kefir and vsl both

bump...

Thanks Eva Lou..ok what do you mean by alchoholic?? I dont drink at all!! and I defintely dont want a laxative..
I was going to buy kefir yogurt.

well, just that- kefir has a very low alcohol content, due to the fermentation process. I don't think you can classify it as an alcoholic beverage, so if you don't drink alcohol, I wouldn't let that stop you from pounding kefir! Right, when you make it at home, the probiotic strains & amount of bacteria is truly amazing- it's like billions & billions & billions. When you buy store bought, it's usually made from a starter culture, in powdered form. When you make it with the grains, it's an actual living organism. It's pretty neat stuff- it was a slow day at work, so I spent the bulk of it researching kefir! I think the laxative effect is extremely mild also- you wouldn't use it for that purpose. Check it out on the internt, you'll be so enthralled. Also, kefir & yogurt are 2 different products, not interchangeable.

I make yogurt at home. For the past couple of batches, I started adding a pouch of VSL#3 in the milk along with the culture. I am hoping that this way the bacteria in VSL#3 will grow in the yogurt. I have absolutely no idea whether it will work, but figured it's worth a try. What do you guys think?

I was making homemade kefir for a while some years back although I think it was a bit too acidic for my gut to tolerate- however it is indeed packed with a massive array of probiotics, so for those who want to try it, I wanted to pass on what is perhaps the most extensively put together web-site out there on kefir, by a kefir maniac/ guru.

http://users.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html

since this post got resurrected, figured I'd fill you all in on the kefir trial- I got some grains from a friend at work, & have been culturing my own 1% milk ever since. It takes about 18-24 hours to get about 24 ounces, if the grains have been active. If you have a lot of kefir (cause they multiply fast!), you can stick the grains in a little milk & put them in the fridge to rest. Then, if they've been resting, it takes closer to 36 hours to make about 24 ounces. It's so easy, I stick the grains in a Mason jar, pour the milk in, cover it with cheesecloth & put it in a cabinet. That's it. I check it after around 18 hours, see how it's thickening up. When I drink it, I blend it with frozen fruit & agave nectar. It's SO good. And truly- I think it is helping my gut. I guess the probiotics in kefir also include yeasts (similar to the Garden of Life supps), and the whoe thing cultures your intestinal tract. As opposed to a probiotic supplement or yogurt, which goes thru your intestines & surely helps, but doesn't actually culture it. Anyway, I'm sticking with it- I've been drinking it for breakfast, along with Metamucil wafers or fruit. It's so good, healthy, & can't be bad for you! The way I look at it, it can only help. Another thing- I had been drinking store bought kefit for quite some time prior to getting my own grains, & WOW, there is a difference! The store bought tasted good & healthy, etc, but it didn't affect my bowel habits one bit. My homemade powerhouse stuff is kicking my intestine right into shape! And, I still take my probiotic supplements too, Culturelle & Critical CAre Ultimate Flora, one a day of each.