Homemade Sauerkraut

Basic Sauerkraut Recipe

Sauerkraut is an amazing two ingredient health elixir. Applying a bit of patience to a mixture of shredded cabbage and salt results in a lactobacillus rich condiment.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium head organic cabbage, cleaned, quartered and thinly sliced

• 1-1 1/2 Tablespoon salt per quart of shredded cabbage (I prefer sea salt.)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine the cabbage and salt. Thoroughly mix the ingredients with clean hands until the cabbage has softened and started to release some liquid.

2. Transfer the mixture to a clean 1 quart mason jar. (I like to use a wide mouth jar.) Pack the mixture into the jar using a spatula, clean hands or a muddler. Tamp the mixture firmly until the liquid released from the cabbage completely covers the mixture.

3. Apply a weight to the top of the cabbage mixture to keep the cabbage submerged in the brine. A smaller glass jar filled with water (like a 1 cup mason jar), a food safe plastic bag filled with water or a small dish work well.

4. Cover the jar with a clean dish towel and set it in a dark, cool corner of your kitchen. Check the sauerkraut every few days. If you see scum forming in the jar, remove it and wash the weight before replacing it.

5. Allow the sauerkraut to ferment between 4-14 days. A longer fermentation time will result in a more "sour" finished product. Taste the mixture periodically. When the mixture has reached the desired tartness, remove the weight, screw a lid on the jar and place the sauerkraut in the refrigerator. Enjoy a forkful daily as a gut supportive treat.

Once you have mastered this simple technique, experiment with adding veggies, herbs or spices to the mixture for additional flavor varieties.

Try some of the other easy ferments:
NATURAL FOODS FOR GUT HEALTH
PRESERVED LEMONS
HOMEMADE COCONUT YOGURT
SHOULD YOU BE TAKING A PROBIOTIC?

Preserved Lemons

Many people are using their quarantine time to create sourdough starters. I've opted for an easier fermentation project. Preserved lemons require only two ingredients, lemon and salt, but together pack a tangy and bright acidic punch for your meal. This secret trick to enhancing salad dressings, dips and marinades is rich in probiotics and vitamin C, both of which can help support your immune system. You can use preserved lemons in any recipe that you would use fresh lemons. Delicious!

🍋🍋🍋

Preserved lemons:

• 5 organic lemons

• 2 Tbsp salt

• Optional: 1-2 peppercorns and/or a few saffron threads

1. With clean hands, thinly slice 3 1/2 lemons. Remove the seeds and place them in a clean, small glass jar. Pour the juice of the remaining 1 1/2 lemons over the slices. Add the salt and stir. 

2. Place a smaller glass jar or similar object on top of the lemon slices to keep them submerged in the juice. (I place the lemons in a wide-mouth ball jar and place a smaller juice glass inside.)

3. Cover the jar(s) with a towel or cheese cloth for protection from dust. Let the jar sit on the counter away from direct sunlight for about 1 week. 

4. After 1 week, refrigerate and use the lemons as desired. Note that a little bit goes a long way.

Should you be taking a probiotic?

What is a probiotic?

The benefits of probiotics in food sources have been known for generations. Recently, new technologies have allowed them to be included in just about everything from drinks to cereal to skincare. They are defined as a microorganism that when consumed, maintains or restores beneficial bacteria to our digestive tract. Each of us have an extensive ecosystem of bacteria and fungi that live in our gut. These organisms, also collectively known as our microbiome, help us digest foods, regulate our immunity and even produce some nutrients among other essential functions. Things like high sugar diets, processed foods, lack of sleep and exposure to certain chemicals or medications can have a detrimental effect on this delicate balance, which can lead to digestive distress, altered mood  and the onset of illness.

When should probiotics be used?

Using probiotics for health benefits is not a new concept. Over a century ago, IIya Metchnikoff, a Nobel prize winner and member of the Pasteur Institute in France, hypothesized that ingesting good bacteria, such as those found in yogurt, could have a positive impact on human health. In 1899, Bifidobacterium in breast milk was linked to fewer diarrheal episodes in infants and in 1907, strains of Escherichia coli (E coli nissle 1917) were used to treat patients with shigellosis outbreaks. Today, we recognize that probiotics have multiple beneficial effects, including :

• Treatment and prevention of traveler’s diarrhea

• Treatment of infectious diarrhea in infants and children

• Treatment and prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea including clostridium difficile

• Management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

• Management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease

• Treatment and prevention of atopic dermatitis 

• Other potential benefits still being studied: cholesterol balance, blood sugar control, reduced tooth decay, and management of inflammatory autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis. 

How to pick a probiotic?

