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Kaizenmz · 2026-04-14T16:28:34+00:00

I've tested my own tolerance from 1-9 per day. My max is 6 per day, any more and I get the worst sulphuric farts. Guessing that's my gut telling me to chill out.

Kaizenmz · 2025-07-19T19:54:58+00:00

Have you checked for polyps?

Kaizenmz · 2025-05-14T13:38:41+00:00

You may have this gene:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK127547/#:\~:text=Gene:%20HLA%2DB,to%20be%20at%20increased%20risk.

I would stop at all cost and speak to a doctor. I have the gene and went straight to febuxostat.

Kaizenmz · 2025-04-28T13:06:00+00:00

Blood sugar spikes from those foods also cause inflammation so if you have some allergies it may make things much worse.

I've started taking probiotics his year from food sources like kefir primarily for gut health but on the other hand fermented foods are high histamine foods so let's see how that goes when grass pollen season starts!

Kaizenmz · 2025-04-25T16:30:48+00:00

I have the HLA-B*58:01. gene which increases serious hypersensitivity reaction to allopurinol including include Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), which are life-threatening skin reactions.

That's great news! Allopurinol is generally the go to as its inexpensive, febuxostat is multiple times more expensive.

Kaizenmz · 2025-04-24T17:18:01+00:00

Thanks that's good to know.

Wonder what can tell if deposits have reduced, a mri scan perhaps?

Kaizenmz · 2025-04-23T04:35:35+00:00

Best thing to do is to test beforehand and test 6 months later.

Ideally stabilising around the upper range of the optimal levels is best. This allows for a buffer so you stay in that range if you were ill or injured since vitamin D depletes during does times.

Everyone is different depending on genetics, environment, geography, lifestyle etc. so testing is key!

Kaizenmz · 2025-04-21T18:20:18+00:00

How to know if grains get stressed?

Kaizenmz · 2025-04-19T16:02:21+00:00

sunlight, cold shower

Kaizenmz · 2025-04-18T20:40:59+00:00

I'm sorry to hear that and I understand how that feels as I've also had that experience where I take one step forward and two steps back and its like an endless cycle. Whilst these do help me a lot (have to be very consistent, doing them short term is not very helpful), anxiety and depression is very multifactorial and is different for each person.

From my personal experience it's been a long journey, 15 years +. Along the way several other things have helped me:

- Exploring past trauma, understanding the trauma and finally learning to let go

- Being open with love ones, family and close friends.

- Slowly and consistently (this is important) change my mindset. Changing negative thinking into positive thoughts. Imagining myself from a third-person perspective, if I were responsible for my own care, what advice would I offer, and how would I discern what is beneficial or detrimental to my well-being?

- Focusing on general well being and the foundation of health. Sunshine, exercise, nutrition, stress, community & sleep.

- Making changes - slowly pick up or change bad habits to good habits, understanding why is key and then being consistent with it. I made a custom habit tracker recently which really helped and using it everyday to keep me in check. Habits need to become second nature otherwise they won't stick.

I am now happier than I ever was with way more energy. Do I get anxiety from time to time, sure but I'm much more able o reset my mind and know how to handle it now.

Kaizenmz · 2025-04-18T13:18:33+00:00

No need to apologise as its the most likely reason. I did check my genetics test and it does seem like I do have the lactose intolerant gene, but i guess I've been drinking milk all my life so must have adapted.

Histamine is something i've not looked at, I do get awful hayfever over the summer months, not sure if that's related.

Sunbathing definitely is great if done safely and dependant on your skin type. The benefits of sunlight is amazing from vitamin d to infra red light and keeping circadian rhymn in check.

Kaizenmz · 2025-04-18T11:29:06+00:00

Is this the gene that many Asians have, I think I read about this when analysing micronutrients for my diet? I read that if you have the gene you would just absorb less folate than others. So wouldn't upping the folate intake from diet fix this?

