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It's Kefir Your Tummy!
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This week, The Weekly Beet reports on a bit of friendly culture. Mary Kent tries kefir, revealing why we all could use a bit of this probiotic healer in our lives
 Thinner than yoghurt, but thicker than milk, Kefir, which means "feel good" in Turkish, is currently one of the most healing digestive aids on the health food scene today! Filled with the friendliest of bacteria and yeast, Kefir, pronounced as "kuh-feer'", also contains a plethora of vitamins and minerals that should absolutely take the place of any yoghurty type of food. Many doctors and nutritionists believe that the key to optimum health starts with a healthy digestive system. Why? Because whether we realize it or not, the digestive system is involved in activities that affect every single cell in our body. From absorbing nutrients to eliminating toxins, the gut must be kept in optimal function, as it's job responsibility is pretty loaded down. Because Kefir gives your tummy important probiotic ingredients to help soothe digestion and balance the inner ecosystem, this food provides the basics to ensuring a healthy track. Kefir's healing ability lies in the fact that it is a cultured food, which means it has been fermented, as the lactose in the milk has been broken down by the millions of 'live' cultures contained within. Most supermarket brands of yoghurts have been pasteurized, killing most of the friendly bacteria that your tummy so desperately needs. Normal Kefir tastes like plain yoghurt, so if you're not used to the acidic kick due to the fermentation, you might be interested in the flavored ones like Strawberry, Blueberry, Raspberry, or Vanilla. However, these do contain added sugar, so be aware!
You can drink Kefir straight up or drizzle it over your favorite cereal! It's an excellent way to get some probiotics down the hatch without popping another pill. I never knew how important it was to replenish the tummy with health bacteria until after I had downed a few rounds of antibiotics. If you're on antibiotics, I can not stress the importance of adding probiotics into your diet, as antibiotics deplete the stomach of both good and bad
bacteria. It's important to give the body a healthy refill and Kefir is a perfect, as well as tasty solution. But truly, the health benefits of Kefir are endless! Here's what I think is so key about Kefir:
- Kefir contains several major strains of friendly bacteria not commonly found in yogurt:
Lactobacillus kefyr, Lactococcus lactis, Lactococcus cremoris, Lactococcus diacetylactis, Leuconostoc cremoris, Candida kefyr, and Saccharomyces unisporous.
- Also contains beneficial yeast, amino acids, enzymes, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin K, and the B vitamins.
- Contains probiotics, which are used to make the feel-good neurotransmitter, serotonin.
- Relieves all intestinal disorders, promote bowel movement, reduces flatulence and creates a healthier digestive system. Yep, your prayers are answered! HA!
- Enhances the immune system.
- Inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria and yeasts.
- Helps patients suffering from AIDS, chronic fatigue syndrome, herpes, and cancer.
- Helps ease sleep disorders, depression, and ADHD.
The coolest thing about Kefir is that it can be made at home. All you need is a culture starter kit, which you can order from an awesome company called Body Ecology. The culture starter kit contains the Kefir grains, made of a complex mixture of both bacteria and yeasts, which are mixed with the milk of your choice. Kefir can be made from any type of cow (you know we are not the biggest fans), goat, sheep, coconut, rice, or soy milk. If you're making Kefir from cow milk, make sure that the milk is 100% organic. If you're not up for making your own Kefir, you can definitely buy it already packaged at the health food store. Among the brands are Lifeway, Nancy's, and Helios. Our favorite is Helios because of its consistency and we love the goat milk Kefir by Redwood Farms. Click here to learn how to make your own Kefir!
Eat what's kefir your tummy! Your stomach will be eternally blessed! Don't miss a Beet. Stay tuned for next week.
Mary Kent
PS. Mary Kent is holding a bottle of Kefir by Helios just taken out of the fridge! She is wearing secret jewels on her fingers.
PPS. Check out on Agnieszka Chwaleba, founder of AMPRO Power Solutions, Inc. on Ladies Who Launch.
PPPS. Click here to learn about an awesome probiotic! And, here to learn about a chewable probiotic!
Here's What's UnBEETable:
My Healthy Love Tip: "It's hard to love people who can't reciprocate the same love back. But, aren't we supposed to love thine enemies? From lots of hard earned experience, the conclusion I have finally come to is not necessarily. We are all responsible for our thoughts, so clear yourself of negative thoughts about those 'not so nice' people, learn to forgive, which is ultra power, and then, as quickly as you can, detach. Seeing unloving people from a place of neutral compassion is the best place to operate under. That way, you take back your power and place more of that love in your heart on your divine self. Unloving people can and will continue to operate by using your emotional energies of heartbreak, sorrow, and guilt - not that they caused because we would never give them that much credit, but what they were able to manipulate out of you. So, the less emotional energy you give them, the better. Bless them, thank them, and do whatever it is you have to do to send them on their way. You simply can't fix or change these types, so stop believing God sent you in their path for that. It's a process for those of us who have open and loving hearts, but something we all must grow to learn."
My Favorite Quote: "A woman's heart should
be so hidden in Christ that a man should have to seek him first to find her."
~ Maya Angelou
My Favorite Book: Medicine Woman
My Favorite Movie: Up
My Favorite Guru: Amma
My Favorite Song: Vaporous by Elsiane
My Favorite Snack: Oskri Bars! OH MY!! Unbelievable!
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Thanking God...Always!
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