A Probiotic Lifestyle for Immune Health

How does lifestyle effect your immune health?

By Natasha Trenev

From the moment you are born, you are slowly bombarded with things detrimental to your health. Have you ever taken antibiotics? Gobbled fast foods and sodas? Were you born by C-section and formula fed?

If you said yes to any of these, then your life is a biological disaster. With ninety percent of your body composed of bacterial cells, you are using and abusing the good bacteria that are the foundation of your health. And when they are all used up, you will know it. Urinary tract infections, heartburn, rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, obesity, asthma, eczema, acne, are all on the bad health horizon.

The beneficial bacteria in your body keep the bad bacteria in balance so that your gastrointestinal (GI) tract remains in harmony and your body functions at its peak level.

Everyone wants good health because life is just a miserable existence without it.

Fortunately, it is easy to reverse that downward spiral of losing your beneficial bacteria AND your health. Take a daily probiotic supplement of beneficial probiotic bacteria containing super strains with proven human health benefits and refrigerated to provide you with a guaranteed potency through printed expiration date. This simple solution will dramatically change your life for the better.

To understand how critical beneficial bacteria are for a great lifestyle, just look at how you gain them. It begins with your birth. If you were fortunate, your birth was a natural vaginal delivery and you had a healthy mom who breast-fed. These microscopic bacteria were transferred to you from your mother during the delivery process and they set up your health patterns for the rest of your life. With breast feeding you swallow more beneficialprobiotic bacteria – from the milk, the milk ducts and from your mother’s skin.

As a newborn, your gastrointestinal tract was sterile, but within days, the beneficial microflora in your intestines started to grow. Now you have a gut microflora that is almost one hundred percent bifidobacteria, that wonderful beneficial bacteria that builds your immune system in the first few months of life.

If you were born by C-section, in an urban area and fed by formula, then your bacteria mixture is different. You have an assortment of microorganisms that come from the surroundings and that can include pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant organisms from the hospital room and staff. Not the best start to life when your immune system is struggling to develop.

Initially, babies have no immune system at all because they have no bacteria in their gut. It is only as the bacteria multiply in the GI tract that the immune system develops. And very few people realize that seventy percent of the immune system is located in the GI tract. Now you can see how those first bacteria are critical and how they control your overall well-being and future immunity to allergies and chronic infections.

You may have had a good start or maybe you didn’t. But even those who started out on the right foot experience daily events that knock out your beneficial bacteria:

Antibiotic therapy

Colonics

Radiation treatment

Chemotherapy

Air, food and water pollution

Household or workplace mold

Exposure to chemicals or fumes

Fasting

Poor sleep habits

Diets consisting of fast food and sodas

Alcohol and drugs

Stress

Traveling

Eating disorders

Aging

Illness or surgery

And as I said before, without beneficial bacteria, we get sick and tired. Do you remember what it was like to be free of illness? To not be groggy in the morning? Imagine a fit and younger you. Imagine feeling healthier and full of energy all the time.

Probiotic supplements can transform you back into optimal health by providing the beneficial bacteria that keep you healthy. If you want to take the challenge and transform yourself to a better you, now is the time for a probiotic lifestyle. You can truly look forward to feeling better and feeling younger.

http://sickofsickness.com/pages/articlepgs/lifestyle_immune_health.html

Antibiotics and Candida

By Dr. McCombs

I often get asked about antibiotics and systemic candida. Antibiotics are definitely the best way to create systemic fungal infections and lifelong intestinal flora imbalances in the body, as well as an unlimited number of other problems. Although the medical profession doesn’t even acknowledge this, scientists and researchers state this obvious fact over and over again.

 

Antibiotics kill good and bad bacteria.  Killing these bacteria causes a massive hemorrhaging of the internal components of all bacteria. This is particularly problematic because our bodies respond to these internal components by producing acute and eventually chronic long-term inflammation that can affect all tissues and cells throughout the body. This massive inflammatory cascade can breakdown tissues and interfere with cellular function. One of these internal substances, Lipopolysaccaharide (LPS) is common in gram-negative bacteria and is a substance that most researchers use in labs or humans due to the overwhelming reliable strong immune response that it causes.

