Re: What am I doing wrong? (kind of indelicate question--sorry!)

[Guest guest]

LOL! Yup--a poop question! Glad you enjoyed it! I tried kefir a few weeks

ago, and I have to admit I HATED it. HATED. How about yogurt? Good enough? How

about goat milk yogurt or yogurt drinks, instead of organic cow? Any

difference? Should I be taking extra acidophilus, or looking for a yeast

problem? And

that grain you mentioned--what type, or is any okay? I must sound like an

idiot, and I apologize! But this is a problem (and yes, it's diarrhea, if you

must

know! <grin>) that is new to me and is NOT good! Marilyn

[Guest guest]

At 06:59 PM 11/25/04 -0000, you wrote:

>I don't want to be indelicate, but I have had a " bowel problem " for a

>few weeks now--ever since I started trying to eat a protein and carb

>for breakfast routinely. This morning, I had scrambled eggs (made

>with organic butter and eggs, and rice milk), Italian bread with

>organic butter, and link sausages (Feingold approved, so

>presumed to be safer than most). I also had red grape juice and

>organic coffee with Florida Crystals sugar and organic, grass fed

>half and half in it. Wheat problem? Dairy? Fatty meats? Caffeine? I

>have also had this problem other mornings, after eating lamb chops

>and drinking coffee or tea. Can't remember having this problem after

>eating chicken strips cooked in olive oil and seasoned, or brown rice

>stir fry, or gefilte fish with matzo, or several other of my most

>common breakfasts. Can someone please help? I don't remember this

>ever being a problem before, and certainly not to this extent! Marilyn

Oh cool, a poop topic! I was starting to miss 'em.

I don't have much of an answer, but I may as well help out and ask the

question first for reference for other more knowledgeable people ... are

you talking diarrhea or constipation?

(See, I was good and didn't use off-kilter euphemisms. Gonna have to pat

myself on the back for that one.)

OTOH, all I can say is that my daily dose of kefir (at least three big

swigs out of the jar, sometimes a lot more, sometimes supplemented by

munching on a grain or two when straining) pretty much solved most of my

problems in that area - at either end (no pun intended) of the spectrum.

MFJ

Yeeeeeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! ~Hammond of Texas

[Guest guest]

At 02:43 PM 11/25/04 EST, you wrote:

>

>LOL! Yup--a poop question! Glad you enjoyed it! I tried kefir a few weeks

>ago, and I have to admit I HATED it. HATED. How about yogurt? Good enough?

How

>about goat milk yogurt or yogurt drinks, instead of organic cow? Any

>difference? Should I be taking extra acidophilus, or looking for a yeast

problem? And

>that grain you mentioned--what type, or is any okay? I must sound like an

>idiot, and I apologize! But this is a problem (and yes, it's diarrhea, if

you must

>know! <grin>) that is new to me and is NOT good! Marilyn

Well, I hate to tell ya, but I hated kefir too. HATED it. HATED it.

But after trying it, and HATING it, but reading several more months of

incoming posts on this list, I decided that if it was supposed to be THAT

good for this that and the other, and one could reap the benefits by as

little as three teaspoons a day, even *I* could choke down three teaspoons

a day.

*shrug*

It worked. And since it's an acquired taste ... I drink much more now

(although nowhere NEAR as much as some people around here hehe). Plus

after a lot of experimentation, I learned to make it where it was barely

sour at all (which is the taste I objected to), and otherwise more to my

tastes. Thereby allowing myself to do more. And so on and so on and so

on ....

I can't speak to the other substitutes, that's for people that know a lot

more than I do. The only other thing I can think of at the moment is

that you seem to have quite a mix of many different things with these

breakfasts ... maybe try cutting one item out (oh please, am I REALLY gonna

make elimination diet jokes???) and see what happens.

The grain I referred to was a kefir grain. :-D

MFJ

Yeeeeeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! ~Hammond of Texas

[Guest guest]

> It worked. And since it's an acquired taste ... I drink much more

> now

> (although nowhere NEAR as much as some people around here hehe).

> Plus

> after a lot of experimentation, I learned to make it where it was

> barely

> sour at all (which is the taste I objected to), and otherwise more to

> my

> tastes. Thereby allowing myself to do more. And so on and so on

> and so

> on ....

It's a weird thing but lately I have been absolutely craving kefir;

whereas before it was sitting in the back of my fridge unstrained for

weeks, now I brew (?) a new quart every other day, just in time because

I've drunk the last batch. I never disliked it--cultured buttermilk is

one of my favorite things in the world and I used to get horrid

cravings for it especially when pregnant and kefir is very similar in

flavor--but I just didn't want any until lately. I've been keeping it

in a Rubbermaid drink thingie (I know, plastic, but it's not in there

very long--24 hrs max) in my fridge, already blended to avoid the

gloopies since I've got Heidi Jean's kefiili which I think is related

to Silly Putty. But since I've started doing that I find myself going

to the fridge and just taking big deep swigs all day long. I think it's

fair to say I've been living primarily on kefir lately. And I've

started making kefir cream lately and boy is THAT good. All by itself

it makes a good salad dressing, but doctored a bit is how I've been

getting kefir into my kefir-hating little darlings and husband. Plus

also--no gloopies!

