Whether you like it or not you are filled with bacteria- up to 3kg! In fact, the bacteria in your body outnumber the cells in your body by at least 10 to 1. If this creeps you out, have peace in knowing that these bacteria are critical to your overall health and wellbeing.
Your gut is where most of your bacteria hang out – both good and bad. The challenge is optimizing the bacterial population in your gut by striving for an ideal good: bad bacteria ratio. When your bacteria are in balance they can live in a beneficial, symbiotic relationship to help nourish your body and fight disease. When they are out of balance we call this dysbiosis, which can lead to a plethora of health problems.
The good news is that there is plenty you can do now to encourage the growth of the good bacteria! You may have heard of probioitics, they are the good guys that live in our gut. Naturally, these probiotics can be found in our food, especially fermented foods.
FYI -fermentation is an enzyme-controlled chemical breakdown of an organic substance. Think of sugar turning into alcohol or the souring of milk.
Some healthful fermented foods include kombucha (fermented tea), kimchi (Korean fermented cabbage), sauerkraut (German fermented cabbage), kefir and yogurt (fermented milk products), and pickled fruits and vegetables.
So start enjoying fermented foods as often as possible to support healthy gut-flora and your body will thank you for it!
Andrea Hauser, Homeopath
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