Re: I am envious of you!

The difference between die-off and unacceptable reaction is difficult to judge. You can only go by your instinct and experience.

When I first gave up dairy over ten years ago I had die-off. Incredibly strong reactions, flu-like symptoms, one eye went bloodshot, then the other, the glands in my neck swelled up etc but somehow the symptoms always felt bearable (which is hard to explain) ie underneath the discomfort I felt better. Then the symptoms subsided and disappeared. If I do a parasite cleanse (and I do them on an annual basis) I can also get die-off usually a headache or extreme tiredness (less now than I used to).

Before I drank kefir I did a lot of research. I knew milk could be an issue ( so is Sugar and a lot of carbs for me) but in recent months my food reactions had improved enormously. I could eat cream, butter and cheese and have milk in small amounts provided I did not eat them on a regular basis. I was in a good place. I was very careful to ferment kefir for the suggested time. I mostly drank the whey rather than the milk. I made cheese (which other people ate!). I persevered for 3 months. I got a string of new reactions (or old ones that I haven’t had for years) Flu symptoms. I got eczema in my ear and my ears blocked up badly. I got strange extreme pains in my wrists. My nails started flaking and breaking (I have always had really strong nails) and I got whitlows or sores round my nails. The symptoms worsened and became unacceptable so I stopped. My feeling was that I was reacting badly to the probiotic bacteria in kefir because the reaction I got was much more severe than anything I get from regular dairy products. If I ate just a small piece of kefir cheese the reaction was quick and strong.

Also there are warnings that if you ferment kefir for a long time you can get constipation. This was the health issue I was trying to cure!

Trust me, I wish it had worked. I loved the product and enjoyed experimenting with cheese making. The whey is great for washing your hair!
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