9 Sneaky Hacks to Add More Fermented Foods to Your Diet

We hear it all the time: Eat more fermented, traditional foods. But how? There is only so much yogurt a person can eat. Eating more fermented foods is hugely important, but it’s not always as easy as it sounds.

WHY EAT FERMENTED FOODS?

Sure, you could just pop a pill. But that’s not the only reason to eat fermented foods.

Traditionally fermented foods are rich in diverse, healthy bacteria strains, yes. But the fermentation process also breaks down foods and makes the nutrients much easier for your body to digest and absorb. In fact, they are among some of the most healthful foods out there for your gut, brain, and waistline.

But you don’t need to just scoop boring plain yogurt onto everything. There are plenty of creative ways to add more fermented foods into your diet. Here are a few sneaky hacks to give you a leg up.

1. EAT MORE YOGURT AND KEFIR.

Yes, this is the most obvious, least sneaky hack.

Unsweetened yogurt and kefir are great staples for breakfast, sauces, smoothies, and nourishing snacks. Just be sure not to heat yogurt when you’re using it in recipes, as that can kill the beneficial bacteria.

Whether you’re a fan of grass-fed dairy or you prefer vegan alternatives, yogurt is an important, affordable, traditional food you should be incorporating on the daily. Almond, coconut, and cashew milk yogurts are becoming more and more popular, but it’s also pretty easy to make your own at home. 

2. ADD SAUERKRAUT (AND KIMCHI!) ON TOP OF EVERYTHING.

And I mean everything; salads, soups, sandwiches, even breakfast sandwiches. You could even top your tempeh with it for a double probiotic benefits.

Sauerkraut and kimchi are so rich and flavorful, they are an easy condiment to become addicted to.

My personal favorite fermented kraut is a Gochu Curry Kraut that I get locally. It is so flavor-packed, I put it on literally every meal. Homemade ramen, stir-fry, eggs, sandwiches, tempeh, you name it. It’s a complete game changer. 

3. USE LACTO-FERMENTED HOT SAUCES AND SALSAS.

If you can find lacto-fermented hot sauces and salsas, these are a great way to up your probiotic intake. If not and you’re up for a project, it’s actually pretty easy  and cheap to ferment salsas and sauces on your own at home.

4. USE MISO IN YOUR SAUTES AND STIR FRYS.

Putting a spoonful of this flavorful, gut-healing paste is a win for your tastebuds and your stomach. It has so much more potential than just plain old miso soup.

5. INCORPORATE PICKLES INTO YOUR BURGERS, SANDWICHES, AND TACOS.

And I am not just talking about regular supermarket pickles. Vinegar-based pickles do not boast the same properties as traditionally fermented pickles.

I’m talking brine-soaked carrots, onions, peppers, and, yes, cucumbers. These are all easy to make at home, and naturally fermented pickles are a great way to get more good bacteria in your diet.

6. EAT SOURDOUGH.

That’s right, sourdough bread is loaded with probiotics. In fact, if you’re only mildly gluten-sensitive, you may be able to tolerate sourdough without any adverse reactions.

This is because the lengthy fermentation process needed to create true sourdough actually decreases the amount of the gluten protein and improves the digestibility of the grains. If you eat bread, help out your gut and choose sourdough.

7. SAVE THE BRINE.

Yep, those homemade pickles have a dual use. Toss the leftover pickle brine into homemade salad dressings or use it in place of vinegar in a veggies stir fry.

Pickle brine is flavorful, rich in good bacteria, and a great way not to waste all the precious liquid. I mean, you could be a badass and take straight brine shots, but that’s not sneaky at all.

8. REPLACE YOUR SODAS WITH KOMBUCHA.

And forget about soda water in cocktails. Think of how much tastier (and healthful) your indulgences will be with a splash of kombucha in the glass. Not only does kombucha contain healthy probiotics, it’s lower in sugar than traditional sodas.

