Your gut is a very delicate ecosystem, with more flora (healthy bacteria) in it than all the other cells in the body put together.  

When this ecosystem is healthy, your digestive tract has the proper balance of stomach acids and bacteria. This allows your body to breakdown food for nourishment and cell repair.

Without the ability to absorb nutrition from your food and eliminate waste, you may experience all kinds of health issues that, on the surface, don't seem to be related to digestion. These include headaches, mood issues, weight gain, menstrual cramps, fatigue, back pain, frequent colds, estrogen dominance, and more.  
If your digestive health is poor, everything suffers.

Some Things You Might Not Know About the Amazing Digestive System

 

1. The lining in your gut is actually part of your immune system.

 

In fact, it's your first line of defense against bugs and other organisms that can make you ill. For millennia, this immune mechanism was needed for the survival of the species. Humans lived without refrigeration and didn't always know enough to practice safe food handling. When your gut is healthy, it keeps any foreign invaders in food from getting into the bloodstream. It also protects you from airborne viruses and bacteria.

 

 

 

 

 2. Research done in recent years proves there is a real connection between the digestive tract and the nervous system.

 

(To learn more read Michael Gershon, M.D.s book 'The Second Brain'.) In addition to the nervous system in the spine, there is a nervous system in the gut called the enteric nervous system, which sends signals to the brain and vice versa. If you are anxious, depressed, or stressed, you may notice that your desire for food is different or your digestion is off. Stress hormones can shut down digestion (which results in constipation) or speed it up (which results in diarrhea).

 

3. The digestive system actually produces more neurotransmitters than the brain does.

 

 

I suspect that many women could avoid antidepressants altogether just by supporting their digestive system. How many of us reach for a sugary treat when stressed? This is a short-term (and unhealthy) way to make the neurotransmitters your body needs to

 

 

4. The phrases 'Rely on your gut' and 'Gut instinct' make more sense than you may realize!

 

As a second brain, it may be more effective. It doesn't have to contend with the judgmental committee which lives in your left brain and will often try to talk you out of what you know in your gut to be true. As an energy system, the digestive system is part of the third chakra. This area has to do with self-esteem, self-expression, an appropriate sense of responsibility, and having the confidence to go with your gut.

 

The ABCs of Digestion

 

Gerard Mullin, M.D., a holistic gastroenterologist, professor at Johns Hopkins, and the author of 'Inside Tract: Your Good Gut Guide to Great Digestive Health', explains that any time you take medicines that block acid production or kill healthy bacteria, you upset the delicate ecosystem in your gut.

  Remember that you're not suffering from an antacid or a laxative deficiency. It's always better to address the underlying issue than to take medicines that can cause other health problems.

 

Here are some suggestions for addressing three common digestive ailments - acid indigestion, bloating, and constipation, without upsetting the natural balance.

 

Acid indigestion

 

  Also known as reflux or heartburn, occurs when your stomach acids back up into the esophagus. The standard treatment is prescribing a proton pump inhibitor to keep the stomach from producing any acid or popping an antacid to reduce symptoms. The problem is that your stomach acids help balance the bacterial growth in the gut. Too little acid can result in too much bacteria, which can lead to yeast overgrowth (infection) throughout the body, as well as gas and bloating.    

 

 

This condition is largely the result of a highly-refined food diet, which is converted into high blood sugar too quickly. 

 

Your body also needs stomach acids to break down minerals, including calcium, magnesium, and iron. Insufficient stomach acid can lead to deficiencies in these minerals as well as in vitamin B-12. It's not uncommon for women to develop low bone mineral density (osteopenia) if they take acid blockers for long periods of time.

 

Bloating and Gas

Dr. Mullin mentioned a category of foods that you may never have heard of; even though you probably eat these foods often. They're called FODMAPs, which is short for Fermentable, Oligo-, Di- and Mono-saccharides and Polyols. 

These common, everyday foods are a type of carbohydrate that ferments during the digestive process causing gas, bloating, and bacterial overgrowth.

Following a diet that eliminates FODMAPs has been shown to dramatically improve symptoms for Irritable Bowel Syndrome sufferers. This means cutting out eleven fruits, including apples, pears, and peaches; twenty vegetables, including asparagus, cauliflower, and peas; lactose-containing foods, including milk and ice cream; four legumes, including lentils and kidney beans; two whole grains, including wheat and rye; and seven sweeteners including fructose and high-fructose corn syrup. 

 

It's very common for women to experience more gas and bloating as they go through menopause. These women often become intolerant to foods they've eaten all their lives, particularly wheat and gluten. Cutting out these foods can drastically improve bloating, gas, and indigestion for many women. Your normal production of stomach acids declines as you age, too. Taking a digestive enzyme can help you break down and absorb the nutrients in food better.

