PROBIOTICS for you and your chickens

[emarble]

[email protected] :

Hello everyone.

I am new to BYC and kinda new to raising chickens. I stumbled upon this thread, and I'm truely interested in the Kefer and would like to try it myself.

I was born & raised on a working dairy farm (with chickens) until 15 when a fire destroyed most everything. Until then, I drank cows milk straight from the cow and never even tasted store bought milk. Once I tried store milk, I loved the taste and never drank milk straight from the cow again. However, I was my most healthyest and felt my best way back then. Now, I've transplanted to Alabama with my family (years later as an adult), and I just feel terrible most days. Doctors can't find anything wrong with me. I've been poked and proded and still they tell me I'm fine, but I feel like crap and completely drained of all energy. I have also developed IBS and I suspect Lactose Intolerance.

I have never been a health food nut, nor do I buy anything that is fat free, low fat, reduced fat, sugar free, or low in sodium. I think that when they alter the food, they are taking away vital nutritions and adding chemicals. I also don't take any kind of suplements or vitamins, because I see them as a chemical and not real nutritions. I have always had a garden every summer, but I'm finding it hard to continue this in the south with the red clay dirt. My gardening is not what it used to be in Pennsylvania.

But, after reading this entire thread, I think I might just give the Kefer a try. I need to do some checking in my area to see what I can find available. I have 2 ladies down the road that raise goats, but don't know if they milk them. I also have a working dairy farm about 15 miles away. Guess I'll be checking to see if I can get milk from any of them. I've heard about a farmers market also in our area, but I've never been there. I'll need to make a trip there too.

I'm excited to try Kefer and see if it will help me to start feeling better once I introduce it to my system. I hope it taste good. I remember trying buttermilk as a child and hating it. I am also going to try the homemade yogurt. My kids and I just love it. If I can make it cheaper and healtier, I'm all for that. I've already located the organic yogurt in the store to get me started. I'm interested in seeing what positive effects it all will have on my chickens as well.

Well, hello agian, and wish me luck.

First icoode welcome to backyard chicken~!

Ernie​

 

[AndreaS]

[email protected] :

Hello everyone.

I am new to BYC and kinda new to raising chickens. I stumbled upon this thread, and I'm truely interested in the Kefer and would like to try it myself.

I was born & raised on a working dairy farm (with chickens) until 15 when a fire destroyed most everything. Until then, I drank cows milk straight from the cow and never even tasted store bought milk. Once I tried store milk, I loved the taste and never drank milk straight from the cow again. However, I was my most healthyest and felt my best way back then. Now, I've transplanted to Alabama with my family (years later as an adult), and I just feel terrible most days. Doctors can't find anything wrong with me. I've been poked and proded and still they tell me I'm fine, but I feel like crap and completely drained of all energy. I have also developed IBS and I suspect Lactose Intolerance.

I have never been a health food nut, nor do I buy anything that is fat free, low fat, reduced fat, sugar free, or low in sodium. I think that when they alter the food, they are taking away vital nutritions and adding chemicals. I also don't take any kind of suplements or vitamins, because I see them as a chemical and not real nutritions. I have always had a garden every summer, but I'm finding it hard to continue this in the south with the red clay dirt. My gardening is not what it used to be in Pennsylvania.

But, after reading this entire thread, I think I might just give the Kefer a try. I need to do some checking in my area to see what I can find available. I have 2 ladies down the road that raise goats, but don't know if they milk them. I also have a working dairy farm about 15 miles away. Guess I'll be checking to see if I can get milk from any of them. I've heard about a farmers market also in our area, but I've never been there. I'll need to make a trip there too.

I'm excited to try Kefer and see if it will help me to start feeling better once I introduce it to my system. I hope it taste good. I remember trying buttermilk as a child and hating it. I am also going to try the homemade yogurt. My kids and I just love it. If I can make it cheaper and healtier, I'm all for that. I've already located the organic yogurt in the store to get me started. I'm interested in seeing what positive effects it all will have on my chickens as well.

Well, hello agian, and wish me luck.

Hello and

I Think the whole "health nut"thing is kinda misleading in our culture. It is funny, most of my clients think I must be a "health nut" but when it comes down to it, I think I eat lots of things that are considered "bad" by modern dietary standards. I eat fresh butter, tons of fresh eggs from my chickies, pasta, bread, and meat. And you couldn't pay me to work out at a gym. When people today think about health foods they most often think of soy products, and specialized man made foods that are supposed to be good for you. They think of low carb diets and vegetarian/vegan lifestyles. I don't touch any soy, protein bars, low fat this, low sodium that, etc.... I do try and stay away from white sugar and white flour, While I know a lot of people who do thrive on a vegetarian lifestyle, I didn't eat any meat products for over 6 years and it was not good for me, my symptoms were much like you described, no energy, GI upset, and basically just feeling unwell. I also developed blood sugar issues and passed out several times.