That being said, avoid drinking kombucha all day, every day. It still contains a bit of sugar. But if you’re going to be drinking something sweet, kombucha is a much healthier bet than any other carbonated drinks.

9. MAKE YOUR OWN QUICK FERMENTS.

Want to make fermented ketchup or salsa? Break a probiotic capsule into the jar of sauce, let it sit at room temperature overnight, and viola! You’ve enriched your favorite condiments with healthful, good bacteria.

You can also make a cultured vegan cream by soaking raw cashews and the contents of one high quality probiotic capsule in water overnight. Sure, it’s not traditional, but it’s a great way to increase the probiotic content of your capsules (since you are essentially feeding the bacteria and causing them to multiply) and enrich your favorite foods.

9 Sneaky Hacks to Add More Fermented Foods to Your Diet

We hear it all the time: Eat more fermented, traditional foods. But how? There is only so much yogurt a person can eat. Eating more fermented foods is hugely important, but it’s not always as easy as it sounds.

WHY EAT FERMENTED FOODS?

Sure, you could just pop a pill. But that’s not the only reason to eat fermented foods.

Traditionally fermented foods are rich in diverse, healthy bacteria strains, yes. But the fermentation process also breaks down foods and makes the nutrients much easier for your body to digest and absorb. In fact, they are among some of the most healthful foods out there for your gut, brain, and waistline.

But you don’t need to just scoop boring plain yogurt onto everything. There are plenty of creative ways to add more fermented foods into your diet. Here are a few sneaky hacks to give you a leg up.

1. EAT MORE YOGURT AND KEFIR.

Yes, this is the most obvious, least sneaky hack.

Unsweetened yogurt and kefir are great staples for breakfast, sauces, smoothies, and nourishing snacks. Just be sure not to heat yogurt when you’re using it in recipes, as that can kill the beneficial bacteria.

Whether you’re a fan of grass-fed dairy or you prefer vegan alternatives, yogurt is an important, affordable, traditional food you should be incorporating on the daily. Almond, coconut, and cashew milk yogurts are becoming more and more popular, but it’s also pretty easy to make your own at home. 

2. ADD SAUERKRAUT (AND KIMCHI!) ON TOP OF EVERYTHING.

And I mean everything; salads, soups, sandwiches, even breakfast sandwiches. You could even top your tempeh with it for a double probiotic benefits.

Sauerkraut and kimchi are so rich and flavorful, they are an easy condiment to become addicted to.

My personal favorite fermented kraut is a Gochu Curry Kraut that I get locally. It is so flavor-packed, I put it on literally every meal. Homemade ramen, stir-fry, eggs, sandwiches, tempeh, you name it. It’s a complete game changer.

You can also make your own sauerkraut!

3. USE LACTO-FERMENTED HOT SAUCES AND SALSAS.

If you can find lacto-fermented hot sauces and salsas, these are a great way to up your probiotic intake. If not and you’re up for a project, it’s actually pretty easy  and cheap to ferment salsas and sauces on your own at home.

4. USE MISO IN YOUR SAUTES AND STIR FRYS.

Putting a spoonful of this flavorful, gut-healing paste is a win for your tastebuds and your stomach. It has so much more potential than just plain old miso soup.

5. INCORPORATE PICKLES INTO YOUR BURGERS, SANDWICHES, AND TACOS.

And I am not just talking about regular supermarket pickles. Vinegar-based pickles do not boast the same properties as traditionally fermented pickles.

I’m talking brine-soaked carrots, onions, peppers, and, yes, cucumbers. These are all easy to make at home, and naturally fermented pickles are a great way to get more good bacteria in your diet.

6. EAT SOURDOUGH.

That’s right, sourdough bread is loaded with probiotics. In fact, if you’re only mildly gluten-sensitive, you may be able to tolerate sourdough without any adverse reactions.

This is because the lengthy fermentation process needed to create true sourdough actually decreases the amount of the gluten protein and improves the digestibility of the grains. If you eat bread, help out your gut and choose sourdough.

