Group Wellness Program 60-DAY

THE LIFE that lives inside you

No man is an island We have ten times more bacteria in us and on us than body cells. Around 60 percent of the dry mass of feces is bacteria. Having the right bacteria in our guts rather than the wrong bacteria therefore can make a profound difference to our health. Most North Americans suffer from dysbiosis. This means that there is too little ‘friendly’ bacteria in the gut and too much pathogenic bacteria, which leads to ill health. Allergies, poor immunity, autism, hormonal imbalances, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), colon cancer and many other health problems are all thought to be linked with dysbiosis. Good gut health is the foundation of good health.

No man is an island

Think of your body as being a lake. Your gut is the stream that feeds the lake, starting at the mouth and ending at the anus. If the stream has the wrong things in it, the lake will become polluted.

No man is an island

It is the same with our bodies. There are many aspects to good gut health, including eating the right fibrous foods and so on, but having the right bacteria in our gut is crucial. Foul-smelling stool is a sign of dysbiosis, since it indicates excessive amounts of putrefactive bacteria – the type that makes food rot.

No man is an island

Our stool should be mainly fermented by fermentative bacteria – the type you get in yogurt. The bacteria you get in yogurt and various other strains are the ‘friendly’ bacteria which are good for our health. Eating fermented foods or taking supplements provides us with these types of bacteria. The people who live in the Hot Spots eat fermented foods regularly.

No man is an island

When researchers analyzed the stool of people aged years old in Bama they found that it contained from 53 to 87 percent of the probiotic bifidobacterium, significantly more than elderly Chinese from other districts. This was attributed to their intake of fermented foods and their diets rich in plant fiber which provides fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) which friendly bacteria like to live off. Avocados, Jerusalem artichokes and bananas are all high in FOS.

The benefits of fermented foods Adding friendly bacteria to foods in order to ferment them originated as a way of preventing them from spoiling, but it has the added benefits of giving them a stronger flavor and enriching their nutrient content. In addition proteins, carbohydrates and fats are partially broken down which makes fermented foods easier to digest. When milk is turned into yogurt or cheese, much of the lactose is broken down, making these products more digestible than milk, especially for the lactose-intolerant among us.

The benefits of fermented foods

Common fermented foods Pickled vegetables Pickled vegetables are marinated in vinegar or salt water which preserves them and causes them to ferment in the presence of probiotics. Capers, olives, artichokes, mushrooms, umeboshi plums and cabbage are all good for pickling. Capers are revered for their health properties in Symi, while pickled cabbage, also known as sauerkraut, was fed by Captain Cook to his sailors to prevent scurvy, and used by Genghis Khan to keep up the energy levels of his plundering hordes. Mass-produced versions of pickles are not traditionally fermented, but some specialist delicatessens and health food shops supply them made this way. Try to avoid products which are very salty and limit your intake of any salty pickled foods.

Common fermented foods Soy products Traditionally fermented soy products include miso, tempeh, fermented tofu and traditionally-brewed soy sauce. Fermenting soy products makes them much more digestible than modern processed soy products, which are an invention of the West and are not eaten by long-lived Japanese or Chinese populations such as the Okinawans or people of Bama.

Common fermented foods Sprouted foods Sprouted beans, grains or seeds such as sprouted alfalfa or mung beans have been broken down by probiotics by soaking them in water, which opens them up and gets them sprouting. Sprouted bread, also known as essene bread, is also available in some health food shops and is popular in Hunza. The sprouting process greatly increases the content of the vitamins, minerals, amino acids, essential fatty acids and enzymes present. For example, vitamin B2 increases by 2000 percent, folic acid by 600 percent and vitamin C by 600 percent in some sprouted foods.

