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Kefir has many benefits, including better digestion of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. It has been known for thousands of years for its anti-aging and immune-enhancing properties.
Kefir is an ancient cultured food, rich in amino acids, enzymes, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and B vitamins. Kefir means "feel good" in Turkish, and that's just how you'll feel after drinking a glass in the morning! Easy and fun to make at home, it is superior to commercial yogurt. An absolute must after antibiotic use!
Unlike yogurt, kefir can actually colonize the intestinal tract and is simple and fun to make at home. To make kefir: Mix one packet with 1 quart of warm milk, cover and set at room temperature for 18-24 hours. Refrigerate and enjoy!
Each packet yields 1 quart of kefir, and can be reused up to 7 times. This means you can create 10 ½ gallons of kefir from one box!
Research released early this month has stirred up a series of protests from organic food consumers and scientists alike.
Naturally occurring bacteria that live in the Gulf of Mexico have consumed and removed at least 200,000 tons of oil and natural gas from the deep Gulf.
The analysis, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine and put forth by researchers at Stanford University, gathers and sorts data from 240 studies that span five decades of research.
Beginning in 1966 and moving through all literature published on the matter up until May 2011, scientists from Stanford have concluded that there is not any evidence that organic food is more nutritious than conventional food. (1)
Is eating organic worth the higher price tag? While organic foods may not be more nutritious than conventional foods, they contain significantly lower levels of pesticides to protect your health.
However, the team from Stanford also reports that:
The noxious effects of pesticides in the body and antibiotic-resistant bacteria are not to be taken lightly.
Some of those who protest the study argue that it is “fatally flawed” because scientists failed to look at key issues in food production such as “the use of GMOs, high-fructose corn syrup, mercury in the food supply, and countless other factors.” (2) While this may be true, researchers at Stanford did not look at genetically modified or processed food.
Most of us who eat organic are not necessarily doing it for the added nutrients. And even if we are, there are studies to back up this claim as well. (3)
We eat organic foods because we are interested in:
Pesticides are designed to kill. Some pesticides are derived directly from nature, while others are synthetic. Both are used in farming.
Organic farmers use natural pesticides. While “natural,” even these are dangerous, and the USDA regulates how much each farmer uses when a farm is USDA certified organic.
According to Charles Benbrook, a pesticide expert and Chief Science consultant of The Organic Center, researchers at Stanford make light of the serious effects of pesticides in our food. (4)
Organophosphorus (OP) compounds are widely used in agriculture and account for nearly 40% of total pesticide use. OP insecticides are neurotoxic in both insects and mammals. Benbrook points out that prenatal exposure to organophosphorous insecticides:
Benbrook reminds us that there are certain stages in life when we are especially susceptible to the harmful effects of pesticides: during pregnancy, during infancy, while battling a degenerative disease, and after the age of 60.
At each of these life stages, the immune system is weak or compromised.
Who remembers the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill that took place in April of 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico?
It was a tragedy that made headlines: At no other time in the history of the world had we witnessed such a large accidental oil spill.
According to recent updates from John Kessler at Texas A&M University and lead scientist investigating the effects of the spill in the Gulf, bacteria are eating up the oil.
In fact, naturally occurring bacteria that live in the Gulf of Mexico have consumed and removed at least 200,000 tons of oil and natural gas from the deep Gulf. (5)
Bacteria are good at cleaning up what we don’t want around.
So good that they can even do this inside the body.
It turns out that when present, beneficial gut bacteria like Lactobacillus have the ability metabolize toxic pesticides. This includes OP compounds that can increase the risk of developmental disorders.
This past February, scientists announced that common beneficial bacteria have the ability to consume some of our most popular pesticides, OP compounds, and specifically chlorpyrifos. (6)
Because clorpyrifos is the most common pesticide worldwide, this is good news.
Clorpyrifos can travel into our body through the skin, the mouth, and the lungs. The body stores this pesticide mostly in fat tissue. (7) According to scientists, beneficial gut bacteria are able to consume clorpyrifos and move it out of storage.
The take home message: Whether you choose to eat organic or conventional foods, there may not be a huge difference in the nutrient profile.
There is, however, a difference in the quantity of pesticides that are used in the cultivation and transportation of food.
When it comes to nutrition, the playing field may be level. When it comes to minimizing the toxins we are exposed to through our food, organic most certainly wins.
However, unless you know the farmer yourself, chances are that your food has been exposed to some level of pesticides. Luckily, beneficial bacteria play a pivotal role in the detoxification and removal of pesticides from the body.
Those with weaker immune function and a compromised inner ecosystem are more at risk when it comes to the damaging effects of pesticides.
In the face of so much uncertainty, there is no better time to nurture our inner ecosystem with traditionally fermented foods such as coconut water kefir and probiotic beverages such as InnergyBiotic. For centuries, these foods have contributed to a robust inner ecology and have balanced immune function.
When it comes to the great debate between organic and non-organic foods, researchers confirm that organic foods are not more nutritious than conventional foods. But more importantly, research reveals that children who eat organic foods have lower levels of pesticides in their urine. Organic farm animals are also less likely to contain antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.
What this means for you as a consumer is that eating organic can protect you from harmful pesticides that are especially dangerous to pregnant women, infants, those battling degenerative disease, and the elderly. During pregnancy, certain insecticides can increase the risk of autism, ADHD, and asthma and even lead to birth defects.
Even when eating organic, it’s difficult to avoid pesticides altogether. This is where your gut bacteria come into play. Bacteria can clean up excess toxicity in the body to metabolize pesticides before they harm healthy tissue. This is why it's more important than ever to eat traditionally fermented foods like coconut water kefir and drink probiotic beverages like InnergyBiotic each day to support a healthy inner ecosystem and strengthen immunity.
Although eating organic may not be more nutritious, it will reduce your pesticide consumption. Supporting your gut with healthy bacteria will help to detoxify and remove pesticides from the body!
Kefir has many benefits, including better digestion of fats, proteins and carbohydrates. It has been known for thousands of years for its anti-aging and immune-enhancing properties.
Kefir is an ancient cultured food, rich in amino acids, enzymes, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and B vitamins. Kefir means "feel good" in Turkish, and that's just how you'll feel after drinking a glass in the morning! Easy and fun to make at home, it is superior to commercial yogurt. An absolute must after antibiotic use!
Unlike yogurt, kefir can actually colonize the intestinal tract and is simple and fun to make at home. To make kefir: Mix one packet with 1 quart of warm milk, cover and set at room temperature for 18-24 hours. Refrigerate and enjoy!
Each packet yields 1 quart of kefir, and can be reused up to 7 times. This means you can create 10 ½ gallons of kefir from one box!
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Information and statements regarding dietary supplements/products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is a result of years of practice and experience by the author. This information is not intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional or any information contained on or in any product label or packaging. Do not use the information on this website for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease, or prescribing medication or other treatment. Always speak with your physician or other healthcare professional before taking any medication or nutritional, herbal, or homeopathic supplement, or using any treatment for a health problem. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem, contact your healthcare provider promptly. Do not disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking professional advice because of something you have read on this website.
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