While fermented foods and other food sources can be found, pills are the most common form of supplementing with probiotics. Choosing which one is best for you should be done in consultation with an experienced health care provider. There are hundreds of types of bacteria that have been classified as probiotics. Different strains can have varying effects. Some medical studies suggest that specific strains can be used for different purposes, but in most cases scientists don’t know enough about that yet to make meaningful recommendations. Current research suggests that using multiple strains simultaneously may promote synergistic benefits by stimulating different cellular actions and biochemical pathways.

The most studied, recognized and utilized probiotics come from the genus Lactobacillus, genus Bifidobacterium or yeast strain Saccharomyces boulardii. Dosing of probiotic varies widely. Generally, 1-20 billion colony forming units (CFUs) is considered beneficial for everyday use in healthy people looking to optimize their gastrointestinal (GI) health. Higher doses (>100 billion CFUs) are often recommended for conditions like ulcerative colitis or other inflammatory bowel diseases. When looking for a probiotic, I recommend choosing a brand that includes a variety of Lactobaccillus and Bifidobacerimwith with a target dose 10-20 billion CFUs (or dose recommended by your healthcare provider). Depending on the manufacturing technique, probiotics may need to be refrigerated. However, high quality probiotics can be found in and out of the cooler section of health food stores. 

(If pills are not for you, read more about food sources of probiotics in this earlier post here.)

When to avoid probiotics?

Probiotics are generally considered safe. However, people with compromised immune systems or serious illness need to discuss the use of probiotics with their health care provider, as some may be harmful under rare circumstances. It is always best to consult with your doctor prior to starting probiotics or any new nutritional supplements. 

Talk with Relish Health for a personalized plan.

Good Mood Food

Do you dread people asking you “how are you today?” Do you say “fine” but secretly you are groggy or grumpy, or maybe just feeling down or in a bad mood? Anxiety and depression symptoms are common in American adults and can affect relationships, work, and overall health. While there are common pharmaceutical and counseling solutions which are appropriate, there is an additional area that you can easily control which also is a very powerful tool affecting your mood. Let’s look at food and its impact on your brain and your mood.

Our brains are composed of some of the hungriest cells in our body. They need consistent fuel and have specific nutrient needs. Study after study  has demonstrated that eating a nutrient-dense diet that is low in sugar (like a Mediterranean style diet) can prevent and even be used to help treat depression. A diet that is rich in “good mood foods” that include B vitamins, good fats and important minerals helps boost our brain’s ability to utilize serotonin and other feel-good brain chemicals.

Here are a few key nutrients that can help lift your mood, and where to find them in foods:

Omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential building blocks of our brains. In fact, our brains are comprised of nearly 60% fat! EPA and DHA fatty acids found in cold water fish are the fats that help protect our brain and lower inflammation. Good sources of omega-3 fats include salmon, sardines and anchovies. (Check out these salmon and sardine recipes for inspiration.)

B Vitamins

Your brain needs B vitamins to initiate many essential chemical reactions which help prevent depression and heighten the effects of antidepressants. In particular, B12, B6 and folate are necessary for nerve cell functioning. B12 is a vitamin that predicts how fast our brain shrinks as we age. One key approach to slowing this process is to maximize our absorption of vitamin B12 by keeping our stomach and gut healthy and eating foods that concentrate B12. Sources of many B vitamins include leafy greens, whole grains, nuts and seeds and lean meat. Vitamin B12 is only found in animal products. While clams, mussels and oysters provide an especially high concentration, you can also gain benefit by eating small servings of high quality pastured eggs and meats.

Fiber and probiotics

It’s been well-established that serotonin is a powerful chemical in our brain that influences our mood. Studies suggest that 60%-90% of serotonin is in our gastrointestinal system (our gut) which makes it directly affected by our microbiome (the colony of bacteria that lives in our gut.) So, a good mood requires keeping our gut be happy and healthy. Also, the microbiome helps regulate our immunity, helps us absorb our nutrients and even creates chemicals that communicate with our brain. Fiber feeds these beneficial bacteria that are so crucial to our guts’ proper function. Probiotic foods like kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi help create and balance a proper microbiome.

Vitamin D

A lack of vitamin D is associated with low mood, but also sub-optimal immunity. The best source of natural vitamin D is sunlight absorbed through the skin. However, if you have limited exposure to light, then taking a supplement may be helpful and is commonly necessary in the Midwest. Unfortunately, natural food sources of vitamin D are limited, and include sardines and cod liver oil. Those are probably not your first choices for dinner this week. Talk to your physician or Relish Health to gain a personal assessment of your level of vitamin D to customize a solution for you. 

Natural Allergy Relief

Spring has finally arrived in the Midwest. Seasonal allergies are a common complaint that affects an estimated 50 million people in the US. Symptoms can vary, but runny nose, itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, headaches and fatigue are commonly described and can impact your quality of life. 

Conventional treatment for allergies includes antihistamine medication and nasal sprays. These medications can offer symptomatic relief, but they do not solve the problem. They can can also come with unpleasant side effects like drowsiness and nausea; or in the case of nasal sprays, dependence. 

