Have you been to your local healthy grocery store and wondered about all those “pickled” looking vegetables in jars that have shown up in the refrigerator section? Chances are these vegetables are fermented. They might seem strange to you if the only fermented vegetables you have tried before are sauerkraut (cabbage) and pickles (cucumbers), two foods that originated in Europe and found their way into the American diet.

However, when you dig a little deeper, these fermented foods have been eaten by people all over the world as part of their daily diet. They have wonderful health benefits, especially when it comes to your digestive system. This month we dedicate our newsletter to introducing you to these health-promoting, gut-supportive vegetables, so that you can bring them into your food-as-medicine pantry.

Initially, fermentation was created as a way to preserve foods before refrigeration. In addition to pickles and sauerkraut, there are many familiar and maybe not-so-familiar foods to explore. From Europe, there are beets and carrots, grape leaves for dolmas, and olives. From Asia, umeboshi plums, tempeh, miso, kimchee, and assorted pickled vegetables such as turnip, carrot, cabbage, onion provide great variety. And from India, various fruit chutneys are also fermented.

Here’s how the process works. All vegetables and fruits have beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus on their surfaces. The process of lacto-fermentation combines starches and sugars with salt in an oxygen-free, or anaerobic, environment. The Lactobacilli bacteria convert sugars into lactic acid that kills harmful bacteria and acts as a preservative. The sour flavor comes from the fermentation process. The end result is a deliciously sour vegetable that also has Lactobacilli, known as the good bacteria “probiotic” most commonly found in yogurt and supplements.

As you can see, these fermented foods act as natural probiotics, and because they are also high in fiber, they provide prebiotic nutrients, too, that help the good bacteria grow. Numerous studies have proven the connection between gut flora and illness: not enough good bacteria, or overgrowth of harmful bacteria or yeast, increase your risk of chronic disease, especially inflammatory illnesses and autoimmunity.

Think of eating these foods every day as health insurance!

The fermentation process enhances the digestibility of foods. As the fermenting bacteria break down the cell walls of the vegetables or fruits, they become gentler on your system. Another added benefit of fermentation is that it increases the amount of glutathione, the mother of antioxidants, as well as choline in the food.  Both of these are nutrients that support liver detoxification.

Fermented foods help the good bacteria in the gut flourish.  The production of neurotransmitters, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, and vitamin K increases, all manufactured by the gut bacteria to make a healthier, happier you.

 

 

 

 

Here are some of our favorite, easy-to-find fermented foods. Choose the unpasteurized products to get the living probiotic benefits:

• Sauerkraut
• Pickles
• Soy sauce
• Kombucha tea
• Tempeh
• Miso
• Kimchee
• Umeboshi plums

When you start eating fermented foods, go slowly. Bloating and gas are sure signs that you have overdone it.  So nice and easy does it!

Are you feeling adventurous and want to try your hand at making your own fermented veggies?  This month’s recipe is a great introduction to making fermented carrots. The results will be delicious and a great way to incorporate fermented foods into your diet. Your gut will be happy and your kids will love them, too!

Check out our class calendarto learn more about our cooking class dates and times.

For the best nutrition punch, use organic vegetables.  You could easily substitute carrots with other veggies like cabbage, cucumbers, cauliflower, etc. Experiment and have fun.

Equipment:

Quart-sized narrow Mason jar (recommended)

The yoga pose classically associated with encouraging digestion and gastrointestinal health is matsyendrasana, or spinal twist.  Like most yoga postures, it exists on a spectrum of difficulty: from a restorative supine spinal twist lying on your back, to a seated spinal twist with legs in simple cross-legged position, to the most advanced seated half lotus with arms bound and the entire spine in a perfect vertical twist.

To benefit from the gut healing aspects of this posture, try supine matsyendrasana, or reclining spinal twist, a restorative posture that aids in digestion, vitamin and mineral absorption and elimination by passive internal organ self-massage and release.  It’s an easy posture to do first thing in the morning or last thing at night, even while lying in bed. Give it a try!

 

• Lying on your back, reach your arms up above your head, and extend your legs straight along your mat or mattress, fingers and toes stretching away from one another. Feel the opening through your torso, abdomen, and along the length of your spine.
• Then, slowly and mindfully, draw both knees into your chest and hug your knees in, feeling the curve of your back against the floor or bed and bringing your abdomen and torso into a compact ball.
• Now, lengthen your right leg out along the mat to be straight again, keeping your left knee hugged into your chest, and let the back of your head rest against the floor, or mattress.  Remember to breathe deeply into your belly.  You may already feel a bit of a squeeze in your lower abdomen.
• Next, gently allow your left knee to cross your body and come to rest on a bolster or the floor or bed on your right side, feeling your lower spine and belly twisting to the right.  Keep your right hand resting on your left knee to encourage moving further into the twist, as your left arm reaches out to the left side.
• To complete the twist in the upper body, allow your gaze to rest on your left hand, by turning your head to the left.

Restorative asanas, or yoga postures, should be soft, easy, and meditative.  Use props, pillows or blankets to make yourself really comfortable in your posture.  Ideally, stay in the pose anywhere from 5-10 minutes per side, completely relaxing into the twist and reaping the benefits of “wringing out” your internal organs.

Twisting to the right first and then left encourages elimination, while twisting to the left first helps to slow a too-fast digestion.

Twisting in either direction gives your intestines a nice massage and, just as massages do, brings increased blood flow and nutrients to the area.  In this way, your entire gut is nourished by the spinal twist.

It’s time to dig!  I can’t wait to get my hands and feet in the dirt with the arrival of Spring.  Gardening is a great way to get grounded, to get some healthy microbes, and to plant something that will bring beauty in the months to come.  Even if you’re not a gardener, I recommend you find a warm day when you can take your shoes and socks off and plant your feet on real earth!

Try this open-eyed visualization once you’ve got your bare feet on the ground:

● Feel the bottom of your feet: the texture of the dirt or grass, the temperature.  Wiggle your toes, move your feet, dig in!

● If you’ve been sitting, stand up and feel your weight sinking into the ground. Feel how the Earth supports you; notice the impression you are leaving.

● Take a deep breath and notice if there is a fragrance in the air.

● Look around at the colors; notice the little hints of green appearing here and there.

● Listen for the birds, the trickle of running water, the sound of the wind in the trees.

● Take a few minutes to keep checking in with yourself and just enjoy the freshness of Spring, feeling yourself grounded in the dirt and the top of your head reaching up to the sun–you might even grow a little taller!

Visit our class calendar to learn more about our mind body spirit class dates and times.