Pro-biotics

[Lisa]

Do you take pro-biotics and how did you first react by taking them. I started two days ago and I have quite the arguement going on inside. They indicate that they are gluten free, but I definately have a gluten- like reaction.

It's one of two thing, the probiotics or yesterdays lunch.( salad with grilled veggie and Newmans Dressing - the grilled veggies is a possibility)

Any insight on pro-biotics.

Thanks, Lisa

[Guhlia]

I did horribly on probiotics and had to stop taking them. My belly just felt horrible while I was on them. It never got better. Mine were also clearly marked gluten free and had no gluten containing ingredients on the label. I would suspect them rather than lunch, though either is possible. Be sure that the ingredients are gluten free, I know some people have complained of items that have gluten free printed on the bottle, but list wheat or barley grass as an ingredient.

[Lisa]

Thanks Angie:

I have had the grilled veggies in the past with no issue although it may be a CC issue. This is a pretty heafty reaction, like pre-gluten free.

Ingredience on the bottle appear gluten free, other than sillica and I don't know what that is.

[jerseyangel]

Hi Lisa,

I had a hard time with probiotics, too. I used Culturelle, and by the 3-4th day, I was extremely nauseous. It was so bad I had to leave a store I was in because I was afraid I was going to throw up right there. It was bad.

I also tried a digestive formula that had a probiotic in it--same thing.

Both products were gluten-free--I just can't tolerate them, I guess. Although I have heard that if you can get past the inital period, things do get better with them.

It wasn't worth it to me to keep using them.

[Lisa]

Please excuse my stupidity!!!! It's called lactose, lactose, lactose. Several weeks ago, I tried to double up on the yogurt to get a little more calcium and I had a slight issue. I stopped the yogurt and all better. Laura, don't fuss at me. Lesson learned.

Someone, please knock me in the head. I guess I subscribe to the "Jerry School of Denial"... trial and error and error and error.

[CarlaB]

There are dairy free probiotics, one of the MANY I take is dairy free. Ultra Flora by Metagenix. Open Original Shared Link

I'm taking them because of all the antibiotics I'm on and none of them are bothering me at all, though one of my antibiotics occasionally makes me feel like I've been glutened. I know that people with candida problems can have trouble with them in the beginning. I'd suggest starting out slowly.

Jerry School of Denial!!!

[January Flower]

I've been taking pro-biotics for the last few weeks, because my doctor told me too. As well as eating pro-biotic yogurt and juice! I feel great! Its unbelievable the difference its made for me!

[Guhlia]

I guess I subscribe to the "Jerry School of Denial"... trial and error, and error and error.

That is absolutely CLASSIC!!! Classic, classic, classic... Thanks for the smile today!

[flowergirl]

I've been taking home made kefir as probiotic and it has done wonders for my overall wellbeing. Unfortunately I've had a flu and swelling of my lymh nodes in my neck the last few days so I've stopped the kefir. I really miss it. We've had a stressful time lately and that is why I got sick. My kefir is made with organic cows milk and I overferment it so the bacteria can consume all the lactose.

[Lisa]

Just thought I would bump this up for another poster's inquiry.

[AndreaB]

I haven't done real well with probiotics. Mine are cultured from goats milk which I am slightly intolerant to (along with dairy). My youngest broke out in a very bad diaper rash so I suspect he has a problem with dairy/goat too.

I'm no longer taking them.

[HawkFire]

There are alternatives to probiotics. Coconut water/milk from a fresh young coconut is very good for the gut. I take coconut milk from a fresh young coconut at least every other day. I eat fresh herbs daily. Many herbs are antibacterial and can help reduce inflamation in your gut. If you remove sugar from your diet, you will find the need for a probiotic is really negligable. A proper diet is the key. The arguement that Americans will not tolerate a healthy diet is really going to be their downfall. Personal choices are always the bottom line. Research health, make the right choices. I do not use a probiotic. I use fresh young coconuts, coconut oil and fresh herbs daily. I had a yeast infection for 20 years (on and off) until I removed sugar from my diet and began to eat a healthy diet. I am now free of candida.

[anerissara]

I had a terrible reaction to probiotics, in fact that was sort of the last straw before I went gluten-free. For some reason, they *really* set me off! I actually would have been better off drinking a whole glass of cow's milk than taking the pills, they didn't have dairy so it wasn't that. I almost wonder if I might have bacterial overgrowth or something, maybe that's why I get the opposite reaction? I actually do better eating a cup of yogurt, or especially goat's milk yogurt.

[happygirl]

Laura, don't fuss at me.

Lisa,

Somehow I missed this thread. Just read it and laughed out loud. We only fuss because we love you...but happy we didn't have to fuss! I'm just happy you figured it out. Are you still taking probiotics?

xoxo

[Lisa]

Lisa,

Somehow I missed this thread. Just read it and laughed out loud. We only fuss because we love you...but happy we didn't have to fuss! I'm just happy you figured it out. Are you still taking probiotics?

xoxo

ahhh, no

And down and out tonight. I couldn't make it home from a 1/2 hour drive without stopping twice.

Gluten free is easy compared to dairy free. Sometimes, well, lots of times, I feel that I just don't have the energy to go dairy free. I poured my heart and soul into learning about gluten free. I just don't know if I can duplicate the diligence, again!

I do appreciate all the suggestions as posted above. I have been unsuccessful finding anything other than coconut milk in my town or surrounding areas.

