I LUV my probiotics. Maybe you’re already a pro at making your own probiotics, in which case- you know what I’m talking about! My friend mentioned how her buddy was drinking kombucha to help with anxiety, so… I knew I needed to post this!

This article on Mark’s Daily Apple dishes the low-down on probiotics, and what they do for the health of our gut. The new superfoods!  For one, gut bacteria can LEARN. They can learn how to digest certain things. If you eat a lot of a certain food, eventually, the gut bacteria might learn how to break that food down into well-absorbed nutrients. Amazing.

These gut bacteria also produce short-chain fatty acids- an aid to health. They help improve bone mineral density. They can even turn phytic acid into inositol, for our bodies to put to use! Phytic acid is found on the outer parts of many grains, nuts, and seeds, and can interfere with our absorption of nutrients. But healthy gut bacteria can actually break that phytic acid down.

And they can even manufacture Vitamin K and B vitamins out of some of the basic food materials we ingest. Making something out of nothing, practically.

Gut bacterias also form a hardy barrier against bad bugs that pass their way. Whoot!

Also, did you know that gut bacteria create a LOT of our serotonin and dopamine? Our gut is actually communicating with our brain. Ever wonder if those mood swings had something to do with that fast food you just ate? Maybe. Scientists have noted there seems to be a connection between behavior disorders and gastrointestinal problems. Huh.

Maybe this doesn’t inspire many folks to healthier, probiotic eating. For me, I can’t even finish writing about these findings without going to get a slug o’ my kombucha brew. I find this news very exciting.

For newbies, let me say: It is pretty simple to add probiotics to your diet. Here are three simple ways to add probiotic goodness and improve your gut’s health:

1. Dairy Kefir or Yogurt (maybe the most well-known of the probiotics)

2. Kefir (water kefir, that is, which is created when little clumps of gelatinous “kefir grains” turn sugar and molasses water into a probiotic, fizzy, natural “soda” that’s actually good for you)

3. Kombucha (in which a floating, mushroom-ish critter turns a sweet, tea-infused brew into another probiotic, fizzy drink) (OR- check out Jun Kombucha, made with honey and green tea…)

4. Fermented Veggies (ya know- like pickles. And like cabbage, which already contains elements just dying to convert into sauerkraut and kim chee-type relishes. A little salt, a little pressing into a jar until covered in its own juice, a little time for the veggies to ferment, and… Whal-lah! Done!)

Probiotics are the ultimate economical foods, since they seem to turn something cheap (sugar, cabbage, etc.) into a finished product worth far more than the initial ingredient. Check it out!

It might sound like a conspiracy theory, but I don’t trust most brands of honey anymore. I get my honey from Glory Bee Honey now, since they carry honey that’s high in pollen. (I get this particular honey or it’s larger cousin, as it’s organic and seems the best value for the price.) After all, not all “honey” is, well, honey!

This study found that 100% of all honey tested from drug stores and fast food chains had no trace of pollen in it. And more than 75% of all the honey tested in larger grocery stores (Safeway, Target, Kroger, Costco, etc.) had no trace of pollen in it. Pollen is the one thing in honey that can vouch for its composition. Without the pollen, it can’t be traced. It might be all honey, it might not be! (Should I say, “It might not BEE”?!)

Maybe that’s why the Europeans created standards for levels of bee pollen and propolis. To be called “raw, organic honey”, it has to pass certain testing. The European Union Directive on Honey says, “The removal of pollen will make the determination of botanical and geographic origin of honey impossible and circumvents the ability to trace and identify the actual source of the honey”. Chinese honey contaminated with chloramphenicol and other illegal animal antibiotics is dangerous. Granted, it’s only fatal to a very small percentage of people, but… still!

I know of some dear folks who’ve been fighting allergies for years. I did too, so I know how annoying this is! But perhaps a daily dose of local honey could help address this issue? (REAL honey, that is…) I believe that, for us to benefit from the potential health advantages of honey, we ought to stick to stuff like Glory Bee Honey, Bee Farms Raw Honey, and other such products. Just to be on the safe side!

As I researched various products at Glory Bee Honey, I pondered whether to get bee propolis or bee pollen as well. Such products have been popular for some, as nutritional supplements. But I concluded that the main thing is to just get a quality honey in the first place, as it will naturally contain some pollen and propolis, since it’s unfiltered, natural honey.

A few ideas of ways to use that special honey? I add a bit to smoothies, if I’m not putting something sweet like banana in it. Or it’s good in granola bars or energy bars. Another fave: Rice pudding, made with honey instead of sugar. It turns out real custard-like… delicious! You can even skip the rice if you’re going grain-free. What a treat!