Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Kefir

Hey everyone,

fficially new here, greatful for the support. Can I start with a question?

What is the consesus on Kefir and SCD yogurt, I dont' see much discussion. Does everyone avoid this kind of dairy as well. I'm not sure yet if it bothers me or not.

I've had AS for 5 years and found the NSD helpful right away. Chelating mercury according to Andrew Cutler has been great for my progress but I've been set back by a few things (long story for later maybe).

Scott

I believe Kefir is an excellent addition to the NSD to help heal your gut. When fermented, it is a different creature than the typical dairy.

The only way to determine if it affects you or not is to stop it for awhile and then add it in.

If you are too sensitive, you can try other fermented products like Kombucha and fermented veggies (kraut, pickles, etc)

I have read on a forum before finding this one that had a LOT of people with chron's on it.. all said that kefir & your own homemade yogurt were the BEST thing to do for their health. that and chelation. Glad you are on the right track. Hopefully your body will straighten out soon for you!

Skeptics Guide to the Universe has a segment called "Science or Fiction" and on this episode (Aug 04 - #211) kefir is mentioned:

Kefir Science or Fiction

Cheers,

Hi, Scott:

I have used yoghurt, but not kefir. I reacted to the yoghurt many years ago, but no longer seem to and it has a gut-healing property, so it is generally good for us, unless we react to it. I am going to assume the same holds true with kefir. I suppose if You do not flare after eating some soft (non-aged) cheese, that kefir would be fine, but I suggest starting with "medicinal" quantities of 2oz max twice daily for a few days.

On the NSD there are two battles we are engaged in--one is to avoid bacterial proliferation and the other is to get proper nutrition for many reasons but of specific importance is the integrity of our intestinal tract. Some foods that are recommended for gut health also increase bacterial counts, so there is a tenuous balance there.

If You have achieved good remission through the NSD, a short test of kefir would be something You could recover from fairly quickly if things went awry. There is a kefir made without lactose--coconut milk is one option.

There are also some underlying causes of AS that have to do with casein, which is a common unrecognized allergy that is not nearly as serious as a celiac reaction to gluten, but has a similar effect.

Good luck, and please let us know how You are doing, especially within the NSD Forum,
John

here's a site about kefir and how to culture without milk if you have issues: http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~dna/kefirpage.html

Hey fellow Michigander, thanks for the link! I should try to make my own. I think I react to it sometimes because I've used the store bought Lifeway brand which says it contains milk. It looks like they add milk to it on top of the fermented stuff.

Scott

Hi Timo, I couldn't find the #211 episode but I'm interested to hear their take. Did I do something wrong?

Scott

Hi Scott. here's the link for the reference cited in the podcast:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090803172938.htm

Cheers,

Hi Scott, I make my own milk kefir, and sometimes yogurt too (usually I just buy yogurt). I've had no problems with it at all. Mix it into a breakfast smoothie. Yum!

Feel free to fill us in on the rest of the story, when you feel like it. We're all ears!