L-Reuteri & Gut Health

The information below brings together what I learned during a recent consultation with a holistic practitioner, along with further research I’ve done through reputable videos, articles, and scientific discussions. It also reflects the protocols I’ve personally put in place — and the very real changes I’ve experienced in a surprisingly short period of time.

I’m sharing this simply in case it helps someone else who may be dealing with similar challenges.

Before trying anything yourself, I’d encourage you to watch the videos first and see whether the explanations resonate with you. If you experience things like skin conditions, bloating, gut discomfort, bowel irregularity, poor sleep, bruxism, inflammation, stubborn weight gain, or other issues discussed in the resources, these approaches may be worth exploring.

After learning about L. reuteri and L. gasseri probiotic yoghurt, I decided to make my own at home. I bought a yoghurt maker and followed a long-fermentation method designed to encourage these specific strains to multiply. Like most things, it wasn’t perfect on the first attempt — I made several batches while fine-tuning the formula and method.

Although UHT milk doesn’t technically need heating, I found that gently heating it and allowing it to cool before fermentation produced a noticeably better and more consistent result. Through a bit of trial and error, I also learned the value of making a strong batch specifically to freeze in small portions. This allows future batches to be made from a robust starter, keeps the culture consistent, and means the original capsules go much further. I’ll be updating the recipe to reflect this refined method.

I originally started this because my skin issues had become debilitating and were affecting my quality of life, and my gut, bowel function, sleep, and bruxism were all worsening. What’s happened since has honestly astonished me.

Within just one week of following the combined protocols — the probiotic yoghurt, magnesium glycinate, magnesium oil, and a nightly cacao and beetroot drink — I noticed improvements across every area I’d been struggling with. My skin feels calmer, my digestion is settling, my bowel movements are improving, and the tension in my jaw has eased noticeably.

The most unexpected change, though, has been my sleep. I’m sleeping deeply for the first time in years. I fall asleep more easily, stay asleep, and wake feeling genuinely rested — something I’d almost forgotten was possible.

I’m genuinely blown away by how quickly relatively small changes have made such a big difference. This isn’t medical advice — just my personal experience. But if you’ve been searching for something that finally feels supportive and restorative, these protocols may be worth looking into.

Super Gut by Dr William Davis

Super Gut focuses on restoring the gut microbiome to its natural, healthy state by reintroducing missing ancestral bacteria and removing harmful modern influences.

The book explains that many chronic issues — skin conditions, anxiety, sleep problems, bloating, IBS, autoimmune flares, weight gain, inflammation, and even mood disorders — often trace back to an imbalanced gut microbiome, fungal overgrowth, or loss of key bacterial species.

Dr Davis shows how our microbiome has been damaged by:

antibiotics
pesticides
modern processed foods
Emulsifiers and preservatives
excessive hygiene
environmental toxins
lack of fermented foods

A major part of the book focuses on targeted probiotic “yoghurts”, created at home through long fermentation, which dramatically increase the potency of helpful strains such as:

Lactobacillus reuteri (for oxytocin, sleep, skin, mood, appetite control, immunity)
Lactobacillus gasseri (for waistline reduction, inflammation, gut lining healing)
Bacillus coagulans (for bowel motility)

He presents a step-by-step approach to rebuilding gut health using:

high-potency probiotic fermentations
prebiotic fibres
real food nutrition
reducing inflammatory foods
addressing fungal overgrowth
supporting the colon, stomach, and small intestine all at once

The core message:
A healthy microbiome can profoundly transform your wellbeing, and you have the power to repair it yourself.

L-REUTERI AND L-GASSERI YOGHURT

INGREDIENTS (FIRST BATCH – 2 LITRES)

2 litres full-fat milk (fresh or UHT).
UHT milk heated and cooled gives the most consistent result.
2 L. reuteri capsules or tablets (for example BioGaia Gastrus or similar).
2 L. gasseri capsules or tablets (open capsules or crush tablets).
2 teaspoons inulin (1 teaspoon per litre).
Optional: 4–8 tablespoons full-fat cream or 2 tablespoons milk powder if you want a creamier yoghurt. This is optional if you plan to strain the yoghurt.

EQUIPMENT

Yoghurt maker (Luvelle or similar).
Large 2-litre glass jar or two 1-litre jars.
Saucepan.
Candy thermometer (recommended).
Spoon.
Small bowl or cup.

METHOD – FIRST BATCH

Prepare the milk
Pour the milk into a saucepan.
Heat gently to 80–85°C (steaming, not boiling).
Hold at this temperature for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and cool to 38°C.
Although UHT milk does not technically need heating, this step improves texture, stability, and consistency.

Make the starter mixture

Crush the L. reuteri tablets or empty the capsules into a small bowl.
Crush the L. gasseri tablets or empty the capsules into the same bowl.
Add the inulin.
Add 4–6 tablespoons of the cooled milk.
Mix into a smooth paste.
Let sit for 5 minutes to activate.

Combine and ferment

Pour the cooled milk into the yoghurt maker container or containers.

Gently stir the starter mixture into the milk.

Add cream or milk powder if using.

Set the yoghurt maker temperature to 38°C.

Set the timer for 36 hours.

Do not stir or disturb during fermentation.

Chill and set

Remove the yoghurt immediately after fermentation finishes.
Refrigerate in the container for at least 8–12 hours.
Texture and sharpness improve after chilling.
This completes your starter yoghurt.

FREEZING STARTER (RECOMMENDED BEFORE EATING THE BATCH)

Spoon out unstrained yoghurt (curd and whey together) into 1 tablespoon portions.
Freeze once the yoghurt is fully chilled.
Transfer frozen portions to a zip-lock bag and label with the date.
This preserves early-generation culture strength and allows many future batches without using more capsules.
If you do not want to freeze the full batch, freeze 1 litre and strain the remaining litre to eat.

ONGOING BATCHES (USING FROZEN STARTER)

INGREDIENTS

2 litres full-fat milk.
Half a tablespoon frozen starter (curd and whey), thawed in the fridge.
2 teaspoons inulin.
Optional cream or milk powder.

METHOD

Heat milk to 80–85°C and cool to 38°C.
Add thawed starter and inulin.
Stir gently to combine.
Ferment at 38°C for 36 hours.
Refrigerate overnight.
Strain if desired.

SERVING

Consume 2–3 tablespoons up to half a cup daily, as tolerated.
Optional additions include cacao powder, berries, cinnamon, or honey.
No extra inulin is needed as it is already included during fermentation.

STORAGE

Refrigerated yoghurt keeps for 7–10 days.
Frozen starter keeps for several months.
Freezing preserves the bacteria and does not kill them.

NOTES

Long fermentation builds high probiotic counts.
Heating the milk improves texture and consistency.
Freezing starter locks in culture strength.
Lower inulin (1 teaspoon per litre) reduces excessive sharpness.
Yoghurt sharpness continues to soften over several days in the fridge.

Luvelle Yoghurt Makers

Cold Brew Yoghurt Drainer

I bought 3 of these from Temu. They are fabulous for draining the whey from your Yoghurt and thickening it up. I also use it to make my home made Labneh.