Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: Dorothy on June 25, 2018, 06:16:44 PM
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Has anyone else tried Kefir, and if so, what were your experiences of it?
A friend gave me some of the 'mother' a couple of weeks ago and I've been drinking some every morning since then (about a single-portion yoghurt container full per day) I don't know if it is coincidence or just part of the meno roller-coaster, but after the first couple of days I've had no tummy/digestive issues and I have much more energy than I have had for a long time.
Of course, it may just be the fine weather or where I am at on the meno journey or even a placebo effect (though I wasn't expecting it to make a difference), but I'm enjoying it while it lasts! Just wondered if anyone else had tried it?
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Hi Dorothy I've sung the praises of kefir milk many times on the forum I'm so pleased it's helping you have a google and you'll get much more info on it,I would suggest you limit it to a half glass every other day and give yourself a rest from it every couple of weeks if you read up on it you'll learn why,dr axe is a good website for learning about the gut you could maybe have a look at that too,good luck xx
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Hi Dorothy,
I recently tried kefir but it gave me bad diahorrea. On saying that I probably overdid it as my gut isn't normal ( I have an ileostomy and a fistula ), i should have started off more slowly.
On saying that, my consultant raves about probiotics and has recently suggested I try VSL which is also a probiotic, so I'm giving that a go, half measures though just to see how it goes.
Good luck!
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Hi Dorothy I've sung the praises of kefir milk many times on the forum I'm so pleased it's helping you have a google and you'll get much more info on it,I would suggest you limit it to a half glass every other day and give yourself a rest from it every couple of weeks if you read up on it you'll learn why,dr axe is a good website for learning about the gut you could maybe have a look at that too,good luck xx
Everything I've read so far says you should have it daily and can drink as much as you like (although I'm only having half a glass a day) Could you give me the link which explains why it's important to limit your intake and have a break as I'm obviously reading the wrong sites - one even said how you should NOT take a break if you can avoid it!
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Hi Dorothy sorry I can't give you the link. I researched it very thouroughly before I started on it as I was suffering from some serious food reactions and seeing an allergy specialist at the time to try and build up my natural immune system so I was understandably wary of trying new things were not in my food chain.
There is a reaction called herxheimer reaction which is a kind of die off that you can get with kefir so have a google type in kefir and herxheimer reactions and you'll see what I mean.Its not to say you'll get that but it's always better to research anything new then you know what's happening if you do suffer and you can then tailor it better to suit you.
There's various styles of kefir you can try cows milk goats milk sheeps milk coconut water or just plain water it's down to personal tastes.
It's also normal for kefir to cause diahorrea and that's another reason to start off slowly and alternate days with a break after a couple of weeks remember your riddling the body of toxins and kefir leaves probiotics standing you won't find a better way of getting your probiotics.
Good luck x
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Ps Dorothy the “ Mother†is a term normally used in apple cider vinegar I've never heard it used in kefir milk.This is made from kefir grains and when you make your first batch you would normally make subsequent batches useing a spoonful of the kefir milk from the first batch for a period and so on until the consistency is too watery then you'd start over again using fresh kefir grains.
There's a lot to read about it so delve in and read the various opinions on it.
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I haven't heard that method daisydot. As far as I know you just keep using the same grains, I've been making it for a while, started off giving it to the dogs as one of them was on golden paste for her arthritis & it helped it all go down easily. I like it instead of yoghurt for loads of things. Had no side effects from it.
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I'm guessing it depends which grains you use too suziq99 so as I said each person has to research the info on it as there are so many variations on the use of it,I've simply given my experience with it and I was lazy and preferred shop bought kefir in the end up.I don't take it as much as I should.good luck with whatever method you choose but if you know the pitfalls that “ could†happen then it'll maybe help you not give it up too soon.x
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Totally agree with you there, also find it can be a pita if one day you don't fancy it you can get a back log pretty quick & shop bought seems mostly to have a nicer mild taste.
