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if I'm drinking homemade kefir should i still take probiotics?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 5/1/2012 12:35 PM (GMT 0)
I'm drinking homemade kefir daily which numbers in the trillions for probiotics.

I've also been taking benebiotics and jarrows sach boulardi. Ran out of the jarrows a couple weeks ago, saw no difference without them.  Now I have run out of the benebiotics, and I am debating whether or not to repurchase.

I have never seen a difference in my uc  flare symptoms, with the jarrows or benebiotics.

In the past i have taken vsl#3ds for about 9 months and saw no difference, and also one other probiotic thats popular around here, forget the name.  again, no change in my uc symptoms.  I am not one of the lucky ones who sees visible benefit from probiotics.

I do enjoy the homemade kefir, its a great healthy breakfast, and while i can't say i have seen a decrease in blood or mucus from drinking it, i feel it has an overall healthy effect on my body, so i'm keeping it in my routine. Plus its very cheap to make.

what do you think? should I repurchase  the probiotic (benebiotic) , just to take it, in case its doing something i can't see??

thanks!!!

Posted 5/1/2012 2:09 PM (GMT 0)
I think it's really up to you... I run into the same issue, I recently ran out of my pro-biotic & debated whether or not to re-stock. I don't notice much of a difference in my day-to-day symptoms, whether I take it or not. I did buy another package, but I take it sporadically. I've been using a powdered packet, by Renew Life- it's a 7 day intensive regime, supposedly for use when you go anti-biotics. I take a packet every other day or so. It's around $30 for a 7 day supply- pricey! I most likely won't purchase again- maybe every now & then, but not as a regular part of my diet. I drink the kefir regularly too, so I know I'm getting pro-biotics as it is. If you don't see any difference wheter or not you take an additioanl pro-biotic, I'd stop it for a while, & see if anything changes. You can always restart it- unless you have $$$ to burn, then heck yeah, why not? I alwayus wonder too, about the efficacy of the mass-produced pro-biotics- how do you really know there are XXX amount of live cultures???? At least with kefir, when you make it yourself, you can see that the grains are culturing, multiplying... there's no doubt it's a living organism.
Posted 5/1/2012 9:26 PM (GMT 0)
If you can tolerate homemade yogurt and/or kefir they are loaded to the gills with good bacteria- it doesnt negate possible benefits from the strains in oral probiotics but it is certainly more bang for the buck.

Post Edited (Probiotic) : 5/1/2012 3:29:07 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/2/2012 1:45 PM (GMT 0)
So, do you people here on this post all make your own Kefir? do you find it helps with UC?
I've heard that unless your kefir grains are good, and preferably from someone who had been growing them already, then they won't work as well...?
Posted 5/2/2012 2:31 PM (GMT 0)

conquer uc: yes, make my own, and I am assuming the grains are good, they are from someone who also makes kefir and the fact that they are multiplying shows me that they are active grains.

as far as uc, i have not seen an improvement in my bleeding, but i feel an overall more stable feeling in my gut, hard to explain.  some people have had great improvements, though.  At the very least, its a healthy breakfast for me and its a way for me to get trillions of probiotics inexpensively.

 

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