Allergic reactions occur when your immune system identifies a normally harmless substance as dangerous. In sensitized individuals, allergens in our environment such as pollen, trigger the production of IgE antibodies. These immune molecules cause release histamine and other allergy-mediating molecules, which lead to inflammation of the nasal airways and eyes, itching, swelling and mucus production. 

Common allergy symptoms include:

• Congestion

• Excess mucus production

• Sneezing

• Runny nose

• Itchy, watery eyes

• Scratchy throat

• Irritation in the ears

• Difficulty sleeping

• Irritability

• Hives

At Relish Health I approach allergies from a holistic perspective. There are a number of natural solutions to quiet symptoms and support your immune system through lifestyle, diet, gut health and inflammation control. Consider these strategies:

1. Get your diet on point

• Diet has a direct effect on immune system function. Nearly 2/3rd of our immune cells reside in our gut. Diet can directly affect the level of inflammation and histamine in our body. Oftentimes, allergic responses are exacerbated when our body is overloaded with triggers. Diet is an obvious place to start decreasing that burden.

• Eat as clean as possible. This means removing foods that are refined, processed or high in sugar. Choose organic where you can to reduce pesticide exposure.

• Based your diet on anti-inflammatory foods. This means eating a diet rich in fruits and veggies that provide fiber and antioxidants. These foods benefits our gut and immune function. Find dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids such as wild-caught salmon, flaxseed, or chia seed. Use herbs and spices liberally, since their content of anti-inflammatory compounds is especially dense.

• Add fermented foods like sauerkraut or kimchi to your diet for a natural dose of probiotic.

• Try an elimination diet. Dairy foods are mucus-producing for many people and can make allergy season that much worse. To decrease congestion, consider a full elimination of all dairy foods (including milk, cream, cheese, yogurt, etc.) for 30 days. Notice if any of your symptoms improve over that elimination period. After the 30 days, you can reintroduce it to see how dairy affects you.

• Stay hydrated. You should aim to consume about half your body weight (lbs) in fluid ounces, spread throughout the day. Proper hydration reduces the histamine response.

• Address potential food sensitivities.

• Familiarize yourself with foods that trigger oral allergy symptoms due to cross-reactivity with pollen from birch, ragweed, or grasses.

Need help with addressing your diet and gut health, schedule an appointment with Relish Health. 

2. Reduce your exposure to allergens

• You may have an urge to limit your time outdoors in order to find relief from your season allergies, but this is not a realistic, long-term solution.

• Use a neti pot: By flushing the nasal cavity with a gently warmed saline solution, you clear out allergens and loosen mucus. You can use a neti pot two to three times a week.

• Create a safe space: During periods of peak symptoms, keep the doors and windows of your home closed. Use an air conditioner and/or high-quality air filter to help reduce allergens in your home.

• Wash off: Showering before bed to remove allergens from your hair and skin can help reduce contamination of the bedding.

3. Have your vitamin D level checked

• Low vitamin D levels are associated with an increase in allergies. Consider taking a high-quality vitamin D supplement and increasing your exposure to sunlight to help decrease symptoms such as sneezing and nasal congestion. Vitamin D3 has been shown to naturally support immune system function, and strengthen respiratory health.

4. Add natural support

• There are a number of natural compounds in foods and herbs that can provide seasonal allergy symptom relief, including nettles, quercetin, bee pollen and honey.

• Nettles: The stinging nettle plant has been used for centuries to treat allergy symptoms. Nettle’s may reduce the amount of histamine that is produced by the body in response to an allergen. You can consume nettle as a tea or take it as a tincture.

• Quercetin: Quercetin is a flavonoid found in foods such as apples, broccoli, citrus, fennel and red onion. It’s also a natural antihistamine that works without the side effects of many medications. Start using quercetin regularly as soon as seasonal allergies hits in order to build up levels in the body and then continuing throughout the allergy season.

• Local bee pollen and raw honey: You can find bee pollen and raw honey at your local farmers market or health food store. Bee pollen has been shown to decrease the IgE mediated activation of mast cells, thereby dampening the allergic response. Local, raw honey acts similarly to a vaccine. By giving yourself a little dose of the local pollen through the honey, you allow your body to begin building a tolerance to the pollen and have a less severe allergic response. It’s best to start taking either honey or bee pollen daily at least six weeks before allergy season begins.

(Access to high quality nettle and quercetin products is available through the Relish Health online pharmacy.)

If your symptoms do not resolve with these strategies, there be more underlying factors at work. Schedule time with Relish Health, an allergist or your PCP for assistance. Targeted evaluation of nutritional and metabolic status through lab work and desensitization techniques can provide further options. 

FOODS TO AVOID IN ALLERGY SEASON