I am New

[Guest guest]

>I did this when I was first brewing, but after a few batches the yeast and

>bacteria ratio gets all out of whack and it starts tasting

>progessively more sour, with no sweetness at all, even when I harvested

>early. I rinse the jars out really well in between batches and wash them

>every fourth or fifth time.

>Finally, I did not change to new clean containers for brewing but just

>left the mother in the first brewing jar and added new tea (I was sure

>to leave some KT from the bottom of the brew and vinegar in the jar so

>it has a good medium to start). I took the baby and started a new

>container of brew (with some of the KT and vinegar as starter medium

>as well). Is this safe to do this a few times, or should I ALWAYS

>start with fresh clean containers? I thought by adding to my first

>brewing jar with sediment and culture of the last brew it would make a

>stronger brew. Do all of you just start with clean new containers each

>time? Or is to ok to use the same container with brew from the last

>batch in it a few times before you clean it and start over?

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Canfield

Be the master of your will, and the slave of your conscience. ~Yiddish proverb

" The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the

Lord is sure, making wise the simple. " Psalm 19:7

[Guest guest]

>I have wondered that if you use distilled water (which is what I use)

>if it is still necessary to boil ALL the water you use for KT

The only reason to boil all the water used is a) to get rid of chlorine, or

if you have questionable water, boiling will kill a certain amount of

bad microorganisms, but not all. Letting the water sit overnight will also

get rid of chlorine. Boiling water removes oxygen from the water, which in

the end is less good for the SCOBY, so if there are alternatives to

boiling, it's a good idea. A good water filter will also work very

well. So, this idea that all the water has to boiled is really not

correct. So the answer is, if you're using distilled water, there is no

need to boil, and in fact there are good reasons not to boil if one doesn't

have to.

>or can

>you just make a concentrated brew of sugar and tea and pour it

>directly into the brewing container with a little added vinegar and

>more distilled water?

Ideally you would keep back some liquid KT to use as starter also. And

yes, that is what I do, and many others do, is only boil a couple cups of

water to steep the tea and dissolve the sugar, then add that to the vessel

containing the rest of the water.

>Isn't distilled water in a plastic container

>already sterol? Are you not just taking more chances of getting spores

>if you make it air bourn during the boiling and cooling process rather

>than just pouring from an already sterol container?

Even distilled water, by the time it gets to your house, isn't " sterile " ...

sterile conditions are very difficult to attain, and the SCOBY doesn't

actually need sterile conditions in any case. It simply needs clean

conditions.

>Also what about organic sugars? I want to make a completely organic

>product using organic tea and sugar, and some out there are marketing

>Kombucha SCOBY saying they were cultured with organic sugar. However

>everything I am reading about how to make it says to use pure cane

>processed sugar to get a healthier culture.

The caution against organic sugar and tea is also incorrect, based on

theory and not practice. Many of us use organic materials with great success.

>What is your experience? I HATE using anything that is processed and

>white sugar is the worst of the list, but I am wondering if that by

>using processed sugar you are actually creating a stronger Kombucha

>that is able to fight off the effects of processed foods (such as

>white sugar) and that is one reason it is so beneficial to us?

No, this is overthinking. Use organic if that's what you want.

>Finally, I did not change to new clean containers for brewing

This is fine. Some people will eventually develop a yeast imbalance, but

all you need to do in that case is rinse your container and use starter

from a starter pot, or take your starter first out of the vessel so that

it's off the top, where there are fewer yeast organisms. If you do wash

the vessel, use pasteurized vinegar rather than dishsoap, as the SCOBY is

very sensitive to detergents, soaps, and other chemicals, and residues of

those things can remain.

>but just

>left the mother in the first brewing jar and added new tea (I was sure

>to leave some KT from the bottom of the brew and vinegar in the jar so

>it has a good medium to start).

I strongly recommend taking the SCOBY and starter out of the vessel and

putting them in a temporary glass container while you fill the vessel with

the new tea mixture, then placing the SCOBY in the top and pouring the

starter over it, not mixing or barely mixing the starter liquid into the

waiting tea mixture. This ensures a) that you don't accidentally scald the

SCOBY in making the tea mixture, and that the acidity at the top of the

vessel is very high, which will help ensure that no mold or other unwanted

microorganisms get a hold.

hope this helps.