And since this is a poop thread, I also must add that since doing this

I've gone from really weird hard painful pelleted (but big) stools to

near-perfect large soft formed easily-passed ones that would make my

naturopath cry tears of joy.

> I can't speak to the other substitutes, that's for people that know a

> lot

> more than I do. The only other thing I can think of at the moment is

> that you seem to have quite a mix of many different things with these

> breakfasts ... maybe try cutting one item out (oh please, am I REALLY

> gonna

> make elimination diet jokes???) and see what happens.

That's a good idea. Also what's with the rice milk? If you're

casein-intolerant doesn't that exclude butter?

Lynn S.

------

Lynn Siprelle * web developer, writer, mama, fiber junky

http://www.siprelle.com * http://www.thenewhomemaker.com

http://www.democracyfororegon.com * http://www.knitting911.net

[Guest guest]

At 01:23 PM 11/25/04 -0800, you wrote:

>very long--24 hrs max) in my fridge, already blended to avoid the

>gloopies since I've got Heidi Jean's kefiili which I think is related

>to Silly Putty. But since I've started doing that I find myself going

>to the fridge and just taking big deep swigs all day long. I think it's

>fair to say I've been living primarily on kefir lately. And I've

>started making kefir cream lately and boy is THAT good. All by itself

>it makes a good salad dressing, but doctored a bit is how I've been

>getting kefir into my kefir-hating little darlings and husband. Plus

>also--no gloopies!

I'm with ya on the kefir cream, especially so for salad dressing.

But I have a question ... Silly Putty? 'Splain it to me Lucy. " Heidi

Jean's kefiili ... Silly Putty " just conjured up all sorts of hysterically

funny images in my head.

Deep swigs all day long ... yep. That's it. That's how it starts.

It's addicting. I'm gonna have to go look up that old post of mine -

something like " Confessions of a Kefirophobe " . Maybe it'll help Marilyn

out.

(Oh man I HATED that stuff! Kefir? Bleaaaaachhhhh!!!)

*swig*

MFJ

Yeeeeeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! ~Hammond of Texas

[Guest guest]

> But I have a question ... Silly Putty? 'Splain it to me Lucy.

> " Heidi

> Jean's kefiili ... Silly Putty " just conjured up all sorts of

> hysterically

> funny images in my head.

When I pour out my kefiili to strain I swear it looks sentient. It's

gloopy! It doesn't stick to stuff! You can actually bite it! I bet if I

put some on a Sunday comics page it'd take a print! Heidi can explain

the chemical reasons--something about polysaccharide strings. All I

know is, the gloopies, not so appetizing. I put my stick blender in

after I've taken out the grains, give it a whiz, put it in my swig

bottle and off I go.

Lynn S.

------

Lynn Siprelle * web developer, writer, mama, fiber junky

http://www.siprelle.com * http://www.thenewhomemaker.com

http://www.democracyfororegon.com * http://www.knitting911.net

[Guest guest]

Boy, we're all different. I hated home made yogurt - WAY too sour for me, (of

course I was culturing it for 36 hours to get all the lactose out), but LOVE

kefir, which is not sour at all by comparison. I found it to be much more

rich and mellow. I could drink it by the quart, if it agreed with me, but it

gives me the same symptoms that wheat does. Maybe we're all 'brewing' the kefir

differently too? (Mine is not really very sour.)

Carol

Well, I hate to tell ya, but I hated kefir too. HATED it. HATED it.

But after trying it, and HATING it, but reading several more months of

incoming posts on this list, I decided that if it was supposed to be THAT

good for this that and the other, and one could reap the benefits by as

little as three teaspoons a day, even *I* could choke down three teaspoons

a day.

