Health Benefits of Tibicos or Water Kefir Q. What is Tibicos or Kefir? A. Kefir is a hand-crafted, effervescent, cultured and enzyme-rich probiotic beverage filled with friendly microbes to help balance your inner-ecosystem. This beverage can only be made with live Kefir Grains. The term Kefir Grains describes the look of the culture only and can be a misnomer as they do not contain any grain such as wheat or rye. There are two types of grains, Water Kefir Grains and Milk Kefir Grains. In general, both types of Kefir Grains are a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast in a polysaccharide matrix. Water Kefir Grains are cultured in a solution of sugar and water. Water Kefir Grains can also culture in natural fruit juices containing sugar or young coconut water. Milk Kefir Grains are cultured in dairy including cow milk, goat milk, or sheep milk. Q. Why drink Tibicos or Kefir? A. Drinking beneficial bacteria will improve digestion and thus overall health. Foremost, a healthy digestive system ensures absorption of vitamins and minerals into the rest of the body which is critical to maintaining health. Over time poor diet, stress, lack of sleep, and many other factors contribute to a digestive track ridden with toxins and harmful bacteria and opportunistic yeast. These plague the immune system preventing absorption and digestion of vital nutrients into the rest of the body. Over time the buildup of toxins deplete our energy and prevent healing from disease. By introducing friendly bacteria and beneficial yeast into the diet on a daily basis we are constantly fighting the war against toxins and harmful microbes inside our digestive tract. Ancient chinese medicine believe digestion to be a critical starting point to improving ones health. Q. What are beneficial yeasts? A. Beneficial yeasts found in Kefir can dominate, control and eliminate destructive pathogenic yeasts in the body. They do so by protecting the mucosal lining where unhealthy yeast and bacteria reside, forming an army that cleans up and strengthens your intestines. The body becomes more efficient in resisting such pathogens as E. coli and intestinal parasites and preventing opportunistic yeast like Candida from taking over. Q. How does Tibicos or Kefir compare to yogurt? A. Overall, commercially available yogurt is much less effective than Kefir. Yogurts may be pasteurized killing all beneficial microbes. Some products contain synthetic stabilizers which make them more difficult to digest. More importantly commercial products have less potent probiotics. Specially, the bacteria and yeast found in commercial yogurt are transient meaning they will not colonize your digestive tract. Kefir contains several major strains of beneficial bacteria not commonly found in yogurt (e.g., Lactobacillus kefyr, Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris, and Lactococcus lactis subsp. diacetylactis). Kefir also contains beneficial yeasts, such as Saccharomyces kefir, which can dominate, control and eliminate destructive pathogenic yeasts in the body. They do so by protecting the mucosal lining where unhealthy yeast and bacteria reside, forming an army that cleans up and strengthens your intestines. The body becomes more efficient in resisting such pathogens as E. coli and intestinal parasites. Q. Who should drink Tibicos or Kefir? A. Everyone. Kefir is excellent for healthy men and women, pregnant and nursing women, children, the elderly, and those with compromised immunity. Q. When should I drink Tibicos or Kefir? A. Anytime. It may be helpful in the morning as a replacement for caffeine. It works well in the afternoon as an energy boost. It may be used to reduce cravings for food or sweets. Coconut Water Kefir may be best after exercise to rehydrate and revitalize your body. Q. How much Tibicos or Kefir should I consume? A. Water kefir is a very powerful probiotic. It is more powerful than commercially available Kefir and Kombucha. Most people may start with 1 ounce per day. Within a few days you can increase it to 1 ounce a few times per day. Children or elderly may want to start with 1/4 ounce per day. As you improve your digestive system and release toxins you may consume more and more. Listen to your body. Q. How do I know when I consumed to much? A. As the digestive tract improves and rebuilds with beneficial microbes, toxins will leave the body. Some temporary symptoms may include headache, general aches, nausea, diarrhea and other flu-like symptoms. This is the body’s natural way of cleansing and detoxing with the help of the new army of beneficial microbes introduced. If these symptoms become uncomfortable reduce consumption or skip a day. A very toxic body may benefit from a slower cleansing to avoid this discomfort. If the body is less toxic to begin with these symptoms may never be experienced. Q. What age can children begin to consume Tibicos or Kefir? A. Ultimately this depends on your judgement as a parent. Mothers may give Coconut Water Kefir to babies in very small amounts. Mothers may also consume Coconut Water Kefir while breastfeeding. Q. What are possible side effects or allergic reactions to Tibicos or Kefir? A. Water Kefir is a very powerful probiotic. It is more powerful than commercially available Kefir and Kombucha. As the digestive tract improves and rebuilds with beneficial microbes, toxins will leave the body. Some temporary symptoms may include headache, general aches, nausea, diarrhea and other flu-like symptoms. This is the body’s natural way of cleansing and detoxing with the help of the new army of beneficial microbes introduced. If these symptoms become uncomfortable reduce consumption or skip a day. A very toxic body may benefit from a slower cleansing to avoid this discomfort. If the body is less toxic to begin with these symptoms may never be experienced.
Posted on: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 15:24:28 +0000