June 30, 2020June 13, 2026

— 2 Comments

The Key to Preventing Coronavirus Death and Surviving the Pandemic is…

Inflammation: a double-edged sword for immunity.

The fact that inflammation occurs during the immune response is a normal process. Problems usually arise when the intensity is too great or the duration is too long. That would be called excessive inflammation.

If the person affected by covid-19 has a weak immune system to begin with, the immune response will be less efficient in mounting an immune response. For the entire duration of the immune response, the inflammation continues to build up.

If the inflammation goes on for too long, then irreparable damage occurs like the scarring of lungs or death.

Nutrition, Immunity, and Digestion

June 19, 2020

— Leave a Comment

Will Raw Kefir Grains Help with Constipation? Evidence Based How To Guide

Kefir is something that I am very passionate about because of potential health and longevity benefits for you and many people.

Welcome to this modern Kefir guide!

Kefir has been known as a powerful health promoting agent for hundreds of years. It was allegedly hoarded by people who lived in the mountains and often enjoyed health and longevity beyond a hundred years old. Meanwhile, their neighbors who lived in the valley without knowledge of kefir died much earlier.

Sometime in the 1700-1800s, people from Russia became very desiring of this Kefir and the story goes that a royal young lady was held kidnapped over it. She had to marry the ruler so that he would finally release the kefir grains to her people. As far as we know, all of the Kefir available today has roots in those Russian kefir expeditions.

ORIGIN OF KEFIR: Kefir likely came from somewhere around the northern border of Goergia, near Russia. Once the stories of amazing health and longevity reached the cities of Russia, the Russians had to go get some for their own, but it was not without conflict.

How do you pronounce kefir? I prefer to say it like, “kee-fur,” but some people have said, “keh-fir.” For now, I’ll stick with the former in part because I think more Americans know it like that.

By the way, I’m pretty sure the princess escaped back home with the kefir.

Supermarket Kefir vs. Homemade Raw Kefir

While commerical kefir may be healthier than most other items that you could buy at a supermarket, it certainly doesn’t pack the same health punch as traditional kefir from real kefir grains. Don’t get me wrong, kefir in stores like Whole Foods, QFC, Fred Meyer, Kroger, and other markets that I have seen around the country can be part of a healthy lifestyle. But there are downsides of kefir that you buy in stores.

Mass produced kefir is created with powder kefir culture starters as opposed to kefir grains and that is kind of a big deal. Since commercial kefir is grown with powder starters, it doesn’t contain the symbiotic yeasts and other naturally occurring living components of kefir.

Kefir is easy to make. You just put these Kefir “grains” in some milk (preferably raw milk), let it sit for 24 hours at room temperature. Then you strain the grains and drink the fresh product.

Even though I strongly believe in real kefir from real kefir grains, I do support commerical kefir being in the grocery ecosystem. At the very least, having brands like Lifeway Kefir can bring awareness to people who want to make their own kefir at home.

I still buy Kefir from the grocery stores and co-ops sometimes.

This post contains some affiliate links to help you learn about products that I like. My favorite brand of Kefir is called, “Grace Harbor Farms,” and they sell a very high quality cow or goat kefir made from real kefir grains. I can taste and feel the difference.

Other downsides of store-bought Kefir

You have to be careful about the other brands because they might add regular milk after the fermentation process or they will label an item as being, “pomegranate flavored,” while containing no actual pomegranate.

If you must, buy unsweetened.

Drinking something that contains added sugars is almost never a good thing or there are far better natural alternatives that could nourish the system as well.

Probably very healthy, even though mass produced commercially from powdered starters.

Unsweetened dairy is the key if you are going to succeed in the dairy route. Sugary dairy can cause a metabolic disaster. If you are going to sweeten your dairy, perhaps go with honey, berries, or other natural ways.

Fermenting your own Kefir grains at-home can be easy, require little effort, and be cost effective.

Kefir is a great way to consume high quality protein, fats, carbs, minerals, enzymes, probiotics, antioxidants, and other beneficial living organisms.

Basically, Kefir has a ton of benefits for a person who wants to improve digestion and eliminate regularly.

If you are a person who has generally tolerated milk in the past, then going on kefir will be easier. However, if you are a person who has not tolerated milk, then going on kefir may need to be a more gradual process.

I have heard of people drinking kefir and then finally being able to enjoy ice cream and dairy again. They claimed, “Kefir healed and cured my lactose intolerance.” It wouldn’t surprise me.

Before we go any further, I want to make a quick list of some benefits of Kefir and then we’ll continue the guide.

7 Benefits of Kefir:

Cholesterol Metabolism and ACE Inhibition

“Kefir grains are capable of reducing the cholesterol levels of milk through the fermentation process and have been shown to reduce the levels of cholesterol present by between 41 and 84% after 24 h fermentation and a further 48 h of storage.”