7. SAVE THE BRINE.

Yep, those homemade pickles have a dual use. Toss the leftover pickle brine into homemade salad dressings or use it in place of vinegar in a veggies stir fry.

Pickle brine is flavorful, rich in good bacteria, and a great way not to waste all the precious liquid. I mean, you could be a badass and take straight brine shots, but that’s not sneaky at all.

8. REPLACE YOUR SODAS WITH KOMBUCHA.

And forget about soda water in cocktails. Think of how much tastier (and healthful) your indulgences will be with a splash of kombucha in the glass. Not only does kombucha contain healthy probiotics, it’s lower in sugar than traditional sodas.

That being said, avoid drinking kombucha all day, every day. It still contains a bit of sugar. But if you’re going to be drinking something sweet, kombucha is a much healthier bet than any other carbonated drinks.

9. MAKE YOUR OWN QUICK FERMENTS.

Want to make fermented ketchup or salsa? Break a probiotic capsule into the jar of sauce, let it sit at room temperature overnight, and viola! You’ve enriched your favorite condiments with healthful, good bacteria.

You can also make a cultured vegan cream by soaking raw cashews and the contents of one high quality probiotic capsule in water overnight. Sure, it’s not traditional, but it’s a great way to increase the probiotic content of your capsules (since you are essentially feeding the bacteria and causing them to multiply) and enrich your favorite foods.

How do you get fermented foods into your diet? Share your favorite recipe ideas with the community below!

10 Hidden Signs of Anxiety You Shouldn’t Ignore

Sometimes we can forget to take care of ourselves due to life’s daily hassles. It’s even possible to suffer from anxiety and not know it.

We all get anxious every now and then, like when speaking in public or boarding a plane.  But chronic anxiety can take a toll on your body. Let’s look at hidden signs of anxiety you may be ignoring.

HIDDEN SIGNS OF ANXIETY

1. Frequent Illnesses

Your body produces excess hormones when you’re anxious. Then it has to work hard to regulate these hormones.

If you’re anxious all the time, your body has to work harder than normal and this may weaken your immune system. As you may know, a weak immune system opens the door for all kinds of diseases.

2. Never-Ending Headaches

Having persistent headaches for weeks or even months could be a sign of anxiety.

We tend to clench our jaws, grind teeth, and tense the neck and facial muscles when stressed. These physical effects of anxiety can trigger headaches that never seem to go away. 

3. Fatigue

According to Helpguide.org, people with generalized anxiety disorder are in constant worry every day of the week. Being in this state of constant worry can make you feel tired all the time.

4. Constant Body Aches

What do you usually do when you’re anxious? You probably clench your fist and jaw and flex all the muscles in the body.  Tensing these muscles frequently can result to muscle soreness and pain.

5. Poor Digestion

Anxiety affects our bodies more than most people realize. It can cause constipation, bloating, diarrhea, cramping, and other digestive problems.

What’s worse is that poor digestion can lead to anxiety and depression, according to research. Therefore, it’s important to improve digestion whether you struggle with anxiety or not.

6. Sleeplessness

Just like indigestion, sleepless and anxiety seem to create a vicious cycle. Anxiety makes it harder to fall asleep or sleep deeply, while sleeplessness can worsen anxiety symptoms.

Getting seven to eight hours of sleep every night can help you manage anxiety.

7. Feeling Self-Conscious

We are all self-conscious sometimes. However, if you always feel like all eyes are on you whenever you’re in social situations, it could be a sign of hidden anxiety.

You may want to talk to a therapist if you tremble, have difficulty talking, and even sweat profusely when around people.

8. Lack of Interest in Sex

Anxiety can hinder the release of gonadotropins, hormones that act in the testes and ovaries to help produce more sex hormones. Low levels of this hormone can result lower sex drive and sperm count and it can reduce ovulation.

9. Acne

Being stressed and anxious all the time can keep your cortisol levels elevated. According to research, high cortisol levels can trigger acne.

