Fermented pharmacy

As promised, here is the follow on from last week.

Many specialists refer to the digestive system as the second brain.  In fact, it is the only other organ that produces the neurotransmitter serotonin or the "happy hormone" - it actually produces MORE than your brain does.

So, brain and digestive health go hand in hand.  Your gut is also home to a countless number of bacteria - both good and bad.  These bacteria outnumber your body's cells by 10 to 1 - at least.  It is very important to maintain the ideal balance of good and bad bacteria as this balance forms the foundation for good health - physical, mental and emotional.

It is believed that most disease originates in your digestive system - this includes both physical and mental disease.  Some examples are:

• Lupus
• Crohn's Disease
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Kidney problems
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Urinary conditions
• Allergic and atopic conditions
• Fibromyalgia
• Inflammatory bowel diseases

To name but a few.

In order to have a healthy gut, it is recommended to incorporate fermented foods into the diet.  Fermented foods are some of the best chelators available - a chelator is a substance that removes other toxic substances from the body.  The beneficial bacteria in fermented foods are very potent detoxifiers, capable of drawing out a wide range of toxins and heavy metals.

So, here are seven of the top fermented foods for you to incorporate into your diet:

1. Kombucha: I've spoken of this before.  This is a fermented black tea that gives you a really great bacterial kick as it contains a great variety of microorganisms.  Just keep and eye on the sugar!
2. Sauerkraut: Fermented cabbage has a powerful impact on brain health, including depression and anxiety.
3. Pickles: This common food isn't often though of as a healthy food.  However, they provide a healthy dose of probiotics.
4. Coconut Yogurt:  You all know my love of all things coconut, so I could hardly leave it out of this post!  This is a dairy free way of getting the probiotic potential of yogurt - there are many easy recipes available on the Internet.
5. Miso:  Miso paste is made from fermented soybeans and grains and is packed full of essential minerals such as potassium, and consists of millions of microorganisms.
6. Tempeh or fermented soybeans is a complete protein that contains all the essential amino acids.  You can add this to a salad or as a sandwich filler.
7. Kimchi: This is a Korean dish typically made from fermented cabbage, it can help enhance digestion and nutrient assimilation - it can also improve your skin.

You also don't need to go crazy either, you only need between a quarter to half a cup of fermented vegetables or cultured foods such as yogurt per day.

So get cracking!  You can find loads of recipes on the Internet!

I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com 

How what you eat NOW can affect your future children

Yes, I have ranted and raged about processed foods, too much sugar, and too much salt for years.  However, until relatively recently the clinical studies that were published were biased, for example:

"The Importance of Breakfast Cereals" sponsored by Kelloggs or

"The need for milk produce on a daily basis." sponsored by Danone

Yes, I made these up to make a point.  Clinical trials and studies cost money and until relatively recently the people with the money were the big companies such as Danone, Kelloggs, Coca Cola, etc..

However, over the last few years, we are getting more and more unbiased information from studies carried out at universities with public funding, studies that have not succumbed to the pressure of the lobbyists for the big food companies.

One such study shocked me this week; Dr. Ian Myles from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, is the lead author on a study published in Nutrition Journal, which looked at the effect the Western diet and lifestyle has on people's immune function.

Unsurprisingly, it found that processed and junk food were to blame for the whole host of problems such as; increased inflammation, reduced control of infection, increased risks of cancer, and increased risk for allergies and auto-inflammatory disease.

Now, as if this wasn't scary enough, the study authors go on to explain that poor dietary choices get

"encoded" into both DNA scaffolding and into the gut microbiome (environment).  This means that food and lifestyle choices can create permanent changes in the balance of bacteria in our bodies which can cause the immune system to weaken.  This also means that those changes can be passed onto our children during pregnancy.

Dr. Myles says he was surprised by how heavily gut bacteria determined a child's health:

"Our bodies are a kind of mini-ecosystem, and anything that disturbs our bacteria can alter our health in profound ways," he says.

Dr. Mercola has written extensively on the importance of gut health and the flora contained within, and how any disruption can lead to many health problems in the future, here is a brief summary of what he has to say:

"Research shows that your gut flora can affect numerous processes in your body, including your metabolism, energy production, nutrition, and genetic expression.

"Your intestinal microflora is unique, although your will likely have one of three general "communities" of bacteria.  This microbial balance is exceptionally sensitive to environmental conditions, beginning at birth.  Children who are born with severely damaged gut flora are not only more susceptible to disease; they are also more susceptible to vaccine damage.

"Choice of foods can alter your microflora in a matter of days, for better or worse.  The ideal way to optimize your gut flora is to include fermented foods in your daily diet.  While most probiotic supplements contain no more than 10 billion colony-forming units, one serving of fermented vegetables can contain 10 TRILLION colony-forming units of bacteria.  Fermented foods also give you a wide variety of beneficial bacteria, so all in all, it's your most cost effective alternative."

Next week, I'll talk about fermented foods.  Also, one thing we should all remember on a daily basis:

If it has an ingredient label, you really shouldn't be eating it!

  I can help you improve your health.  If you would like to make an appointment with me either in person or via Skype, just send me an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com