 

Constipation

Magnesium is a miracle mineral. It's used by virtually every cell in the body and can be particularly beneficial for muscle spasms, migraines, and anxiety. It's also great for constipation. So instead of reaching for a stool softener or laxative, try 500 mg to 1500 mg of magnesium aspartate (or a blend of different forms of magnesium).    

http://www.drnorthrup.com/blog/2012/07/your-gut-a-delicate-garden

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone should try lacto-fermentation for three reasons:

1. Th end product is a living food, full of enzymes and
   probiotics
   .
2. The process is much faster than waterbath or pressure canning.
3.  The process (and storage) can be done with zero energy usage.

A healthier product in less time and with less energy usage? Yes please!

How It Works

Before the advent of modern day canning, most of our fore-mothers preserved the harvest through lacto-fermentation. Dill pickles, sauerkraut, and kimchi are all products of this preservation method.

Vegetables can be preserved simply with salt, water and spices - no boiling water baths necessary. The fermentation process creates lactic acid, nature's preservative.

This was one of the only options for preserving food until canning and electricity were so widespread. There is no need to process the jars and they can be stored in a root cellar or other cool place.   

Health Benefits

When we lost touch with this food preservation technique we also lost touch with the unparalleled health benefits that came with it. Sally Fallon is a huge proponent of lacto-fermentation in her book Nourishing Traditions and for good reason:

The proliferation of lactobacilli in fermented vegetables enhances their digestibility and increases vitamin levels. These beneficial organisms produce numerous helpful enzymes as well as antibiotic and anti-carcinogenic substances. Their main by-product, lactic acid, not only keeps vegetables and fruits in a state of perfect preservation but also promotes the growth of healthy flora throughout the intestine.

Tips From One Beginner To Another

Because we have grown up in a culture that thinks you have to pasteurize everything, you may wonder if you are going to poison your family by using this method. To ease you into it, here are a few things that I learned along the way:

•  
• If you are intimidated by the process, know that you'll get used to it. You will know if a batch has gone bad and you will find that once you figure out the basic process, there is little to it.
• You can use whey (which you can get by straining yogurt through a coffee filter), which contains lactic acid and gets the ball rolling. I mostly replace the whey with a little bit of extra salt, but found that when starting out it is nice as insurance.
• Don't be confined to recipes. Preserve whatever it is that you have in abundance, in any combination. Add flavors and spices that you like. Just be careful not to cut beets too small as they contain a lot of sugar and can produce alcohol.
• Be sure to leave 1-2 inches of head space. The fermentation process can cause the vegetables to bubble up.
• Clean your jars and equipment very well. You want to avoid bad bacteria at all costs in order to allow the good bacteria to proliferate.
• To help pickles keep their crunch, add clean grape leaves. The tannins in the leaves are said to perform this act.

Recipes

cultured Salsa

adapted from Nourishing Traditions
by Sally Fallon

•  4 medium tomatoes, about 2 pounds total
• 2 small onions, finely chopped
• 1 to 2 bell peppers, seeded
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded (or not if you prefer more spice)
• 1 bunch cilantro
• juice of 2 lemons
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 4 tablespoons whey (if not available, use an additional 1 tablespoon salt)
• 1/4 cup filtered water

 

1.  If you prefer peeled tomatoes: score the bottoms, drop into boiling water for about 15 seconds, remove and place in ice water. The peels should come off easily.

  

2. Chop all ingredients by hand or with a food processor to desired consistency. Mix  and place in a very clean quart sized, wide mouth mason jar. Press down with a wooden spoon, adding more water to cover the vegetables. Be sure to leave 1 to 2 inch head space.

3. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days before transferring to cold storage.

 

Cortido

A Latin American Sauerkraut from Nourishing Traditions
by Sally Fallon 

• 
• 1 large cabbage, cored and shredded
• 1 cup carrots, grated
• 2 medium onions, quartered lengthwise and very finely sliced
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 4 tablespoons whey (if not available, use an additional 1 tablespoon salt)

1.    In a large bowl mix cabbage with carrots, onions, oregano, red pepper flakes, sea salt and whey.
2.   Pound with a wooden pounder or a meat hammer for about 10 minutes to release juices.
3.   Place in 2 quart sized, wide mouth mason jars and press down firmly with a pounder or meat hammer until juices come to the top of the cabbage. The top of the cabbage mixture should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jars.
4.    Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to cold storage.

 

Garlic-Dill Cucumber Pickles

adapted from Nourishing Traditions
by Sally Fallon

•  
• 4 to 5 pickling cucumbers or 15-20 gherkins
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, snipped
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 4 tablespoons whey (if not available, use an additional 1 tablespoon salt)
• 1 to 2 clean grape or oak leaves
• 1 cup filtered water

1.  Wash cucumbers well and place in a quart sized wide mouth jar.
2. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over cucumbers, adding more water if necessary to cover the cucumbers. The top of the liquid should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar.
3. Cover tightly and keep and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to cold storage.

 

Happy Healthy October!

See you all soon!

    

  

Our Mission is to guide and empower you through education, nutrition and lifestyle changes to a life of health and vitality a

   847-361-6185