Effects on the Host Gut and Gut Microbiome

“Inhibits the adherence of Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli.”
Kefir promotes changes in gene expression shown to be extremely important for the modulation of the host inflammatory response.

Antitumor Effects

Kefir is able to modulate the immune system in the gut. The immunomodulatory abilities of kefir go far beyond the gastrointestinal tract, likely throughout the entire body.

Immunomodulatory Effects

“The result was a shift from a Th1 immune response to a Th2 response as well as increases in the levels of IgA present.”
Immunoglobulin A (IgA) is the most abundant type of antibody in the body. It secretes immunogloblulins while promoting circulation of immunoglobulins. IgA has a protective effect for the mucosal tissues against microbial invasions and also supports immune homeostasis.

Anti-Allergenic Effects

Kefir supports the balance of Th1/Th2 cell ratio which is important because that is one of the mechanisms involved in food allergy.

Health Benefits of Yeast in Kefir

Some yeasts from kefir act as immunomodulators capable of decreasing the inflammatory signals.
Yeasts from kefir also act synergistically to improve the probiotic properties of bacterial species and co-aggregation makes their effects stronger.

Kefiran and the Cell Free Fraction of Kefir

Most people are unaware of Kefiran because it is undetectable in commercially produced Kefir.
Kefiran is hard to describe, but the presence of kefirans typically means that your kefir is happy and healthy. The kefiran is formed in stringy strands that hang out with the grains and are somewhat gooey.
Kefiran alone is a remarkable immune booster and is even more powerful as a synergist with kefir probiotics.

But Dre, how does that help me poop better?

It helps because of the ways in which bacteria stick to your gut and how kefir can help you grow your own healthy bacteria while kicking out bad bacteria and bad yeasts like candida.

Kefir accomplishes many goals from a nutritional perspective. Aside from the amazing, gut/body-building amino acids found in Kefir, there are so many diverse living forms that for some reason are very compatible with the human biome. Kefir makes milk a food for babies and transforms it into one of the most nourishing gifts available to humanity.

Kefir helps you poop out the bad bacteria and helps to kill and poop out the mycotoxins and yeasts.

Super Simple Kefir Guide

Don’t let the process of fermenting kefir grains intimidate you.

It is actually way easier than kombucha.

Let’s transform milk from a dud to a tonic.

1. Acquire Kefir Grains

You can acquire kefir grains from Facebook groups, various kefir websites, from Amazon.com, or from natural health stores and co-ops. E-bay also has lots of kefir.

I always recommend these Kefir grains from Amazon.com. Make sure to get the larger size as it will make the starting process way easier and theoretically you’ll never have to buy grains again since the grains grow and replicate naturally from milk fermentation.

2. Acquire Kefir Fermentation Tools

Quick tip: Avoid metal and anything metal. Kefir prefers to stay away from metal. Use plastics, glass, mesh, etc.

Your fermentation container could be a bowl or it could be a fermentation bottle.

It is a good idea to let the kefir have air supply.

3. Once kefir arrives, place it in container with milk immediately.

The kefir needs milk in order to be happy and grow all of its beneficial probiotics and yeasts for you. Preferably, give it raw goat milk as I believe it to be the highest quality in my life. Obviously, most people don’t have access to this.

Does the quality of the milk matter with kefir fermentation? Yes, of course.

The better quality and the fresher the milk, the better quality and fresher the kefir. Ideally, stick unprocessed or minimally processed milk. Whole fat, non-homogenized, grass-fed, organic, and unpasteurized are best, but I recognize there are limitations.

1 Tablespoon of kefir grains per 4-6 ounces of milk.

4. Keep kefir in room temperature, with a breathable cover for 24 hours.

The amount of time varies based on the quantity and activity of the kefir grains as well as the type of milk and the room temperature. Fresh, full fat milk tends to ferment faster in my experience. Warmer temperature accelerates the process.

5. Make sure to stir, shake, or agitate the kefir regularly.

It’s good enough to stir the kefir with a wooden spoon even just once during the 24 hour fermentation window. If you have the kefir in a container with a lid, then you can just shake it around a little bit. This is good because it gives the kefir grains access to different parts of the food and it makes sure that the top part doesn’t grow kinda funky.

The easiest way to avoid the top part growing funky is by making sure it doesn’t sit too long. If it is sitting still for 48+ hours, that is not good. You need to repeat the process daily, so at least it isn’t hard to do.

6. Once the kefir has reached optimal fermentation, strain the kefir using a non-metal straining method.

Strain the kefir into a new bowl. Now that you have separated the grains from the liquid, you officially have your kefir drink.

Your options are as follows: a) drink it now, b) put it in the refrigerator and save for later, or c) double-ferment by leaving just this grain-free liquid out in room temperature for another 24 hours.

You can get benefits from kefir doing it any of these ways. Experimentation is best.

