I'm cookoo for Water Kefir!

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:45 am

Is anyone here drinking water kefir? I started making it a week and a half ago, and along with a strict elimination diet, I've managed to banish 70% of my autoimmune skin rash! Hooray!! I'm still on low-dose prednisone, so there is a long road ahead, but I am simply amazed by my swift progress.

I wanted to share this because I've had issues reacting to probiotic pills in the past, as well as to kombucha, but this seems different. It might be the mix of microbes, I think Kombucha has more yeast and ferments longer, creating more histamines. I was able to drink water kefir by the cup from day 1 with only minimal GI effects (but note that prednisone might have tempered the reaction). Some people start with a few tablespoons to ease into it.

I'm sharing because I know many here want to use probiotics, but pill forms aren't the best because of dairy, quality, price, etc. Water kefir is costing me pennies per quart!! In a week I think I've radically altered my gut flora. My BMs look and smell totally different, and that's good!!

I bought my "grains" live from Keysands.com out of Minnesota and they made perfect water kefir on day 1. I start a new batch every 48 hours. If you have to travel, they can keep in their sugar water in the fridge for up to 10 days, so don't worry about the babysitting duties. I'm hiding it in juice for my kids, but haven't convinced my hubby to try it yet. In due time!

Here's a description and some links.

Water kefir is a lacto-fermented beverage made with water kefir grains and sugar water. You would think that something made of sugar water would be overly sweet but that is not the case at all. The “grains” (called so for their appearance) feed on the sugar leaving it with an extremely mild sweetness.

Probiotics are good bacteria that help you keep a healthy gut. While it is thought to be not as strong, it contains a greater number of bacterial strains than are found in kombucha. These good bacteria help us to digest our food, prevent allergies, boost our immune system, and overall keep our body healthy. Since many probiotic supplements are not reliable we choose to get our probiotics through fermented foods – and water kefir is a great way to do that!

Increased Immunity!
That’s right, probiotics help to boost your immune system. This means that you will get sick less often. That’s great as we are headed into back to school season.

It’s Easy
Not only is it easy, it’s frugal. You can buy your grains once and use them again and again. It’s very versatile allowing you to customize the flavors to better suit your families needs. The end result is bubbly making it a great alternative for soda.

To make your own water kefir you will need:

*Grains

*Mason jars (I re-use a large Bubbies pickle jar)

*plastic strainer

*spring water or well water

*unrefined organic cane sugar

*coffee filter or cloth and elastic band to cover the jar (otherwise fruit flies try to get in)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibicos

http://www.keysands.com/about-our-cultures/

http://www.keysands.com/water-kefir-strains/

http://www.culturesforhealth.com/water- ... stions-faq

http://www.culturesforhealth.com/water- ... mbucha-tea

Post by **tex** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 10:13 am

Zizzle,

Here's my theory (FWIW) of why the water kefir may be helping to stop the progression of your rash. This is strictly a WAEG, but I have a hunch that the product contains so many bacteria and yeast strains (without being totally toxic), that similar to helminth therapy, one or more aspects of it keeps your immune system distracted so that it can't concentrate on perpetuating the rash. It could be the Saccharomyces cerevisiae, for example, since you know that S. cerevisiae causes you to produce antibodies without clinical symptoms.

Or, I could be all wet.

Tex

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 11:14 am

Hmm...perhaps. My theory is that the mass amounts of new microbes has successfully crowded out or changed the proportions of some of the existing pathogenic organisms, and perhaps these new bugs are helping shore up the lining of my intestines? Less leaky gut? Perhaps these new microbes are allowing me to process nutrients I had trouble breaking down before? Interestingly, people with eczema seem to respond well to water kefir, even applied topically...

I see this is hitting a re-set button on whatever's been going on in my intestines, especially after nearly a year of prednisone. If this is my magic cure, it's the cheapest cure known to man!!

Interestingly, I hear it does wonders for seasonal allergies too, so maybe you have something there -- about immune system distraction. Whatever it is, it feels like healing!

mzh · Post by **mzh** » Wed Oct 23, 2013 6:29 pm

I wish someone would just sell it so I could try it w/o making it. LOL In any event, I hope this is the ticket for you!

gluten · Post by **gluten** » Thu Oct 24, 2013 11:32 am

Hi Zizzle, I like you theory about the multiple bacterias in the water. There are many more than any probiotic. I found the online company and sent them and e-mail asking what type of bottle to use. So for no reply. What type did you use? Does it need a vent? I remember what happened to the hard apple cider my friend was making. It leaked out of the cork after he added the bacterias. Jon

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Thu Oct 24, 2013 11:54 am

Jon,
I make mine in a recycled large pickle jar. I cover the top with a coffee filter with an elastic band around it (it has to breathe while brewing). I strain it into another jar - old spaghetti sauce jar (then drink the excess). If the jar lid is tight enough (mason jars, corked bottles,etc), it can build pressure and make a very bubbly drink, but it can also get explosive, so I let my old top vent a little (I can hear bubbles of air escaping). You can leave the made stuff on the counter for a "second ferment" and add fruits or juices, or you can keep in the fridge to slow the further fermentation. I vary it.

