Fermented Foods for Gut Health

The Fermentation Festival Comes To Town

The Fermentation Festival is held this Saturday in Santa Barbara. Be sure to attend and enjoy!

As a kid, I craved sauerkraut and dill pickles. Why? Little did I know these mouth-puckering treats were paving my gut with healthy flora and bacteria. And, did I ever need it! My easily infected asthmatic lungs were treated regularly with antibiotics. By regularly, I mean 6-12 times a year. This is common. My clients with gut issues and weak immune systems often will tell a similar story. Antibiotics, sometimes needed for healing, are commonly over-prescribed. They destroy the “bad bugs”; but the good ones, too. The side effects may include gas, bloating, allergies, constipation, yeast overgrowth (called “Candida”), and even depression. Fermented foods are a fun and sure way to restore bacterial balance in the gut.

Fermented Foods From Around The World

Not too long ago, if you asked for the “fermented food section” of a health food store, you were shown a tiny area. This may have included the common dill pickle, and kimchi, a spicy fermented vegetable dish from Asia. Today you will find a bountiful display of tasty fermented foods that fill an entire aisle. Be bold and experiment with probiotic-rich additions to salads and dishes. If your gut is sensitive, start with a tablespoon. It is good to try new foods in small amounts.

The Detoxifying & Healing Benefits of Fermented Foods

The fermented foods are rich in Vitamin K2 and B. K2 protects the heart and clears the arteries. The B vitamins optimize the immune system and also super-charge your energy. In addition, B vitamins offer a source of enzymes for digestion. Chelation is a super cleansing process that helps to eliminate heavy metals and toxins. The fermented foods are the natural chelators. I have seen the benefits of chelation to detoxify and cleanse. I prefer natural chelation to the drugs that “do the job,” but also put added stress on the body and the nervous system. Fermented foods have been a staple of the indigenous diet for thousands of years, worldwide. And our great-great grandparents also knew how to stay healthy.

Last but not least, I want to offer a big shout out to one of my favorite mother-daughter teams, Lynn Hartman and Katie Hershfelt, for creating the Fermentation Festival here, in Santa Barbara, CA. Thank you!