A lot of people are interested in kefir and in fact drink this stuff for its health benefits. We know that the health benefits of kefir are a result of it being a probiotic beverage. Unfortunately, few realize just how this “probiotic” thing works.

The biggest misconception when it comes to probiotics is thinking that all probiotics, like yogurt, kefir, kimchi, are the same and even interchangeable. They’re not.

The term probiotics is simply a term coined for thousands of different bacteria. In fact, the FAO/WHO defines probiotics as “Live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host.” That’s any health benefit, not some magic cure for all.

There are simply thousands and thousands of strains of bacteria and each one may offer a variety of health benefits. Some may colonize the gut, others may live in the stomach, others may even have an affinity for your nose and each one may improve your health substantially. Other bacteria that are still considered “live and active cultures” may absolutely do nothing and moreover, others may even harm you to a certain degree.

Take for example your yogurt. Yogurt is very similar to kefir and even looks pretty darn close to it. But the health benefits you get from kefir are different from yogurt. This is because of the strains of bacteria in yogurt and kefir. Both may have lactobacillus bacteria, but not the same strain. Heck, even kimchi has lactobacillus bacteria in it.

So where am i going with this?

I think probiotics is a very complex topic, but I feel that we need to clear the shroud of misunderstanding even bit by bit. The more we understand how the food we eat can ultimately affect our well being, the better we can be in control of our health and our life.

My take on all this is simple. It’s hard, impossible even, to compare one fermented food from another. The best thing to do is to eat a variety of fermented foods, which provides a wider variety of bacterial strains, which may likely offer a wider range of health benefits.

I was surprised that Giselle emailed me recently to do a guest post about muscle building. She told me about how lots of people sent her emails asking about how to build muscle, Muscle Building Workouts, Muscle Building Diet and putting on weight.

I think this was because of her recent email about MP’s Ultimate Workout Program (which is GREAT by the way) where she mentioned that it’s not for those that want to build muscle mass or something like that. I got that email too because I’m also her subscriber as I too, love kefir.

I think Giselle chose me because she knew that I was the right person for this. She knew me ever since when I was still that skinny guy trying to pack muscle and doing things the wrong way. I’m glad that phase is over with

With that out of the way, there is only one program on the internet that stands out above all the others when it comes to muscle building and it’s been the top program for over 4 years. They Update it regularly with new content and the Private Member’s Area is a goldmine for new information and people with the same goals which helps keep you motivated.

I learned about it years ago, and up until now still teach it to most of my students (the same Muscle Building Workouts And Muscle Building Diet) that want to put on weight, or get some muscle for showing off.

It’s Vince DelMonte’s No-Nonsense Muscle Building Program.

Why No-Nonsense? It’s because he shows everything to you step by step, start to finish. From proper mindset, motivation, the RIGHT information about Do’s and Dont’s, the most frequently asked questions he gets ( example shown below)

the right Nutrition, a boatload of recipes, why you must stay away from supplements like weight gainers (I was guilty of this before when I was starting out and got nothing for it except a pot belly!) If you must take a supplement, kefir or wheatgrass are great too.

You also get the Upside Down training program to get your body into condition. Let’s say you’ve never worked out in your life, or haven’t for a long time, then that is the perfect way to start. You WILL know when you are ready to go to the next step and take on the Core No-Nonsense Program. (Shown below is a day for the beginners-intermediate program) All these  take less than an hour each workout session, around 3 times a week. Plus you get to eat more, lots more! How’s that sound for Muscle Building Workouts And a Muscle Building Diet? :)

I wouldn’t want to drag this and make it boring. So I’d like to tell you some more real life stuff before ending this post.

Most of the fitness stuff sold out there are good or just so-so, BUT they are Sugar Coated and Made To Look SO Awesome that people can’t resist to not buy it! I mean, switch to the Home Shopping Network and see how awesome those videos look! The sad part is the people that buy it, either doesn’t do anything with it, or they do it and don’t get the results.

