Lactobactilli, the good guys!

Ah, microbes, we love you, we hate you.

Anyone with LYme is familiar with the constant microbial battle going on inside your body.  All those nasty bacteria try to outrun the good ones, leaving your immunity and digestion compromised.  Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about the benefits of probiotics.  They have become a bit of a trendy thing lately; they can be found in everything from cereal to protein bars to sugary juice to chewy chocolate snacks.  Truth is, the only way those probiotics are actually going to do you any good is if they are alive, and the less processed the source, the better.  Your boxed probiotic cereal just won’t cut it.

Live and active cultures are an important thing to include in a diet, especially if you have been on antibiotics or have compromised immunity.  Why?  Because the flora in your gut effects everything.  Beneficial lactobactilli bacteria help your body deal with all the bad bacteria appropriately, stimulating the immune system to react.  It also helps your body digest food and assimilate nutrients, and break down toxins.  If you are on antibiotics, it is clearing out ALL your bacteria, both good and bad, so it is important that you take steps to help restore good bacteria to your gut.  Otherwise yeast infections and Candida will take over, and your immune system and digestion will suffer.

While this is by no means a complete list of all the great sources of natural probiotics out there, here are some of the foods that I am most familiar with that provide loads of great bacteria.

DIETARY SOURCES OF LIVE & ACTIVE CULTURES

Probiotic supplements

Good for everyone to take, but very important if you are on antibiotics!!!  Probiotic supplements are available in powders or capsules.  Most commercial varieties – especially those that are shelf-stable and unrefrigerated – aren’t worth it.  Buy refrigerated varieties from reputable manufacturers. I have used a few brands, currently I take UltraFlora Dairy-Free Capsules by Metagenix, two in the morning and two at night before bed on an empty stomach.   Some people take them with food, some people take them on an empty stomach.


Kefir

If you tolerate dairy, kefir is a great choice.  It contains more bacteria than yogurt,as well as beneficial yeasts, and is often easier to digest. It has a thinner consistency than yogurt, and is more of a beverage. I have seen cow and goat kefirs available in stores.  Rather than go for flavored varieties that often include added sweeteners or other ingredients, you are best to choose organic plain, natural kefir, from animals that are antibiotic and hormone free.  If you don’t like the taste of plain kefir, you can add your own spices or a couple drop of plain or flavored liquid stevia.  If you eat pasteurized dairy, Lifeway Kefir is widely available in most grocery stores, and they make a wide variety of flavors, and Redwood Farms makes a delicious goat milk kefir.  If possible, however, kefir made from raw milk is best.  You can make your own kefir from pasteurized or raw milk using kefir starter cultures or kefir grains.

For sources for raw milk, yogurt, and kefir, check the Weston A Price Foundation campaign for Real Milk website.

For a good description of how to make your own kefir with kefir grains, see the Nourished Kitchen.


Yogurt

Everyone knows yogurt is good for them these days!   If you tolerate dairy, there are a variety of yogurts available: cow, goat, sheep, and even water buffalo.  Rather than go for flavored varieties that often include added sweeteners or other ingredients, you are best to choose organic plain, natural yogurt, from animals that are antibiotic and hormone free.  If you don’t like the taste of plain yogurt, add your own spices or a couple drop of plain or flavored liquid stevia.  .  If you are willing to eat pasteurized dairy, Stoneyfield Farm makes very good yogurt.  But if possible, yogurt made from raw milk is best.  For sources for raw milk, yogurt, and kefir, check the Weston A Price Foundation campaign for Real Milk website.

Making your own yogurt is very easy, and an excellent choice if you have a source for high-quality milk.  SEe a step by step guide here.  You can also make other types of cultured milk products with the proper starter cultures – see Cultures for Health for all sorts of options!


Dairy-free yogurt and kefir products (soy, rice, coconut) – DAIRY FREE

There are a number of dairy-free yogurt and kefir products on the market made from rice, soy, and coconut.  WHile these do provide live and active cultures, they are also highly processed, full of other additives, thickeners, and stabilizers, and often include large amounts of added sweeteners.  While these work as yogurt/kefir substitutes in recipes and may be helpful from time to time, there are much better food options out there for non-dairy live cultures.


Young Coconut Water Kefir – DAIRY FREE

Fresh young coconut water that has been cultured with kefir grains. Excellent if you are dairy intolerant.  The coconut kefir movement was pushed by Donna Gates of the Body Ecology Diet, read here for more information.  Not only is it full of beneficial bacteria, it is also supposed help cleanse the liver, tonify the intestines, and be a good source of electrolytes. I just learned how to butcher young coconuts, and hope get my hands on some coconut kefir starter soon to try making my own coconut kefir.

Water Kefir – DAIRY FREE

In its most basic form, it is water that has been cultured with kefir grains and organic raw sugar.   I just started brewing my own, and it is very good. It is lightly carbonated, sweet, and totally versatile – you can flavor it a million ways!  The kefir grains eat up the sugars and leave a tasty beverage loaded with probiotics. once I become more well-versed in teh ways of water kefir, I will be posting a how-to on my blog.  Until then, read more about it here. the only way to make it is with special water kefir grains; you can order grains from Cultures for Health, a great source for starter grains and cultures, or try to find them through a culture swap or a friend who has grains (they multiply and you can divide and share them!).


Kombucha – DAIRY FREE

Kombucha is a naturally fermented tea that is a great source of beneficial bacteria.  It is fizzy and carbonated, with a slightly sour flavor.  It is fermented using a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts), also known as a mother,  which is this weird translucent brownish blob.   As long as the SCOBY has a source of sugar to feed on, it will do its thing – so kombucha is brewed using tea and sugar.  The sugar is eaten during the fermentaiton process, during which the carbonation and beneficial bacteria are produced.  Kombucha can be purchased at stores (G.T.’s is a very popular brand ) in a variety of flavors, and can be made at home with a little know how and the right equipment.

