
Kefir Lowers Cholesterol:
It has been noted and reported by patients that their cholesterol started improving when they began to eat fermented foods. In fact, their good cholesterol rose quite significantly and Doctors were really surprised how good their numbers were. It's very interesting thing to understand how all of this works: Beneficial microbes bring down cholesterol levels as they grow in the intestinal tract, they then consume some of the cholesterol that is present, incorporating it into their own cells and thereby the bad cholesterol becomes unavailable for absorption from the intestine into the bloodstream, naturally lowering total cholesterol.
Kefir's Calming Effect on the Central Nervous System:
Kefir contains many vitamins, minerals, and enzymes: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamins B, B2, B3, B6, B12, folic acid, vitamin K, vitamin A, and vitamin D. Two cups of kefir will contain all the B12 you need in a day. Kefir also contains a lot of Amino Acids: Tryptophan is one of the essential Amino Acids abundant in kefir and is known for its relaxing effect on the nervous system. These complete proteins contained in Kefir are partially digested and therefore more easily utilized by the body. Kefir also has an abundance of calcium and magnesium and due to this rich supply of important minerals has a particularly calming effect on the nerves and Central Nervous System.
These are just a few of the many things Kefir can do and has done for me. I'm not just spouting facts and studies, I've lived these experiences, seen first hand the benefits and I’m passionate to tell others about them. When you make Kefir you just know that it is so much more than you can imagine, a natural healing agent with the billions of microbes in each glass just waiting to help you.
Kefir can only do this if you give it a chance: do the research and then contact me to talk about the ways in which it can help you.
If you would like to try the benefits of Kefir and Kombucha, contact me NOW as I might well be able to supply you with my own totally natural organic products.
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