Kefir Kommunity

It’s not uncommon to open up in inbox at Lifeway HQ and find fan mail gushing over our product, decorated with pink hearts and multiple explanation points. Some might call us the Justin Bieber of the Midwest. But when a letter begins, “Dear Makers of Kefir,
 I am emailing you today to explain how you saved my life…”, well, that’s the kind of introduction that makes you sit up and really take notice. We reached out to the sender, Angela Hansen, 40, from Shakopee, MN, to learn more about her story. Read on to see how Lifeway strawberry kefir turned this yogurt-hating ulcer patient into a convert…and saved her thousands of dollars and hours of intense pain in the process.

Lifeway: Tell us a little about your medical history.

Angela: "On September 19^th, 2010, I was diagnosed with an ulcer - and not a garden variety one. This one sat over the muscle that allows food to pass into the small intestine, so it caused the intestines to swell shut, and the only place for food to go was the way it came in...for 21 days straight. The diagnosis came on the day after my birthday; I was supposed to go skydiving that day but was in so much pain, I could barely make it off the couch. I was told it would take a year to heal this ulcer; at that time I had health insurance and the cost of meds was not an issue."

Angela: "In December, I no longer had health insurance. When I went to the pharmacy to refill my meds, I was shocked to learn they would cost over $500 dollars a month! Insane, to say the least. Then I heard a story on a local radio station that caught my attention: it was on probiotics and how they help heal your digestive system.”

Angela: “Well, what you need to understand is my severe dislike for yogurt. I have never liked it and honestly get the dry heaves upon trying to eat it! So buying yogurt would probably have done more harm to my system than good. Three months after my diagnosis, I discovered Lifeway strawberry kefir while shopping. I liked how it came in more of a smoothie formula. I figured I would just shoot it like a shot of liquor.
I went home, poured a half cup into a small glass, and gave myself a pep talk – remember, I really don’t like yogurt. But I was pleasantly surprised, and within days, my stomach felt better. I couldn't believe how well kefir was healing me…literally! I stopped taking the meds 100% (I couldn't really afford them anyway) and went from paying hundreds to just under $20 dollars a month for my healing, with the bonus of it being organic!”

Angela: “Absolutely. It’s been almost a year and I still drink a half cup of kefir every morning and will probably do so for the rest of my life. I can't thank you enough for your product. I tell everyone I know about it and how it healed my stomach, which hasn't hurt since December of 2010. My doctor thinks it is great that something so simple, inexpensive and organic could do that, and now he recommends it to his other patients.”

Do you have a story to share? Has Lifeway kefir helped bring relief from your Irritable Bowel Syndrome/lactose intolerance/chronic cough/nosebleed? We want to know! Send us an email at contactlifewayfoods@gmail.com - your success story could be featured in an upcoming blog, making you more famous than the Biebster himself!