Kefir & Probiotics (ENG)
Kefir
The drink we now call Kefir (it is sometimes pronounced Kee-Fur) originated in ancient times when Eastern nomadic shepherds discovered that fresh milk carried in leather pouches would occasionally ferment into a deliciously effervescent beverage. Once the accidental process was discovered, this bubbly refresher became popular throughout the known world. It is thought to originate from the Turkish word Keif meaning good feeling, for the sense of well-being experienced after drinking it.
Outside of the Balkans, kefir was scarcely known. Marco Polo spoke of kefir in his travels. After that it was forgotten for several hundred years in the West. Renewed interest in kefir occurred in the West in the early nineteenth century as it was found to be useful therapeutically for the treatment of tuberculosis at sanitariums. The World Health Organization says that many other countries have successfully used kefir in the treatment of tuberculosis.
Kefir is extremely high in lactic acid. One of the foremost studies of lactic acid was conducted by a European, Dr. Johannes Kahl, who recommended as a protection against cancer, a wholesome natural diet reinforced with liberal daily amounts of lactic acid fermented foods. Dr. Kahl mentioned kefir, sourdough dark bread, sauerkraut, pickled beets, and pickled cucumbers.
In many parts of the Caucasus Mountains, the natives (many who are still active and live past 100 years of age) drink kefir. The kefir grain with its fermenting yeasts and bacteria is added to fresh milk which is then permitted to sour. What are the unique properties of kefir? Many Naturopathic doctors consider kefir to be the best remedy for digestive troubles because it has a very low curd tension. This means that the curd breaks up very easily into extremely small particles. The curd of yogurt, on the other hand, holds together or breaks up into lumps. The small size of the kefir curd facilitates digestion by presenting a large surface for the digestive agents to work on. Kefir, because it is such an easily digested nutritious food is ideal for infants, pregnant women, nursing mothers, convalescents, the elderly, people who suffer from constipation or those who have other abnormal digestive activity. An international Nobel Prize winning researcher, Elie Metchnikoff (1908) found that kefir activates the flow of saliva, most likely due to its lactic acid content and its slight amount of carbonation. Kefir stimulates peristalsis and digestive juices in the intestinal tract. For these reasons it is recommended as a post-operative food since most abdominal operations cause the bowels to stop contracting and pushing food along (peristalsis). Candida is usually a condition where there is an excessive growth of yeast cells. In reference to Candida, Dr. Orla-Jenson, a noted Danish bacteriologist specializing in dairy research states that Kefir digests yeast cell and has a beneficial effect on the intestinal flora.
Kefir has mild laxative properties. In Germany and many parts of Asia it is used extensively with cases of chronic constipation and is used for wide variety of intestinal disorders. It is also recommended to restore the intestinal flora of people who are recovering from a serious illness or being treated with antibiotics. It has also been effective for people who can not tolerate dairy products. Kefir is predigested due to the fermentation process and is therefore much easier to digest.
By Dr. Steven Novil, Ph. D.
Probiotics
Trace the origins of the word probiotic, and youll find out that it means beneficial to life. Considering that it goes back 2000 years, Kefir is the original probiotic, long before it was ever a buzzword in the health community.
Probiotics are not the easiest thing to explain, but heres the basic lowdown. Probiotics are friendly bacteria that help strengthen your body. Once they are in your system, research shows evidence that they help boost immunity, promote better digestion, lower cholesterol levels and may even help prevent the development of cancer-causing toxins. They also may help aid with weight loss, ADD, lactose-intolerance and regulating the body after you take antibiotics. Quite an impressive list of reasons to consume probiotics on a regular basis, dont you think?
Essentially, probiotics work by strengthening and cleansing your digestive system. In order to be considered probiotic, the bacteria must be present in sufficient numbers of live and active cultures; resistant to acid and bile; able to attach to the intestinal wall and colonize the intestinal tract; and beneficial to health.
Probiotics can be taken in pill form, but most experts agree that it is better to get any nutrient through food consumption. While pills may be convenient, they must be from a reputable manufacturer, so that you can be sure that the cultures are live and active, and labeled with the correct expiration date. Often the processing of pills causes the cultures to become inactive. With Lifeway Kefir, thats not an issue, plus youll get the added benefits of calcium, Vitamins A, C and D, lactic acid and potassium. Plus Lifeway Kefir is just so much more delicious than a big old pill.
To get the most probiotic benefit, you should have three servings of Lifeway Kefir a day. If thats not do-able, probiotics are especially helpful during times of sickness, pregnancy or nursing, to soothe indigestion, to counteract the effects of antibiotics, to minimize a hangover, or after a garlic-heavy meal (to neutralize bad bacteria and control bad breath). ที่มา //www.lifeway.net/LifewayWorld/KefirProbiotics.aspx
Create Date : 24 มกราคม 2553 | | |
Last Update : 24 มกราคม 2553 22:55:13 น. |
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