“I’ve been trying to tell you this for years. Your ‘bacon allergy’ is a lie your mother made up so that you’d eat healthy as a kid” ~How I Met Your Mother

So why do we react to pollens? Why do we have allergies in the first place?

 

If I told you it’s all about your gut, would you believe me?

 

The medical community is finally coming to realize the connection between the brain and gut health. In fact the majority of our immune system resides in the gut.

 

I could talk about all of the beneficial bacteria that live there, but I thought this time would be more fun if I showed you how to make your own beneficial bacteria…the kind you can eat.

 

Hope you like Sauerkraut, because here it comes…

– 1 head of a small red or white cabbage, grated (a food processor works great for this)
– 1 tablespoon pure sea salt (please don’t use regular table salt).  You can use more if it’s a large cabbage

 

1. Place the grated cabbage in a large glass or steel bowl.
2. Sprinkle with salt.
3. Massage the cabbage with your hands for several minutes.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for an hour.
5. Massage the cabbage again!
6. Cover again and let sit for about 4 hours.
7. Remove the cover. The cabbage should be somewhat softened and there should also be a good amount of liquid in the bowl.
8. Take a plate, or something similar that just fits into the bowl and place it on top of the cabbage. If you need to, transfer all of the contents to another container that will work – glass preferred.
9. Find something heavy that you can use as a weight.  Put this weight on top of the plate.  You want the item to be heavy enough so that the cabbage is completely submerged under the liquid.
10. Cover securely with some more plastic wrap and a lid (or something flat).
11. Let sit at room temperature for about 4 days. Take a peak every once in a while to make sure it’s still submerged. The liquid may even be bubbling a bit – that’s a good sign!

When it’s done, you can store it in the fridge indefinitely.
Make sure you have some every day.

 

Your gut will love you for it.

 

And if you don’t like sauerkraut, use another vegetable like carrots or beets instead. The recipe is flexible.

 

 

Did You Know?

• Read the book Brain Maker – it talks all about gut health.
• For those of you do not yet know, we’ve now ventured into skin and body care…check us out at Fresh From The Earth Body Care. It’s all pure and made by hand in small batches.