 

Some of these intracellular bacterial components, like Peptidoglycans (PGN) act directly on the cellular membrane of the yeast Candida Albicans causing it to transform into its pathogenic fungal form. This is in addition to eliminating millions of beneficial bacteria that help to keep the Candida Albicans yeast within ratios that benefit the overall health of the intestinal tract and therefore the rest of the body. 

 

Antibiotics can also suppress the immune system response. This primarily affects the macrophages who go around cleaning up pathogenic organisms that would otherwise harm us. By suppressing macrophages, antibiotics can initially reduce the inflammatory cascade which macrophages play a big role in initiating. While this may seem beneficial, it actually aids in the spread of the pathogenic fungal form of C. Albicans. First, by suppressing the immune system, the fungal candida now can spread more rapidly without macrophages to inhibit it. Secondly, by suppressing the macrophages and the inflammatory response, the liver does not release positive acute-phase proteins which are necessary for preventing the spread of pathogenic organisms throughout the body. Three of these acute-phase proteins (Ferritin, Ceruloplasmin, & Haptoglobin) function by binding iron and making it unavailable to pathogenic fungal candida. Without these 3 proteins, fungal candida can now attach itself to our blood cells and feed on an unlimited source of iron to help it spread throughout the body.  This also goes for other pathogenic microbes that will be spreading as a result of the effect of antibiotics in the body.  

 

By killing off the beneficial bacteria that inhabit and help to regulate the normal healthy intestinal flora, we lose the beneficial enzymes and acids that these organisms produce.This causes the pH of the intestinal tract to become more alkaline. An alkaline intestinal pH also promotes the conversion of C. Albicans into its pathogenic fungal form. When the intestinal pH is acidic, candida remains in its normal yeast form.  

 

These are just some of the ways that antibiotics promote and maintain the ongoing growth and spread of fungal candida throughout the body. 

 

Killing off the beneficial bacteria also leads to decreased absorption of nutrients that our cells and tissues need to function in a healthy state. Certain strains of acidophilus help to synthesize B vitamins. A deficiency of these alone would create innumerable problems within the body.

 

There are an estimated 100 trillion micro-organisms within the intestinal tract. For many years, researchers were able to identify some 300-500 species of micro-organisms that were responsible for making up the 100 trillion cells. Recent advances in the use of technology have now identified close to 6,000 species in the large intestine alone. Most of what these organisms do and how they interact is unknown. As long as there is a sufficient amount of beneficial bacteria to keep everything in balance, then we have a better chance at staying healthy. Research now tells us that some these species are permanently eliminated from the body by the use of antibiotics
-http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081118121941.htm.

 

Apart from the use of antibiotics being responsible for thousands of deaths and over 144,000 visits to emergency rooms each year in the U.S. alone, the incidence of antibiotic resistance continues to escalate worldwide to the point that we are rapidly approaching a new era where antibiotics won't be useful for most people 
-http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090128183925.htm.

As this continues to happen, we will see an increase in the use of natural methods that help restore balance without creating additional problems. 

http://www.wellsphere.com/healthy-living-article/antibiotics-and-candida/600224

Oprah.com: Dr. Perricone's 10 Superfoods - #10 Yogurt and Kefir

Kefir: Ancient Elixir of the Caucasus

I start every morning by pouring myself a glass of unsweetened whole milk kefir and add to it two tablespoons of POM Wonderful (pure pomegranate extract). I stir it up and it looks and tastes like a rich and beautiful berry smoothie. It is the perfect way to start the day.

Kefir is a fermented, probiotic milk drink from the Caucasus Mountains in the former Soviet Union. The name kefir loosely translated means “pleasure" or "good feeling." Due to its health-promoting properties, kefir was once considered a gift from the gods. Fortunately, it is being rediscovered and recognized for its many health and beauty benefits.

Kefir can best be described as a sort of liquid, sparkling yogurt, with its own distinct and deliciously mild, naturally sweet, yet tangy flavor—with a refreshing hint of natural carbonation. Its unique taste and almost mystical reputation as a longevity elixir explains why people all over Europe are making kefir (along with similar fermented drinks) their beverage of choice. Sales are even beginning to rival top soft drink brands.

