Hello everyone! Welcome to my Blog!
I thought I would start off by talking a little bit about food. As a gastroenterologist, I’m often asked what types of foods are good to eat. The old saying “an apple a day will keep the doctor away” certainly does have meaning and value. However, with our increasing awareness of digestion and how the 100 trillion bacteria, viruses, and fungi in our guts affect how we feel and what medical problems we can develop, we should consider other foods that can help us protect those microscopic organisms that are good, while fighting off those that are not.
Everyone wants to know which probiotics are good for you and which ones they should take. The important thing to remember is that overall diversity and balance are very important and key to helping maintain a healthy and happy environment in the gut. Fermented foods, like pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi, kombucha tea, and kefir are examples of some probiotics that help you do this the best. They have some of the best health effects, and they don’t come in a cardboard package you buy in the grocery store or pharmacy. A probiotic supplement may certainly be beneficial. However, if you have concern over costs and don’t like taking pills, think about introducing some of these probiotic foods into your diet.
How can a food be a probiotic? Well, all it means for a food to be a probiotic is that it contains active bacteria. Fermented foods are some of the best sources for this. These types of foods help keep the good bacteria in and help to keep the bad bacteria out. This is in the same manner as the probiotic supplements you might take.
There are proven health benefits of including fermented foods in your diet. They can help you lose weight and regulate your metabolism. We know that these foods help reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and even have the potential to reduce your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.
Not only can you buy these fermented foods in the grocery store, you can make them in your own home. This gives you the power to control your health and be proactive with staying healthy.
So, yes, a pickle a day could keep the doctor away. Just make sure it’s truly fermented!
Cheers to your health!
For more information, check out the following books, which were used as references. Both are both excellent:
The Gut Balance Revolution by Dr. Gerard Mullin
Super Genes by Dr. Deepak Chopra and Dr. Rudolph Tanzi