I am thin, and have tons of energy. Here is my approach:

Eat real! I don't eat anything processed. Cooking has become a passion and hobby for me. I cook all my meals from scratch. I bake my own bread (whole wheat and sour dough), make my own pasta, grow tons of veggies in my garden (without pesticides or chemical fertilizers), and purchase meat products only from local organic farmers whose animals are raised humanely. My chickens get organic feed (I'm scared of genetically modified corn and soy in the feed) and whatever grass/bugs/seeds they like from our yard. We don't keep soda, chips, prepared meals or anything like that in our house.

I agree with basing what you eat on how close it is to it's origional form. If your great great grandmother would not have recognised it as a food item, chances are, it's not REAL food. I only want food that is real. I highly recommend reading "the omnivores delimma" ,"real food", and "nourishing traditions". Good places to start.

I have been looking for a LONG time trying to find a source for raw milk. Unfortunatly, I haven't been able to find any in my area. It is illegal here. My solution is that in the next few years I am going to get a family milk cow, so I can make my own dairy products, too.

It's funny how lots of people will tell me when I describe our lifestyle how they wish they had "time" to do all of the things I do. Most of these things are not time consuming. When I bake bread, I make enough dough to last us a week and keep it in the fridge. When i need a loaf, I pull off a chunk, shape it, let is rise for about 30 minutes and bake it. Very little active time is involved in the process. Making pasta is a cinch and only takes a few minutes. Fresh pasta is to die for! I think most people underestimate how much time they spend watching TV or on other activities to "unwind". If cooking, gardening and tending animals becomes your hobby, your way of unwinding, then you have a lot more time then you think you do! Also, I have clients that spend 2 hours every day at the gym. I don't need to go to a gym because my lifestyle is active. We don't have cable, we watch movies sometimes, but other than that when we are home we are both working on various projects, walking, or just enjoying time outdoors. To me, it feels like the best life.

I don't take many supplements, but I would recommend trying cod liver oil taken daily. It is a big energy booster and helps with seratonin production among many other health benefits. It may really help if you are feeling lathargic and kinda "low". And yes, probiotics! I've eaten live yogurt daily for years, and have always meant to try kefir and kombucha, this thread reminded me that it is time to start! Check on craigslist, I found a woman close to me who sells both cultures very cheap. I also can't wait to try lacto fermented veggies. I've been doing some canning each season, but I know that having various pickles that are not heat treated and are full of good healthy bacteria will be better for me. Hooray for living foods, full of probiotics and enzymes!

Anyway....I'll get off the soap box now!

The point is to eat real foods, full of nutrients, as close to the source as possible, and ENJOY them! Life is not worth living if you cannot enjoy the things you consume! If you are hooked on highly processed/sugary foods, it may take you awhile to appreciate the flavor of fresh foods- but if you've been gardening for a long time then you probably already have an appreciation for such things.

Oh, and on gardening in the south; I am in NC and have clay as well. Work in lots of well rotted cow manure and peat moss. Try covering your dormant garden with a cover crop to be tilled in as soon as the ground thaws in the spring. Or, if you have the money to make the inital investement, raised beds rock! Build up raised beds and pre mix your own soil to go in them (tons of compost from multiple sources, peat moss, and vermiculite). They retain moisture but drain well, and weeding is super easy because you never walk on the soil so you aren't packing it down! Also, in NC and probably even more so in AL, you can really extend your growing season so that there is always something fresh coming from the garden! I can grow leeks, carrots, spinach, and tons of salad greens here year round! Other crops I can grow for a month or two later than most northern states. Just a little frost protection with reemay goes a long way! A couple of good gardeing books are "square foot gardening" which is a really general approach to raised beds that makes the process super easy, and "four season harvest" a great book about year round growing. That way, you can eat nutrient rich, fresh veggies that are as local as it gets all year long!

Sorry for the long post. I just hate to hear that you are feeling unwell. I'm with Ernie on this, I believe we are supposed to feel good and that our bodies are built to keep us well and heal us. Try cultivating hobbies that are good for you- so you can spend your free time outdoors, doing something you enjoy and that is healthy. It will be good for you, and you will be setting a good example for your children! Here is a resource for finding farmers markets in your area: www.localharvest.org

Good Luck!!

