Question about kefir and gut (+edit!)

Hi All,

I've been experimenting with making water kefir the last couple of weeks, and also with sauerkraut. The first batch of 'kraut seems to have come out okay- the kefir was okay to start with, but lately I've been having problems with it.

Firstly, my grains have not grown at all. In the first batch I used spring water, the next I used just boiled water (from a brita initially), the third batch was soaked in spring water and Sugar (to try and revive them since they had been in the fridge) and then fermented in boiled water (after it cooled). I've been using Uny's grains, but only half of what she sent (about a cup after hydration) just to be safe, in case I fudged with my experiments!

I notice that after a few days of culturing the kefir, the fizz tends to increase and the sweetness goes away. I've then been putting my kefir jar in the fridge and drinking from it periodically until it is done, then starting over. I have had the habit of having maybe 1/2 cup a day, when I have it on hand.

The thing is, the mixture tends to taste more and more 'vinegary' as time goes on, and I wonder if it is still good for me to drink. Also, I don't think my digestive system is dealing well with either the kefir or the skraut. I have experimented with added them to my juices, which tastes great, but again, I don't know. I vary between severe to moderate bloating, gas and pain (and either constipation or seriously loose stools) depending what is going on with me. I am constantly re-evaluating what I am eating and taking in terms of herbal aids, but my patterns are not clear yet, to me at least.

I read someone's post a while back about if one has candida and mold issues that kefir may pose an issue, and perhaps drinking it closer to the sweetness stage, like around days 2,3 and 4, is best. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Also, would dairy kefir maybe 'coat' my insides better? What I have is constant inflammation, irritation and pain- mainly from anything going through, or passing by (i.e gas, stool, food and whatever else is still in there!) :)

(edit: I feel that I should also mention: As it stands now, I just finished a month of colon cleansing with IF#1 and IF#2, coffee enemas, and slippery elm. I started taking 2 oz of aloe vera gel everyday two days ago as well. I have been mostly raw vegan the whole time, just a bit of rice on two or three occassions and twice some sardines, and once a serving of pasta. With all of these blunders, I immediately had issues digesting and/or my symptoms of candida were worsened. I also did a lot of juicing during this time, mainly a quart a day, if not two or three.

Still my gut hurts a ton. Still have the 'yeast' issue, and am doing garlic inserts 2-3 times per week. I have experimented with garlic enemas, they definitely release yeast, but cause such severe irritation and cramping in my gut afterwards that I often have to recoup for more than a day afterwards. Slippery elm enemas either help or produce massive gas afterwards. I have not yet done an olive oil or aloe vera enema, and will experiment.)

Thanks so much,

Teresa. Tweet