The Longevity Yogurt You Can Make at Home

By Edwin Basye

🛡️ Immortalis Prime Law Preface

Within the Immortalis framework, all health, longevity, and vitality must arise from voluntary, self-directed choice, never from force, fear, authority, or institutional prescription. Prime Law Capitalism applies not only to economics, but to the body itself: value is created when individuals take responsibility for their own well-being through informed, freely chosen action.

This article is presented as an exploration of personal experimentation, scientific inquiry, and self-led biological stewardship, not as a mandate, cure, or universal directive. The practices described are shared to expand understanding and offer options—not to impose behavior or replace individual judgment.

In alignment with the Prime Law—no force, no fraud, no coercion—the reader remains the sole authority over their body and choices. Any value derived from this information exists only insofar as it is voluntarily integrated, thoughtfully evaluated, and responsibly applied by the individual.

This is the essence of Immortalis health:

not obedience to systems, not outsourcing authority, but conscious self-leadership grounded in reality, evidence, and long-term value creation.

How a simple homemade yogurt can outperform store-bought - even Greek yogurt.

Most people assume yogurt is yogurt. If it's thick, tangy, and says "live cultures" on the label, it must be good for you. But when it comes to longevity, systemic health, and deep microbiome support, most commercial yogurts barely scratch the surface.

There is a way to make a powerfully different yogurt at home - one centered on

Lactobacillus reuteri, a microbe increasingly associated with healthy aging, immune balance, bone density, skin health, and even hormonal signaling.

This is not about culinary perfection. It is about optimizing health.

My Experience

I've experimented with this and have made two batches so far.

Just using it for a few weeks l've lost several pounds and some belly fat. This could be coincidence, but I don't think so.

I found out about this from Dr. Berg's YouTube channel.

I used a really cheap thrift-store yogurt maker. I gently boiled the jars first just to be safe.

Recently, I tried adding frozen wild blueberries and a teaspoon or so of Xylitol (an alcohol sugar) to a cup of the yogurt I made and it came out close to a frozen

yogurt dessert, very delicious. As far as I know, xylitol won't interfere with the microbes.

Alternatively, I put it on top of dishes (after they are cooked, so as not to kill the beneficial bacteria).

Why This Yogurt Is Different

Commercial yogurts - including most Greek yogurts - are legally required to contain only two starter microbes:

• Streptococcus thermophilus

• Lactobacillus bulgaricus

They ferment fast, thicken milk efficiently, and taste good - but they are not longevity-focused microbes. By contrast, BioGaia Gastrus tablets contain two highly researched strains of Lactobacillus reuteri:

• ATCC PTA 6475

• DSM 17938

These strains are not found in store-bought yogurt, including Greek yogurt.

What Makes L. reuteri Special

Scientific research has linked these strains to effects that go far beyond digestion:

Documented and Emerging

Benefits.

Documented and Emerging Benefits

• Increased oxytocin signaling (linked to bone density, skin thickness, wound healing, and social bonding)

• Reduced systemic inflammation

• Improved gut barrier integrity

• Better immune regulation

• Improved insulin sensitivity and metabolic signaling

• Potential anti-aging effects in animal models

Key Research Highlights

• Poutahidis et al., PNA

L. reuteri increased oxytocin levels in mice, resulting in thicker skin, improved wound healing, and increased bone density.

• Varian et al., Journal of Gastroenterology

Demonstrated immune modulation and gut barrier improvements.

• Mu et al., Nature Communications

Linked gut microbes, including L. reuteri, to hormonal and immune signaling pathways relevant to aging.

While human longevity trials are still emerging, L. reuteri is one of the few microbes consistently associated with systemic, whole-body effects, not just gut comfort.

Why Homemade Beats Store-Bought (Even Greek Yogurt)

Commercial yogurt:

• Short fermentation times (4-8 hours)

• Limited microbial diversity

• Relatively low live CFU counts by the time you eat it

• Designed for taste and shelf life, not biological impact

Homemade L. reuteri yogurt:

• Long fermentation (up to 36 hours) → dramatically higher bacterial counts

• Focused on specific longevity-relevant strains

• Fresh, alive, and biologically active

• No fillers, stabilizers, or unnecessary additives

This is closer to microbial therapy than a snack food.

Immortalis Recipe:

L. reuteri

Longevity

Yogurt

Ingredients

• 7 cups organic 2% cow's milk (adjust amount to the capacity of your yogurt maker. It's not necessary to adjust the other ingredients if the amount is in the same ball-park.)

• 10 BioGaia Gastrus tablets (crushed into powder)

• 2 tablespoons inulin powder (prebiotic fiber that feeds L. reuteri)

Why These Ingredients Matter

• 2% milk provides enough fat for texture while remaining easy to ferment. You can use whole milk or even half-and-half but 2% is less expensive and reduces dairy fat intake if that is a concern)

• Inulin is critical - L. reuteri needs fuel, and milk alone is not enough

• BioGaia Gastrus tablets (can be found for under $30) High tablet count ensures a strong initial culture.

