“All disease begins in the gut.”
-Hippocrates
Inside you are colonies of bacteria that interact with what you eat and drink- Some of their
metabolic processes result in bio available vitamins and amino acids which are crucial to your
body's functions...but if their numbers become imbalanced , they can create a septic and
negative physical experience for their host.
Some studies indicate that our bodies contain microbes in ratios outnumbering human cells at
ten to one. We are completely colonized, especially along the digestive tract. Our little buddies
serve an important role in our absorption of nutrients, our digestion, our metabolic processes,
and they produce amino acids and fatty acids that affect us in ways not dissimilar to hormones.
Our moods, cravings and even sleeping patterns are largely the result of chemical reactions
caused by gut bacteria.
Though cases vary, it can often be found that instances of Inflammation, fatigue, weight gain,
depression, and various mental illnesses are the result of imbalances within our normally
healthy bacterial colonies, as one group is thrown into dominance, releasing chemicals into our
bodies which cause us to crave foods and behaviors that will support their continued
supremacy. With this imbalance the host may experience everything from ulcerative colitis and
candidiasis to depression, bipolar disorder, autism, chronic fatigue or just plain sugar cravings.
Behaviors such as drug and alcohol abuse, consumption of refined sugar and certain
carbohydrates, under consumption of water, and overeating can all negatively affect the gut
biome, and unfortunately a body out of balance tends to gravitate towards these habits in a
cycle that perpetuates itself.
If one seeks to better themselves and change who they are, conscientiously crafting an
idealized self, then the gut biome cannot be ignored. Tendencies towards emotional instability,
lethargy and a seemingly uncontrollable urge to violate one’s food consumption regimen with
beer or sugar, can usually be addressed through a simple attentiveness to diet as it affects the
gut .
Often, the draw to simple carbohydrates and sugars is so strong that logic is over ruled. Like a
junky we cram those things which will feed the reigning bacterial group in our bodies, and they
reward us with a release of chemicals which create pleasant sensations.
How poetically similar to the mode through which modern society controls individuals’ life
choices- using social and economic pressure to force one’s hand, and rewarding them with the
gift of a consumerism that temporarily delights before giving way to yet more need. Fittingly, the
foods of that society are the worst culprits for perpetuating the cycle of imbalance in our bodies.
As above, So below.
If you disdain modern society’s demands that you sink into a Brave New World style
soma-coma, waking only to supply the empire with your labors, then you should definitely
disdain the little bugs in your gut that would demand cupcakes or malt liquor so that you can
become a pillowy yeast farm. If your goal is strength, mastery, and self determination, there can
be no differentiation between the two.
“When you have the savories and fine dishes set before you, you will gain an idea of their
nature if you tell yourself that this is the corpse of a fish, and that the corpse of a bird or a pig; or
again, that fine Falernian wine is merely grape juice, and that this purple robe some sheep’s
wool dipped in the blood of a shellfish: and as for sexual intercourse, it is the friction of a piece
of gut and, following a sort of convulsion, the expulsion of some mucus. Thoughts such as these
reach through to the things themselves and strike to the heart of them, allowing us to see them
as they truly are.”
- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
One of the best ways to maintain a healthy gut biome is through the introduction of positive
bacteria. One can take probiotic supplements, and can eat yogurt and drink Kombucha, and cut
back on sugar, refined grains,and beer. Educate yourself about prebiotics- foods like garlic and
dandelion greens and Jerusalem artichoke, which contain types of fiber that feed positive
bacterial colonies. Investigate the differences in various types of fats and experiment with the
effect of satiety derived from proper fat consumption rather than overeating carbohydrates.
These are all helpful acts in the process of learning to listen to your body and the bacteria that
live there in order to become stronger, healthier and more effective at reaching your goals in life
and in any fitness regimen.
If you feel that your eating habits are particularly out of control, that you are suffering from
physical or psychological effects that are rooted in disruptions of gut bacteria, or that you would
like to reboot your system and start fresh, you may find the work of Dr. Campbell McBride of
interest. Dr McBride designed a dietary protocol known as the GAPS (Gut and Psychology
Syndrome) diet, which has been used to successfully treat Ulcerative colitis, autism, depression,
schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, amongst many other gut related illnesses. McBride’s
website is easily accessible and contains enough information for anyone to undertake a
rudimentary healing regimen without spending a penny on books or podcasts. All you buy is
your food and supplements.
Two things that come in handy when trying to balance the gut biome are sauerkraut and beet
kvass. Both are excellent sources of probiotics, vitamins, minerals and the amino acids that
make our brains work properly. Sauerkraut is an agreeable condiment (or side dish) , full of
vitamin C, that pairs well with meat, eggs, cheese, or thrown into soups. Beet kvass is
sometimes referred to as Eastern European gatorade, and is full of electrolytes, endurance
boosting nitrates, potassium for your nerves and muscles and betaine for your liver. It’s sour,
with an odd but satisfying fizziness. Both are cheap and easy to make, and both help inoculate
the gut against imbalances.
any revolution, the beginning can be unsettling and uncomfortable. Die-off symptoms can
include temporary inflammation, fogginess and bloating. Drink lots of water and bone broth.
