Kefir for Health: A Fermented Alternative to Yogurt

I have been making and using kefir for about a month or so and like it drink 20oz or more a day, morning+night. I have recently been experiencing very loose stool and gas. I have high BP and type 2 diabetes. But I take metformen twice a day 1000m for it and stays around 100. For BP I take lisinopril, amlodipine, metaprolol, hydrochlolothiazide (! )

Could any of these with kefir be the source of the diarrhea?

Over the last couple of weeks I've been making kefir from organic whole milk, and enjoyed the results. I've also made some delicious kefir cream cheese. But I've found since having it that my appetite has shot through the roof, and especially a desire for sweet food. I've always had a good diet but have a tendency to put on weight. However, recently lost two stone in weight at Weight Watchers, so obviously do not want to put this back on through an overactive kefir driven appetite. When I stopped having the kefir my appetite returned to normal. Has anyone else experienced this?

Hi, I have been drinking milk kefir every morning for more than a week and I noticed that it makes me acidic. I have lots of saliva and betwen 3-5 am, I have to wake up because of acid reflux. I am vegan and do not do dairy, except kefir since I want to try it out. Has anyone experienced this? This morning I change the milk to soy instead of regular dairy.

I am not lactose intolerant, but kefir give diarrhea, but I can eat butter, youghurt, cheese, milk. I love kefir.

I started making homemade kefir early September after hearing such great results from our Thousand Oaks, California Lisa. I purchased the grains online and used organic milk to make the kefir. I agree with Lisa that it makes your skin look great and your nails grow like crazy! Unfortunately, however, I am one of the few people who react badly to the enormous amounts of what we figured must be tryptophan in the kefir. It makes me unbelievably sleepy and happy-goofy with brain fog. I put up with the side effects for 2 weeks before giving up. I even tried putting the grains in goat milk to see what would happen. Same reaction, though not quite so potent. I had a similar reaction to hyaluronic acid containing inositol that Alfred from Bangkok, Thailand had recommended! Incidentally, the kefir does not have the same effect on my husband, who feels nothing, good or bad, after drinking kefir for the last few weeks. The uniqueness of each person's brain chemistry truly amazes me. I would love my siblings to try the homemade kefir to see if they react the same way as I do. I suspect they would!

On the subject of brain chemistry -- I accidentally discovered that my brain craves B vitamins when I bought a gluten and dairy free chocolate bar with (surprise, surprise) added B vitamins. 2 hours after eating a bar, I feel a calm and somewhat euphoric state set in that lasts for hours. I am also discovering some concoctions of fresh vegetable juice having the same effect; namely parsley greens, celery, apple, lemon and ginger.

Good luck, everyone! Thanks for all your wonderful sharing.