10. Concentration Problems

People with anxiety have difficulty focusing on one thing. This makes it hard to complete tasks and as a result, worsens their anxiety.

Learn How to Help Treat Diabetes, Eliminate Heavy Metals, and More with This Home Remedy

What herb can be traced back to the 9th century, was mentioned in the Old Testament, buried with ancient Egyptian pharaohs, and mentioned in the book Arabian Nights? You might be surprised to learn it’s the fragrant herb most popular in Mexican and Asian cuisines, cilantro (aka coriander), that gets the credit for this fame. This parsley style herb may not appear to be much, but it does pack some considerable health benefits in its sprigs. 

Just five calories can be found in a serving size of nine sprigs. What’s remarkable about that fact is that in just one five calorie serving you’ll find 1,350 IU of vitamin A (mostly as beta carotene) and 62 mcg of Vitamin K. That means that a small serving will provide 27% of your recommended daily intake of Vitamin A and 52% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin K.

Cilantro for Bone Health 

Why is Vitamin K so important? Vitamin K is necessary for blood clots to form, which keeps you from bleeding to death should you cut yourself. The vitamin also plays an important role in bone health. In fact, low levels of vitamin K have also been associated with increased risk of arthritis and may even be a risk factor for osteoporosis. Vitamin A plays a significant role in your vision and in support of your immune and inflammatory functions.

Cilantro for Heavy Metal Detox

In addition to these healthful benefits, herbalists have also understood for centuries that fresh cilantro may be helpful in assisting your body to rid itself of unwanted heavy metals. Studies have shown that levels of mercury, lead, and aluminum in the urine increase significantly during a cilantro cleansing, which consists of consuming large amounts of cilantro. It seems that cilantro changes the electric charge on intracellular deposits of heavy metals to a neutral state, which relaxes their tight bond to body tissue, freeing them up to be flushed from the body, including the brain (which is important if you want to avoid dementia later in life). 

The problem with heavy metals is that they accumulate in the body over time, causing numerous health problems that can seriously impact literally every major organ in the body. Studies show that heavy metals in the body may be implicated in everything from Alzheimer’s to cardiovascular disease, from behavioral problems to kidney dysfunction, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and even paralysis. This is why you’ll find cilantro as a key ingredient in Jon Barron’s Metal Magic formula.

Cilantro as a Brain Booster

Not just due to its heavy metal detoxing effect, but cilantro benefits your memory in other ways too. In a study published in the “Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture,” research suggests that there may be cognitive benefits from ingesting cilantro. In the study, young and old rats consumed ground cilantro leaves added to their food in five, ten, or fifteen percent concentrations, measured by weight. The rats on the cilantro-fed diet learned and performed a maze running task better than the control rats with cilantro-free diets. The interesting part is that the more cilantro they gave the rats, the better the effect. They even gave the rats amnesia drugs and found that the rats who ate the highest doses of cilantro appeared almost unaffected by the amnesia-inducing drugs—the more cilantro consumed, the less they were affected by the drugs. The researchers concluded that cilantro protects memory by suppressing the enzyme cholinesterase that breaks down acetylcholine, an important neurotransmitter in the brain. This is especially interesting considering that a deficiency in acetylcholine is associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

Cilantro for Natural Disease Prevention

Herbs such as cilantro also contain phytochemicals. These herbs are known for their role in the prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases. The National Cancer Institute has determined that cilantro is among the group of herbs with anti-cancer properties.

More Health Benefits of Cilantro

If that’s not enough, here’s a few more health benefits associated with cilantro/coriander:

Due to its anxiolytic and sedative effects, studies have shown that ground cilantro may be helpful in treating anxiety, panic attacks, and depression.
125 ml of fresh coriander leaf juice has been shown to contain almost as much beta-carotene as 250 ml of broccoli juice.

Cilantro leaves have been found to have an antibacterial effect against Salmonella.
May help improve overall sleep quality.

