Kefir & A Caring Doctor

We recently moved from one Southern state to another...back to my hometown, in fact. Anytime you move, there are so many things to change...driver's license, bank information, doctors, etc. Most of my experiences with new doctors have been positive ones, but the few negatives have been negative enough to give me cause for concern. My husband and I prayed about it, I researched and I listened to people. In a small town, you can find out a lot about people's opinions...and you have to have the gift of discernment when weeding through all that information. God answered our prayers and gave us great recommendations through people we knew and those we met, quite by accident (well, that's not exactly right...we don't believe it was by accident at all, but you get what I'm saying.)

Our doctor search led us to Dr. Marcus Lee. Years ago, I had gone to church with his wife, Chesleigh, when she was a child, teen and young adult and she grew up to be a beautiful, godly mother of three, as well as wife to Dr. Lee! I can't tell you how much it means to me to have a doctor who is a Christian. But, the correct way to describe Dr. Lee is to say he is a Christian who happens to be a doctor. He puts the Lord FIRST and that fact is the best medicine of all to me and my family. If you want to pay a visit to this fine doctor, you can find Dr. Marcus Lee at Universal Family Care. (Just click on the practice name to go to his Facebook page!)

Dr. Lee, on my first visit to him, made a recommendation that changed my life. Yes, I know that sounds like an infomercial, but I do not exaggerate! I had my gallbladder removed years ago and it left me with a cranky and tempermental digestive system. I had been on medication after medication and they worked for a few hours, but did not offer any kind of answer to the question of "How will my innards act today?" Dr. Lee introduced me to a superfood that provided the answer. It is called kefir and it's been around for centuries! Let me tell you about it.

Kefir Grains

Kefir is a fermented milk drink whose origins can be traced back to shepherds in the North Caucasus region, between the Black and Caspian Seas, of European Russia. They discovered that fresh milk carried in leather pouches would occasionally ferment into an effervescent (bubbly) beverage. Kefir was originally made by innoculating cow, goat or sheep's milk with kefir grains. Traditionally, kefir was made in skin bags that were hung near a doorway so the bag would be knocked by anyone passing through to help keep the milk and kefir grains well-mixed. Marco Polo even mentioned kefir when recounting his travels! Today, dairy-free versions are available made from coconut or soy milk. But, the kefir that we LOVE so much, and the one Dr. Lee recommended, is called Lifeway Kefir.

Lifeway Kefir

Lifeway Kefir is a smoothie-like beverage similar to a yogurt drink, but FAR more beneficial! A serving contains seven to ten BILLIONS CFUs of ten strains of (good) bacteria plus ProBoost, their proprietary pair of clinically proven probiotics, to balance your body's system and support digestive health and immunity. That's 12 live, active cultures per cup! They help aid in digestion and ward off side effects from antibiotics and may even help in weight management. Although it is a milk product, Lifeway Kefir is 99% lactose FREE! It comes in a variety of forms, from organic to non-fat, and in several delicious flavors (my favorite is the pomegranate....YUM!) They even have a special line formulated specifically for children.

I am not a doctor. I am not guaranteeing results, prescribing kefir or making promises...nor am I affiliated in any way with Lifeway Products. I just know what it has done for me and am sharing that information with you. Just to give you an idea of how well Lifeway Kefir has worked for me, I have gone off ALL of my IBS medications. I just don't need them! I drink, per Dr. Lee's suggestion, two ounces of kefir in the morning and two ounces in the evening. That four ounces has been enough to restore my digestive health and meet my needs. Did I mention the taste? It's absolutely delicious.