*shrug*

[Guest guest]

>>And since this is a poop thread, I also must add that since doing this

I've gone from really weird hard painful pelleted (but big) stools to

near-perfect large soft formed easily-passed ones that would make my

naturopath cry tears of joy. <<

~~~I went in the opposite direction! How I wish I had that experience!

Carol

[Guest guest]

Marilyn,

Could this possibly be coincidence of some kind? For instance, have you

recently been taking antibiotics or some other prescription med.? That happened

to me a couple of years ago. I suddenly developed diarrhea and was blaming it

on all sorts of things and then realized it was from taking antibiotics. (It

didn't hit until about a week later. But, once I researched the particular

antibiotic, I found it was a big culprit for C. Diff. intestinal infection. It

took many months to get over that naturally. It would have resolved sooner,

however, if I'd realized sooner that it would take about 60 billion organisms a

day in probiotics to fight it.) Several people told me that any time one has

diarrhea, probiotics are needed. I don't know if that's always the case, but it

worked for me.

Carol

LOL! Yup--a poop question! Glad you enjoyed it! I tried kefir a few weeks

ago, and I have to admit I HATED it. HATED. How about yogurt? Good enough? How

about goat milk yogurt or yogurt drinks, instead of organic cow? Any

difference? Should I be taking extra acidophilus, or looking for a yeast

problem? And

that grain you mentioned--what type, or is any okay? I must sound like an

idiot, and I apologize! But this is a problem (and yes, it's diarrhea, if you

must

know! <grin>) that is new to me and is NOT good! Marilyn

[Guest guest]

>Deep swigs all day long ... yep. That's it. That's how it starts.

>It's addicting. I'm gonna have to go look up that old post of mine -

>something like " Confessions of a Kefirophobe " . Maybe it'll help Marilyn

>out.

Actually while we are on confessions ... I never much liked kefir, though

it's great to bake with. Now kefir BEER I can swig! It has the same good

probiotic effects kefir does.

As for the big D ... keep a food diary! It seems to come, for me, 2 days to

a week after eating an offending food.

Heidi Jean

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/25/2004 3:20:50 PM Eastern Standard Time,

mfjewett@... writes:

> maybe try cutting one item out (oh please, am I REALLY gonna

> make elimination diet jokes???) and see what happens.

Elimination diet jokes???? Oh my goodness. Something tells me we have very

similar senses of humor--and that's not good!!!! ROFL!!!!

>

> The grain I referred to was a kefir grain. :-D

Kefir grain? Ummmm....what's that?

As to the acquired taste thing--okay, I'll believe you. It was INCREDIBLY

sour, and I didn't get past the first sip! I threw the bottle away. Maybe I'll

give it another try soon.

Thanks, MFJ! Marilyn

[Guest guest]

Carol--OH GOOD GRIEF!!! How could I be so stupid? About two weeks ago, I took

penicillin for a couple of days, to try and knock out a throat infection. I

NEVER take antibiotics, and I only did it for a couple of days because I hate

taking them, so I'd forgotten completely! Guess it's time to hit the

acidophilus, huh? Thanks so much for jogging my addled brain about this! I bet

that's

the answer! Marilyn

[Guest guest]

Deanna--I have NO idea as yet about this " fermented veggies " thing. I claim

total ignorance! Except for sauerkraut (which I've only ever eaten on hot

dogs!), I am a complete moron when it comes to this subject. Sounds like things

are

spoiled when they're fermented, but apparently I'm wrong on this or you

wouldn't be eating them! But I have NO idea how to incorporate these items into

my

diet, or how to make them. Marilyn

[Guest guest]

--I saw that book the other day, but didn't look to see what it was all

about. Can you give me some idea? Marilyn

[Guest guest]

Deanna--Thanks! I'll give it a try. And I'll check out that kimchi recipe.

I've heard of that before, but had no idea what it was besides the fact that I

thought it was a Japanese dish. Now--what do I serve these with? I'm assuming

they're a side dish? Marilyn

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 11/26/2004 1:00:06 PM Eastern Standard Time,

mfjewett@... writes:

> MFJ

> Pinky! Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

>

What's that, Brain? Marilyn

[Guest guest]

Ahhhh......the ADULT version if P & TB. LOL! Marilyn

[Guest guest]

Marilyn,

Have you tried fermented vegetables and/or fruits? That would give you

another option besides yoghurt and kefir. The microbial constituencies

vary, but lacto-bacteria in general may well help out with your

problem. You might try making sauerkraut or pickled vegetables. NT has

this fermented salsa recipe that I have heard is really good. When

tomatoes are in season next spring, I plan to make buckets of it!

Deanna

>

[Guest guest]

Marilyn-

>Can someone please help?

I strongly recommend you read a copy of the current edition of _Breaking

The Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet_ by Elaine Gottschall.

-

[Guest guest]

Marilyn. I am very new to microbial nutrition myself. But I find it so

fun and tasty! Dr. Price found all peoples eating traditional foods

incorporated lacto-fermented foods into their diet. Here is the basic

recipe from Nourishing Traditions for sauerkraut (I omitted the whey