Unlike yogurt, which is created from milk by adding certain lactic acid bacteria, kefir is made by combining milk with a pinch of “kefir grains”—the folk term coined to describe a complex mixture of yeasts and lactobacillus bacteria. The small amount of carbon dioxide, alcohol, and aromatic compounds produced by the cultures give kefir its distinct fizzy, tangy taste.

Kefir also contains unique polysaccharides (long chain sugars) called kefiran, which may be responsible for some of its health benefits. Much of the Russian research on its health benefits remains un-translated, and Western research is in its early stages—but the results to date support kefir's impressive folk reputation.

Kefir's Colorful and Romantic History

Kefir dates back many centuries—likely even longer—to the shepherds of the Caucasus Mountains, who reportedly discovered that fresh milk carried in leather pouches would occasionally ferment into an effervescent beverage.

Another legend, from the Islamic peoples of the Caucasus Mountains, claims that kefir "grains” were a gift to the region's Orthodox Christians from Mohammed, who strictly forbade their dissemination, because they would lose their "magic strength." Although Marco Polo mentioned it in his travel accounts, kefir and its secrets remained unknown outside the Caucasus region until reports spread of its value in treating tuberculosis, and for intestinal and stomach disorders. Russian doctors of the Victorian era believed that kefir was beneficial for health and the first scientific studies for kefir were published in the late 19th century.

This mildly self-carbonated beverage continues to be popular in the Caucasus, Russia and southwestern Asia, and recently gained wide popularity in Western Europe. In the United States, most natural food stores and the “whole food” chain markets found in urban areas—such as Whole Foods Market and Wild Oats—carry kefir. Given the ever-increasing popularity of yogurt and yogurt drinks here, I predict it won't be long before the big U.S. supermarket chains follow suit. However, as with yogurt, beware of products laden with sugars and fructose. Buy plain, unsweetened kefir and flavor with mixed berries, including açaí.

Kefir's Health Benefits

In addition to kefir's ancient reputation as a healthy drink, it has been famously credited with the extraordinary longevity of people in the Caucasus. Hospitals in the former Soviet Union use kefir—especially when no modern medical treatment is available—to treat conditions ranging from atherosclerosis, allergic disease, metabolic and digestive disorders and tuberculosis to cancer and gastrointestinal disorders.

A number of studies conducted to date have documented kefir's ability to stimulate the immune system, enhance lactose digestion, and inhibit tumors, fungi, and pathogens— including the bacteria that cause most ulcers. This makes a lot of sense as scientists have since discovered that most ulcers are caused by an infection with the bacterium, Helicobacter pylori and not spicy food, stomach acid or stress, as physicians erroneously believed for years.

Scientists are now discovering that a great many inflammatory diseases (including certain types of heart disease) can be triggered by a bacterium. And that provides all the more reason to enjoy kefir as part of your daily diet.

http://www.oprah.com/article/health/life_yogurtkefir/4

Best Post-Workout Recovery Drink: KEFIR

By Dane Miller

Over the years I have spent plenty of time and money while researching food, supplements and training methodologies.  Looking for an edge, I have started to search every corner of the world. Training is something that I love to read about; implementing new ideologies in a never ending matrix of information.

        

Until about four years ago, I did not have much knowledge of food, nutrition, or farming. One day while conspiring with my brother to progressively change the world, he and I came to the conclusion that somehow we needed to make enough money to buy our own farms, and create a situation where we could sustain our families and local friends.  From that point on I have read about food, how it is grown, the most efficient ways to raise animals, where our food comes from, and the best times to eat food (consequently, I am still working toward my dream of owning a farm).  My ideas have developed over a long, winding road; from taking four scoops of Twinlabs Mass Fuel to my first experience with raw milk, from times when I felt post-workout nutrition was meaningless and overrated, to the point where I place large value upon it.

 

Other than family and friends, I value food and nutrition more than anything else in my life, and do a very thorough job of researching traditional alternatives to modern supplements and gimmicks. I am a frugal person, and feel that there will always be more efficient and effective ways of accomplishing certain goals.

