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 

Past brings health to the present...

We all know that our diets have changed beyond recognition over the years.  The incredible amounts of processed foods that find their way to our table is now, unfortunately, not even considered a worry.  It is something that has become "normal".  However, lots of us now feed our children things that we never had as children - now I say "things" because most of them can't be considered foods at all.  Processed meats in the form of hamburgers, sausages, chicken nuggets even ham - considered a health food by many dieters, cooked packaged ham in convenient slices often comes full of sugar, milk protein, potato starch... and so the ingredient list on a packet of ham goes on and on...

So maybe we really should dig back into history where cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression, and childhood obesity were rare and certainly didn't have the scarily fast rising rate all these health problems have nowadays.  Quite often, getting back to basics for health is the way to go.

So here are 6 ancient superfoods that will give your modern lifestyle a health kick:

1.  I have often written about the need for Omega 3 fatty acids found in fish such as Salmon to improve

brain function among other things.  Used in ancient Rome and Scandinavian cultures, Fermented Cod Liver Oil (FCLO) has been used for thousands of years, these fats are rich in essential fatty acids DHA and EPA and are essential for healthy weight management and for brain nerve health.  FCLO is also a good source of Vitamins A and D which are fat soluble vitamins and the fermentation process maintains these nutrients intact and vital.  If you can't find Fermented Col Liver Oil near you, try Krill Oil.  Krill Oil is water soluble making it far easier for the body to absorb the vitamins and essential fatty acids contained in it.

2.  Unfortunately for us humans, the majority of the meat we eat has been tortured instead of raised.  No, I'm not a vegetarian, I love a juicy steak every now and again but it really should be organic - as in grass-fed, roaming round green pastures and enjoying life before it ends up on my plate!  Most beef produced in the US (and most other countries too) have been dragged up on factory farms and packed full of hormones antibiotics and vaccines against disease.  It is far more difficult to find a healthy piece of meat nowadays.  Throughout history cows were allowed to roam free grazing on grass, this type of beef is naturally leaner than factory farmed animals and the fat it does have has great benefits for us humans: a standard 100g serving contains 35mg of those beneficial Omega 3 fatty acids I was talking about before, compared with only 10mg in factory produced meat.  Happy grass-fed animals also have twice the conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) per serving.  Higher CLA levels have been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and cancer and easier weight loss.

3.  The ancient Chinese called this brew the "Immortal Health Elixir", Kombucha is a fermented tea
that has been around for over 2000 years.  This drink is very high in B Vitamins which help to increase energy levels and decrease inflammation in the body.  This fermented tea is packed full of probiotic cultures with help digestion and increase immunity.  Recent studies have shown that glucaric acid - found in high quantities in Kombucha - helps prevent cancer.  This is available in health food stores or you can make your own at home.

4.  There's nothing more appetizing than a heartwarming soup (at least it is in winter).  Stock, the base of all soups and many other dishes, has been considered and essential healing food by ancient populations on every continent.  The boiling of organic beef or chicken bones from 6 to 40 hours produces a stock packed full of minerales, antioxidants and vitamins, all of which are released from the bones during the boiling process and then easily absorbed by the body when ingested.  This is a great superfood and aids in weight loss resistance, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and autoimmune responses.

5.  Traditionally part of the Central American diet for thousands of years, the sweet potato eventually

made it's way to Europe thanks to Christopher Columbus on his return.  The sweet potato is extremely high in Vitamin A which is essential for healthy skin and eyes.  But it's benefits do not stop there, this vegetable are packed full of vitamin C, manganese, Vitamin B6, potassium, copper and very high in fiber.

6.  The ancient Koreans ate Kimchi in vast quantities and they considered it to have healing properties.  Kimchi is a blend of fermented vegetables and spices which has been associated with lowering of blood pressure and weight loss.  Studies have also shown Kimchi to have anti-cancer properties and a decrease in atherosclerosis and autoimmune responses.  You can make this at home or buy in a shop, but if you do buy it a a shop, be careful with the sugar and salt content used to prolong it's shelf life.

Social Nutrition:
You can make an appointment to improve your health with Social Nutrition either in person (Madrid) or online (Skype).  Just send an email to lucycarr@socialnutrition.com