Respectful Vigilance HC

Probiotics can be a hot health topic, especially when it comes to digestive health. Many of us know that there are bacteria in our digestive systems. There are supposedly good bacteria and bad bacteria. Those that help us, and those that harm us. There are so many topics we could take from here, but we will stay close to target on this one. As the name suggests, we do not want bad bacteria. Sometimes it is more about balance than anything.

Enter “probiotics.” There are many probiotic supplements on the market. There are also many opinions and theories as to which is best and why to take this and that. It is the opinion of Respectful Vigilance HC that the best and most cost-effective way to get probiotics and enzymes on a regular basis to aid in our digestive health is to consume what are called “fermented foods and drinks.” Often times historically, cultures will have found or created their own versions of these foods. Some examples could include sauerkraut, some fermented dairy products, kombucha teas, kimchi, miso, and many others. A little clarification is in order here. In order for these products to be truly effective, they must be RAW and UNPASTEURIZED. If the product has been heated to high temps, a lot of the healthy aspects of the product has been lost. You are basically just consuming whatever is cooked at that point.

Why do I recommend these types of foods? There are many reasons.

1. They are effective, and time tested.
2. They are the most economical. Some high-quality probiotic supplements can be quite expensive.
3. They can be purchased or created in the kitchen.

So what is the bottom line here?

Probiotic supplements in the form of fermented foods and drinks have historically been found in many cultures. Even before the scientific data came out, they intuitively believed and understood the value that these things brought. That being said, there is a dose like any other supplement. What that dose is will vary from person to person. Listen to how it feels after taking them. More is not always better. The best advice that I could give would be to experiment with small amounts of different foods or drinks and find out what works best for you. It is more about regularity than consuming a large amount at any one time. My personal favorites are kombucha and fermented coconut yogurt, although spicy kimchi would probably be a close third due to its other spicy and medicinal properties. Again, these products need to be raw in order to get the benefits. This means that you either have to find unpasteurized products in a store or create them yourself. There are many books and articles on how to create your own fermented foods.

Probiotic foods and drinks are an important and welcome part of gut health programs. Soon, I will do an article on gut health, and we can zoom out a bit to enter the different elements of that.

-Joe