 

This brings me to kefir.  It should come as no surprise that the same man who exposed me to raw milk also introduced me to the wonders of kefir; an Amish man who frequents a farmer’s market in State College, Pennsylvania.  If you ever have the opportunity to attend this market, I highly suggest picking his brain.  I asked him, out of curiosity, about kefir and its nutritional properties. Following his response, I was given a sample of the sour tasting wonder.  Intrigued, I decided to do some research of my own.

    

That was three years ago.  Since then, I have spent time studying the wonders of fermenting foods and the various methods of doing so. As such, I have come to a few conclusions.  First, fermentation is a great way to naturally preserve food during high production times.  Fermented food is also great for the stomach as it is predigested, making the vitamins and minerals more available and crucial following a training session. Finally, the process of fermenting food can be fun, and the final product serves as very effective post-workout nutrition.

 

So what the hell is kefir? 

 

Kefir is milk which has been fermented by grains from the Caucasus region. These tiny grains (they are soft and mucousy, nothing like cereal grains) are collected from family or friends and dropped into a sterile container of fresh raw milk.  The grains sit in the container for 24-48 hours and do their duty of consuming sugars throughout the milk.  The milk is in turn fermented, preserved, and made ready for consumption.  The grains (bacterial, not cereal) cause fermentation which results in lactic acid, acetic acid and alcohol.  After this process, kefir contains numerous vitamins and minerals which are easily accessible by the body.  Kefir also contains complete and easily digestible proteins which are beneficial after an intense workout.  

 

What are the benefits?

 

 Kefir serves as a probiotic for the digestive tract.  It contains live bacteria which have a significant impact on foods and unpleasant junk within the stomach.  Kefir also sustains active cultures of normal flora. These consist of microorganisms which help overtake pathogenic organisms, continuing in the aid of digestion.  These are also organisms which predigest milk protein and make it fully and readily available. The benefits, seemingly, are endless.  The indigenous people of the Caucasus region are known for their longevity as well as their liberal consumption of kefir. Ilya Mechnikov, father of phagocytosis, also recognized the benefits of eating soured foods and consumed, “soured milk” every morning for breakfast.  Odds are that this soured milk was most likely kefir, a staple in the diets of many Russians and Ukrainians of the time. It has also been known to treat gastrointestinal disorders by bringing the stomach into balance.

 

Individuals who suffer from lactose intolerance can consume kefir.  Not only is kefir raw (raw milk can be consumed by individuals with lactose intolerance) but kefir ferments by digesting sugars, including the sugar lactase.  

 

The Nitty Gritty Nutrition

 

In addition to containing healthy microorganisms, kefir also contains vitamins, minerals and essential amino acids.  Kefir is rich in B1, B12, calcium, amino acids, folic acid and Vitamin K.  It also contains biotin which helps the body assimilate B12.  These B vitamins do a great job promoting energy longevity and regulating the liver while aiding in the recovery of the central nervous system.  Kefir contains the amino acid tryptophan which aids in the greater awareness and relaxation of the nervous system.  Magnesium is also found in abundance within kefir and along with calcium, further promotes the recovery of the nervous system and skeletal system.  Kefir is a complete food which promotes cell growth, maintenance and energy.  In reality, there is no better post-workout recovery drink. 

 

What does it taste like?

 

I like to equate kefir to a mixture of sour cream and yogurt.  It is unique in that the taste depends on the length of the fermentation process.  It can be very sour or mildly sour.  I know some people who love plain kefir while others prefer to add some fruit to soften the sour taste.  I love drinking it straight in a 12-20 ounce portion following a hard training session.  Drink it regularly and there will be significant improvement within the stomach and even in the weight room.

 

Implementation to Training

 

Kefir can be consumed after a number of days of fermenting.  The longer the kefir has fermented, the less sugar will be in the drink. I highly recommend drinking kefir in the morning as it gives you a full sense of awareness and preps your stomach for digestion throughout the day.  I fully believe that kefir is the BEST post-workout drink, bar none. Following an intense workout, the body needs nutrition fast and wants to spend as much time as possible recovering its muscles.  Kefir works wonders for this aspect of training. The body spends significantly less time digesting the food as it is already predigested.  It can quickly transport vitamins, minerals, and protein to the bloodstream and muscles.  There is no better post-workout drink than kefir. 