I'm also finding it ferments to quick in the hot weather & two slow in the fridge. 😮
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Thanks for the advice - I've googled and it seems I've been very fortunate since I haven't had any of the adverse reactions!!! Maybe because I already eat a lot of varieties of veg and live yoghurt so maybe my insides were in reasonable shape to start with? I'm moving in a few days so I'll maybe have a break after that, just to be on the safe side. If it is the kefir that's made me feel so much better, I don't want to risk losing the good effects pre-move!
All my knowledge has come from the friend who gave me the kefir and she was very keen that you should have it every day without fail! I guess she used the term 'mother' because the concept is similar to vinegar (I grow mine the way SuziQ mentions, just straining the kefir off each day and topping up with fresh milk.)
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'mother' is usually the starter, same with that cake I made years ago: the starter was given to me and had to be used/activated within so many days. Reminded me a bit of a 'chain letter' ;D but there is only so much cake one can eat in a week ::)
I can't fancy Kefir myself .......... though Michael Mosley [I think] suggests it.
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Love it!
I buy it from the supermarket ready made, various flavours, just like a yogurt drink. I just have a good glug every morning and it sorts my gut right out. I would not be without it xXx
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Morning Spangles, is it the Waitrose flavoured ones you buy,I quite fancy tryng the cherry one it gets good reviews I'm too lazy to be bothered making it and the farms are too expensive with it.I usually buy the Asda kefir milk it's only £1.39 and it's quite pleasant but I've not bought for a while I should really go get some today as I feel as if ive got that bug back woke up feeling nauseous again.
On the plus side I bought a packet of opal fruits yesterday,I still call them that lol,and my dry mouth and sore tongue didn't half ease up so if anyone ones suffering this maybe worth a try for you.xx
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I make my own .
But also the polish shops are much cheaper than supermarkets if you have any near you .
65p a litre for Milko.
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Mines was revolting Maryjane lol that's a good idea we have plenty polish shops here I didn't think of that.xthank you
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Of the two I much prefer Lassi, I had less bloating with it though if you are lactose intolerant Kefir might be a better choice as its fermented from grains not whey.
I had it ice cold and unsweetened with just a touch of salt in Turkey it was so refreshing in the heat.
Best place to get in is in Asian shops but supermarkets are selling it now.
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I haven't used kefir but I am going to try because I have read so much on the gut brain barrier & what you eat has a profound effect on your brain. I started changing my diet a while ago. Better fats, use apple cider vinegar & eat more things to help with gut absorption. I suppose it makes sense what you put into your body is what you get out.
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You should be able to get decent sauerkraut where you are too paisley that would be a big boost for your gut just make sure it's not pasteurised as that destroys the benefits,kefir milk made as smoothies for breakfast or lunch is amazing compared to just plain kefir you should try it with your favourite fruit you'd enjoy xx
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I love kefir, but only the plain ones. The slightly fizzy ones are my favourite. I should get round to making my own really.
I also use raw apple cider vinegar containing “the mother†but I can't stand to drink it diluted in water so I use it in salad dressing.
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You should buy the apple cider vinegar capsules from amazon Wilks I get them for my husbands gout funny enough we'd run out and he had a rotten month with gout there so I made sure he went back on the capsules.Theyre so much easier to take than the ACV and reasonably priced.x
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Thank you Daisydot, I've just ordered some Apple Cider Vinegar capsules for my husband's gout. He takes cherry tablets which work well.
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Thanks Daisydot, I'll have a look at alkaline diets. Gout is so painful. I hope vegetables are ok as we have a big fruit and vegetable garden.
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I'm afraid the alkaline diet thing is a myth. It's physiologically impossible to alter your blood pH with diet.
Still, loads of fruit, vegetables and kefir in your diet is very healthy anyway :)
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I haven’t used kefir but I am going to try because I have read so much on the gut brain barrier & what you eat has a profound effect on your brain. I started changing my diet a while ago. Better fats, use apple cider vinegar & eat more things to help with gut absorption. I suppose it makes sense what you put into your body is what you get out.
It helps your brain?!!!! I definitely need to keep consuming this stuff. My brain needs all the help it can get!
Morning Spangles, is it the Waitrose flavoured ones you buy,I quite fancy tryng the cherry one it gets good reviews I'm too lazy to be bothered making it and the farms are too expensive with it.