version as it's not as good, imo and added some different directions).

Add any grated veggies you like to this, such as carrots, garlic,

peppers, etc.

Makes 1 quart

1 medium cabbage, cored and shredded

1 tablespoon caraway seeds (or to taste, or try different spices)

2 tablespoons salt

Mix ingredients in a bowl, then pound with a wooden pounder for about 10

minutes to release juices (try a plastic potato masher/ricer for this if

you haven't wooden pounder). Place in a quart-sized, wide mouth mason

jar and press down firmly with a wooden spoon so that the cabbage juices

cover the contents. There should be an inch gap at the top of the jar.

I alway cut a round from the outer cabbage leaf and press it over the

top of the cabbage, submerging it under juice to keep the kraut from air

exposure. Cover loosely with the lid and place on a plate on your

counter for about 3 days (it depends on room temp). Now, you might have

some spill over from the CO2 that the little guys produce, not to

worry. Just cover the lid tightly, rinse the jar and refrigerate. Eat

from 1 week to several months later.

Heidi has produced a very comprehensive kimchi-making guide that

will address issues of spoilage in general and the art of kimchi making

specifically. Go to NN site and look in the files section. It's very

well done and extremely helpful to the novice fermenter.

Oh, and please let me know if anything is confusion. Also, you needn't

sterilize your jar, but you could if you like. Just make sure it is

cool when you add the ingredients.

Deanna

sahmomof8@... wrote:

> Deanna--I have NO idea as yet about this " fermented veggies " thing. I

> claim

> total ignorance! Except for sauerkraut (which I've only ever eaten on hot

> dogs!), I am a complete moron when it comes to this subject. Sounds

> like things are

> spoiled when they're fermented, but apparently I'm wrong on this or you

> wouldn't be eating them! But I have NO idea how to incorporate these

> items into my

> diet, or how to make them. Marilyn

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

>> The grain I referred to was a kefir grain. :-D

>

> Kefir grain? Ummmm....what's that?

Welll...It's not an actual grain. It's a weird thing that looks like

the love child of a sponge and a batch of cottage cheese gone horribly

wrong. It's the culture what makes kefir. And it grows. In fact,

Portlanders, if anyone wants some of Heidi Jean's kefiili grains I'll

have enough to share here pretty quick. I don't ship, for your

protection. (It never happens, I never get things sent in the mail,

I'm totally unreliable; my mother apparently was frightened by a

postman before I was born.)

> As to the acquired taste thing--okay, I'll believe you. It was

> INCREDIBLY

> sour, and I didn't get past the first sip! I threw the bottle away.

> Maybe I'll

> give it another try soon.

That's why you make your own. If you make your own you can control

exactly how sour it gets. Plus also? CHEEEP. You can also sweeten it if

you want with honey or maple syrup; if I make egg nog for my girls I'll

always stick a little kefir in it and usually they don't notice.

Lynn S.

------

Lynn Siprelle * web developer, writer, mama, fiber junky

http://www.siprelle.com * http://www.thenewhomemaker.com

http://www.democracyfororegon.com * http://www.knitting911.net

[Guest guest]

Also kombucha--fermented tea. Totally yummy, kids beg for it, filled

with probiotic goodness. In fact, I need to brew some today...

Lynn S.

------

Lynn Siprelle * web developer, writer, mama, fiber junky

http://www.siprelle.com * http://www.thenewhomemaker.com

http://www.democracyfororegon.com * http://www.knitting911.net

[Guest guest]

At 09:34 AM 11/26/04 -0800, you wrote:

>It's the culture what makes kefir. And it grows. In fact,

>Portlanders, if anyone wants some of Heidi Jean's kefiili grains I'll

>have enough to share here pretty quick. I don't ship, for your

>protection. (It never happens, I never get things sent in the mail,

>I'm totally unreliable; my mother apparently was frightened by a

>postman before I was born.)

>

Oh, PUH-leaze. You can't fool us. You don't ship because you know

full well that your sentient gloop will figure its way out of the package

and try and take over the world.

MFJ

Pinky! Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

[Guest guest]

> Oh, PUH-leaze. You can't fool us. You don't ship because you know

> full well that your sentient gloop will figure its way out of the

> package

> and try and take over the world.

It's not MY sentient gloop, it's Heidi's! And I'm sure it's part of her

plan for world domination. God knows it's already taken over MY

kitchen...

> Pinky! Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

I fink so, Brain, but how are we gonna get Penn, Sun Myung Moon,

Heidi, Bono and Ron Popeil into the same room at the same time?

Lynn S.

------

Lynn Siprelle * web developer, writer, mama, fiber junky

http://www.siprelle.com * http://www.thenewhomemaker.com

http://www.democracyfororegon.com * http://www.knitting911.net

[Guest guest]

At 01:16 PM 11/26/04 EST, you wrote:

>What's that, Brain? Marilyn

Actually, that should have been:

I think so, Brain. But where are we going to find a massage parlor open

at THIS time of night?

MFJ

Yeeeeeeeeeeeee Haaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! ~Hammond of Texas