Probiotics!

I want to talk to you about bacteria.

In my quest to learn more about nutrition, one of the earliest things I learned (aside from the obvious "eat more fruits and veggies") was that I felt a lot better when I ate yogurt on a regular basis.  Here in the Bay Area we are fortunate enough to have a wonderful dairy called Straus Family Creamery in Marin County that makes the absolute BEST yogurt I've ever tasted in my life.

I am very fortunate to not have any real signs of dis-ease.  I have some mild lactose intolerance, and carry a few extra pounds, but otherwise I've always been pretty healthy.  No food allergies.  No digestion issues.  No sleep problems.  Even so, I started to notice the difference I felt in my own well-being was marked with regular yogurt consumption.  I started looking into why this was so, and began learning more and more about probiotics.

According to medicinenet.com:

Our digestive system normally has what we would call "good" bacteria and "bad" bacteria. Maintaining the correct balance between the "good" bacteria and the "bad" bacteria is necessary for optimal health. Things like medications, diet, diseases, and your environment can upset that balance.

Probiotics are these "good" bacteria, and they are crucial for correcting the gut balance upset by factors listed above.  "Optimal health" means improved brain function, digestion, immunity, sexual health, etc.  Basically, almost any indicator of health can be improved by the consumption of probiotics, and the good news is that they are easy to come by.

Yogurt, especially REAL yogurt like what Straus produces, without any fillers, thickeners or preservatives, is chock full of beneficial bacteria from 4 different strains (most commercial yogurts only have one or two).  This is great, but there's something even better!  There is a mysterious substance called kefir that actually has more like 10 (or more) different strains of beneficial bacteria to improve your gut health.  It can be found commercially in health food stores and some specialty chains such as Whole Foods, with the most common brand being Lifeway.  It can also be made at home at a fraction of the cost, and is so simple--much simpler than yogurt.  We'll talk more about that in a future post.

Probiotics don't need to come from dairy.  Kombucha has its own types of beneficial bacteria and yeasts, and lacto-fermented vegetables (try Bubbies!) also have huge amounts of the good bugs.

In addition to the bacteria we've already talked about, probiotics also have much higher quantities of vitamins like vitamins C and the B-complex than the cultured/fermented products had in their original state!

I'll be talking more about my experience with various types of fermentation, as well as the various kinds of commercial probiotics, but I wanted to give a very brief introduction so you don't think I'm entirely crazy!

If a smoothie doesn't have any fruit, is it still a smoothie?

With age often come pounds!  Well, in my case, the pounds came onto my skinny high schooler frame in college, and I've been battling them ever sense.  I'm not much of a proponent of specific dieting plans.  Having said that, several years ago, before I knew much about nutrition, I lost about 20 pounds following the South Beach Diet.  Knowing what I know now, it wasn't such a bad "plan!"  The idea was basically to avoid highly processed starches, which is sound nutritional advice.  The weight creeped back on, and I lost most of it about a year ago by simply cutting out sugar and white carbs other than potatoes, which are a whole food and should not be villainized.

But like many dieters (ugh I hate that word!), I've stalled.  So I'm re-embarking on South Beach, dreaded almost-carb-free Phase 1 and all.  I have to say, with my generally lower-sugar eating habits these days, it is so much easier!  When I cut out fruit and starch in 2004, I was light headed, woozy, cranky, and lots of other bad things.  This time, I feel great!

So what to eat?  My "normal" breakfast is oatmeal, but that's temporarily out.  I'm also fairly lazy in the breakfast arena, at least on work days, so I need something quick and simple.  Enter the smoothie.

But don't smoothies have fruit??  Not this one!  I've been hearing a lot about "Green Monster"-type smoothies, but those usually involve a banana or some other fruit.  So I endeavored to create one that doesn't have fruit but still has enough sweetness to be palatable.

My version is kefir based (probiotics!), with a touch of vanilla extract and kombucha for the idea of sweetness (and more probiotics!).  I also add some cinnamon, cocoa powder, and peanut butter for good fats.  Then comes the greens!  I include a serving of Deep Green superfood, and a couple handfuls of spinach or whatever other leafy green I have on hand.  Flip on the blender to break the spinach down, then add ice to create some bulk and texture, and voila!  A totally palatable, fruit-free green smoothie!

I'm going to spare you a photo--it's not pretty!  Between the greens and the peanut butter...yeah.  But it works and is quite filling!

My next plan: same idea, but with Berry Radical (once it's not sold out anymore...), and switching the peanut butter for coconut oil.  Stay tuned to how that works--I've yet to be able to add coconut oil to anything cold without it clumping!

Edited to add nutritional info:

• Servings Per Recipe: 1
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 281.4

• Total Fat: 12.7 g
• Cholesterol: 10.0 mg
• Sodium: 314.4 mg
• Total Carbs: 23.5 g
• Dietary Fiber: 6.9 g
• Protein: 24.0 g

Introducing Red Porch Co. and Miessence Certified Organic Products

I've been working on developing my own body balms and lotions and such, made from organic, food grade ingredients. Well, it was a major flop! I just don't have the money or chemistry know-how to undergo the product development. The good news is that I have found a company that has already done all that work for me, and manufactures products that I feel proud to attach my name to. Please "like" Red Porch Co. on Facebook to get all the information about Miessence and organic skin care products that are so pure you could eat them.  You can also visit my Miessence page here for product descriptions and ordering info.  As time goes by, I'll be highlighting various products here and providing more information about how they fit into my life.

This blog will continue to highlight ideas, recipes, and products to support a "nourishing" life.  I feel strongly that Miessence products fit in superbly with this lifestyle!

Transitions

Well, it's been a minute, hasn't it?  Much has happened since my last post.  I've moved.  Twice.  I've gotten a dog.  I've been laid off.  I've finished my MBA.  I've found my dream job, only to have it break my heart.  I've also made some discoveries along the way of what it means to ME to have a nourished life, and in the spirit of friendship and goodwill, I'd like to share them with you.

Examples:
3 cheers for cultured foods!  We will soon be discussing such wonders as kombucha, kefir, cultured vegetables, and homemade sodas!

Backyard chickens.  You might not think this results in adventures and entertainment, but you would be wrong.

Life lessons as taught by an adorable and sweet-natured though very poorly behaved dog.

Homemade skin care to avoid all the nasty stuff found in most commercial products, and what happens when you take them to warm climates.

So come on in, put up your feet, have a cup of tea, and let's chat.