The version my friend gave me is totally lazy - put the grains in a jam jar, top up with milk, cover with a cloth. 24 hours later, tip contents into a plastic sieve over a glass (I've bought a sieve the same size as the glass so no spillage) Waggle the sieve a bit to make all the kefir drip into the glass, tip the grains back into the jar, top up with milk and cover again. Then down the kefir milk, and wash the glass and sieve. It really is less time and effort than making a cup of tea!
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Sauerkraut is so easy to make and is delicious .
Micheal Mosleys sauerkraut recipe , I make months worth at a time.
Will have dad more good bacteria than any bought , I also make sourdough bread so cheap to make yourself , is quite time consuming but I make three loaves a go over two days so 6.
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Do you have to sterilise the jars and sieves etc when making kefir?
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I'm afraid the alkaline diet thing is a myth. It's physiologically impossible to alter your blood pH with diet.
Still, loads of fruit, vegetables and kefir in your diet is very healthy anyway :)
Well spotted Wilks I'm afraid I got it wrong so removed the offending post.and thank you for putting it kindly.xx
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Hi Daisydot, I didn't want to sound like a know-it-all, it's just that it's a subject related to my qualifications and job.
Thanks for not getting grumpy with me xx
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No I don't sterilise just normal washing up and dry.
But I have never been a germ phobic.
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HI Daisydot,
The one I use is from Sainsbury's, it comes in Cherry or Honey and Mint or plain.
xXx
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Hi spangles that's brill I'll pop in tomorrow and try them thank so much xx
Hi Wilks no probs I wrongly assumed because I can alter the ph in my urine it would be the same for blood.Im on a learning curve lol it's definately challenging this old grey matter but I enjoy it and it's lovely to share info the way we do to try and help each other xx
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Morning Wilks can I just ask this as it's been bothering me.If as you say we can't influence the ph in our blood with diet why then does diet influence the rise in Uric acid that causes the attacks of gout,do you know the answer to this with your science background sorry I'm not challenging you I'm just curious as I can't bear to see him hurting and hobbling around between attacks.they are much fewer now maybe once or twice a year and we do know what triggers it but he's a greedy wee bugger and risks it then suffers the consequences,he doesent drink or smoke by the way just likes his grub lol..Is there more I can do to control the Uric acid that you know of.thanks Wilks xx
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Daisydot my Partner suffers from occasionally and his doctor gave him a list of foods to eat and to avoid, purine foods that are acidic are to be avoided.
https://www.livestrong.com/article/316526-alkaline-diet-to-treat-gout/
It can be difficult to stick to the recommendations advice especially as he likes tinned sardines and pate.
He has had blood tests which showed his uric acid levels to be higher then normal, after sticking to the diet they came back satisfactory.
We were taught that surprisingly though lemons seem very acidic they are alkaline.
https://www.verywellfit.com/alkaline-acid-diet-89879
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Hi Tika yes this is why I'm questioning wether or not it effects the blood ph because I've always worked on the basis of using an alkaline diet to adjust my urine ph balance and it works a treat as you know and although Wilks is correct and everything says an alkaline diet will not effect blood ph levels it seems very contradictory to me because we know certain foods cause the flare up of the Uric crystals that's cause all the gout pain so therefore by avoiding those foods we can limit the amount of gout attacks so is that not a contradiction of what we are being told.
Sorry Wilks I'm honestly not getting at you I'm just intrigued at the logic of this because as you rightly said it does state you can't alter blood ph levels.
And yes tika I use fresh lemon in water in mornings when I need to reduce ph in urine.Fascinating isn't it.xx
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Hi Spangles I got the kefir flavoured drinks one of each to try,the honey and mint one is really lovely strange combination isn't it but it works,thanks so much for that I'm converted again lol xx
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Hi Daisydot,
Just a quick reply as I'm at work.
In a nutshell, the pH of your blood only fluctuates very slightly. The kidneys perform an important role in maintaining the correct pH balance of your blood, and they do that by excreting excess acid in the urine. That's why your urine can be acidic even though your blood isn't.
