Blue Monday – a day that is supposed to symbolise the most depressing day of the year. Mid-January where for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere (where Kefir originated in Russia) are short, with little sunlight, cold climate and the after effects of Christmas both emotionally and financially, January can be a tough month.

How apt then that my first blog post is on a day highlighting a struggle many of us deal with and the main reason i was initially interested in Cultured Foods.

When i first tried Kefir, for no reason other than it looked nice and i fancied eating something tangy and dairy based – i noticed after a few days the overwhelming sense of energy and calm I was feeling. I was neither tired nor anxious for the first time in years! I googled Kefir and was amazed at the sheer amount of information and known health benefits attributed to its consumption. I had no idea when i first tried it! This led me to learn far more about Probiotics and their many different impacts on health and well being. Sharing with friends and family, I am constantly inspired to spread the word on how Pro and Pre biotics can make you a much healthier and happier person.

There is more and more research being completed on gut and brain connection. The production of serotonin within the digestive tract is up to 90%. This means that changes in your gut microbiome has a direct impact on your behaviour. A Google of the ‘Gut Brain Connection’ provides many articles for further reading. Here is a summary of the known effects of Probiotics on Human Health.

Bad bacteria stomach bacteria can be the root cause of a bad mood, anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue and many more on-going debilitating condition. Focusing on a healthier gut you can see why so many different issues can be significantly improved.

So… why Kefir? It is a natural food source, a great way to start you on your initial discovery into how much your stomach impacts your daily life. You can take Probiotics as a supplement, however you don’t know how fresh or alive the supplement is.

Eating food that tastes great and makes you well is a great way to live. I would far rather eat a cultured cheesecake, drink a smoothie, eat prebiotic vegetables in a salad than take a tablet every day. The satiety, blood sugar balancing, vitamin and mineral rich contents of making your own probiotics is undoubtedly the best way to better health.

 

A zingy fermented milk drink, kefir is similar to a thin natural yoghurt.

The milk is fermented with Kefir grains using organic, non-homogenised whole milk from pasture fed Cows.

Kefir has many more naturally occurring probiotics than yoghurt, a simple delicious whole food essential for good tummy flora.