Last week, I went to the free Super Charge Your Health Class at Soothe Your Soul in Hermosa Beach. This seminar is given once or twice a month at the store. The headline on the email advertising the class said that it would be about leaky gut and other digestive issues. I had been concerned that I had seriously upset my gut biology and metabolism with the Master Cleanse a couple of years ago, so I was interested in what Rena Joy at Soothe Your Soul would have to say.
The class focused on healing the gut by populating it with helpful organisms to correct dysbiosis. The presentation was primarily based on the book, The Body Ecology Diet: Recovering Your Health and Rebuilding Your Immunity, by Donna Gates and Linda Schatz. The plan uses probiotic products such as cultured vegetables and young coconut water kefir to boost populations of helpful organisms. Food combining strategies promote optimal digestion. Troublesome foods are eliminated from the diet at least until the digestive system is stronger.
In the book, Donna Gates said that kefir was the most beneficial of the probiotic foods. The mix of organisms is different than yogurt, or at least it’s supposed to be. Kefir culture includes a friendly yeast that is not in yogurt. The only commercial kefir recommended in the book is the plain unsweetened version made by Helios Nutrition.
You can learn more about the Body Ecology Diet at the Body Ecology website. There are testimonials for digestive problems, chronic fatigue, autoimmune disorders, allergies, autism, weight loss, and more. You can take the Candida Quiz to determine if candida overgrowth might be a problem for you.
If you decide that you want to try the Body Ecology Diet, there’s a Quick Start Guide you can use to get you started.
Rena Joy of Soothe Your Soul taught us how to make kefir with young coconut water. Coconut water kefir is great for the early stages of probiotic recovery when dairy is not well tolerated. To make the kefir, you will need:
1 quart Young Thai Coconut Water
6 half pint jars, 8 oz., with lids
1 packet Body Ecology Kefir Starter
2 scoops Body Ecology Eco Bloom
6 capsules Udo’s Super 8 Hi-Potency Probiotic
- Warm the coconut water to 90 degrees (warm to touch).
- Distribute the dry ingredients among the jars, starting with the Kefir Starter. Open the probiotic capsules and dump the contents into the jars.
- Distribute the coconut water among the jars and stir to mix.
- Put the lids on the jars.
- Let sit at room temperature for 2 to 4.5 days. Refrigerate any remaining kefir after that time. The probiotics will weaken after refrigeration.
- Start consuming after 1.5 to 2 days.
One quarter cup of kefir can be used in place of the Kefir Starter to culture a new batch. Reculturing with kefir can be done up to seven times. Do NOT use kefir that has been refrigerated to start a new batch since refrigeration inactivates the cultures.
Soothe Your Soul sells all supplies for the coconut water kefir except the jars. The jars can be found at suppliers such as Smart & Final, OSH Hardware Stores, and Ace Hardware Stores.
The Body Ecology Kefir Starter contains
- Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis
- Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris
- Lactococcus lactis subsp. diacetylactis
- Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris
- Lactobacillus kefyr (thermophilic)
- Saccaromyces unisporus
- Kluyveromyces marxianus
Udo’s Super 8 Hi-Potency Probiotic contains
- Lactobacillus acidophilus
- Lactobacillus rhamnosus
- Streptococcus thermophilus
- Lactobacillus plantarum
- Bifidobacterium bifidum
- Bifidobacterium longum
- Lactobacillus bulgaricus
- Lactobacillus salivarius
Helios Nutrition kefir contains
- Lactobacillus kefyr
- Lactococcus lactis
- Lactococcus cremoris
- Lactococcus diacetylactis
- Leuconostoc cremoris
- Candida kefyr
- Saccharomyces unisporous