--V

~~~ There is no way to peace; peace is the way ~~~~

--A.J. Muste

[Guest guest]

My husband and I have two beautiful children. Our daughter, age 9, is

what most would consider " normal " and our son, just turned 6, was

diagnosed last year with Asperger's with OCD and ADHD tendencies,

Sleep Terror Disorder, and more recently an Anxiety Disorder.

When things got really bad last year (May 2007) with his behavior we

did finally give in to the medicines, Focalin XR. Which actually, to

my surprise, made a night and day difference. However, his anxiety

has severely increased over the last few months and over the last

month he has been really regressing. His doctor finally persuaded me

a couple of weeks ago to start a low dose anxiety medicine, Lexapro.

He doesn't want to do anything with his ADHD medicine until he sees if

the Lexapro will make any difference. We are just not sure what to

do. He has gone back to chewing on everything, he is really having a

hard time sitting still (even at school), he is tearing up everything

he gets his hands on, started hitting again, and he's been smearing again.

Besides all of this he is a very great kid. He has a photographic

memory and is very loving. He loves to give hugs and kisses and will

tell you all the time just how great he thinks you are. He tries

really hard to be good and control himself, but he just can't. Then

he gets really hard on himself and puts himself down for the things he

does.

Meanwhile, our daughter has started having problems in school (was

straight A's & B's). It's not really bad yet, but she has had at

least one C each quarter this year (sometimes 2) and has been getting

in trouble a lot for not turning in assignments and talking in class.

Plus at times her attitude is just horrible. We are thinking that

pre-teen might be starting early. We really try to spend as much time

with her and show her that we love and appreciate her as much as our

son, but with his meltdowns and her mood swings it really gets hard to

have " happy " time. I feel like once she starts or he starts the next

thing I know and it's bedtime. Then it takes 2 to 3 hours to get him

to go to sleep. He will do anything he can to not go to sleep. If I

give in and lay with him until he falls asleep then it usually only

takes about 1 hour, but we are trying to get him to go to sleep

without mommy all the time.

I will say that his eating has gotten a little better lately. He has

actually been trying new things at school lately and at home. Things

he would have looked at once before and just refused. His nightmares

lately have also been quite less, but he still wakes up with bags

under his eyes.

I am sorry if this introduction seems a little down, but I just

finished a really rough evening with both of them acting up all night

and am a little down at the moment.

Thank you,

Sossity

[Guest guest]

Hi My son is 16 he has severe anexity and OCD. He has autism but is higher functioning....he talks....loves to be around people. We have tried every drug there is for anexity and they all made him worse.....lexapro being the very very worse. Each night it got later and later before he would go to sleep......and bouncing off the walls.....and more adgitated. The medication doctor at that time said we needed to keep him on it longer....then these symptoms would go away......NOT. After 2 more weeks we took him back and he was so out of controll in her office....that she went and got a different drug (zyprexa) the disovling tablet to give him to calm him down immediately. What they dont understand is that we live it they dont......with my son I know within 2 weeks if a medication is going to work. Loxapine is good.....but dont know if I would use it one someone that young.

Abilify is one that we are going to be starting soon.....my son took this about 3 years ago and I wish we never would have taken him off of it. Another very good one is Clonidine....look thes up and ask your medication doctor. Debsossityl wrote: My husband and I have two beautiful children. Our daughter, age 9, iswhat most would consider "normal" and our son, just turned 6, wasdiagnosed last year with Asperger's with OCD and ADHD tendencies,Sleep Terror Disorder, and

more recently an Anxiety Disorder.When things got really bad last year (May 2007) with his behavior wedid finally give in to the medicines, Focalin XR. Which actually, tomy surprise, made a night and day difference. However, his anxietyhas severely increased over the last few months and over the lastmonth he has been really regressing. His doctor finally persuaded mea couple of weeks ago to start a low dose anxiety medicine, Lexapro. He doesn't want to do anything with his ADHD medicine until he sees ifthe Lexapro will make any difference. We are just not sure what todo. He has gone back to chewing on everything, he is really having ahard time sitting still (even at school), he is tearing up everythinghe gets his hands on, started hitting again, and he's been smearing again.Besides all of this he is a very great kid. He has a photographicmemory and is very loving. He loves to give hugs and kisses and willtell

you all the time just how great he thinks you are. He triesreally hard to be good and control himself, but he just can't. Thenhe gets really hard on himself and puts himself down for the things hedoes.Meanwhile, our daughter has started having problems in school (wasstraight A's & B's). It's not really bad yet, but she has had atleast one C each quarter this year (sometimes 2) and has been gettingin trouble a lot for not turning in assignments and talking in class.Plus at times her attitude is just horrible. We are thinking thatpre-teen might be starting early. We really try to spend as much timewith her and show her that we love and appreciate her as much as ourson, but with his meltdowns and her mood swings it really gets hard tohave "happy" time. I feel like once she starts or he starts the nextthing I know and it's bedtime. Then it takes 2 to 3 hours to get himto go to sleep. He will do anything he can to

