Fermented Foods

Toxins are a cause of disease, and virtually all Americans are in a state of dangerous toxic overload. Even the most fastidious among us ingest, inhale and absorb health-damaging toxins daily.

Toxins are especially harmful to children, and high levels of industrial chemicals have been implicated in the rise of many childhood diseases, including autism spectrum disorder. Now estimated to affect 1 in every 68 children, autism has been linked with exposure to harmful chemicals, including in utero
Fermented foods are a wonderful addition to your family’s diet, especially for children with autism. Fermented foods are rich in good bacteria and have many supportive functions for good digestion and overall health.

Beneficial bacteria, the type found in fermented foods, help colonize the digestive tract. Replenishing these beneficial bacteria, also referred to as “probiotics,” is essential. However, most people (and particularly children) don’t eat enough of the foods that supply these beneficial bacteria and help them to thrive. Even though many children consume yogurt and a few families might include sauerkraut, these are not the traditional varieties our grandparents used to make. Instead, they are typically the commercial varieties that have been pasteurized and are devoid of these good bacteria.

HOW TO FERMENT GARLIC - YOUR NATURAL PRE-BIOTIC:

Peel enough garlic cloves to fill your jar, leaving an inch-and-a-half at the top. Next, fill the jar to within an inch of the top with a Himalayan saltwater brine. The proportions for the brine are 1/2 T. sea salt to each cup of chlorine-free water. Place a weight on top of the garlic to keep it submerged. I have a glass disk that I use, but a small plastic bag filled with water, or a scrubbed rock work as well. I then place my airlock on the jar. If you don’t have either an airlock lid, just place a regular canning lid on the jar, and release the built up gas every other day or so. Cover the jar with a cloth to keep out light, and leave on your countertop for about a week, then move to your refrigerator. Fermentation will continue in the refrigerator, although at a much slower pace. I find another few weeks in the refrigerator will ferment a nice mellow flavor.

Fermented vegetables are made with lactic acid bacteria, which is a valuable technique humans have been using for thousands of years. This preservation method has numerous health advantages. Fermented vegetables are rich in nutrients, fiber and digestion-enhancing enzymes. They also help the intestinal tract maintain a healthy balance of flora by increasing beneficial bacteria.

The simple and natural process of lactic acid fermentation now is being rediscovered, especially by those who are aware of the failures of the modern diet. One only has to observe health statistics briefly to become aware that the American diet must change if we are to live full and productive lives. The consumption of fermented vegetables addresses numerous dietary and health issues simultaneously.

You’re probably familiar with sauerkraut — it’s the most common fermented vegetable product. There are several reasons for sauerkraut’s popularity; consider its unique taste, legendary nutritional and medicinal properties and the ease with which it’s made.

Sauerkraut barely begins to tell the story of fermented foods — a story that repeats itself around the globe, from the pungent flavor of Korea’s kimchi to Tanzania’s fermented gruel, togwa.