Andrea​

 

[vmdanielsen]

[email protected] :

Hello everyone.

I am new to BYC and kinda new to raising chickens. I stumbled upon this thread, and I'm truely interested in the Kefer and would like to try it myself.

I was born & raised on a working dairy farm (with chickens) until 15 when a fire destroyed most everything. Until then, I drank cows milk straight from the cow and never even tasted store bought milk. Once I tried store milk, I loved the taste and never drank milk straight from the cow again. However, I was my most healthyest and felt my best way back then. Now, I've transplanted to Alabama with my family (years later as an adult), and I just feel terrible most days. Doctors can't find anything wrong with me. I've been poked and proded and still they tell me I'm fine, but I feel like crap and completely drained of all energy. I have also developed IBS and I suspect Lactose Intolerance.

I have never been a health food nut, nor do I buy anything that is fat free, low fat, reduced fat, sugar free, or low in sodium. I think that when they alter the food, they are taking away vital nutritions and adding chemicals. I also don't take any kind of suplements or vitamins, because I see them as a chemical and not real nutritions. I have always had a garden every summer, but I'm finding it hard to continue this in the south with the red clay dirt. My gardening is not what it used to be in Pennsylvania.

But, after reading this entire thread, I think I might just give the Kefer a try. I need to do some checking in my area to see what I can find available. I have 2 ladies down the road that raise goats, but don't know if they milk them. I also have a working dairy farm about 15 miles away. Guess I'll be checking to see if I can get milk from any of them. I've heard about a farmers market also in our area, but I've never been there. I'll need to make a trip there too.

I'm excited to try Kefer and see if it will help me to start feeling better once I introduce it to my system. I hope it taste good. I remember trying buttermilk as a child and hating it. I am also going to try the homemade yogurt. My kids and I just love it. If I can make it cheaper and healtier, I'm all for that. I've already located the organic yogurt in the store to get me started. I'm interested in seeing what positive effects it all will have on my chickens as well.

Well, hello agian, and wish me luck.

lcoode, welcome to BYC!

My daughter was diagnosed with crohn's disease 14 years ago. While mainstream medicine said that she needed their anti inflammatory drugs (prednisone), I disagreed. At that point in our lives we went organic.....plenty of probiotics (store bought at that time) and liquid vitamins (for my daughter as in her compromised state ingesting any kind of food was painful). You may want to consider a multivitamin, as your digestive tract is in a compromised state and probably is unable to digest and absorb food properly. Also remember that most food in the market has some sort of GMO in it. While our eyes and taste buds tell us it is corn, wheat etc. our bodies tell us it is not. I think you are on the right track by introducing probiotics into your body. I would consider digestive enzymes with meals and bragg's amino acids(found in the health food store) for an easily digested protein. Also consider celiac's disease (an intolerance to gluten[found in many foods]).

Anyway, my daughter was diagosed with crohn's disease 14 years ago. She has been pretty much asymptomatic since an has been in general good since. I never put her on the prescription drugs. I am not saying that people should not take their drugs, but not taking them and changing our lifestyle did.

Best of luck and again, welcome!
ginny​

 

[jerseygirl1]

This is quite the informative topic - very interesting reading here, and Imyself am going to try Kefir! Never thought Iwould.......

 

[vmdanielsen]

Quote:
Hello and

I Think the whole "health nut"thing is kinda misleading in our culture. It is funny, most of my clients think I must be a "health nut" but when it comes down to it, I think I eat lots of things that are considered "bad" by modern dietary standards. I eat fresh butter, tons of fresh eggs from my chickies, pasta, bread, and meat. And you couldn't pay me to work out at a gym. When people today think about health foods they most often think of soy products, and specialized man made foods that are supposed to be good for you. They think of low carb diets and vegetarian/vegan lifestyles. I don't touch any soy, protein bars, low fat this, low sodium that, etc.... I do try and stay away from white sugar and white flour, While I know a lot of people who do thrive on a vegetarian lifestyle, I didn't eat any meat products for over 6 years and it was not good for me, my symptoms were much like you described, no energy, GI upset, and basically just feeling unwell. I also developed blood sugar issues and passed out several times.