People with significant mold or yeast sensitivies may react to kombucha.  It also contains trace amounts of alcohol.  If you are very sensitive, be careful with kombucha, and introduce it to your diet gradually to test for tolerance.

You can make it at home using a SCOBY, tea, and sugar.  Find a SCOBY on Cultures for Health or see if you can get one from a friend who brews.


Miso – DAIRY FREE

Miso is used in Japanese cuisine as a seasoning, and is traditionally made from soybeans and rice fermented with koji culture, a special type of mold.  While most varieties are soy-based, South River Miso also makes excellent soy-free varieties from chickpeas and azuki beans.  Miso has an earthy, salty flavor, varying from mild and sweet to strong and robust, depending on the length of fermentation and the ingredients used.

  • Miso should never be boiled or heated in a microwave for ultimate benefit.
  • If adding to soups or warm sauces, add at the end of cooking and heat just enough to warm through.  Dissolve the paste in a small amount of liquid and add to larger batch.
  • Add to salad dressings.
  • I like a blob mixed with hot water for a nourishing warm drink.
  • Use in place of butter on bread, crackers, vegetables, or corn on the cob


Raw sauerkraut & other lacto-fermented/cultured vegetables – DAIRY FREE

Naturally cultured, or lacto-fermented, vegetables are full of good lactobacilli bacteria and enzymes that can help restore proper gut flora, increasing immune system function and regulating digestion.  While fermenting things naturally facilitaties the growth of yeasts and bacteria, they are different yeasts that are better-tolerated and can actually help restore proper bacterial balances in the body.  Yeast-sensitive individuals and people with overgrowth conditions can often tolerate lacto-fermented vegetables in moderation.  Eating real, raw sauerkraut is one way to do this. Cabbage is naturally antibacterial, and when fermented, is a powerful tool in regulating healthy gut bacteria.  In addition to cabbage, many other vegetables can also be fermented for the same benefit.  Naturally occurring lactic acid In order to make sure your sauerkraut has live cultures, buy refrigerated, jarred varieties of sauerkraut or other fermented vegetables (not canned or processed), or make it yourself at home.It is easy to ferment your own veggies, and much more affordable.  All you need are jars, water, salt, and vegetables, no vinegar necessary!  I love making cultured veggies. It is super easy, and so good for you.

Recipes:

There are also vegetable culture starters available if you want to add an extra bacterial boost to your vegetables – I’ve never used them, but some people swear by them.


Fermented nut/seed yogurts and cheeses – DAIRY FREE

Raw nuts and/or seeds that have been soaked, blended, and allowed to ferment.  The naturally occurring bacteria kills the rancidity, creating a tart and tangy fermented paste similar to thick yogurt or cheese, and full of good bacteria.  It is full of live and active culture.  Works very well with cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.  This is a very easy to digest way to eat nuts and seeds, since the bactera starts to break down the protein and fats and makes the nutrients very easy to assimilate.  This stuff is an acquired taste – I like it, but it is a bit tart!

Basic Yogurt/Cheese Recipe:

  • 1 – 1 1/2 cup raw seeds or nuts (sunflower, pumpkin, cashew, almond, sesame, macadamia, hemp)
  • 1 tsp miso
  • 1 cup water

method 1: Grind the nuts/seeds until powdery fine in a high powered blender or coffee grider.  Blend 1 cup of water with the nut powder, then add remaining water and miso and blend well.  Place in a jar, cover with a towel, and let sit on teh counter for 8 hours.  If more tartness is desired, ferment up to 20 hours.

method 2: soak the seeds or nuts in 2-3 cups water for 4-6 hours, then drain.  Place in blender with miso and 1 cup of fresh water, and blend until smooth.  Place in a jar, cover with towel, and let ferment for 8 hours, or as long as 20.

For both methods, you can spoon thickened “cheese” off the top, and save the liquidy whey for salad dressings, or mix it together.  Use the cheese as is, or strain through cheesecloth for something thicker.  Refrigerate leftovers.

Recipe adapted/combined from Healing with Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford, and Vibrant Living by Natalie Cederquist and James Levin, M.D.


Other sources of live beneficial bacteria:


INTRODUCING CULTURED FOODS TO YOUR DIET

Start slow! Your body will need to adjust, especially if you have yeast imbalances.  Too much fermented food can irritate Candida and other yeast imbalances, so the key is to not overdo it.  I’ve read that ideally, you should try to eat something fermented everyday, if not with every meal.  Fermented foods needn’t be eaten in large amounts, small amounts at each meal will suffice, and will actually help you digest your food.  For example, drink a small cup of miso before a meal, use cultured vegetables on a salad, add sauerkraut to soup, or have a glass of kombucha or kefir for an afternoon treat.  Try using fermented seed cheeses as a dip for raw vegetables, or as a spread for your favorite GF crackers or muffins.

After a couple of weeks of including these probiotic foods in your diet, you should hopefully notice improved digestion, and perhaps even strengthened immunity.  Will it make your Lyme go away?  NO, not directly. But supporting good bacteria will help strengthen your immune system, support the detoxification process, and improve digestion, allowing you to gain more nourishment from your food and assimilate more of those much needed vitamins and minerals!  It will also help keep those nasty bacteria at bay, reducing the risk of developing Candida/yeast imbalances and yeast infections.

SOURCES OF STARTER CULTURES & KEFIR GRAINS

MORE INFORMATION:

A FINAL THOUGHT

“Support bacteria – they’re the only culture some people have.” -Steven Wright

xoxo,

Kim || www.affairsofliving.com