So, I’ve noticed my throat has been a little scratchy and my acne has been a little worse. Which begs the question, am I sick … or is it detox symptoms. This is not the first time I ‘ve experienced detox symptoms. When I first changed my diet, I went from eating whatever I wanted to pounding the green smoothies. Although my pain level felt better (for about a week), I experienced a migraine, which is rare for me, and fever-like symptoms. Thanks to google, I was quickly reassured that this was normal. Plus, I only felt awful for a day, so it was no big deal.
I’ve been feeling a little under the weather, and thought I might be getting sick. My throat felt sore, and I’ve been feeling feverish and acne prone, despite my low sugar diet. Since I’ve experienced detox before, I thought I would refresh my memory on what the symptoms could be. Turns out just adding kefir into your diet can bring on detox symptoms, and these symptoms can even mimic the flu: sore throat, swollen throat glands, and/or feeling feverish.With this new knowledge, I’ve decide to proceed carefully with the kefir, drink plenty of water with lemon juice (some extra Vitamin C couldn’t hurt right now), and take some relaxing, hot baths. Flu or detox, eventually this will all pass when you take care of yourself.
12/9/13 Update
I went to a cheese making class with plenty of samples and the same week I bought some grass fed local ghee when I was on a trip to San Diego. I noticed when I ate these foods I got the same sore throat I had when drinking kefir. So I’ve decided that these symptoms are from an allergy to dairy. I still consume fermented sauerkraut, kombucha, and apple cider vinegar regularly and will continue on a gluten and dairy free diet.
I have been drinking homemade milk kefir since early January, nearly 4 months. Yesterday, I suffered from what I would classify as food poisoning symptoms. If this is a healing episode, why is it happening now?
If you are sick and experiencing food poisoning symptoms, I would consult a doctor.
Try a waterkefir instead of milkkefir. Just add plenty of dried fruits from which the Kefir can take its sugar to ferment with. Good luck!
Thank you! That’s a great idea. I’ll have to try it out soon 🙂
I’ve been using store bought kefir drink to make morning smoothies generally with banana, avocado, spinach and maybe berries. I’ve been doing this regularly for over 2 mos. I am lactose intolerant and generally stay away from all dairy and gluten intolerant and try to stay away from it
After 1 mos of daily kefir use, my skin erupted with cystic acne like I haven’t seen since my teens and the gastric pain, bloating and gas isn’t showing signs of stopping. My thirst too is not subsiding. Additionally, I’ve had vaginal itching as well seemingly linked to the kefir.
Could these longer lasting side effects be due to my intolerances? I’ve started to taper off kefir. I see improvement gastricly those days I don’t use. Could I just be particularly toxic and need more time or should I except defeat and drop it all together? Thanks for advice.
If you are in pain, you should definitely stop and seek out your doctor. Personally, I stopped using kefir and cut out dairy. There are lots of other fermented products out there if you want to incorporate them into your diet.
I’m impressed, I have to admit. Rarely do I come across
a blog that’s equally educative and interesting,
and let me tell you, you’ve hit the nail on the head.
The issue is something that too few men and women are
speaking intelligently about. I’m very happy I found this during my search for something concerning this.
Yeah, water kefir is definitely a good way to go if you have even the slightest aversion to milk products. And, BONUS, you can drop a piece of lemon in with the fermenting water kefir, which it likes!
Kefir, kombucha and other fermented foods and drinks gave me brain fog, regular fatigue and migraines. Took me a long time to figure out what was constantly making me so tired and brain fogged. Little did I think it was my health foods. Once I quit all those drinks, I improved hugely. Then I had apple cider vinegar diluted in water couple months later and there it was again. Fatigue and headache. Pay attention guys to all you eat and drink. It’s often not obvious what’s causing your health issues and sadly fermented foods are not for everyone 😞
Same! Turns out, fermented foods produce LOTS of histamine! No, thank you!
I tried Kefir my first time yesterday. I had two loose bowel movements within the hour. I felt a pain in the left side of my head. Later we went to the city and I splurged and had kfc(without the skin) and a taco from Taco Bell. On the way home I felt an attack on my left side under my rib, then it switched to my liver. Last time I felt these same pains with mono.