I am thin, and have tons of energy. Here is my approach:

Eat real! I don't eat anything processed. Cooking has become a passion and hobby for me. I cook all my meals from scratch. I bake my own bread (whole wheat and sour dough), make my own pasta, grow tons of veggies in my garden (without pesticides or chemical fertilizers), and purchase meat products only from local organic farmers whose animals are raised humanely. My chickens get organic feed (I'm scared of genetically modified corn and soy in the feed) and whatever grass/bugs/seeds they like from our yard. We don't keep soda, chips, prepared meals or anything like that in our house.

I agree with basing what you eat on how close it is to it's origional form. If your great great grandmother would not have recognised it as a food item, chances are, it's not REAL food. I only want food that is real. I highly recommend reading "the omnivores delimma" ,"real food", and "nourishing traditions". Good places to start.

I have been looking for a LONG time trying to find a source for raw milk. Unfortunatly, I haven't been able to find any in my area. It is illegal here. My solution is that in the next few years I am going to get a family milk cow, so I can make my own dairy products, too.

It's funny how lots of people will tell me when I describe our lifestyle how they wish they had "time" to do all of the things I do. Most of these things are not time consuming. When I bake bread, I make enough dough to last us a week and keep it in the fridge. When i need a loaf, I pull off a chunk, shape it, let is rise for about 30 minutes and bake it. Very little active time is involved in the process. Making pasta is a cinch and only takes a few minutes. Fresh pasta is to die for! I think most people underestimate how much time they spend watching TV or on other activities to "unwind". If cooking, gardening and tending animals becomes your hobby, your way of unwinding, then you have a lot more time then you think you do! Also, I have clients that spend 2 hours every day at the gym. I don't need to go to a gym because my lifestyle is active. We don't have cable, we watch movies sometimes, but other than that when we are home we are both working on various projects, walking, or just enjoying time outdoors. To me, it feels like the best life.

I don't take many supplements, but I would recommend trying cod liver oil taken daily. It is a big energy booster and helps with seratonin production among many other health benefits. It may really help if you are feeling lathargic and kinda "low". And yes, probiotics! I've eaten live yogurt daily for years, and have always meant to try kefir and kombucha, this thread reminded me that it is time to start! Check on craigslist, I found a woman close to me who sells both cultures very cheap. I also can't wait to try lacto fermented veggies. I've been doing some canning each season, but I know that having various pickles that are not heat treated and are full of good healthy bacteria will be better for me. Hooray for living foods, full of probiotics and enzymes!

Anyway....I'll get off the soap box now!

The point is to eat real foods, full of nutrients, as close to the source as possible, and ENJOY them! Life is not worth living if you cannot enjoy the things you consume! If you are hooked on highly processed/sugary foods, it may take you awhile to appreciate the flavor of fresh foods- but if you've been gardening for a long time then you probably already have an appreciation for such things.

Oh, and on gardening in the south; I am in NC and have clay as well. Work in lots of well rotted cow manure and peat moss. Try covering your dormant garden with a cover crop to be tilled in as soon as the ground thaws in the spring. Or, if you have the money to make the inital investement, raised beds rock! Build up raised beds and pre mix your own soil to go in them (tons of compost from multiple sources, peat moss, and vermiculite). They retain moisture but drain well, and weeding is super easy because you never walk on the soil so you aren't packing it down! Also, in NC and probably even more so in AL, you can really extend your growing season so that there is always something fresh coming from the garden! I can grow leeks, carrots, spinach, and tons of salad greens here year round! Other crops I can grow for a month or two later than most northern states. Just a little frost protection with reemay goes a long way! A couple of good gardeing books are "square foot gardening" which is a really general approach to raised beds that makes the process super easy, and "four season harvest" a great book about year round growing. That way, you can eat nutrient rich, fresh veggies that are as local as it gets all year long!

Sorry for the long post. I just hate to hear that you are feeling unwell. I'm with Ernie on this, I believe we are supposed to feel good and that our bodies are built to keep us well and heal us. Try cultivating hobbies that are good for you- so you can spend your free time outdoors, doing something you enjoy and that is healthy. It will be good for you, and you will be setting a good example for your children! Here is a resource for finding farmers markets in your area: www.localharvest.org

Good Luck!!

Andrea

Well put Andrea!
another good book to read would be in defense of food, also by Michael Pollan. Making bread is easy. The hard part is not eating it in one sitting. I have a no knead recipe. I agree with eating food as close to it's natural source as possible and keeping it "real".
Ginny

 

[AndreaS]

Quote:
lcoode, welcome to BYC!