Regarding gout- a diet low in purines is recommended because the body converts purines to uric acid. So if someone with gout eats fewer purine-containing foods, they make less uric acid and so have less of a problem with uric acid crystals in their joints.
It's not to do with the acidity of the purines.
Hope that helps, but I can explain further tonight xx
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Daisydot: I Forgot to add that drinking plenty of water can help with gout.
I have a friend with gout who swears by a cherry extract that he buys from a health food store. I'm not sure of the name of it but I could ask him if you like? X
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Hi Wilks great explanation answers so much bouncing around in my head.thanks so much for your time.Xx
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It does seem confusing Daidydot found another site that explains more
" Uric acid is normally cleaned out of the blood by the kidneys, and passes out of the body along with urine. However, high levels of uric acid can accumulate in the body, either when the kidneys excrete too little uric acid or when the body produces too much uric acid. This condition is known as hyperuricemia, according to the NIH.
The high concentration of uric acid in the blood will eventually convert the acid into urate crystals, which can then accumulate around the joints and soft tissues. Deposits of the needle-like urate crystals are responsible for the inflammation and the painful symptoms of gout"
https://www.livescience.com/34729-gout-causes-symptoms-treatment.html
The anti inflammatory diet is another way of eating that really helps with health , I have my partner on this as much as he will comply lol
https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/arthritis-diet/anti-inflammatory/anti-inflammatory-diet.php sorry if i have gone off topic but its all connected I think, food as your medicine.
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Morning tika thanks so much for that info yes my poor wee head goes into overdrive lol.
I do love to learn new things.especially now I'm feeling human again lol,I know it sounds daft but after I had the head injury I couldn't get enough of it I trawled through things like nobodies business and if something didn't make sense to me I didn't give up I kept reading and learning as much as I could,the problem I have is I can't remember short term,I can recall fine detail from 40 years back but don't ask me what I ate two days ago I have no memory of it and it frustrates me very much but I'm getting better I make myself work at it.
Food and drink does play a massive role in everything we do your right there and that's why I sing the praises of these old remedies like kefir they have such a big influence on our lives but also you have to be aware of the downsides so you know how to adjust to get the best from them.thank you again tika and Wilks great posts xx
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Hi Daisydot,
I'm glad you found them to your taste, my favorite is also honey and mint, it's so gentle.
Hope they work for you xXx
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:bouncing: Dr Zand suggests:
Instead of reaching for pricey probiotic shots or snacks, I recommend making these five easy food swaps to give your gut a boost.
Swap crisps for popcorn. Popcorn is a wholegrain so it's packed with fibre that feeds the good bacteria in your gut and it's also lighter and far less processed than a bag of crisps.
Swap sweets for dried fruit. This can be a hard swap to make if you love sweets but dried apricots, raisins or dates can still hit that sweet spot whilst also delivering fibre, vitamins and natural sugars that your gut and your energy levels will thank you for.
Add lentils or chickpeas to your bolognese. Pulses are full of prebiotic fibre which acts as food for your gut microbes and they can help bulk out your meal, making it go further while adding texture and extra plant-based protein so it's a great way to eat less meat without feeling like you're missing out.
Swap flavoured nuts for plain ones. Flavoured nuts are often loaded with salt and sugar while plain nuts give you healthy fats and fibre without the additives your gut could do without.
Swap ice cream for frozen berries and kefir.
Ice cream might make your taste buds happy, but frozen berries with kefir (a tangy fermented milk drink) give you natural sweetness, antioxidants and live cultures that can help your microbiome flourish.
My question is: what's it like to drink? We bought a bottle this morning :-\ - do I need to mix it with anything?
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It's like a slightly sour yoghurt drink. Did you buy the plain or a flavoured one? The flavour does vary from brand to brand. I personally like the Bioitiful cherry one, which does have fruit sugars in it and doesn't need anything added to it. But the plain ones are fine if you don't have too much of a sweet tooth!
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:thankyou: and have U noticed any difference since drinking it?
