What have you found that improves your health

[Gardening with Rabbits]

I know someone here that has Lupus, well did have. She has been sick ever since I met her with one problem or another. She is not that old, probably close to 40. She is on thyroid medication. About a year ago she started making and drinking Kombucha tea. She has been drinking it a year. She is up to a quart a day. She got a call from her doctor that her ANA test was negative and they stopped her immuneosuppression medications. Then, she got a call to cut the dosage of her thyroid medication. Her thyroid is working now and she has lost 30 pounds. I used to make it several years ago. My brother got me started on it and I got my friend in Kansas to start making it. All of us have quit making it. I was having trouble getting mold and finally realized I need a heat mat becaue our house is cold at night. My brother quit because too much trouble. My friend quit because too many calories. I know drinking 1 glass several years ago cured my heartburn. I carried Rolaids in my purse, had them next to the bed. Horrible pain went away and has been gone for years. Helped DH with Raynauds, bloating stomach and psoriasis. My friend's DH swears it helps him breathe better and stops his coughing up mucus because he smokes. I never draink that much before, but this time I started drinking 3 glasses, but started too fast and got some detox symptoms, so I stopped a few days. I think a scar on my face is lightening up. I have had it since I was a kid, but when pg with DD the scar turned red. It went away and then when pg with DS, it turned red and he will be 14 years old this month and it is still red with no change, but drinking this tea for the last week and a half I see a change. My skin was getting soft. I just started drinking it today again today. I only had half a glass, but I will have a full glass tomorrow and drink a lot of water. My DS is drinking it for acne. Even he thinks his face has improved. I think the secret to it is drink more than a glass a day. My brother is going to make it again after hearing about this lady and my friend in Kansas is too. I have to order a heater.

 

[journey11]

We love kombucha! Even my hubby is hooked on it now, although he still teases me about my pet SCOBY's.

I've been making it for a couple of months and can't make enough, fast enough to keep up with demand. (Although I went and bought a second sun tea pitcher, I could use 2 more.)

I can't put a finger on it...no definitive proof yet...but I think the kombucha has improved my health as well. I just starting noticing that I simply feel better. My asthma has been a little better and most notably I've had less joint pain.

I've already been playing around with other ferments over the past couple of years and making homemade yogurt too. Real ACV is excellent for UTIs and kidney trouble. Knocks them right out in less than a day.

 

[so lucky]

I love kombucha and have heard all about its health benefits. The way I like it best does take a little trouble, double brewing it, adding fresh ginger and pineapple juice. Lately I have been negligent and have let my last three batches get too vinegary. Blechh! I brewed some more tea yesterday and started again with my scoby. Hopefully I will be able to get to it before it goes bad this time. To be honest, I can't put my finger on any noted benefits for me, but it is sort of "habit forming." You just crave it after a while. I also eat a lot of fermented kraut, so I don't see any drastic digestion action with the addition of kombucha.
Gardening with Rabbits, have you tried putting your jar on top of the fridge? It might be enough warmer up there to make a difference. Our house is pretty warm, unfortunately, winter and summer, so there is no problem getting it to ferment here.

 

[dewdropsinwv]

Never heard of it. Sounds like it works for a lot of people. I've been pretty lucky health wise, I did how ever have thyroid cancer when I was 22, but they removed it and I've been cancer free for 21 years. Since I do not have a thyroid I have to take my pill everyday.

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

I forgot to say that I am not making it right now, but buying it from the lady that had Lupus. I read a website that said not to let it get below 70 degrees. We have wood heat and at night the house gets cold when the fire is out. My brother thinks the kitchen is not a good place to put it because of cooking and our woodstove is pretty close to the frig. I am going to put it in a cabinet in my office this time when I make it. At the time when I got the mold he was thinking it came from a house plant I have, but I had it for the whole time before I got the mold. I am positive it was the temperature. I have made yogurt, kefir, drank raw milk and raw sauerkraut, but never stayed with it long enough to see a difference. I am going to try to make my own sauerkraut. I have bought some on and off at Pilgrims Market. The kind that has never been heated is around $10 a jar! It has 4 servings in it. A serving size is 7 tablespoons and I have never at that much because of the price. No telling how good I might feel if I ate that much.

 

[so lucky]

I don't ever eat that much at one time. My friend who is deathly intolerant to GMO corn eats a "big fork full" with every meal. She learned what works best for her through lots of trial, error and sickness. We don't heat it, just eat it cold out of the fridge like a condiment, pickle or relish. It absolutely works the first time for us. My food just digests so much better, with less bloating and gas, when I eat the kraut.

Also, for you who have to eat Tums or take Prilosec, we have found that apple cider vinegar is much more effective at stopping indigestion than any medicine. Just drink a tablespoonful in water before your meal. It balances the acid in your stomach in a much more natural way than the acid reducers, which inhibit digestion. You need acid to digest your food!

 

[journey11]

So Lucky, I tried your version with ginger and pineapple and loved it! It's neat because it comes out almost lemony. I tried a couple just plain pineapple and they weren't as good without the ginger. We'd been making ours mostly with mixed berries which is really tasty. And I tried peach, but it was not as good as it sounded. I think the ginger/pineapple is now my new favorite. Thanks!

 

[so lucky]

I love it that way, too. Lately I have been drinking it plain, because I am trying the "continuous brew" method. I guess I could add ginger and pineapple to it as I drink it, but apparently am too lazy.

 

[Kassaundra]

So where do you get the "start"?

 

[journey11]

I got mine from Goldfinch (via Amazon.com). They eventually make a "baby" scoby and you can gift those as they multiply or compost them. When I get another, I could mail you one if you want.

ETA: here's that link ...