“Super-Charge” your Kefir and Design Your Own Immune-Boosting Smoothies

Have you ever wondered why given the same circumstances and the same exposure to pathogens and toxins, some people get sick and others don’t?

Basically, the healthier your immune system, the less likely you are to get sick. And if you do get sick a healthy immune system gives you the ability to get well without any serious complications! A healthy immune system is like a superpower!

Do You or a Loved-One Suffer from Digestive Issues? 

I have written before about how I was able to improve my family’s health by incorporating naturally fermented foods into our diet. You can read more about that here. Fermented dairy kefir is a dietary staple in my family.

There is ALWAYS a jar of raw milk kefir fermenting on my kitchen counter.

Dairy Kefir is similar to yogurt but it is slightly more tart and has a thinner consistency. Whereas yogurt is typically eaten with a spoon, kefir is more like a drinkable yogurt. The tartness of kefir is not unpleasant. Many people, including myself, enjoy it plain. However, it is delicious when combined with ingredients that are naturally sweet. Dairy kefir mixes well with fruit, cocoa, nut butter, honey, and stevia. In my family we enjoy it for breakfast, lunch or a healthy snack, several times a week.

Dairy kefir is one of the easiest superfoods that you can make! 

Dairy kefir is packed with nutrients and natural probiotics. I love it because it takes so little time to prepare, yet it delivers vitamins, minerals, enzymes, beneficial bacteria and yeast that help with overall health. Hippocrates is known to have said that “all disease begins in the gut.” Certainly, many people today have become painfully aware of the importance of gut-health due to the epidemic of food intolerances that are so common. Kefir is known to reverse health problems by healing the digestive tract and restoring proper gut flora. In my family we saw immediate improvement of heartburn symptoms and lactose-intolerance when we began incorporating dairy kefir into our diet.

I learned how to make dairy kefir from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon Morell. Another great resource is The Nourishing Traditions Book of Baby & Child Care, by Sally Fallon Morell and Thomas S. Cowan, MD.

Here is my basic recipe:

Dairy Kefir

2-4 cups fresh whole milk, unhomogenized and preferably raw

1 Tablespoon active diary kefir grains or 1/2 cup kefir from a previous batch

Place dairy kefir grains (or kefir from a previous batch) into a 1 quart mason jar. Fill the jar with milk, leaving an inch or so of headspace at the top.

Stir with a wooden or plastic spoon.  Cover with a cheesecloth or thin cotton cloth, and secure with a rubber band. Leave undisturbed on your kitchen counter for 2-3 days. Dairy kefir becomes thicker and more tart the longer it ferments.

When ready to use, strain out kefir grains from the jar with a slotted wooden or plastic spoon. Place the strained grains into a clean mason jar to start the next batch by repeating the process. The dairy kefir is now ready to use. To store, place a lid on the jar and store in the refrigerator.

As I mentioned, dairy kefir has been a cornerstone of my family’s nutrient-rich diet for many years. However, I have recently learned that by adding one more ingredient, dairy kefir becomes even more super-charged with life-giving, immune-supporting, nutrients for health.

The ingredient that kicks it up to a whole new level is COLOSTRUM!

Colostrum is not milk, but the pre-milk liquid super-food produced by all mammalian mothers. Cows are the universal donors of colostrum. Bovine colostrum is 99% bioidentical to human colostrum. Colostrum from cows is 100-1000x times more powerful than human colostrum.

True unadulterated bovine colostrum is a tremendous aid and benefit in building up the immune system! The health benefits of colostrum have been proven and backed by science for decades. There are more than an estimated 172,000 PUBLISHED studies and related articles showing that colostrum is indeed nature’s most complete natural whole super-food.

Not All Colostrum is Created Equal

Only true, unadulterated, first-milking colostrum is rich in these immune, growth and metabolic factors. Some companies de-fat their colostrum products. The colostrum that I use is Anovite Colostum6.

Anovite Colostrum6 is 3rd party verified by Cornell University and ranked #1 in the world. Anovite Colostrum6 is backed by 30 years of research and 3rd party testing. It contains over 87 natural growth factors and over 100 natural immune factors.

How I “super-charge” my dairy kefir: 

To “super-charge” my dairy kefir, I add one simple step to my dairy kefir recipe above. Prior to placing  the kefir grains into the mason jar,  I simply add 1-3 teaspoons Anovite Colostrum6 powder to the jar and add enough milk to cover it. I use a frother and mix well. Then I add the dairy kefir grains, the rest of the milk, and stir. It is now ready to cover with cheesecloth to begin the fermentation process.

I really think I’m onto something powerful! I have followed the nutrition principles of the Weston A. Price organization for years. I recently discovered a very interesting article discussing the benefits of raw yogurt or kefir made with colostrum. Check out the article and the recipe for “Magic Yogurt” here: Shifting the Medical Paradigm with GcMAF and Raw Milk. 

Design your own immune-boosting smoothies–the possibilities are endless!

Once you have your “super-charged” dairy kefir ready, you can mix and match the ingredients you have on have to find your favorite smoothie recipe. Here is the basic formula:

1. Start with 1/2 cup “super-charged” dairy kefir.
2. Choose 1/2 cup liquid of choice. (water, milk, fruit juice, coconut water)
3. Choose a natural sweetener. (1-2 teaspoons honey, 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon stevia)
4. Choose any combination of fresh or frozen fruit, veggies, and ice.
5. Optional- add extra protein. (protein powder, nut butter, nuts, seeds)

Place all ingredients into your blender. Start the machine, slowly increase to its highest speed, and blend for 45 seconds. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

Here is one of my favorites:

High Protein “Super-charged” Chocolate-Almond Butter Kefir Smoothie

• 1/2 cup “super-charged” kefir
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon stevia
• 1 Tbs. chia seeds
• 2 scoops Chocolate LeptiTrim Shake powder
• 2 cups ice

Here is another one of my favorites:

“Super-Charged” Mango-Strawberry Kefir Smoothie

• 1/2 cup “super-charged” kefir
• 1/2 cup organic apple juice
• 1-2 teaspoons raw honey
• 1 cup frozen mango
• 1 cup frozen strawberries

I will be leading an Adult Homeopathy Book Club this summer, beginning in August. The Teach Me Health and Homeopathy Curriculum dives into the subject of Terrain Theory versus Germ Theory and covers lots of practical ways to strengthen our body’s “terrain.” The course covers the fundamentals of homeopathy with a deep look at Terrain versus Germ theory. (A much-needed discussion for such a time as this!)

Learn more and register here: Teach Me Health and Homeopathy Adult Book Club with Cathi Diaz