DH thinks that I don't get enough roughage as well as very little protein as I 'go off' food things like cheese, fish, ham ......... ::) although he does cook a meat-based meal most evenings. I've chosen one with vanilla added but can't from where I'm sitting ;D remember the make - the shelf was quite overwhelming in it's choice :D
Do U have a particular time for this, I will probably wait until 2morrow evening as we are away from home 2morrow :-\ and the loo will be a field away :o
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Yes, I think it does help. I don't buy it all the time - usually when it's on offer - but I bought a couple of weeks supply recently after having a dodgy gut and things did settle down. My mum uses it to help with her IBS. I usually buy the 500 ml size and have that over 3 consecutive days. I don't have a particular time to have it but usually after food, as my body is hyper-sensitive to sugars, even the small amounts in the kefir.
You may find you are a bit more windy when you first start having it - hopefully nothing more than that but probably best to be close to home when you first try it - just in case!
As for brands, I would check the ingredients and sugar content. Unless you are having the plain stuff, some have a lot more sugar than others and stuff that really doesn't need to be in there, like maize starch. It will give you some protein - per 100 ml my one gives 3g, which is not much really and around 12% of the recommended daily calcium intake.
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:thankyou: :medal:
I need to take time to read the labels or do a GOOGLE search. As for wind - sometimes I have enough to fly a kite :D
Hidden sugars cause me to have an irritating clearing of throat issue which is why I've changed to Agava syrup from British Sugar in my cuppa. Although we try to buy local/British sometimes I have to bite the bullet [what ever that means]
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I use plain milk kefir in my smoothies and it has definitely helped my ibs issues, first few weeks were a bit rough, because it’s a lot of probiotics you introduce, but beyond that, it has been great. Not sure about energy, because besides kefir and fruit, I also put a scoop of plain whey protein and creatine (which does give energy) in my smoothie.
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I think I'm on a learning curve ;D
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There are sugar free ones clkd, which are the ones I have
Before I have my breakfast in the morning, I have a small measure of the liquid drinking style one which I sometimes dilute with a little water and drink it down so it puts a good lining on my stomach as such (as I feel a lot of my good gut bacteria was destroyed by a horrible prep I had to drink before a medical procedure I had recently)
For a while now, I also sometimes after my meal in the evening have the thicker yoghurt style one - again sugar free version from Aldi and I add a teaspoon of both chia seeds and flaxseeds to it and then top it with raspberries and blueberries
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Bioitiful - vanilla. Like thickened yoghurt so not unpleasant. Opened on Sat night as I had run out of omeprazolol which meant increasing levels of reflux/heartburn >:(
I will buy it in future, as it probably won't do my digestive system any harm. However, I may need to use a straw as there was a lot of it left on the glass which seems a bit of a waste!
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Just to say hubby has drunk kefir for a while. I recently got Bio & Me Kefir Berry Boost from Tesco as on offer and he really praised it. Other he likes and the price is good is Grahams( the Scottish Dairy) from Lidl or Homes Bargain that have fridges. Think its £1.35
I tend to stick with a yakult daily and bio plain yogurt.
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Why is he drinking it, 4 me it's something different and won't do my gut any harm.
Bought a Kefir yoghurt 'too good to waste' today and 2 bottles of vanilla flavoured.
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Why is he drinking it, 4 me it's something different and won't do my gut any harm.
Bought a Kefir yoghurt 'too good to waste' today and 2 bottles of vanilla flavoured.
I suspect he has read it had some great health benefits in Mens Health magazine a useless item he got monthly free of charge from his bank! Glad to say he doesn't get it now ;D. The latest is payayas read they were something special. Me well I just leave him to it!! Must admit I really put my foot down with the black eyed peas, steeped over night then cooked for 30mins or more - stunk the place out. If he wants them he buys them in a tin.....
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;D. put foot down with firm hand, that's what I like ;)
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Got a Ninja blender when had surgery as needed soft puree food (mouth surgery) Yes he loves making smoothies!!! Add kefir to it too ;D
Now he loves the thing......however he never manages to get pips etc of sides.....yep but him straight.....sparkling when he uses it now :)
But to add he is a star bless him.