Do you have fermented foods with every (or nearly every) meal?

You should – fermented foods are an inexpensive, effective and simple way to optimize your gut microbiome (micro-organism population) that is absolutely essential for physical and mental health.

Hint: Beer is a fermented food!

For every cell that is you there are ten times more bacteria, fungi, viruses and other tiny life forms inside you. You are a walking multi-species transport system with billions of microorganisms on your insides and outside (all over your skin, hair and in every nook and cranny).

Fermented Foods Help Your Body Function Properly

Over the past several years, research has revealed that the microbes inside you – bacteria, fungi, viri and others – are essential for proper body function:

• They make vitamins
• They keep the bad “bugs” under control
• They help you get rid of toxins
• They affect your weight and mood

What happens when your gut is unbalanced?

When your GI tract is not properly balanced, a wide range of health problems can appear, including:

• allergies
• intestinal issues and diseases
• digestive problems
• autoimmune diseases

That’s why fermented foods are so important. They are full of beneficial microorganisms that most people do not get elsewhere; they replenish the good microorganisms and keep you in balance.

How much fermented food should you eat?

You need only one-quarter to one-half cup of fermented vegetables one to three times per day. You’ll probably notice improvements in your:

• energy levels
• mental clarity
• digestion
• elimination
• immunity

Preparing Fermented Foods

Although common in traditional diets in every culture throughout the world, the preparation of fermented foods is becoming a lost art. But it is an art that is easily re-discovered. Google “making my own fermented foods” for information on making your own sauerkraut, pickles, yogurt, kefir, kombucha, beer, fermented vegetables and other wonderful foods that everyone in your family needs for optimal health.