Probiotics

I have been drinking actimel every morning for a few moths now. I buy the fruit flavoured 0% fat.
I find it helps with my IBS symptoms

I take a couple of gulps of kefir straight from the bottle, either before going to bed or first thing in the morning.
I take if for IBS. It has been proved scientifically to be more effective than yogurt and MUCH more effective (and much less costly) than the various Actimel type drinks you can buy.
Be careful not to exaggerate the amounts though. Start with just a gulp and work up.
(The reason I take it straight from the bottle is that a lot of it sticks round a glass, which makes it wasteful. No washing up either!)

I always take actimel last thing at night. I enjoy the taste, especially the coconut, anyway. On the rare occasion I get a stomach upset I buy very expensive, high quality probiotic pills from a well known high street health store.

They always work.

It was thought at one time, that the digestive process meant all the good bacteria were destroyed before they could reach the gut/intestines. I remember reading that once on GN too, but recent research has proved that enough do get through to repopulate the gut. This is why doctors are now recommending them.

So though I take Actimel, I’d do as your doctor suggests and visit the health shop, then buy the best one you can afford.

Kefir is the one to take as it’s loaded with the right bacteria . . I have it every day with blueberries .

You can also buy Kefir grains and make your own Kefir but it's a bit fiddly. I am on strong, long term antibiotics so gave it a try but, if you taking AB, timing is important. You musn't take them within a few hours of each other. I used to take the AB in the morning and the Kefir in the evening. TBH I don't think it made much difference to me. There is a facebook page about fermenting and some of the members will give away surplus grains (they multiply).

DD had to take very large doses of antibiotics for over a month after an accident. It played merry hell with her digestive system and after over a year of trying everything from Actimel to tablets from Holland and Barrett, she spoke to a Pharmacist and he recommended Symprove www.symprove.com/symprove-explained/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI0qCFwPyO3AIVTbftCh2xIg_PEAAYASAAEgLwgfD_BwE .

It is a three month course and it is not cheap, but it worked. She was able to return to eating all the foods she had to cut out when her gut bacteria were so badly damaged by the antibiotics.

giulia where do you buy kifir please ?

Nankate
Cut out as much sugar and yeast as you can. Candida feeds on these.

Thanks ALL for this very useful information.

I started Kombucha a fermented drink today which is supposed to help and I really like it.

Thanks Petra I am already trying to lose weight and so sugary things are much reduced. I feel a lot better for it.

I think you can get Kefir from Waitrose Nina

My daughter and I take Probiotics before and during our travels. Does it prevent stomach upsets? So far it seems to, but who knows. It’s worth a try.

I take steroids and from time time, not very often, I have got oral thrush and take probiotics in tablet form I found they really helped and would swear by them. Hope this helps. Oral thrush is liking having a mouthful of sandpaper, awful.

I find Corsodyl good.

ninathenana both Tesco and Sainsbury's sell Kefir

I make my own Kefir and it is really easy to keep going. A couple of minutes each morning and it's done. Cheaper than buying it by the bottle and the starter freezes if you need to go away. No digestive problems since starting it.

I make my own kefir and don't find it at all fiddly. Just remember you need a plastic sieve, glass or plastic jug, plastic or wooden spatula and two clean jam jars ( 1 for kefir and 1 clean for next batch) You can get the grains from Amazon for a fiver and you just add milk, simple.
I have IBS and acid reflux and find it helps enormously with both, I also boost my probiotic intake with an occasional ProBion multi strain probiotic and also make sauerkraut.

I had to take antibiotics for 12 months and had raging thrush.
My doctor advised I took acidophilus tablets, Holland and Barrett sell them.
They work well and fast.
Probiotic drinks and yoghurts are not potent enough.

Supping pain yoghurt is supposed to help, just straight out of the carton. Good luck finding something that helps.

Thanks Miss I am going to a town this week that has Holland and Barrett so will go and get some of the tablets you mention.

I make my own Kefir, and it seems a bit fiddly at first, but once you get used to making it, no problems at all.
DS and I both take it, so my making it saves us a lot of cash.
I tried making water Kefir, but it was dreadful, so went back to using milk. I use semi skimmed for two lots, then whole milk for the next one, to keep the grains from 'starving'!

I use Acidophilus from B&H too. Years ago, before H&B, I suffered from after antibiotics thrush and a herbalist put me on to acidophilus and I've used it ever since. Much easier to get hold of these days and however you take it gut rebalancing is the way to go. Good Luck

Plain pro-biotic Yogurt and Kefir are good and as others have suggested cut out as much sugar and yeast as possible. I also make my own Kefir, once you have the grains it is quite straight forward and you can slow it down by keeping it in the fridge if you need a break for a day or two and freezing the grains usually works. I do not like Actimel, far to sweet for me and I really don't think it works that well, which did seem to be backed up the Dr Mosley programme when they tested out the three products, Kefir seemed to work the best.

If you buy Kefir, make sure it's live. In shops it has often been pasteurised and the beneficial bacteria are no more. You can get a starter kit from Lakeland to make your own.

That’s answered my question Lizzy, I’ll send for a starter kit. Thankyou.

Overthehills ?