Both of these foods are traditional European staples that have a long history of being regarded
as safe and nutrient rich ways to preserve vegetables . In the north, lacto fermentation was the
perfect way to preserve food through a long winter, while maximizing bio availability of things like
vitamin C. Eventually, people began to pour vinegar over the ferments to arrest their progress at
a certain point. Vinegar kills the bacteria we’re after here- so while raw apple cider vinegar in
moderation is a panacea, vinegar based pickles and sauerkrauts will not serve the same gut
inoculating ends. Raw and primitive is best.
Sauerkraut
You Need
1 large jar or ceramic crock/cookie jar. Nothing metal (reactive) or plastic (hormone disruptors
holding an acidic medium may leach, they are also porous and may hold disruptive bacteria) or
wooden (porous and holds bacteria which could disrupt the ferment)
1 large bowl
1 big knife
Sea salt with no additives or anti caking agents. Grey salt if you can get it.
1-4 heads of cabbage depending on your jar size
(Optional) ⅛ - ½ cup of raw liquid from a pre existing ferment. Bubbe’s is a good brand to steal
starter from. You can do without this, but it certainly makes the process go smoother and faster.
Method
Cut the cabbage in half along the base. Starting at the top, thinly slice the cabbage into strips. ¼
of an inch would be a bit too thick.
Alternately, quarter the cabbage head and feed it through a food processor using the slicing
attachment . I don't prefer the textural outcome of this method, but it is easier if you don't have
the best knife skills.
Put the cabbage into a large bowl. It may not all fit. Often, I do this part in stages. Each single
head of cabbage receives one tablespoon of sea salt, sprinkled on top.
With very clean hands, begin to work the salt into the cabbage. Squeeze, press and knead the
cabbage until you have macerated it enough to have forced out enough water to submerge the
kraut as it ferments.
(If you have a proper crock, you can take a sauerkraut tamper or french rolling pin and beat the
layers of salt and sauerkraut down into the crock, until it is completely full and everything is
submerged in cabbage fluid.)
Pack the sauerkraut into its jar or crock, and pour the liquid over it, pressing it under. Ideally, a
plate or pair of ceramic sauerkraut weights can be used. Worst case scenario is an old pickle
jar with the lid screwed on extra tight. Best case scenario is the aforementioned hermetic crock
with weights.)
Seal the kraut and put it somewhere out of the light where extreme temperature will not disturb
it. Usually two to three weeks is sufficient to get a moderate sour going, and it will continue to
sour/improve with time. When you need to arrest fermentation, use clean, non porous, non
reactive utensils such as a silicone spatula or a steel spoon to remove some of the sauerkraut
to a clean container for refrigeration. When your supply gets low, use that last little bit as a
starter for the next batch.
Because this is a natural and primitive style of fermentation, occasionally abnormalities will
occur. White mold floating on top of the brine can be removed, as long as the ferment still
smells sour and none of the cabbage was touched- the brine will be to acidic for this type of
mold to survive below the surface. If you encounter mold on the actual sauerkraut, a sweet,
rotting, non acidic odor, or mold any color but white (blue, black, orange) TOSS IT, and start
over.
Beet Kvass
You Need
1 gallon jar (flip top with a rubber seal or an old pickle jar work best)
3 beets
Non chlorinated water or water which has been boiled and allowed to cool to room temperature
1 tablespoon Sea salt
(Optional) ⅛ cup Starter culture
Method
Clean jar thoroughly .
Scrub the beets well to remove all dirt, but leave the skin in tact.
Chop into one inch- ish cubes, and place them in the jar. Sprinkle them with sea salt.
Pour in the water and using a non porous, non reactive spoon, stir well until all of the sea salt is
obviously dissolved in the water.
At this point, if you intend to use a starter,it is time to add it in. Many recipes use whey, but I
prefer the same starter used for sauerkraut, or leftover beet kvass from the last batch. It speeds
up the ferment and helps to stabilize it. If you’ve never fermented before I highly recommend it.
Cover the top of the jar with cheesecloth or a clean nylon pantyhose and allow it to sit covered,
away from the light for 3-4 days. It may begin to form a skin on top, which you can either ignore
or remove at the next step.
Screw on a tight lid and allow it to sit at room temperature for about a week, if it's hot out, maybe
3-4 days.
Refrigerate it for a day or two, at which point you can try some. It should be earthy and sour with
a little bit of fizz. It may need more time depending on whether or not you used a starter and the
ambient temperature in your home. If it doesn't smell or taste sour, after a total 2 week process,
definitely do not drink it. Acidity is the sign of proper bacterial processes in these recipes. It
should always be pleasantly sour, and not yeasty.
Be sure to save some to start your next batch.
(For an extra treat, take the beets out of the jar when you're finished, chop them up a bit more,
and use them to make a goat cheese and pickled beet salad, drizzled with olive oil, sea salt and
lots of black pepper. )
Nimue K.
Please follow her blog-
Ein Kluge Spise