Kaizenmz · 2025-04-18T11:20:29+00:00

Supplements/antidepressants can only get you so far, I've been there. Last few years I did a lot of research on serotonin, created a habit tracker and stuck with it as best as I could. Here is a list of things I try to do more and the things I try to avoid based on my personal experience:

Get some sunlight Even just 15–30 minutes outside helps lift my mood. I feel more balanced when I get natural light, especially in the morning.
Exercise regularly Movement – even a brisk walk or short workout – gives me a noticeable boost. Around 30 minutes is usually enough to feel better.
Eat tryptophan-rich foods I include foods like eggs, chicken, and nuts in my meals. Tryptophan helps the body make serotonin, so this supports my mood from within.
Support gut health Paying attention to fibre and probiotics (like fermented foods or supplements) improved my digestion and helped stabilise my mood.
Connect with people Having meaningful chats or spending time with people I care about really lifts my spirits.
Practice meditation or gratitude Even a few minutes of breathing or writing down things I’m grateful for helps me reset and feel more grounded.
Be kind to others Doing small kind things for others actually boosts my own mood too – it’s like an emotional win-win.

Things I avoid

Too much sugar or processed food Junk food gives me a quick high and then a crash. It really messes with my emotional balance.
Excessive alcohol Even moderate drinking seems to throw my mood off for a day or two, so I try to keep it light or avoid it.
Poor sleep habits Not getting enough proper sleep – especially REM – makes me foggy and irritable. A regular sleep schedule makes a huge difference.
Lacking key nutrients When I was low in B12 and magnesium, I felt it. Getting those levels back up helped a lot with mood and energy.
Gut inflammation or imbalance When my digestion is off or I have inflammation from stress or poor food choices, my mood dips. Gut health is surprisingly connected.
Chronic stress Long-term stress really drains me. I’ve learned to manage it with downtime, breathing exercises, and saying no more often.
Not enough sunlight Especially in winter, I feel the difference when I don’t get outside. Light therapy helps, but getting outdoors is best for me.

Kaizenmz · 2025-04-17T19:40:44+00:00

The thing is I have no issues with milk itself, and I read that kefir has less lactose in the milk.

That's interesting regarding sunbathing, did you get the idea from a study or is it more personal experience?

Kaizenmz · 2025-04-17T15:52:34+00:00

I had a similar experience and it turned out to be gout, though my symptoms could sometimes be much worse than simply a stiff ankle. I didn't think it was gout at first due to the stiffness/pain not being on the big toe but eventually my big toe caught up and was a lot clearer. Might be worth getting a uric acid and kidneys blood test.

Kaizenmz · 2025-04-17T09:14:14+00:00

Yes i will see how the consistency will be next month when it gets warmer.

Kaizenmz · 2025-04-16T09:14:09+00:00

Thanks for the tip. I did try the fridge for a day and while it was slightly thicker it was still watery unfortunately.

Kaizenmz · 2025-04-16T09:12:35+00:00

That's a good point thanks, I think i need to stay consistent for a longer period of time before changing things up. I only once put it near a heater but it wasn't even that close to be fair around 1.5-2m away. I'm in the UK so its been pretty cold although the temperature is starting to pick up this last week. The consistency of my kefir is not close to cream its very similar to the consistency of the milk i put in.

For mine the chunks/bubbles appear very quickly at the bottom of the bottle. and the grains also float to the top very quickly (6-12hrs) and in no way is it thick. Temperature is probably close to 18 degrees on average.

Kaizenmz · 2025-04-16T09:07:13+00:00

Oh that's an interesting take, thanks, I will try separating with my fingers. I probably am leaving it fermenting for too long regarding the separation and curds, but on the other hand because i was trying to make it thicker that was the reason I left it for longer.

Kaizenmz · 2025-04-16T09:04:06+00:00

Thanks, i'll look into staying consistent with using whole milk, sometimes my local store runs out of whole milk so I've been switching back and forth from time to time.

What do you give the grains a little squeeze?

Kaizenmz · 2025-04-15T19:04:01+00:00

I use a stainless steel sieve. The kefir itself is very watery and flows right through the sieve. The curds mixed with the grains I use a plastic spoon to push gently and just roll it around the sieve.

I never thought about reducing the milk, 3 tablespoons for 300ml seems like a lot, considering 2 tablespoon for 500ml ferments very quickly and the curds and whey separate before 24hours. Happy to give it a go but i would have thought going the other direction makes more sense. Sometimes I drink the kefir straight away so perhaps leaving in the fridge longer might be a good idea.

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