LOCALadk Magazine
Issue link: https://localadkmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1417694
43 TRUST YOUR GUT Story by Wynde Kate Reese & Photography by Emilee Hazelden G R E E N G O D D E S S LOCALadk is common phrase has so much truth that it's difficult to ignore. We can all relate to that "gut feeling" we have when faced with a choice. We can likewise remember times when we didn't listen to our gut, only to realize we should've. When it comes to health, the gut is one of the first places our body tells us it's out of balance. And one of the best ways to return ourselves to homeostasis is to replenish our digestive tract with enzymes, vitamins, beneficial bacteria and yeast naturally occurring in our environment. e relationship between our external environment and internal health is complex. We are surrounded by billions of organisms in the air and soil that are essential to our survival, yet we can only utilize them when they are consumed in the form of food or beverage. We hinder our access to them by spending lots of time and money eradicating them with sanitizing substances in the name of cleanliness and health. However, this action results in an imbalanced external environment, which in turn creates an unhealthy internal one. We can correct this deficiency by regularly consuming fermented foods and beverages made with organic, seasonal produce grown in local soil. e process of food and beverage fermentation has been practiced for over 6,000 years, long before humans knew the scientific reasons for it. Some of the original incentives included food preservation and the vitality people experienced when they consumed them regularly. *Did you know that fermented sauerkraut has more naturally occurring vitamin C than any other food? Ancient sailing ships carried vats of sauerkraut to prevent scurvy (a fatal vitamin C deficiency). Every traditional culture in the world has some type of fermented food and beverage in their regular diet. In our modern world full of pasteurization and sterilization, we have lost much of our access to these beneficial organisms, resulting in more illness and weaker immunity. Here is one of my favorite fall recipes for a delicious and flavorful addition to any meal.