7. Put Kefir back in your fermentation container, add new milk and repeat the process.

After a few times, you will need to add more milk because your grains will have multiplied. The benefit of having more grains is that you can ferment smaller amounts of milk much faster in case you only have 12-18 hours before you wanted your next batch.

I hope this helps your digestion and elimination along with other things that may be bothering you.

If you find this helpful, please support the blog by hitting the follow button now.

Kefir can help you, but LISTEN to your body.

Hopefully, I can be of help to you. I am working now to provide relevant gut-health content for you. I am committed to this blog, but I am also considering taking on new clients as I have recently become certified as a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner.

For the meantime, leave a comment here to communicate with me.

Sources:

Bourrie BC, Willing BP, Cotter PD. The Microbiota and Health Promoting Characteristics of the Fermented Beverage Kefir. Front Microbiol. 2016;7:647. Published 2016 May 4. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2016.00647

Maki R, Matsukawa M, Matsuduka A, et al. Therapeutic effect of lyophilized, Kefir-fermented milk on constipation among persons with mental and physical disabilities. Jpn J Nurs Sci. 2018;15(3):218-225. doi:10.1111/jjns.12189

Dimidi E, Christodoulides S, Scott SM, Whelan K. Mechanisms of Action of Probiotics and the Gastrointestinal Microbiota on Gut Motility and Constipation. Adv Nutr. 2017;8(3):484-494. Published 2017 May 15. doi:10.3945/an.116.014407

August 21, 2017August 21, 2017

— 2 Comments

Fat is Not the Enemy

More and more people are living in bigger bodies due to environment and lifestyle.

Some authors argue that in the eyes of the society, there is a new class of, “bio-citizen,” which are the fit, healthy, and in elite shape. They argue that being overweight carries with it a huge stigma, causing larger people to feel that they are second class citizens.

The problem with Fat Shaming.

You know the problem about fat shaming is that is says more about you than it does the other person. Seeing a person who is significantly bigger can arouse feelings of insecurity in others as they attempt to feel superior to somebody else.

Size is not the issue.

Our government’s concern with overweight and obesity BMI data brings this hugely simplistic message of the importance of calories in versus calories out for weight loss. Yes, this is true, but from a pure size perspective is an absolute failure to the nutritional needs of our fellow human. We need to focus on nutrients, not deficits.

By focusing so intently on big vs small, fat vs skinny, we are missing out on the foundation of nutrition: it must provide nutrients!

Never apply BMI data to yourself as an individual because you are more than just a number that has been indexed by your height and weight.

When people who are overweight become obsessive about calories in vs calories out, they may fail miserably. The reason is that people who carry a lot of fat on their bodies are most likely nutrient deficient in some ways. If they start restricting calories significantly, they will get even LESS nutrients and it will exacerbate the deficiency.

Focus on nutrient density, empathy, and understanding.

Clearly, education is key when it comes to learning about nutrients. You need to arm yourself with information about the benefits of fiber, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, phyto-nutrients, micro-nutrients, trace minerals, magnesium, probiotics, enzymes, macro-nutrients, and other health topics.

We need to empathize with others. Let me tell you, if you have always been a smaller sized person, you have no idea what the struggle is like for a person who has been of larger weight ever since their first memories.

Understand that the complexities of weight loss and the healthy body are embedded deep within our culture, our genes, and our environment. There is no one answer to everybody’s challenges. We are all going to fail at some point, you take what you learn and choose to empower yourself. What types of examples are you setting and are you capable of empathy?

If you are truly, honestly and sincerely eating from the top 50 most nutrient dense foods available from your grocery store, then obesity is damn near impossible.

Let’s face reality. Most people know some reasons why they are the size that they are. People who have been bigger their entire lives know that losing weight truly is harder for them than it is for people who were smaller for most of their lives.

Bigness begins from a potential genetic predisposition to the accumulation of fat, and then the process continues as the parents serve high calories in excessive portions, quantities, and frequencies. If there is little physical activity during youth, weight gain can come on rapidly and being bigger becomes the new normal for this person. Hopefully, you can understand the significant challenges of a person who has been bigger their entire lives and empathize that we all have different challenges in life.

Imagine for 18+ years of your life, you were supplied with certain types of processed foods, fast and easily prepared foods, and plenty of soda, candy, and ice cream.

Not this

I’m going to be honest, change won’t come easily but you already know that. It is always possible as long as you can find your reason. Do it for self-love, not for self-hate.

The key is to avoid, “dieting” and to avoid, “restriction.”

This!

Abundance is what you want.

An abundance of nutrients that come from eating real, minimally processed, fresh foods. Frozen berries and vegetables are totally acceptable and very beneficial too. Lean proteins, healthy fatty acids, high fiber foods. If you truly consume an abundance of health promoting foods which are also enzyme rich, you will be privileged enough to experience the wide systemic benefits of nutritional healing in humans.