What's funny is I crave the drink all day now. I have it first thing in the morning, as soon as I come home from work, and a watered down glass in the late evening. Haven't played with too many flavorings yet, other than adding juice and water before drinking. I have added clementines, apricots and apples to the strained water kefir. I hear adding vanilla makes it taste like cream soda!

Are you ordering some grains?

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Thu Oct 24, 2013 1:36 pm

I sent a thank you message to Keysands, the people I ordered the kefir grains from, and got this response:

Hi there! :)

Thank you so much for contacting us. I would be more than happy to help answer any questions or concerns you may have. We're so glad to hear that your water kefir grains are doing so well and that you have had so much success with them! It warms our heart to read emails like this, as this is why we started selling water kefir in the first place. We wanted as many people as possible to be able to enjoy the benefits of water kefir, which is why we offer it at the price that we do. It sounds like your body has responded extremely well and is loving the nutrition that water kefir has to offer. The paleo diet worked wonders for me and my husband too, especially myself as I have some autoimmune issues too that have been relaxed since I was introduced to water kefir and reducing grains in our diet. It is absolutely phenomenally amazing how powerful diet can be when dealing with autoimmune issues. Have fun on your fermenting journey, and please let us know if you have any questions along the way. We're always here to help! Have a wonderful day!

Warmest regards,
The Keysands Family

Lesley · Post by **Lesley** » Thu Oct 24, 2013 8:34 pm

I have to try this! I wonder if it would affect the leaky esophagus that is giving me so much grief? I know the pro biotics are supposed to affect the gut, but maybe it would have some effect on this awful, painful problem.

gluten · Post by **gluten** » Fri Oct 25, 2013 11:15 am

Hi Zizzle, Yes, I am going to order some grains from "Keysands". Is you rash getting better? Jon

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Fri Oct 25, 2013 11:51 am

Is you rash getting better?

YES!! My rash is getting lighter every day. The erosions and sores on my back and chest are completely gone (and I couldn't wear a bra one week ago!). My back is only faintly pink, you can barely notice, unless I get out of a hot shower - then you can see where it's hiding waiting to pounce again! My chest has some redness still, and my knuckles still look pretty bad, but I hear they are the most stubborn parts. My face is almost completely clear - just some faint pink around the edges. Still some itching, but totally tolerable.

I do reckon my total gut transformation is probably complete. I have C!! Had some soft D when I started the Kefir due to the adjustment, but now the BMs are totally different. No BMs for 2 days, then a perfect norman today, very little odor. I don't even recognize the smell of my own flatulence!! I have someone else's guts!!

Of course, the autoimmune paleo diet might be playing a big role here too, but my gut tells me the water kefir is the biggest contributor.

Incidentally, this summer I was reading about the drastic differences in celiac, allergies and autoimmunity between scandinavian countries and their eastern block neighbors (with similar genetics and climates). The authors hypothesized that eastern block countries were less into cleanliness, more people lived near farms, etc. Now I'm learning that as a culture, they consume Kefir (milk and water) like crazy! They prize these beverages for their health promoting qualities. Duh!!

gluten · Post by **gluten** » Fri Oct 25, 2013 1:04 pm

Hi Zizzle, That is great news. I have tried the Paleo Diet and found it very difficult without any carbs. I had to constantly eat. I think my friends were complaining for some nice cheap carbs. Do you eat any complex carbs now? Jon

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Fri Oct 25, 2013 1:16 pm

I'm eating lots of sweet potatoes and squashes. Dates and pears and my sweets too. Interestingly, I'm not very hungry...at all. I find myself eating next to nothing for breakfast, a late lunch and a hearty dinner, and I don't crave much in between. This is very unlike me. I used to graze throughout the day. And this is at 15 mgs prednisone which causes most people to overeat and gain weight. I've lost 5 lbs since I started.

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Sat Oct 26, 2013 9:49 am

Jon, if you order grains from Keysands, get the fresh ones, not the dehydrated ones. There is a great group on Facebook called "I love Water Kefir" where you can all your questions answered, get ideas, see pics, etc.

I had my friends try it last night and they want to start making it. I'm adding eggshells and molasses to my grains now to encourage them to reproduce for my friends.

gluten · Post by **gluten** » Sat Oct 26, 2013 11:50 am

Zizzle, I ordered the grains from "Keysands" yesterday and recieved a notice that they were shipped. What type of egg shells white or brown, do you wash before and how many? Jon

Zizzle · Post by **Zizzle** » Sat Oct 26, 2013 8:56 pm

I didn't research it much, but I saw someone said they used pre-boiled shells so there is no bacteria, and so whatever the eggs might be coated with comes off, and so they can remove the inner lining. Egg shells are added for the calcium carbonate. I'm sure egg color doesn't matter. I added the equivalent of half an eggshell, if that, in small pieces.