Probiotics for influenza treatment and prevention

interesting

I don't buy probiotics but living on a farm we drink unpasteurised milk which I believe contains the Lactobacillus bacteria found in probiotic products...drinking unpasteurised milk supposedly has benefits in reducing the incidence of allergies and asthma but I would imagine the evidence is inconclusive as these things always seem to be..

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by: coldethyl @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 18:23:11 PM UTC

Hi coldethyl

Thanks for your post.

I'm trying to write a short summary in order to get the topic going but writing for me is like pulling teeth so it could be a while...!

Whole milk - yum!

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by: Ruby Murray @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 19:01:02 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

lol

you shouldn't really say " yum" you know...no one wants you to drink unpasteurised milk.. I suppose given the rising incidence of TB in UK herd I can see the thought process and I am always wary of warning people that that is what on offer in their coffee unless they want skimmed which I buy for my fat weeks( sadly too many!- my GP put the fear of god into me when I was pregnant but the French scoff unpasteurised cheese?!

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by: coldethyl @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 19:07:52 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Zactly

My boy grew up eating insects in the garden and he's strong as an ox. Daughter (1st child) I cleaned like a mad thing and dettoxed the high chair table like a good girl. Guess which one gets everything going?

I'd love some of your coffee! :-)

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by: Ruby Murray @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 at 19:45:12 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

We drink "raw" milk too,

straight from our Jersey cow (strained and chilled, of course). It's the best milk in the world! I think it has more beneficial bacteria. I know it has more of the heat-sensitive vitamins which are killed off during the pasteurizing process.

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by: Andrzejek @ Wed Sep 09, 2009 at 08:46:34 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

sauerkraut,kimchi

We had some good discussions years back about the benefits of eating fermented cabbage.  The lacto-bacilli, I think they're called, are good for us and bad for viri.  I made a batch, and need to make more.  Just don't cook it to death before you eat it.  Maybe warm it a little to put on the plate next to the sausage or whatever.

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by: Lorellehb @ Wed Sep 09, 2009 at 23:48:59 PM UTC

mmmm,sauerkraut.

My mom used to make the best sauerkraut. It had chopped green peppers, chopped green tomatoes,and fresh corn in it with the shredded cabbage. Wish I had learned to make it.  

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by: finalride @ Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 19:11:50 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

The word sauerkraut...

..caught my eye, because I intend to start my first ever batch soon, as the fall cabbages arrive at the farmer's market. I've read up, purchased a good ceramic crock with weights and lid, even hunted up a cabbage shredder, read recipes and instructions. I see it as an alternate way to preserving food, I love sauerkraut, and I did understand that uncooked (or lightly cooked) sauerkraut was good for you. But I know nothing about probiotics, not even familiar with the word. Many recipes strongly recommend that one can the sauerkraut once the initial fermentation is complete, but the traditional way is to simply keep it cool in the original crock. Would love to see a discussion of both methods and benefits.

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by: OldGirlScout @ Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 00:48:08 AM UTC

so i guess....

canned sauerkraut has had all the "good" stuff pasteurized out of it?  

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by: spacey @ Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 02:09:06 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Brief diary about kimchee and sauerkraut here:

http://www.newfluwiki2.com/sho...

BBC story about rise in kimchee sales after news that it "may cure" bird flu.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asi...

Collection of kimchee/kimchi recipes here (lots more if you Google):
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~mjw/rec...

Ultimate kimchi recipe" (includes fruit!).  It discusses every ingredient.
http://www.treelight.com/healt...

What makes kimchi so healthy?
http://www.treelight.com/healt...

The importance of fermentation:
http://www.treelight.com/healt...

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor

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by: Jane @ Thu Sep 10, 2009 at 16:56:04 PM UTC

a great site for fermentation information:

http://www.wildfermentation.com/

This guy makes it seem so easy to ferment anything you might grow.  I think it is a perfectly natural and traditional way to preserve the summer crops. The taste will grow on you and in you!

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by: Lorellehb @ Fri Sep 11, 2009 at 23:51:03 PM UTC

Cool! He's giving classes in Tenn.

this month and Nov. and one in Mass.
http://www.wildfermentation.co...

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it."  Flannery O'Connor

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by: Jane @ Sat Sep 12, 2009 at 01:46:19 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Great Topic - Probiotics and Influenza

Ruby, Thank you for bringing up this great topic. On your survey I chose I am not a millionaire because the biggest downside to  good product is the expense. But I don't know that one has to take it daily and certainly the studies on probiotics in conjunctions with H.Pyloris only required a course during and after the antibiotics. Ruby Murray provided some great information in this thread in a different diary.
http://www.newfluwiki2.com/sho...
I was very impressed by the  randomized double blind day care study. http://pediatrics.aappublicati... I am 52 so the day care study doesn't apply to me, however, since I read Ruby's comments and saw the day care article I bought and tried some.  Even if it is just a placebo it is worth it to me (and never underestimate the power of a placebo - http://www.wired.com/medtech/d... )

Now just a word about drinking raw milk. Both individuals stated they were on farms which means they get it fresh and they supervise the process.  For the rest of us, cows lay in their own feces and it just takes one Salmonella, E. Coli or Campylobacter to multiple into millions and kill even a healthy person. Personally I use ultrapasturized milk because I can keep a good supply in my refrigerator without it going bad (for all you preppers).  

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by: Public_Health_Networker @ Sat Sep 12, 2009 at 20:48:20 PM UTC

bump to keep a good idea in mind..

So we can remember to make our sauerkraut and kimchee and have it ready to eat.

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by: Lorellehb @ Thu Sep 17, 2009 at 21:15:08 PM UTC

new batch

I just closed 5 jars of sauerkraut made with cabbage, onion,carrots and a little kelp in it for good measure, and at the last minute some green tomatoes sliced up.  I never thought of putting tomatoes in it before the poster mentioned it.(above post)

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by: Lorellehb @ Thu Sep 17, 2009 at 21:18:33 PM UTC