Your gut is home to millions of bacteria, together known as your gut flora. The more variety in type and number, the better it does its job. Fermented foods are one of the oldest ways people have taken those bacteria in.
By letting milk, grains or sugar ferment with live cultures, you get foods full of live lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. In this series of articles we share the traditions behind a few of those cultures: yoghurt, kefir, sourdough and ginger beer. How they came about, how to keep them alive at home, and what makes each one special.
Fermented foods and your gut
One important note before you read on: fermented foods don't work the same for everyone. For one person the live cultures sit well with the gut flora, and you notice your digestion settling down. For another it plays out differently: the lactose, the FODMAPs or the naturally high histamine levels can actually cause or worsen symptoms. This effect differs from person to person, and from microbiome to microbiome.
That's why we don't share this as "it's healthy, so it's good for everyone". We share it as articles that, at their core, work well for most people, with the rest up to you to try. Start with a little, build up slowly, and feel how your body responds. If it feels good, enjoy carrying on. If it doesn't, then it doesn't work for you (yet), and it's better to try other things that may have a positive effect.
Looking beyond your plate
Want to understand why your gut responds the way it does? Read more about your gut flora and the microbiome, or find out with the food intolerance test what your body is sensitive to.
Would you like our guidance in recovering from your gut symptoms? Book a free, no-obligation intro call. We're happy to think along with you. The call lasts 30 minutes: we look at where you stand, what you've tried, and whether our guidance is a good fit. You'll always take something away from it.