 

Kefir and Ketosis

 

Numerous athletes can benefit from a ketogenic diet, including bodybuilders.  Kefir is one drink that will assist in absorbing large amounts of vitamins and minerals, including calcium.  One issue some athletes encounter with ketogenic diets is the lack of calcium. Milk and figs are the most abundant sources of calcium in the world.  The issue here is that they each contain a fair amount of carbohydrates.  This is where kefir comes into play. Kefir eats the sugars within milk and if fermented for four days, virtually no sugar will exist within the drink.  This enables the athlete to continue absorbing proper amounts of calcium without exiting ketosis. 

http://www.garagestrength.com/?page_id=240

Miraculous Milk

By Bryan-oz4caster

Nature's perfect food? Certainly for young mammals. Developed through evolution to provide all the nutrients needed for young rapidly growing mammals to thrive and mature.

Miraculous? Definitely!

The miracle of milk is that it provides all the nutrients that mammals need for optimal health in a highly bioavailable form that also includes beneficial probiotics and immune system support. Humans began routinely drinking milk from animals around the time that herding of animals began many thousands of years ago. Groups that included milk in their diet thrived and spread across much of the old world, quite possibly from the added health benefits from consuming dairy. In these cultures, milk was often revered as a special food that conferred good health. Milk was an important mainstay in the diet of most Europeans and European colonists of the new world.

As large cities grew in industrialized areas, the demand for milk increased. It wasn't long before large factory dairies appeared in many cities to supply this demand. Unfortunately, the cows were crowded in filthy conditions and fed unnatural diets that made them sick. The sick animals and filthy environment resulted in poor quality milk that was heavily contaminated with pathogens that quickly made many people sick from drinking it. In order to sell this filthy milk, the dairy owners turned to pasteurization to kill the pathogens in the milk. This approach was cheaper than trying to clean up their operations. Today, this has become the paradigm for cheap milk for the masses - quantity at the expense of quality.

Pasteurization

Can you imagine pasteurizing and homogenizing a mother's milk before giving it to her child? When pasteurized cow's milk is given to calves, they don't thrive and many die prematurely. Many of the important healthful aspects of milk are destroyed by the heat of pasteurization, including beneficial probiotic bacteria, enzymes that promote bioavailability of nutrients, and other special proteins that stimulate the immune system and suppress harmful microbes. Pasteurization is simply an excuse to sell filthy milk. Now most of the public can only buy dead milk from filthy factory farms. Pasteurized milk won't immediately make you sick unless it becomes contaminated, but it will likely contribute to allergies, asthma, and inflammation, and won't provide the proper nutrition for good health.

Requiring milk to be pasteurized to avoid harmful bacteria is like requiring all vegetables and meat to be cooked before being sold. We as consumers have a right to buy clean and healthy unprocessed foods. Many more people are sickened from eating contaminated vegetables and meat, as well as contaminated pasteurized milk, than from raw milk. Most cases of illness from raw milk have resulted from filthy factory farmed milk being accidentally or intentionally distributed without pasteurization. Ironically, raw milk from clean dairies is very resistant to harmful microbes, whereas pasteurized milk is not. That's why raw milk turns sour at room temperature, but sour raw milk will not make you sick. It's known as clabbered milk and was commonly used before the days of refrigeration. On the other hand, pasteurized milk rapidly goes rancid at room temperature and will make you sick.

The real solution to food borne illness is to provide clean food for sale in the first place. Proper farming techniques can provide clean food, including dairy. Animals should be fed their natural diet for optimal health of the animals and for optimal nutrition in the meat and milk they provide. Most factory farmed feed-lot and dairy animals are fed unnatural diets of grain and soy that make the animals sick and more likely to spread pathogens such as e-coli. To keep them alive, they are given massive amounts of antibiotics, which in turn helps to develop strains of harmful bacteria resistant to antibiotics. The dairy animals are also given hormones to make them produce more milk, but of lesser nutritional quality. These tactics allow the production of cheap, but poor quality milk, to outsell competitors and drive larger profits.