"Fiddle-de-de....." Miss Scarlett

[johnsoniu]

Someone, please knock me in the head. I guess I subscribe to the "Jerry School of Denial"... trial and error and error and error.

Now that's funny right there.

I admire Jerry for his honesty and openess, unlike me when I ate 4 or 5 slim jim's BEFORE reading the big "Contains soy and wheat" right on the frickin' label...Doh!!

Is acidophilus a probiotic? I think it is, I've had extremely good results taking those the last month.

[sarah ruth]

I feel queasy and gross after probiotic pills too, and take that as an indication that it's One Pill Too Many. Regular milk and yogurt also make me feel bad. I have no problem with the homemade kefir and homemade 24hr yogurt though, both are very low in lactose due to their extended fermentation, very high in probiotics, and they feel SO healthy and good in my body. When I consume them regularly I have felt much better.

Kefir is very inexpensive and easy to prepare. I bought the grains for around $10 (shipping included) on ebay and they came quickly. All you need to do is leave them on the countertop in a glass jar and add fresh milk every day or two as you strain the fermented stuff to drink. Lately I have been allowing the strained milk to ferment a second time in a second glass jar for another day or two, shaking ocassionally, and the results are great! Much tastier and bubblier and creamier and all around easier to drink. If you can get the Liberte brand in your area it becomes very similar to the plain version of theirs, and my 5 year old ADORES it with a touch of something sweet or in a smoothie.

I know some people cannot handle dairy at all. period. But if you feel that your trouble is primarily through lactose then you might find kefir and the long-fermented homemade yogurt to be alright. ..if you're up for another trial that is

[flowergirl]

I am glad to hear that someone else on this forum find kefir invalueble in the recovery process. I get really sad when I read of people who give up on probiotics because the pharmacuticle man-made pill version doesn't work for them. I think people are either too scared to try kefir because it consists of dairy or find the process of making kefir too tedious... thus the advice to try kefir is often dismissed. Maybe people don't realise that they need to slowly introduce probiotics to an already chaotic digestive system? It is sad because kefir is rich in most of the nutrients Celiacs need... B-vitamins, calcium, magnesium etc... the natural way. It innoculates the guts with friendly bacteria to naturally produce the much needed Vit B12...

I agree that secondary fermentation of kefir rules out the chance to get sick from the lactose. I still can't tolerate any other dairy besides a little parmesan once in a while.

[sarah ruth]

kefir lovers unite!

I'm so thrilled to have discovered live fermented foods, they feel *vital*, SO much better than yucky probiotic pills. I started with a yogurmet home yogurt maker and made 24-48hr yogurt and it's SO delicious, so unlike even the best organic stuff I can get at the store, even confirmed dairy-barfers love it. Then I bought milk kefir grains and water kefir grains on ebay. The milk kefir is potent and delicious stuff and goes into all smoothies, or plain, or with a little sweetner. I intent to try some kefir sourdough next, to pre digest the gluten-free flours before baking. The water kefir grains just go into diluted purple grape juice and makes a fizzy pop, I don't know how health it is, but it's a low-in-sugar treat and my son adores it.

I have made sourkraut only once, it was good, but I've run out of sausages Next to try is kim chi and dosas (fermented rice roti) - have you made any of these?

Anyone else make probiotic foods?

(when my supplement shelf overflowed I knew something had to change!)

[flowergirl]

I just wanted to post this extra info from Dom's kefir site. I hope he doesn't mind. It explains perfectly why some have difficulty with probiotics:

It may be favourable for certain individuals to begin slowly when taking their first amounts of kefir. There have been cases of Candidiasis e.g., where consuming larger amounts of kefir for the first time, even half a glass full in some cases, has caused symptoms of nausea or abdominal discomfort shortly following the intake of kefir. I put this down to the possibility for certain individuals who have a long standing illness, be it a masked one, where the gastric tract or Intestines are inflamed. Kefir is renowned to increase peristalsis, and sluggish intestines that have not moved well over some time, and in which inflammation is involved, can cause the individual to feel nauseated or abdominal pain shortly after taking an amount of kefir. This may be an indication of a pre existing medical condition in the individual, and not the kefir. This is why it may be best to take small amounts of kefir at first, and then see how one reacts over preceding hours. Then increase the mount taken on each following day, until one can tolerate one cup of kefir on its own, at one sitting. For some, it may be best to begin with taking only 1 tablespoon of kefir, mixed with 1/2 cup of fresh water of fruit juice, increasing the amount of kefir by 1 tablespoon in each following day.

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[emcmaster]

I was actually just thinking about this today. Because I suspect I have leaky gut, I've been trying to take probiotics but have had a really hard time with them - they definitely make me feel glutened. The brand I've been using is free of all allergens, but I had to stop taking them because I just felt awful and traced it back to them. I did give it a week to see if it was just my body adjusting but it wasn't.

I do take Digestive Advantage for IBS every day, and it's mainly a probiotic. I'm wondering it I was taking too much when I was doing both?

Also, I definitely need to get some kefir. I eat homemade yogurt a lot, but I think the kefir would help, too.

[lcbannon]

The way I take probiotics is 1. Accidopholis pearls (small round capsule) from health food store. I have systemic yeast. The other way I currently get probiotics is from Activia which if I test positive for Lactose Int. that will stop I am sure. But they have both helped.