KOMBUCHA

Who in the World is Drinking That Stuff??

By Ariana Estelle-Symons, Ph.D., Copyright 1998
From the Kombucha Konnection Newsletter, December 1998

These people come from all walks of life. Here's a breakdown of their occupations, categorized in descending order:

67	Retired (various occupations)
61	Healing Arts (Naturopaths, Massage Therapists, Herbalists, etc..)
50	Upper Management
44	Fitness Industry (gyms, trainers, etc..)
41	Computer Industry
41	Retail Sales
34	Physicians
33	Business Owners (various)
33	Marketing
32	Chiropractors
29	Nurses
23	Veterinarians
21	Transportation (Railroad, Bus Drivers, Taxi Drivers, etc..)
18	Entertainment Industry
18	Analysts/Therapists/Counselors
17	Education (teachers, school principals, coaches, etc..)
17	Clergy
17	Media (Radio/TV/Newspaper)
17	Farmers/Ranchers
16	Legal (Attorneys, Judges, Law Clerks)
14	14 Banking/Finance
11	Casino Industry
11	Journalists
10	Construction workers
10	Nutritionists, dietitians
10	Dentists
10	Stay-at-home Moms
10	Law Enforcement
9	Airline employees (pilots, flight attendants, baggage handlers, ticket agents)
9	Truck drivers, delivery services (UPS, FedEx, etc.)

Where do these people live?

In all of the 50 states in the U.S., plus Canada, Mexico, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Argentina, Columbia, Iran, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, Nova Scotia, South Africa, Israel, China, Italy, The Netherlands, Belgium, Japan, Germany, France, Russia, Puerto Rico, The Antilles, Portugal, Spain, Hong Kong, and Rumania. And the list keeps growing!

The average number of Kombucha drinkers in each household is: 3.1

Please keep in mind that the statistics published here reflect the responses of individual people, responding to the questions asked, and are in no way intended to imply any medical claims as to the benefits derived from drinking Kombucha Tea.


WHY are all of these people drinking Kombucha? The following is categorized, in descending order. These are the primary reasons people gave for beginning to drink Kombucha.

28%	'Preventive Maintenance'. To maintain their present state of good health.
15%	Arthritis, Lupus and related conditions
11%	Digestive disorders (Ulcers, IBS, Constipation, Crohn's Disease, etc..)
9%	Hypertension/High Cholesterol
7%	Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Fibromyalgia
7%	Cancer
5%	Multiple Sclerosis
5%	Hepatitis C
4%	Skin problems, Psoriasis, Acne, Excema, etc..
4%	Asthma, Allergies
3%	HIV/AIDS
2%	Weight Loss

HOW do these people brew their Kombucha?

93% Use the standard 'tried & true' method of brewing Kombucha.

• Stainless Steel, glass, or enamel pot
• Bottled, distilled, or purified water
• White granulated sugar
• Glass fermentation container

WHAT things do they do differently?

7% Use different methods. Listed here are some of the variables:

• Boil water in plastic container in the microwave
• Use tap or well water
• Use brown sugar, raw sugar, molasses, honey.
• Ferment in Rubbermaid, plastic brewing vats or plastic ice cream or other food containers.
• Continuous brewing method in 'sun tea' jars or crocks
• Use herbal teas or mix herbs or other supplements with 'tea' (camellia sinensis)

What STRAIN of Kombucha are they growing?

How MUCH KT do they drink every day?

How LONG have these people been drinking Kombucha?

What BENEFITS do these people report?

85%	Report relief from constipation
83%	Report a 'feeling of well-being'
51%	Report relief from painful arthritis-type symptoms
32%	Report relief of ulcer pain & other digestive system related problems
30%	Report better sleep patterns
28%	Report weight loss
24%	Report improvement in skin tone & condition
24%	Report Weight Loss of 5-10 pounds in a one-year period
18%	Report better eyesight, less floaters, sharper vision
17%	Report reduced sugar cravings
17%	Report relief from symptoms of PMS
17%	Report Lower Blood Pressure & Lower Cholesterol
16%	Report allergy relief
13%	Report better concentration
12%	Report disappearance of pre-cancerous growths or skin tags
12%	Report relief from prostrate problems
11%	Report disappearance of 'liver/age spots'
11%	Report Less cramping and discomfort during menstruation
11%	Report relief from symptoms of menopause
10%	Report better condition of hair and nails
10%	Report reduced caffeine cravings
10%	Report increased libido
9%	Report reduced nicotine cravings
8%	Report Weight Loss of 20+ pounds in a one-year period
8%	Report 'cancer free' status for less than one year
7%	Report migraine relief
7%	Report relief from nausea caused by chemotherapy
7%	Report 'cancer free' status for 1-4 years
4%	Report restoration of gray/white hair to original color
4%	Report increase in T-cells
3%	Report 'cancer free' status for 5+ years
2%	Report re-growth of hair
2%	Report no changes whatsoever

If you are adding up the percentages - you're absolutely correct - that's a lot more than 100%! Most completed questionnaires listed more than one benefit received. Many people begin to drink Kombucha for a particular reason, i.e., arthritis pain - only to discover that they have lost some weight, they are no longer constipated, and their blood pressure has gone down.

What about Kombucha for children?

Two years ago, very few of the respondents were giving Kombucha to their kids under 12. That number has increased.

14%	Give 2 - 4 ounces to children between 8 and 16 years of age
11%	Give 1-2 ounces to children between 2 and 8 years of age
6%	Only give Kombucha to children when they are ill

What about Kombucha for animals?

41%	Give Kombucha to their pets
22%	Put in water or use topically on their dogs
18%	Put in water or use topically on their cats
2%	Put in water for pet birds
2%	Feed to reptiles
3%	Use for other animals: Rabbits, Emus, Cattle, Horses, Deer, Chickens

What does all of this tell us?

Primarily, it tells us that Kombucha is not a 'cure-all' - in fact, Kombucha does not 'cure' anything. Kombucha aids the body in making repairs per the original plan.

Not everyone will loose weight or sleep better. Not everyone will wake up one morning looking ten years younger. Not everyone will experience increased libido or phenomenal bursts of energy. There are some people who report NO obvious results (either positive or negative) from drinking Kombucha.

KOMBUCHA WILL NOT HELP ALL OF THE PEOPLE - ALL OF THE TIME,
but, apparently, it does help some of the people - some of the time.

If you would like to participate in this ongoing research, please complete the "Kombucha Questionnaire"
You may print it out and mail to:

Harmonic Harvest
P.O.Box 82
Harwood, TX 78632

Or, to download the form click here : Questionnaire and Email to Ariana

This publication is copyrighted and the publication or portions thereof may not be used in any way without written permission from the author. All rights reserved.

Health/Happiness/Harmony
Ariana

Harmonic Harvest Web Page

Kombucha Konnection Home Page

If you have questions about Kombucha or the contents of this web page, ask Ariana

This page is maintained by Bob Williams
Kombucha Center Home Page
UpDt 10/25/1999