Welcome: Allow me to introduce you to my world of fermented foods also called probiotic or cultured foods. Probiotic foods are a good idea for everyone but especially important when taking antibiotics. Cultured foods are loaded with beneficial yeasts and bacteria which will quickly and efficiently replace the beneficial microbes weakened, diminished or even wiped out by a routine course of antibiotic treatment. Balancing and improving the quality and diversity of the microbes in your gut improves digestion and leads to better overall health. An unbalanced and underpopulated microbiome can cause excessive gas, bloating, irregularity, cravings for sugar, diarrhea and inflammation. Yogurts with live cultures can be helpful but often contain added sugars, artificial colors, flavors, preservatives and actually only a very limited variety of cultures. Quality Probiotic Supplements can be very costly and are mostly "transient" meaning they pass right through the system and only work as long as you continue to take them. Kefirs and fermented foods are inexpensive and easy to make in your kitchen and they offer the most diverse collection of microbes that will "colonize" in the gut for a longer lasting effect. Kefirs and fermented vegetables like pickles, kraut and kimchi are becoming so popular that they can now be found in the refrigerator aisle of most major grocery chains. Homemade ferments are better for you, contain no additives and can save you a lot of money making them yourself. It is fun to do and easy to learn. Some exciting things on the horizon...
I have seen for myself how a healthy diet and fermented foods has improved my own digestion and reduced my cravings for sweets. What I really love is that I found these cultured foods to be an excellent way to get my calcium, vitamins, and minerals everyday without the need of costly and less effective supplements. I have read that science may be pointing to Kefir as contributing to lowering "bad" cholesterol, regulating blood sugar and even lowering blood pressure. Researchers are also exploring the gut/brain connection and are using diet and fermented foods to see what effect changes in the gut has on depression, ADHD, anxiety disorders. I am excited to hear more about this in the future. To your good health...Andrea |