Many health practitioners now advise patients to eliminate dairy from their diet because of the harmful effects of this degraded and sorry substitute for real milk. Too bad most of them don't know about the excellent health benefits of fresh clean raw milk. More and more people are learning about real milk as the word spreads from those who switch to raw milk and find that it is a true panacea for good health, unlike the dead milk most people buy.

The Milk Cure

In the past, raw milk from pasture-fed cows was used to successfully treat many diseases. As recently as the early 1900's, patients were treated by feeding them nothing but raw milk from pastured cows, about 5 to 10 quarts a day, in small amounts about every half hour. Dr. J. R. Crewe, of the Mayo Foundation, forerunner of the Mayo Clinic, in 1929 reported that this treatment was used "chiefly in tuberculosis, diseases of the nervous system, cardiovascular and renal conditions, hypertension, and in patients who are underweight". He also reported that "when sick people are limited to a diet containing an excess of vitamins and all the elements necessary to growth and maintenance, which are available in milk, they recover rapidly without the use of drugs and without bringing to bear all the complicated weapons of modern medicine". Unfortunately, the milk cure is not very profitable and was soon replaced by more profitable therapies, including drugs and surgery. In this day of very expensive medical treatments, maybe we need to strongly reconsider the milk cure as a first resort. Modern medicine should be the last resort.

Cultured Milk

Before the days of refrigeration, milk was consumed fresh, shortly after milking, or was cultured for later consumption. Raw milk can be cultured by it's own microbes to create clabbered milk or buttermilk, or with added cultures to make products like yogurt, kefir, and cheeses. Raw cultured dairy offers the same benefits of raw milk and may be a better option for those with blood sugar problems, since the amount of milk sugar is reduced by culturing. Cultured dairy made from pasteurized whole milk may not be as beneficial and "low fat" dairy may even be detrimental to health. 

http://stay-healthy-enjoy-life.blogspot.com/2008/11/natures-perfect-food-certainly-for.html

What's Best? Soy Milk, Cow's Milk, Raw Milk and Fermented Milk (Kefir)

By Mike Adams

One of the most common questions I'm asked concerns my recommendations for milk or milk alternatives. My answer on this question has evolved over the years, so today, I'll share my latest preferences for milk and milk-like beverages.

Thumbs down: Soy milk 

A few years ago, I recommended soy milk as a natural alternative to cow's milk. But since then, far better alternatives have emerged (see below). Also, more information has appeared regarding the environmental impact of soybean farming (the Amazon rainforest is being devastated by clear cutting to create soybean agricultural lands) as well as the frightening fact that most soybeans grown today are genetically modified (GMO) varieties.

On top of this, most popular soy milk brands (I won't name names, but these are likely the ones in your grocery store) have been bought out by big, profit-seeking food and beverage corporations, and as a result, they've been sugared up and made nutritionally inferior. Check the ingredients on "plain" soy milk the next time you're at the store: It's loaded with sugar!

Without question, most soy milk has become too mainstream, too sugary and too much controlled by the same food and beverage giants that are still manufacturing and marketing other products that promote degenerative disease. Because of these reasons, I no longer recommend soy milk (unless you make it yourself or get it from a small, truly natural company).

Thumbs down: Processed cow's milk 

I'm also not thrilled about processed milk from cows. By "processed," I mean homogenized and pasteurized. The pasteurization kills all the beneficial microorganisms, and homogenization artificially modifies dairy fats in a way that ultimately harms the human cardiovascular system when consumed. Processed "mainstream" milk is also taken from dairy cows pumped up with antibiotics, rBGH (Bovine Growth Hormone) and usually treated very poorly in terms of ethics. Even the popular brands showing happy cows and claiming to be organic are under intense fire by the Organic Consumers Association (www.OrganicConsumers.org) for exploiting certain loopholes that allow non-organic cows to be suddenly considered "organic" on the day they're giving milk.

Processed cow's milk is bad for your health and bad for the cows who give it. It's great for corporate profits, however, and that's why milk continues to be so heavily marketed as a nutritional beverage. They've even managed to so strongly influence the USDA that the latest dietary recommendations by this government agency essentially recommend that everyone should drink more milk. And it's no surprise that infant formula manufacturers have, for decades, tried to convince nutritionally ignorant mothers that cow's milk is better for their baby than human breast milk. (An odd idea, isn't it?)