The most Powerful Gift is the Gift of Nutritional Healing.

How can I impact you significantly enough to help you experience nutritional healing? Let me tell you, there is always an answer if you’re willing to look hard enough and execute your plan. Foods and herbs heal you from the inside out. When your fat cells shrink and your lean muscle strengthens, that will merely be a side effect of nutritional healing and the prevention of metabolic syndrome.

Make this an All-Out War against Chronic Inflammation and the diseases that comprise metabolic syndrome.

Chronic inflammation occurs as a result of the standard American diet. On one hand, we have the idea of personal responsibility in what we put in our mouths. On the other side, literally billions of dollars have been spent to trick consumers into buying their processed “food” items.

This is not an easy battle because only you know what it is like to experience living in your body and hopefully you practice self love so that your experience is one of overcoming.

Let me put it this way: Fat Cells tend to grow or increase in size under periods of inflammation. Sugar tends to increase inflammatory processes and that results in the inflammation causing stress to the immune system. A diet high in processed sugars will weaken the immune system’s ability to handle inflammation properly (manifesting with symptoms of all types, basically whatever you may be susceptible to specifically).

When you eat a diet high in sugar, the inflammation allows harmful bacteria to flourish. When bacteria gets out of balance, the symptoms could be a poor mood, skin rashes, reddened skin, yeast infections, prone to colds/flu, etc.

We need *some* of this “bad” bacteria, but not when it becomes opportunistic as a results of eating an unhealthy diet. Try to eat foods that help you balance the healthy bacteria in your gut and other important places. You will feel stronger inside and have satisfying bowel movements every day.

Beware of Metabolic Syndrome!

Metabolic Syndrome is something you should know about. And you should know that diet and lifestyle is the answer.

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions — increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels — that occur together, increasing your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

You have to eat real food in order to prevent disease down the line. You will significantly increase the healthy years of your life by eating nutrient dense real food. It will give you power from the inside out.

Consuming anti-inflammatory foods and herbs may be the solution to every ailment, disease, or condition that a person can have.

Even if nutritional healing can’t cure you 100%, any person who is struggling will be able to experience some improvement in quality of life through foods that promote a healthy inflammatory response.

Here’s the short list: (I’ll have to make a broader and more in depth post soon)

Foods that are high in Omega-3’s and low in Omega-6’s (look for foods with a high Omega-3::Omega-6 ratio)
Greens/Leaves of a variety of colors. If you’ve never prepared Red Chard in your life, then you better go give it a shot because it’s da bomb! Red Chard is a power food, it will make athletes stronger and faster, it will allow better sexual function, and you may experience nutritional healing. Tip: Boil the chard to get the bitterness out and discard the water.
Herbs: turmeric, ginger, garlic, green tea, holy basil, matcha, cayenne, cinnamon, etc. Great for anti-inflammatory, stress and blood sugar / insulin related processes.
Raw foods with powerful enzymes. You definitely want some raw food in your life because the enzymes are so heat sensitive that cooking kills enzymes. Raw Pineapple has some of THE BEST enzymes called Bromelain. This enzyme will break down excess proteins and increase the efficiency of your anti-inflammatory processes.
Water
Magnesium: crucial for healthy functioning of the central nervous system and the body’s recovery/metabolic systems because magnesium is needed for healthy hormone balance.

The struggle is real.

We all struggle at times and I truly believe this. It is a good thing for our human development. Surround yourself by positive influences because trust me if somebody near and dear to you won’t eat healthily, then it will be very difficult for you to do so. When I was in my last year in high school, I asked my dad to stop buying ice cream and he helped me succeed in my weight loss by skipping on the dessert.

I can honestly count the number of times that I eat ice cream in a year on my two hands. I don’t feel like I’m missing out because I know that ice cream harms my body and my immune system. I’d rather have a bunch of natural sugar from something like fresh fruit that also hydrates and nourishes my body.

I know a lot of people do eat ice cream regularly because that’s the only reason the grocery store would dedicate entire aisles to it. When I see less ice cream in the stores, then I know America has made progress because individuals have taken the opportunity to consume something else instead.

Bad macronutrient ratio

I hope you found something useful in this post that broadened your nutritional understanding. Before I was a fitness trainer in Seattle, I worked with many sick people and also many people who have experienced nutritional healing. Disease prevention is a personal goal and it should not the business of the others to say that you’re fat and that it’s a drain on society — no, that’s not the right approach.

We are more the same, than we are different.

And that’s the key point. There are many shapes and sizes of human. We should attempt to understand the experience of others and I challenge us all to not make judgement. The next time you feel shame or the desire to shame, ask yourself for forgiveness and have some vegetables… you’ll feel amazing! Promise!

Fat Loss Fitness Nutrition, Immunity, and Digestion