Indiana & Yoga Magazine Winter 2017 Issue 2 | Page 31

FOOD erkraut . No , I ’ m not talking about the gray stuff you heat up and serve with sausage . This sauerkraut consists of raw , fermented vegetables that have live probiotic organisms that populate the gut with good bacteria , which aid us with the digestive process . I discovered its power through an intuitive accident during a bout of insomnia . I had no problem falling asleep , but I used to wake up at 3 a . m . on a regular basis , feeling wide awake and unable to go back to sleep for at least 90 minutes to 2 hours . There are a variety of possible reasons for this type of insomnia , but in my case , I believe it was a combination of poor digestion and chronic stress , both of which contributed to the other . One of the side effects was my inability to produce a sufficient amount of GABA , a neurotransmitter that has a tranquilizing effect . GABA “ directly affects the personality and the stress management ,” among other things according to a 2012 article in the Brazilian Journal of Microbiology . One night , I reached for sauerkraut to discover that I fell back asleep more quickly . Time and time again , this seemed to work magic . While doing research , I learned that Lactic Acid Bacteria ( LAB ), which sauerkraut contains in abundance , is one of the major organisms that produce GABA . I had found a natural sleeping pill ! I continue to make my own sauerkraut regularly and consume it daily in small amounts . When I ’ m stressed , I reach for sauerkraut instead of sweets . Because fermented foods have been just as healing for my mind as my gut , I am able to stay on the yogic path more easily .
Joshua Henson of Indy ’ s Fermenti Artisan , a trained chef and fermentation workshop facilitator , has had a lifelong interest in food . “ Fermented food is a great gateway food for people reclaiming their health ,” he said . Henson claims to control his psoriasis through consuming fermented foods and eating clean . Many of his clients noted that consuming fermented foods helped them with anxiety and depression . Some connected fermented foods to healing health conditions such as diverticulitis . Henson has even heard “ Your food saved my life !”
But why not just take a probiotic pill ? It ’ s certainly easier . Henson explained that one quart of fermented vegetables has 10-100 times more live active probiotic organisms than your typical probiotic supplement . Also , due to the freeze drying process when making probiotic supplements , there is not only some loss of these beneficial organisms , but those that survive become dormant . The digestive system may not wake them back up . Sauerkraut , on the other hand , is a live food . Henson recommends a forkful with or right before a meal once a day if you are new to consuming fermented foods . Pay attention to how your body responds , and then try a forkful with every meal , increasing the “ dosage ” until you can eat as much as you want with no side effects .
When I work with clients who have very sensitive digestive systems or complex symptoms , I follow the same protocol . I always start clients with probiotic foods , particularly fermented vegetables , rather than kombucha , which can be too high in sugar for sensitive guts . There are many ways to incorporate it into the diet . Henson suggests consuming it with dried fruit . I love it as a salad topping or with some hemp seeds for an easy-to-digest probiotic snack that also contains protein and healthy fats in addition to the fiber from the vegetables . In her book , Body Ecology , Donna Gates recommends consuming it with organic blue corn chips .
While eating fermented foods can bring balance to the body and mind , there are deep philosophical implications as well . According to Erica Sonnenburg , researcher at Stanford University , “ By cell number , we actually have ten times more bacterial cells associated with our body than human cells , and we even have 100 times more bacterial genes associated with our collective genome than human genes , so both by cell number and by gene number , we are actually more microbial than we are human .” So the question is , are we humans hosting a huge number of bacterial cells , or are we an intricate constellation of bacterial cells having a human experience ? This is where food meets spirit . If we are more “ other ” than human in terms of the DNA in our bodies , where does the “ I ” really begin and end ? Can we really divide ourselves into human and “ other ?” Is there really a boundary between mind , body and spirit if foods that affect the body also affect the mind and spirit ? What kind of karmic debt do we owe when we consume harmful foods that damage these friendly microbes ? When we pay them the respect they deserve , they are more able to aid us in digestion , helping us to heal our bodies , increase our vitality , balance our emotions , and connect with our spirits . Since consuming fermented foods is one way to achieve harmony and union , sauerkraut can be a powerful tool in a yogi ’ s toolbox . ■
Easy Sauerkraut Recipe by Jennifer Malins
You will need :
Head of green cabbage
Sea salt
Ball jar
Directions :
1 . Buy a head of green cabbage at a local farmer ’ s market or pick it from your own garden . Make sure it is chemical free . Cut off stem and pull off a few of the outside leaves . Set aside .
2 . Chop or grate cabbage .
3 . Add sea salt . [ I ’ m not particular about salt measurements , so I add enough to be able to taste it without it being too salty .] Any kind of salt will do , but gray Celtic sea salt is considered best . [ I ’ ve successfully made kraut with both Herbamare and pink Himalayan salt .]
4 . Break down cabbage with your hands until it releases a good amount of water . You are going to ferment it in its own brine .
5 . Pack it down into a Ball jar and add the outside leaves and stem you set aside earlier to the top of the chopped cabbage . This will serve as a weight to help keep the kraut under water and thereby prevent mold .
6 . Screw on lid and place in area where temperature is consistent . I keep the jars in my basement for this reason .
7 . The first 3-4 days , unscrew the lids to release pressure and then re-tighten . Put a reminder on your phone so that you remember to do this . The kraut is very effervescent at this stage , which could result in it blowing its lid if you forget !
8 . After 10-14 days , it should be ready to eat , but you can taste it at various stages in the process to see if it ’ s ready . Discard outer leaves and stem . Will keep in fridge for months .
INDIANA & YOGA MAGAZINE ISSUE 2 29