Common fermented foods Sprouted foods Sprouting also increases the bioavailability of nutrients, makes grains and beans more digestible (and thus less gas-forming), and reduces the content of anti-nutrients such as phytic acid which inhibit our absorption of minerals such as iron and zinc in these grains. Another remarkable property of sprouts is that they contain the nucleic acids RNA and DNA which are necessary for healthy cell division and thus may protect against cancer. Sprouted seeds are available in health food shops and farmer’s markets or can be easily made at home in a sprouting jar. Add to salads and stir-fries to make them more filling and nutrient-rich. Sprouts are also in Akea Essentials.

Common fermented foods Sourdough bread Sourdough rye and wheat breads are made with dough which is slowly fermented, usually with a combination of yeast and the probiotic lactobacillus sanfranciscensis. These types of bread are much more digestible than modern fast-rising loaves which use industrial yeast and chemical enhancers and additives. In addition, some of the gluten is broken down so it is less likely to cause indigestion in gluten-intolerant people.

Common fermented foods Yogurt/kefir Yogurt and kefir are fermented milk. Variations of these are home- made and eaten in the Mediterranean Hot Spots, Nicoya and Hunza. Yogurt contains lower lactose levels than milk as well as probiotics, so is a healthful alternative and may be digestible for those who cannot digest milk. Crème fraiche and soured cream also contain beneficial probiotics when traditionally fermented.

Common fermented foods Cheese Traditionally-fermented cheeses such as feta, parmesan and pecorino contain probiotics. If you want to eat cheese, choose high-quality matured cheeses which have been made in a traditional way rather than processed cheese, and enjoy it in small quantities only.

Cautions If you have candida you may want to use caution as fermented foods contain yeasts and molds and, while these are unlikely to cause candida, the body may be sensitive to them. Fermented foods such as capers, olives and umeboshi plums can be very high in salt. If you are on a low-salt diet, keep these to a minimum. Cheese and wine are high in histamines and should be avoided or limited by those who are intolerant to them.

The power of probiotics Probiotics repel and kill pathogenic bacteria such as e. coli – over 73,000 people are infected with e. coli every year in the United States, leading often to hospitalization and sometimes death. Probiotics can also kill shigella, clostridia and salmonella by releasing substances such as lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide and selective antibiotics. They keep candida away by occupying the space on the gut wall. They help break down nutrients so we can absorb them more easily. They protect the intestinal lining so that food allergies are less likely and nutrients are better-absorbed.

The power of probiotics They keep our immune systems strong – about half of our immune cells are in our intestines. They make B vitamins – important for energy and brain/nervous system health. They manufacture essential fatty acids. They aid absorption of vitamins and minerals. They produce enzymes such as protease, lipase and lactase to break down foods. They produce butyric acid, required for building colon cells.

The power of probiotics They produce anti-tumor, anti-viral and anti-fungal substances. They neutralize toxins produced in the body. They neutralize nitrites (which can cause cancer) in the digestive tract. They aid peristalsis (the movement of the gut muscles for stool elimination). They get rid of excess cholesterol by breaking down bile. They regulate cytokines so as to reduce inflammation.

Do you have enough friendly bacteria? If you are a North American, probably not. Other reasons why you may not have enough probiotics: – If you have eaten a diet low in plant foods – If you have had courses of antibiotics (these kill the good bacteria as well as the bad bacteria) – If you have eaten a lot of sugar and meat regularly – If you drink chlorinated waterIf you have taken oral contraceptive pills – If you have suffered from chronic stress – If you drink a lot of alcohol – If you take many long-haul flights In order to play host to probiotics, you need to create the conditions they like and ingest more of them in the first place.

Make your gut a welcoming home Eat more fermented foods. Take probiotic supplements from time to time. Look for quality products with a high number of organisms per dose and check with the manufacturer if in doubt. Akea Essentials contains probiotics at 3 million organisms per scoop. Eat plant foods rich in plant fibers which provide fructo- oligosaccharides (FOS), which beneficial bacteria feed off. Avocados, bananas and Jerusalem artichokes are especially high in FOS. Avoid foods and activities which repel friendly bacteria.

ACTIVITY: Do 3 things this week to raise your level of gut health

NEXT WEEK: it’s how you eat