Thumbs up: Raw milk 

Over the last two years, I've become a proponent of raw milk (especially raw fermented milk, see below). Raw goat's milk is my personal recommendation, but even raw cow's milk has merit. What's so good about raw milk? Because it's not homogenized or pasteurized, it's nutritionally superior to dead, cooked milk. Raw milk seems to be far easier to digest, and it contains living bacteria cultures that enhance digestion and even soothe the digestive tract.

It's no surprise, then, that raw milk is under attack by both federal regulators and some members of the processed milk industry. They don't want people to find a "superior" milk that isn't as profitable to sell (because it has reduced shelf life), so they're trying to destroy the raw milk market and limit consumer choice to processed, dead milk. (The same is true in the almond industry, where the [USDA] is now trying to [pasteurize or chemically treat] all almonds grown in the [USA], yet have them labeled as "raw" even when they're dead.)

This attack on raw milk is dressed up to look like a public safety concern. Raw milk is dangerous, regulators claim, because the live cultures might get contaminated with unfriendly bacteria and harm someone. The preferred alternative, it seems, is to kill all the food so that it harms everyone equally.

In terms of choosing raw milk, the typical choices are raw cow's milk and raw goat's milk. Raw goat's milk is more compatible with human nutritional needs (and is especially beneficial to infants when mother's milk isn't available), but it has a stronger taste that not everyone enjoys. I encourage you to try both raw goat's milk and raw cow's milk, then decide what you like best. The proteins in the goat's milk are, no doubt, easier for humans to digest.

Thumbs way up: Fermented raw milk 

The best dairy beverage for your health is, in my opinion, fermented raw milk. If you take raw milk and inoculate it with bacterial cultures, then let it sit for a day or two, you end up with a living, predigested, nutritionally superior beverage that's so packed with life it's actually fizzy (carbonated due to the off-gassing of bacteria) when you make it yourself at home.

One form of this fermented milk is called Kefir. It's an incredible beverage when you make it yourself. The store-bought kefir just isn't the same because it's usually dead, flat and pasteurized. But home-made kefir is something else entirely! It's alive, energetic and completely natural.

I was recently treated to some kefir made from raw goat's milk by a raw foods chef in Tucson -- a man I hope to feature on NewsTarget videos later this year. He makes kefir in jars on his kitchen countertop, using a kefir culture that's been passed down from one raw foodist to another for years... maybe even decades. It contained no sweeteners or additives of any kind; just raw goat's milk cultured with bacteria. After drinking it, I noticed an immediate energetic difference, and in the days that followed, I was amazed at the therapeutic effect on my digestive and eliminative processes. Since then, I've really upped my intake of fermented foods in general.

Store-bought kefir is tricky. Definitely avoid non-organic kefir of any kind, and I strongly recommend that even when you buy organic kefir, avoid products made with added sugars. This is a fermented beverage, not ice cream. Don't think it's supposed to taste like a milkshake. It's a slightly bitter beverage when you drink it plain, but that's what kefir is supposed to be. 

Thumbs way up: Raw almond milk 

Another current favorite at my house is raw almond milk. It's made from raw, soaked almonds, water, vanilla and a pinch of sea salt. I've posted a video on how to make this yourself using a Vita-Mix. (Click here to see the video.)

Raw almond milk is both delicious and nutritious. While it doesn't have the protein content of animal milk, it's rich in plant-based fats and various anti-cancer phytonutrients. Once you make a batch, you'll need to drink it within a day or two, since it tends to sour very quickly (it's alive, raw and nutritious, obviously), but I've found that you can preserve it in the refrigerator for several days longer by adding a couple of drops of food-grade hydrogen peroxide.

Many raw food proponents are now drinking a combination of raw almond milk and raw goat's milk kefir. That's a combination I'm enjoying, too. It's good to have a balance of both plant and animal-based milks, but only if they're from ethically treated, naturally raised animals who are not exposed to antibiotics, toxic chemicals or conventional veterinary care (which is all based on chemicals, just like human health care).

