Probiotics

[JulesRules]

Is there a need to supplement probiotics while eating a raw diet? If any of you do so, how do you.

When I was eating kefir, I never thought about it...but not eating it now since going raw.

Jules

[cashewy]

coconut water kefir...yum:)

[Lavendula]

It doesn't seem like you would need to, unless you are or have taken lots of
antibiotics. I've always eaten lots of plain yogurt, so I don't really think I have much of a candida problem, but now I need to make sure too. There are many fermented raw foods that should do the same for the intestinal flora: sauerkraut, kimchee, kombucha tea, or the homemade fermented grain water( someone else might know how to do it, I don't). If you have or think you have a candida problem, get a stool analysis, or blood cell analysis, or just eat fermented foods regularly.

[virginia]

I generally keep spectrabiotic capsules on hand, and use them when I feel the need, but mostly use them to add to my raw food creations to culture them. I soak almonds and/or sunflower seeds, blend them, add the probiotics as a starter and sometimes add vegetables and make fermented cheeses, loaves and burgers with them. Also can chop or blend cabbage (I just put it through the juicer and add the juice and pulp together, I don't add salt or anything else usually except maybe empty a spectrabiotic capsule into it, put it in a glass jar with a loose lid, let it ferment for awhile and then keep it in the refrigerator. I get my bifidus, acidophilus or (usually) spectrabiotic from simplexityhealth.com for which I am a distributor. Virginia Sustarsic

[Nurse in the Raw]

I drink coconut water kefir in my green smoothies every morning.

[bodaflower]

Whoa..how do you go about making coconut water kefir?


I remember reading that if you take probiotics, a good amount of them are usually destroyed in the stomach before they can reach the rest of your digestive organs where they are really needed. That's why I take them through the other way..i break up 2 or 3 capsules in my enema water :)

[Lavendula]

If you take probiotics on an empty stomach, the more will reach the intestines. Or make sure they are enteric coated so the stomach acid does not destroy them before reaching the gut. Also make sure you are getting them with the bifidum bacteria that will take up residence.

[Frecs]

I drink Kombucha. :)

As to whether the stomach kills them before they get to the intestine, let's think about that a minute. Our intestinal function depends...yes, depends...on microbes living in our gut. Clearly this indicates that our stomach does not kill them (in any signifigant percentage) on the way to where they live. No, they won't take up residence in our stomachs, but they seem to pass through without much trouble. Of course, that means that both good and bad microbes are passing through. The key to health is to have as many of the "good guys" living in your intestine as possible. You do this by: a) taking in probiotics (via fermented foods) and b) eating prebiotics (food for the microbes: fruits, veggies, grains -- fiber).

So, what can you eat that has probiotics that also suit a raw vegan lifestyle? raw saurkraut, kimchee, kombucha, certain types of kefir. You should have one of these daily. And, since there are different types of probiotics in different types of fermented foods, you should consider variety your friend.

Book recommendation: "The Probiotics Revolution" by Gary B Huffnagle, PhD. This dude is an actual honest to God research scientist (immunologist and microbiologist) who researches and teaches this stuff. He cites real research papers that have appeared in peer-reviewed journals. This is as legit as it gets and it's good info written in an understandable manner. I love the way he describes how probiotics work within the immune system--great illustrative prose!

[Lavendula]

[QUOTE=Frecs;327137]I drink Kombucha. :)

I do think she was asking about taking probiotic supplements. The best way is of course through fermented food ,YES, love it. I understand that the friendly bacteria that will take up residence in the gut are not the same as the ones in the stomach, I wasn't suggesting that they would take up residence in the stomach. Again, I think she was asking about a pill supplement, and I was answering the best I could. But really, unless candida is really an issue, non should be needed, anyway. Now the fermented food is a whole different story, and more fun to eat.

[JulesRules]

thanks for all of the info...I look forward to learning more about fermenting foods to include in my diet...

I am a newbie and would prefer to get all of my nutrients, probiotics....through diet, but don't know how yet...so keep the info coming and many thanks...

Jules:o

[Zella Juice]

i can't remember which site I got mine from. Just do a search for "Kefir Starter kit" they send you the kefir grains and you mix it with milk (usually Almond or Cashew) or coconut water and cover it and leave on the counter for 24 hours to culture. Then you can put it in the fridge.

I mixed some with a small amount of juice and it tasted like soda pop.