Streptococcus In Strep Throat Compared To Streptococcus In Milk Kefir

Many people are scared to drink Milk Kefir since it contains Streptococcus strains. They fear giving their child Strep Throat. They also fear they will feed the pathogens which cause PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric disorders associated with Streptococcal infections) or PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) symptoms. Clarifying the concerns eliminates any confusion. 

Dr. David Perlmutter says, “These are different organisms. As is so often the case, this is an unfortunate nomenclature type of thing. There are certain types of Strep, Strep viradance, for example, that are very worrisome to human health. That causes bacterial endocarditis. But there are many players that have that as their first name, it’s their last name that really matters a lot. I wouldn’t be put off by other forms of Strep.”

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Microbiology and Immunology says, “Strep throat is caused by group A Streptococcus bacteria. These bacteria are spread through direct contact with mucus from the nose or throat of persons who are infected, or through contact with infected wounds or sores on the skin.  Note the inflammation of the oropharynx and petechiae, or small red spots on the soft palate caused by Strep Throat.”

Frontiers In Microbiota reported a study on the probiotic strains in milk kefir saying, “These genera tend to dominate the population present in both the kefir grain and milk, with Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus casei subsp. pseudoplantarum, Lactobacillus kefiri, Lactobacillus kefir, and Lactobacillus brevis accounting for between 37 and 90% of the total microbial community present.”

Streptococcus thermophilus, found in milk kefir is a gram positive bacterium.

The Strep strain in Strep Throat is a gram positive bacterium, classified as Group A. Many women experience Group B Strep during pregnancy and receive an IV antibiotic drip so that it doesn’t harm the baby. 

A study was done with pregnant women at the end of their final trimester, as reported in Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Infectious Diseases. Each woman tested positive for Group B Strep and treated with beneficial strains which control the pathogenic ones. The strains exist in yogurt and kefir. The women participating in the study saw successful elimination of the pathogenic Group B Strep by putting in the beneficial strains. 

Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, author of GAPS, was asked to explain the difference between Strep Throat and the Streptococcus in Milk Kefir in a small Certified GAPS Practitioner Meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, November 2017. B reflects Becky Plotner, DN reflects Dr. Natasha, M reflects Monica Corrado.

B: Can you explain the difference between Streptococcus and Strep throat?

DN: Strep throat is caused by a variety of Streptococcus, which actually lives there probably chronically, it just activates for whatever reason.

B: So the Streptococcus strain that causes tics, people that have facial tics or whatever kind of tics, is just a different strain of Steptococcus?

DN: It can be the same, it just lives in a different place. Strep throat lives in your tonsils, but from the tonsils it can travel up the cranial nerves into the brain. So people who have tics have Streptococcus in the brain.

B: And it’s the same Strep? Ok, I see milk kefir takes away tics every single time. It has the beneficial strains of Streptococcus that drown out the pathogenic strains.

DN: Yeah yeah, yeah.

B: Could you then take kefir for strep throat?

DN: Absolutely! Yeah, yeah. Absolutely! It’s essential.

M: Gargle with it, baby!

DN: Absolutely, it’s essential, yeah. Number one cause of strep throat and tonsillitis is bread. Flour. It gets into those deep lacones, in the structure of the tonsils. It’s a glue. It’s the perfect environment for anything to grow in there. This glue sits there for weeks in those lacones, purifying and feeding infections. When people stop eating flour, stop eating all grains, flour in particular, the chain stops. Tooth decay, as well. Bread is the number one cause of it.

For people not eating bread, but have damage in the microbiome, with pathogenic dominance, the same process happens. 

To learn how to make properly made milk kefir, click here. To learn more about the strains in milk kefir, click here. For propagating milk kefir grains, which will multiply again and again, click here. 

*Nourishing Plot is written by Becky Plotner, ND, traditional naturopath, CGP, D.PSc. who sees clients in Rossville, Georgia. She works as a Certified GAPS Practitioner who sees clients in her office, Skype and phone. She has been published in Wise Traditions, spoken at two Weston A. Price Conferences, Certified GAPS Practitioner Trainings, has been on many radio shows, television shows and writes for Nourishing Plot. Since her son was delivered from the effects of autism (Asperger’s syndrome), ADHD, bipolar disorder/manic depression, hypoglycemia and dyslexia, through food, she continued her education specializing in Leaky Gut and parasitology through Duke University, finishing with distinction. She is a Chapter Leader for The Weston A. Price Foundation. becky.nourishingplot@hotmail.com

“GAPS™ and Gut and Psychology Syndrome™ are the trademark and copyright of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. The right of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with the Copyright, Patent and Designs Act 1988.