Deirdre (Atlanta, Georgia) on 10/21/2010:
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.