When it comes to aging well, Reader, we’re only as strong as our gut flora and our grip strength.

Grip strength isn’t my area of expertise, but I can talk your ear off about the importance of gut flora, how to get more in your life, and how to live happily ever after with it.

Since you and I are already friendly, you’re probably in-the-know about the importance of gut flora.

The happily ever after part encompasses many areas, including: eating quality homecooked meals, avoiding medications, keeping stress manageable, ensuring you’ve got proper digestive organ function, spending time in natural light, mitigating toxin exposures…all the things that you’re aiming to put together as your lifestyle.

In case you’re paralyzed by how to implement all of these things and aren’t sure you’ve even got enough healthy gut flora to begin with, let’s keep this approachable and focus on intaking probiotics in the form of delicious fermented foods.

Probiotic bacteria aren’t only important for digestion, but the role they play in hormonal balance, neurotransmitter creation and storage, and everyday detoxification. All things that can seem to fall out of balance in middle age.

Probiotic supplements are one option, but they’re never as diverse, high-count, affordable, or pleasurable as eating fermented foods.

If you’re in your 40’s like me, I suggest focusing on these four:

• Beet kvass
• Kefir
• Kombucha
• Sauerkraut

Not in your 40’s? There’s no reason you can’t eat these fermented foods too. I’m just highlighting why they’re particularly important in middle age.

And a quick disclaimer: if eating fermented foods is new to you *start low* and increase your intake slowly to avoid uncomfortable temporary die-off reactions.​

Beet kvass

Beet kvass contains trimethylglycine, a co-factor for liver detoxification, including excess hormones. It supports bile flow for proper fat digestion, and is helpful for constipation, since bile is a lubricant for your stool.

I’ve got beet kvass recipe on my blog.

Kefir

The most broad-spectrum probiotic food out there! It can contain up to 27 helpful bacteria + yeast strains, depending on the grains and milk quality. 10-20 strains is typical for kefir, while yogurt has only 3-4.

Raw milk kefir has 50 billion CFU per teaspoon. Compare that to any probiotic capsule you’ve got in your fridge right now.

Kefir needs to be homemade (or purchased directly from a farm) because the big national brands aren’t legally allowed to make it with kefir “grains” like we do at home. Use raw milk for the most robust benefits.

If you’re new to making your own, I recommend buying kefir grains from Violette Naturals because hers are grown on raw milk + she’ll teach you everything you need to successfully make it at home.

When you’re able to drink a cup or more of homemade kefir daily without die-off, you’ve got robust gut flora.

Kombucha

Kombucha is a source of beta glucuronidase, which is an important player in the detoxification of excess estrogen and other hormones.

Kombucha contains glucosamine, which helps prevent joint damage and preserves collagen. Might this ease your joint pain? It’s worth a 30-day experiment.

In addition to the good bacteria, kombucha also contains the probiotic yeast strain, saccharomyces boulardii, which works to bring overgrown candida in check. It can also be helpful for diarrhea.

There’s a lot of weird stuff being added to kombucha now that it’s become so commercially popular. If you’re not making your own, look for low-sugar flavors, like lemon, ginger, or herbs, and read the ingredient label to verify they’re not adding “natural flavors.”

Sauerkraut

In my last email I shared about the immune supportive properties of red cabbage sauerkraut.​

I think the biggest benefit that sauerkraut offers in middle age is a boost for your stomach acid production.

Cabbage contains a type of chlorophyll that’s healing to the stomach lining, while the acidic pH of kraut helps to get your own stomach juicing flowing. This is super-crucial as you’re aging, so you can keep breaking down proteins and efficiently rebuilding your body.

Which are you ready to try, Reader?

...And I might be a broken record on this, but if you’re wondering “Where Can I Buy It?” – grab a copy of my ebook that answers that very question for each of these foods.

Warm wishes,

Jenn

​Body Wisdom Nutrition​

P.S. If you’d like to work with my one-on-one this year, the next free get-to-know-me ​Gut-Curious Zoom Call​​ is happening Tuesday, February 4th, at 4:15pm Pacific time. I’ve got space for two new clients towards the end of February.