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Hi List,

I had an interesting experience over the last month. I got strep throat, and had to take antibiotics. Then about 2 weeks later, I started having abdominal symptoms that reminded me of when I was not yet gluten free, or also they were like a more intense and more prolonged version of what happens if I accidentally eat gluten. First I figured that somehow I was getting gluten, and just didn't know where it was coming from. So I pared down to mostly meat, fish and salad, eaten at home. Still I had the bowel symptoms. Also, I was starting to feel depressed.

One day I thought, hey, maybe my gut was messed up by the antibiotics. So I started drinking Helios Brand plain kefir, and also eating raw kimchee. I think it is mostly the kefir that helps, but within a week I was essentially back to normal. One additional thing, is that during the 5 years that I have been gluten free, my stools still mostly floated. After adding the probiotic to my regime, they sink. So something is probably being absorbed better. 

I also bought some capsule probiotics (HMF Forte), to use when I can't have the kefir. I also plan to try to make the kefir myself' and maybe try to make some naturally fermented sauerkraut too.

I am pretty sure that this is really making a difference. Does anyone else use either supplemental or food probiotics? I would like to hear from you, because I think this may be a real help to us. In my case, I think it may go beyond repairing the damage done to bowel flora by the antibiotic, to doing something for my gut itself.

Michael

* Please remember some posters may be WHEAT-FREE, but not GLUTEN-FREE *