My daughter was diagnosed with crohn's disease 14 years ago. While mainstream medicine said that she needed their anti inflammatory drugs (prednisone), I disagreed. At that point in our lives we went organic.....plenty of probiotics (store bought at that time) and liquid vitamins (for my daughter as in her compromised state ingesting any kind of food was painful). You may want to consider a multivitamin, as your digestive tract is in a compromised state and probably is unable to digest and absorb food properly. Also remember that most food in the market has some sort of GMO in it. While our eyes and taste buds tell us it is corn, wheat etc. our bodies tell us it is not. I think you are on the right track by introducing probiotics into your body. I would consider digestive enzymes with meals and bragg's amino acids(found in the health food store) for an easily digested protein. Also consider celiac's disease (an intolerance to gluten[found in many foods]).

Anyway, my daughter was diagosed with crohn's disease 14 years ago. She has been pretty much asymptomatic since an has been in general good since. I never put her on the prescription drugs. I am not saying that people should not take their drugs, but not taking them and changing our lifestyle did.

Best of luck and again, welcome!
ginny

Ginny,

So glad to hear your daughter is doing well! Chrohn's disease runs in my fiance's fathers side of the family- One aunt, one uncle, and now his young cousin (13 years old) has it. His poor uncle has had most of his colan removed and has been on all kinds of steroids and medicines for years. He now has developed a issue where his body doesn't absorb vitamin B and he has no short term memory left. He's in his early fourties. It is so sad, and now his son has it as well. They started him on steroids, and he has blown up like a balloon. I am always amazed when i see the things that they eat. They eat tons of junk food and basically avoid anything healthy. The doctors don't even try to discuss dietary changes with them, and they think as long as they are taking their medicines, they can eat anything that doesn't immediatly make them sick. I hate it so much for them and wish they would give probiotics and real foods a try, but all they eat is junk. I wish I knew some way to talk to them about making better choices, but it is not my place to do so, and I don't want to sound bossy or like a know it all. We are already the "quirky" couple in the family- the young kids who left the city to be self sufficient, who eat organic and such....I think they think we are flakey! I just hate it so much for them.

Good for you for taking charge of your daughters health and not putting all of your trust into modern medicine!

Andrea

 

[AndreaS]

Quote:
Thanks Ginny....Yes, In defense of food is a good one too. Michael Pollan is really spot on with his work.

I love the no knead breads! I've even made bagels with some of the dough....and having freshly baked bread in the house is just the best....it sure is hard not to eat it all in one sitting! That's one thing I forgot to include in my post: Everything in moderation!

I could eat two loaves of bread a day slathered in fresh butter.....but, I try my best to resist!

 

[vmdanielsen]

Quote:
Thanks Ginny....Yes, In defense of food is a good one too. Michael Pollan is really spot on with his work.

I love the no knead breads! I've even made bagels with some of the dough....and having freshly baked bread in the house is just the best....it sure is hard not to eat it all in one sitting! That's one thing I forgot to include in my post: Everything in moderation!

I could eat two loaves of bread a day slathered in fresh butter.....but, I try my best to resist!

I too, am the flaky one....one the one who takes the lattice off her FRONT porch so the CHICKENS can go UNDER it in the winter. Yeah, I'm the healthy one. I grow ant eat Kale(if I don't give it to the chickens). I even like it. I have a sister that won't eat my food because it might have tofu in it. I try to eat everything. I eat meat, vegetables, whatever, as long as it is REAL. Makes such a huge difference. Anyway If I don't get off the computer I will not make it to work on time, My daughter was diagnosed with crohn's disease when she was 10, 14 years ago. It would be nice to think mainstream medicine could actually think about what it does. They wanted be to do what you husband's family is doing. It sad really.
Ginny

 

[featherbaby]

Quote:
Thanks Ginny....Yes, In defense of food is a good one too. Michael Pollan is really spot on with his work.

I love the no knead breads! I've even made bagels with some of the dough....and having freshly baked bread in the house is just the best....it sure is hard not to eat it all in one sitting! That's one thing I forgot to include in my post: Everything in moderation!

I could eat two loaves of bread a day slathered in fresh butter.....but, I try my best to resist!

When you say 'no knead bread' do you mean a 'batter bread' like banana nut bread? I would love to have some recipes for the ones you like....I'm trying to cook with more whole grains and am getting ready to start a kefir culture.

 

[galanie]

Though no one is discussing yogurt making just now, I wanted to share how I do it with my egg incubator.

I simply put a dollop of yogurt (probably around a tablespoon) per cup of milk, mix it up, crank up the temp in the incubator just a bit, and put the jars in.

6 hours later, Yogurt.