Simple Step-by-Step

1. Gently warm the milk

Heat to about 180°F (82°C), then allow it to cool to 100°F

(37-38°C).

(This step improves texture and safety.)

NOTE: I did not do this step, and it came out fine, but it was difficult to dissolve the other ingredients. It's also safer to do this step.

2. Prepare the starter

Crush the tablets thoroughly.

Mix them with the inulin and a small amount of warm milk to dissolve.

3. Combine

Stir the starter mixture into the remaining milk.

4. Ferment

Pour into the yogurt maker jars.

Leave lids on loosely and place them in the yogurt maker.

Remember to fill the yogurt maker with water, up to the level of the top of the yogurt if

possible. Incubate at 100°F (37-

38°C) for 36 hours.

5. Chill and enjoy

Refrigerate for several hours before eating. The yogurt will thicken further as it cools.

That's it.

No expert culinary skill required.

The Secret Most People Miss:

You Don't Need

Tablets Every Time

Once your first batch is successful:

• Save 2-3 tablespoons of finished yogurt

• Use it as a starter for the next batch

• Repeat for many generations (often 6-8 or more)

This dramatically reduces cost and turns your kitchen into a self-renewing microbial culture lab. When the yogurt weakens or loses potency, simply restart with fresh tablets.

Yogurt Makers: Fancy or Simple

- Both Work

The key requirement is temperature control, not brand prestige.

Ideal Features

• Ability to hold ~100°F

• Timer up to 36 hours

• Stable, even heat

Good News

• Many yogurt makers can be found very cheaply at thrift stores

• Even simple, older models can work perfectly

• Advanced digital models are convenient, but not required, If your yogurt maker cannot do 36 hours in one go, you can set it for 12 hours at a time.

People have successfully made this yogurt using:

• Yogurt makers

• Sous-vide setups (sealed bags cooked at low temperatures)

• Low-temperature slow cookers

• Even carefully monitored warm ovens

This is a low-barrier, high-return practice.

Why as an Immortal You Should Care

Longevity is not only about supplements and future biotech.

It is also about restoring

biological relationships we once had with beneficial microbes - relationships that modern food systems quietly erased.

Homemade L. reuteri yogurt is:

• Affordable

• Accessible

• Backed by real science

• Aligned with Immortalis principles of self-directed health, resilience, and long-term vitality

Sometimes the most radical longevity tools are also the simplest.

Appendix A: Scientific

References & Research Context

This appendix summarizes key peer-reviewed research relevant to Lactobacillus reuteri and the rationale for long-fermented, targeted probiotic yogurt.

1. Oxytocin, Skin, Bone, and Longevity Signaling Poutahidis et al., 2013

Probiotic microbes sustain youthful serum testosterone levels and testicular size in aging mice

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)

• L. reuteri supplementation increased oxytocin levels

• Observed effects included:

• Increased skin thickness

• Improved wound healing

• Increased bone density

• Improved social behavior and stress resilience

• Suggests a gut-brain-hormone axis relevant to aging

2. Immune Modulation & Inflammation Reduction

Varian et al., 2016

Lactobacillus reuteri suppresses inflammatory responses in the gut.

Journal of Gastroenterology

• Demonstrated immune-regulating effects

• Increased regulatory T-cell activity

• Reduced pro-inflammatory signaling

• Supports use in chronic inflammatory states

3. Gut Barrier Integrity

Mu et al., 2017

Gut microbiota regulate host immune responses through microbial metabolites

Nature Communications

• Identified gut microbes, including L. reuteri, as contributors to:

• Tight junction integrity

• Reduced endotoxin leakage

• Improved metabolic signaling

4. Infant & Digestive Health

(DSM17938) Szajewska et al.,

2014

Systematic review of

Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938

Alimentary Pharmacology &

Therapeutics.

• Reduced infant colic duration

• Reduced antibiotic-associated diarrhea

• Excellent safety profile across age groups

5. Why Long Fermentation Matters

Multiple microbiology studies confirm that:

• 24-36 hour fermentation dramatically
  increases CFU counts

• Commercial yogurt fermentation (4-8 hours)

prioritizes texture, not microbial density

• Slow fermentation allows metabolite accumulation (bioactive compounds)

This is why homemade yogurt can deliver orders of magnitude more live microbes than store-bought products.

Key Takeaway

Greek yogurt is a nutritious food.

Homemade L. reuteri yogurt is a biological intervention. It is designed not merely to feed you, but to signal your body toward repair, balance, and long-term resilience, which are principles at the heart of Immortalis.