not go to sleep. If Igive in and lay with him until he falls asleep then it usually onlytakes about 1 hour, but we are trying to get him to go to sleepwithout mommy all the time.I will say that his eating has gotten a little better lately. He hasactually been trying new things at school lately and at home. Thingshe would have looked at once before and just refused. His nightmareslately have also been quite less, but he still wakes up with bagsunder his eyes.I am sorry if this introduction seems a little down, but I justfinished a really rough evening with both of them acting up all nightand am a little down at the moment.Thank you,Sossity

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[Guest guest]

We love the Gluten free casien free diet. We love timers! I posted a previous email today about them. We love taking each child on a special date without the other. Your daughter may love spending an afternoon with you or your husband and doing something she would love to do. I think it is embrassing for older siblings when they go out in public with a brother that does "strange" things. When you are 9 you are tying to hard to fit in not stand out. She may need to go to counseling or have a mentor outside of school like a big brother big sister type of thing someone she can talk to about how difficult things are for her. It is a little hard to talk to your parents when they are struggling and would be insulted by the comments. sossityl wrote: My husband and I have two beautiful children. Our daughter, age 9, iswhat most would consider "normal" and our son, just turned 6, wasdiagnosed last year with Asperger's with OCD and ADHD tendencies,Sleep Terror Disorder, and more recently an Anxiety Disorder.When things got really bad last year (May 2007) with his behavior wedid finally give in to the medicines, Focalin XR. Which actually, tomy surprise, made a night and day difference. However, his anxietyhas severely increased over the last few months and over the lastmonth he has been really regressing. His doctor finally persuaded mea couple of weeks ago to start

a low dose anxiety medicine, Lexapro. He doesn't want to do anything with his ADHD medicine until he sees ifthe Lexapro will make any difference. We are just not sure what todo. He has gone back to chewing on everything, he is really having ahard time sitting still (even at school), he is tearing up everythinghe gets his hands on, started hitting again, and he's been smearing again.Besides all of this he is a very great kid. He has a photographicmemory and is very loving. He loves to give hugs and kisses and willtell you all the time just how great he thinks you are. He triesreally hard to be good and control himself, but he just can't. Thenhe gets really hard on himself and puts himself down for the things hedoes.Meanwhile, our daughter has started having problems in school (wasstraight A's & B's). It's not really bad yet, but she has had atleast one C each quarter this year (sometimes 2) and has been

gettingin trouble a lot for not turning in assignments and talking in class.Plus at times her attitude is just horrible. We are thinking thatpre-teen might be starting early. We really try to spend as much timewith her and show her that we love and appreciate her as much as ourson, but with his meltdowns and her mood swings it really gets hard tohave "happy" time. I feel like once she starts or he starts the nextthing I know and it's bedtime. Then it takes 2 to 3 hours to get himto go to sleep. He will do anything he can to not go to sleep. If Igive in and lay with him until he falls asleep then it usually onlytakes about 1 hour, but we are trying to get him to go to sleepwithout mommy all the time.I will say that his eating has gotten a little better lately. He hasactually been trying new things at school lately and at home. Thingshe would have looked at once before and just refused. His nightmareslately have

also been quite less, but he still wakes up with bagsunder his eyes.I am sorry if this introduction seems a little down, but I justfinished a really rough evening with both of them acting up all nightand am a little down at the moment.Thank you,Sossity

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[Guest guest]

> His doctor finally persuaded me

> a couple of weeks ago to start a low dose anxiety medicine, Lexapro.

I hope your day goes better today! Just to give another experience...

I take Lexapro myself (anxiety) and it's made the difference between

night and day for me. I don't have any side effects at all. HOWEVER,

I had to experiment to find the right time of day to take it so it

wouldn't keep me up at night. That is a known possible side affect.

You would think that would be a no-brainer--just take it in the

morning--but for some reason lunchtime is best for me.

Your doctor is right in that it has a long half-life so it takes

awhile to stabilize in your system and have the effects it is going to

have. It takes about 3 weeks before you can see how it is really

going to be. Before that time, you may have side effects that will go

away after 3 weeks, and you won't see the benefits that you are

eventually going to end up with until after the 3 weeks. It varies

from person to person how quickly it takes effect.

It really takes the edge off my nerves and it sounds like this is what

your son needs too. It doesn't make me " feel " any different; it makes

me feel " normal " . Hope this helps!

Ruth