In some studies, it has shown positive signs as an anti-diabetic herb. In fact, in in some parts of Europe, cilantro has been referred to as an “anti-diabetic” plant.
How to Use Cilantro

The best thing about cilantro, however, may just be how easy it is to add to your diet. With its distinctly strong flavoring, cilantro is an excellent herb to use to season lower-calorie and reduced-fat dishes. It’s perfect freshly chopped and added to soups, salsas, chutneys, guacamole or any Mexican style dish, It also makes an excellent seasoning for everyday favorites such as scrambled eggs, veggie tacos and salads.

There is another way to get your daily dose of cilantro: cilantro pesto, using a recipe Jon Barron got from Dr. David Williams. Process one cup packed fresh cilantro and six tablespoons of olive oil in a blender until the cilantro is chopped. Add one clove garlic; a half-cup almonds, cashews, or other nuts, and two tablespoons lemon juice. Blend to a lumpy paste. (Add a little hot water if necessary.) Eat a couple of teaspoons a day. Be careful; it tastes incredible and is addictive. (Note: the pesto freezes nicely, so you can make several batches at once.)

However, if you are looking for a detoxing effect from heavy metals or a way to boost memory, it is best to use a more concentrated form of cilantro such as a tincture. For instance, the rats who showed a memory effect were consuming 10-15% of their diet in cilantro leaves — not many dishes use that much cilantro. Supplementation may be the best way to maximize the health benefits of cilantro.

Cancer cells thrive in acidity. Restore the Body’s pH levels with Just One Superfood

Wheatgrass is an Amazing SUPER FOOD that is loaded with essential vitamins and minerals (including thirteen essential ones and dozens of trace elements and enzymes). Wheat grass proponent Charles Schnabel claimed in the 1940s that “fifteen pounds of wheat grass is equal in overall nutritional value to 350 pounds of ordinary garden vegetables”, a ratio of 1:23. It is also a great source of Chlorophyll, which has been shown to naturally restore the body’s pH levels. Since most people, due to diet and environment, have an overly acidic body composition, the Alkalizing benefits of Wheat Grass   are numerous and impactful. 

Due to the Amazing properties of Wheat Grass, it can offer the following health benefits:

Nutrients: Wheat grass  contains ALL minerals known to man (Iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, sodium and selenium are all present in wheat grass in at least trace amounts). Plus:
Vitamins A, B-complex, C, E, I & K.
Protein: Wheat Grass is extremely rich in protein and contains 17 Amino Acids (the building blocks of protein) 

Oxygenates the body: Chlorophyll creates a highly oxygenated environment in your body which helps increase Alkaline pH levels and helps eliminate Acidosis (a common problem in our society due to an overly acidic diet and environmental carcinogens). Cancer cells thrive in an acidic environment but cease to exist in Alkaline environments. Chlorophyll also helps:

Detoxify the body
Helps prevent premature aging (due to antioxidant capabilities and presence of super-oxide dismutase)
Antioxidants: such as flavonoids and Phenolic Acid help eliminate toxins and increases immunity and energy. Wheatgrass is a natural liver cleanser and blood strengthener.

Digestion and Gut Health: Enzymes help to support overall gut health. Also, has been shown to help treat hyperlipidemia. 

Taking Wheat Grass: Add 1 tablespoon (once per day) to any liquid drink (even plain water), soup, juice, smoothie, dip, sauce, etc.

Safety: While generally considered safe, most efficacy and safety information come from the testimony of long term users not long term scientific studies. Overall, wheat grass should be considered safe for all people (some individuals with grass allergies have reported adverse reactions such as swelling in the throat and nausea). If you are pregnant you should consult your physician before taking any dietary supplements including Wheat grass.

Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s Strange Architecture

Friedensreich Hundertwasser (1928–2000) was an Austrian painter, architect, and sculptor best known for his architecture characterized by colorful, ornamental, and biomorphic shapes. He initially gained acclaim for his paintings, but later became more renowned for his unique architectural styling. 

The Simpsons - Parody Of Famous Pictures