Mike's Milk Matrix 

Okay, here's the low down on milk products and milk alternatives as I see it:

Soy milk: Not recommended. Too many GMO soybeans, bad environmental impact and some possible undesirable estrogen effects. The isoflavones are good for preventing cancer, however.

Processed cow's milk: It's just gross. Homogenized, pasteurized, milked from unhealthy cows and containing alarmingly high levels of pus, this liquid is nothing less than frightening. Flee it.

Raw cow's milk (organic): This is an acceptable dairy beverage. If it's from healthy cows treated with kindness and good nutrition, this raw beverage is far better than processed cow's milk.

Raw goat's milk (organic): Even better than raw cow's milk, since the goat's milk is easier to digest and more compatible with human nutritional needs.

Fermented milk from cows or goats (organic Kefir): A great choice! It's alive, nutritious and great for digestive health. If you buy it, avoid the sugared-up kefir products in the store.

Raw almond milk: A top choice for vegans, one of my favorite beverages. Make it yourself with raw almonds, water a nut milk bag and a blender. Click here to see my almond milk recipe video.

Enjoy! 

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_6742.cfm

Kefir LIFE Probiotics

What is Kefir?
Kefir is a fermented lactose-free dairy product that tastes like yogurt. It is rich in pre-digested protein, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids and contains billions of live beneficial bacteria and yeasts (40 strains). It is the most powerful probiotic and antioxidant.
It has been part of the daily diet in other countries for centuries. Circassians of the Caucasus Mountains (now a Russian territory) who consume kefir on a daily basis are known for long lives, 100-150 years old.
What is Kefir LIFE Probiotics?
Kefir LIFE Probiotics is made from superior mother kefir grains cultured with fresh milk from organic-fed cows by L.I.F.E. (Living In Full Enjoyment - John 10:10) Organic Farm in Bukidnon, Philippines.
Kefir LIFE Family, having experienced the wonders of kefir, is passionate in their commitment to bring wellness and healing to every Filipino families. Introducing Kefir Life Probiotics is their simple way of educating the Filipinos on eating healthy, thus, spending less on medications and health insurances.
What Are The Health Benefits of Kefir LIFE Probiotics?
Energizes – Rejuvenates - Heals
Energizing
• Increases stamina
• Sharpens memory
• Awakens the senses
• Excellent for those who work at night
Drink kefir for an invigorating experience!
Rejuvenating
• Improves digestion and promotes elimination. Excellent for acid reflux/GERD, heartburn and hemorrhoid.
• Hydrates and regenerates cells and repairs tissues, thus making you look younger and radiant
• Regulates blood flow, thus normalizes and increases libido
• Maintains healthy functions of the reproductive system in men and women
• Nourishes the scalp, thickens hair and prevents hair loss
Healing
• Relieves breathing difficulty. Heals the lungs. Excellent for bronchitis, tuberculosis, asthma, and other respiratory diseases. Excellent for smokers.
• Expels mucus and phlegm
• Effectively cures bad breath or halitosis, even for those who are suffering for years
• Nourishes and repairs the kidneys and liver. Excellent for drinkers.
• Reduces blood sugar, thus excellent for diabetics
• Restores the normal flora. A must after antibiotic treatment and intake of chlorinated water.
• Relaxes and calms the nerves. Excellent for those who are suffering from stress-related illnesses, sleep disorders, chronic fatigue, depression, ADHD, etc.
• Boosts the immune system. Excellent for those who have AIDs, herpes, metabolic disorders, tuberculosis, atherosclerosis, etc.
• Reduces the size of tumors, thus inhibiting the growth of cancer cells
• Reduces the toxic effects of CHEMO and COBALT radiation during and after treatment.
• Excellent blood thinner, thus prevents strokes and heart attacks
• Lowers cholesterol
• Prevents and cures skin diseases like seborrhic dermatitis, skin asthma, eczema, psoriasis, etc.
• Prevents and cures osteoporosis and osteoarthritis
• Has anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties. Excellent for wounds, insect bites, rashes.
• Prevents bleeding or blood loss which leads to shock or even death