That’s why I recommend Vince’s program so much because I’ve personally seen results for many years on different kinds of people.

Follow it, step by step, get a training partner if you need one, and be better both inside and out. You WILL see results.

By this time, it doesn’t matter what other people say. You are king.

Visit Vince DelMonte’s Website and see his other Unmatched Bonuses if you take Action Now!

My name is Ed Armstrong, and I hope you enjoyed this. I’d be glad to come back and write again maybe about my experiences on kefir and why I love it so much like Giselle. For now, please visit me and Kelly in the AZ Fitness Health blog. It’s kind of new so we still only cover the topic of getting thin thighs for women. Just wait for it, it will be a monster fitness site in the future. http://www.azfitnesshealth.com

I’ve been getting a lot of emails on the topic of “How Safe Is Kefir?” so I’m dedicating this post to answering it.

If you’re new to kefir and haven’t consumed homemade kefir, much less made kefir from kefir grains at home yourself, you’re probably wondering as to how safe kefir is for yourself, for your kids, for your family and for your friends.

Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

In general kefir is safe. Many people have and are still making and drinking homemade kefir. And there are little to none reported events regarding food borne illnesses and kefir.

But if you want a more detailed explanation, continue reading…

In the past, making fermented Kefir was actually a traditional way of preserving milk. This was of course before the invention of the mighty refrigerator. And it is this fermentation process that makes fermented foods safe for us to eat. But don’t take my word for it… take the NCHFP’s:

According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation:

Fermented foods are generally considered to be less likely to cause foodborne illness due to the fermentation process. The competitive activity and metabolites of the culture help to – partially or completely — kill or inhibit the growth of illness-causing microorganisms.

Scientific research has shown that properly fermented kefir at a pH less than 4.5 inhibits most pathogens. But not for Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and Yersinia enterocolitica.

Does this mean kefir is not safe? Yes and no. You can make kefir a lot safer by doing the following:

1. Use quality milk from a reputable source

There is a lot of debate going on right now on raw milk versus pasteurized milk, so I really won’t go into that. All I can say is, if you really really really want to be on the safe side, pasteurized milk is the way to go.

2. Use quality kefir grains from a reputable source

This is the second part of the kefir equation. Your kefir grains should be from someone who has had experience taking care of it.

Another way of making sure that your kefir is 100% SAFE, is by pasteurizing the kefir itself. Now, I don’t really recommend this because once you kill the “bad” bacteria that may be present in kefir, you’re most likely going to be killing the good ones as well. And i feel this just completely ruins the kefir. But if you’re happy with just the taste of the kefir and not the probiotic benefits, here are the steps for pasteurized kefir:

1. Strain and remove kefir grains from kefir
2. Place the jar (w/out lid) of kefir in hot water bath
3. Stir keifer while heating to161degF or 72degC (use thermometer)
4. Hold at this temperature while stirring for around 15 seconds
5. Remove kefir jar from hot water bath
6. Cool in cold water bath
7. Place in refrigerator (shelf-life of 7-10days)

Again, pasteurized kefir will not have the probiotic health benefits of unpasteurized kefir, but it will still have the taste. On a sidenote, this is also why commercial kefir is not as healthy as homemade kefir. Commercial kefir goes through pasteurization that kills all the probiotic kefir goodness.

Summing up, my suggestion is this…

If you’ve been drinking homemade kefir for a very long time and have nothing but awesome and wonderful benefits from drinking it, by all means continue doing so.

If however, it’s going to be your first time why not try a little first?

Lastly (promise this is the last),  it’s been said that because of the tiny risk of pathogen growth in home fermented kefir, it is not recommended for people with weak immune systems like, very young kids, the elderly, pregnant women, chronically ill, etc. etc. etc.

Is this true? Again, maybe… maybe not.

We’ve had readers and commentors and friends who were one of the above and have been loving kifer ever since. But again, don’t take my word for it. Everyone’s body system is different and ultimately how we react to kefir depends on it as well.