Kefir is a liquid type yogurt. However, the organisms it provides are more strains, and more of them than most yogurts.
In US, Lifeway is becoming common in many stores now. I get ours at Kroger's.

http://www.lifeway.net/

Theirs is lactose free and gluten free. It is very delicious and in many flavors too. I like the peach and cherry ones. It is like a smoothie. You could use it as a base (say the unflavored one) and add your own specific ingredients if you make smoothies at home. Lifeway has 12 different strains in it, whereas most yogurts have much less.

@Lara,
Will do no more spicy old fridge food XD woke up this morning feeling 110% still have my occasional belly ache but the yogurt helped that lessen too!
Steadily rinsing with warm salt water and taking ibuprofen to help things along hopefully I can enjoy this last week before I have to go back. :)


@mrsD,
Brilliant I'm so glad they've got lactose free I'm slightly intolerant to dairy and don't drink much milk products at all I've almost cut them completely will that make me feel off too?

I was surprised today when I had yogurt it didn't send me into a bad stomach ache I didn't have a lot a small bowl half full but still seemed to help.

When you get back home, get some Activia too. It has a strain not commonly found in other yogurts. You can rotate them.

My husband has yogurt for breakfast every day. I usually use the Kefir.

Some Greek yogurts are really problematic though in the US.
They thicken them with a gum... called carob bean gum (aka locust bean gum), which feeds certain GI bacteria to ferment it, and that causes gas and bloating and for me at least diarrhea.
Chobani is one but others have this ingredient. So it is best to get gum free yogurts. I believe using antibiotics changes bowel flora and nasties take over...and these are the ones who ferment the gums. Taking antibiotics kills off beneficial bowel bacteria allowing nasties to move in and make trouble.

If you take acid blocking drugs like Zantac, or Prilosec they too will cause gas, bloating and diarrhea because they inhibit the breakdown of protein which then goes on to ferment in a similar way. The purpose of acid in our stomachs is to 1) break down protein into smaller bits for the enzymes from the pancreas to further digest, and 2) to kill the nasty germs/organisms before they move further down into the body. Acid blockers are good for the short run, but every day forever...not good for us at all!

I am glad to hear you are feeling better...just getting less anxious and learning here can really help that fear factor. ;)

I'm also pleased to hear you're feeling a lot better.

I'd go easy on that ibuprofen though. Not the best thing to take for too long if you've got gut issues to begin with.

Is there any othe fever and pain reliever that's not as harsh just so if a fever reoccurs I can take that instead?

Is there any activia that is lactose free?

If I have yogurt whilst on my antibiotics when I get back in the states is that okay?

That's what I joined for to learn so as to not over react and as an anxiety/ panic attack sufferer it's really worth learning things that can save me from doing my head in :)

Most yogurts have very low lactose because the process to make them consumes the lactose in the milk used.

Lifeway advertises its lactose free... but most yogurts are very tolerable.

Read those labels.... those gums can really do a number on you!

I would think that something like tylenol would be better than ibuprofen.

Edited to add: I don't have any bowel issues, so I'm just going on what I know about the effects of ibuprofen with long term use. I find ibuprofen gives more pain relief than other OTC pain relievers... that's the problem. mrsD would know more about use of it being safe in the short term

Hi MoparDakota

If you suspect that you have Crohn's Disease then it is important that this is checked out by health professionals. This is something that I know a fair bit about - a dear (now deceased) IRL friend lived with it for many years.

The standard initial investigation is a colonoscopy - if it confirms a Crohn's Disease diagnosis then a clinical care team will be able to discuss treatment options with you.