If you know us, you know we are big advocates for supporting gut health because it really is the foundation of overall health and wellness, with research showing clear links to brain function, mental health, hormones, energy and more. Unfortunately our modern lifestyles have drastically altered our microbiomes with overly processed food, pesticides used in farming and chemicals leaked into the food chain, antibiotics, exposure to toxins and a lack of exposure to beneficial bacteria. These realities of our modern lives have taken their toll on health outcomes and have left many of us without essential gut bacteria that once supported health, vitality and longevity.
One of the most powerful probiotics for gut health, Lactobacillus Reuteri (LR), is now missing from most human microbiomes. When we discovered this we began to look into what we could do to reintroduce this helpful bacteria into our diets. Here's a summary of what we have learned about why Lactobacillus Reuteri might be the key to unlocking a healthier you and the practical ways you can help restore lost microbes.
Why Are Microbes Missing from Our Guts?
For centuries, human microbiomes evolved in harmony with the natural world. However, modern lifestyles have disrupted this delicate balance. Factors like:
- Overly processed foods filled with unnatural ingredients
- Frequent antibiotic use
- Over use of common anti-bacterial cleaning agents
- Exposure to chemicals in our environments
All of these have contributed to the decimation of the diverse range of microbes essential for gut health. Interestingly, hunter-gatherer tribes with minimal exposure to these modern influences still possess strains like Lactobacillus Reuteri, a bacteria most of us are missing.
What is Lactobacillus Reuteri?
Lactobacillus Reuteri is a probiotic that offers a host of health benefits, but as we’ve said, unfortunately it’s not present in the majority of people today. This powerful microbe is typically passed from mother to child but is rarely found in modern populations.
Here are some of its incredible benefits:
- Stimulates collagen production, offering age-reversing qualities
- Supports digestive health
- Reduces inflammation
- Lowers cholesterol levels
- Increases Vitamin D absorption
- Strengthens the immune system
How to Cultivate Lactobacillus Reuteri in Your Gut
The good news is that you can reintroduce Lactobacillus Reuteri into your gut relatively easily through some well-considered dietary choices and cultured foods. The easiest way we’ve found to do this is by consuming a Cultured Superfood similar to yoghurt that is specifically designed to deliver high concentrations of LR.
Unlike regular yogurt, this superfood undergoes an extended 36-hour fermentation process to multiply beneficial microbes many times over with the result being a potent gut health power food!
Ready to Get Started?
Although we love to stock and supply products that are beneficial for your health and wellness, this one is already covered! If you’re inspired to dive deeper into gut health and learning about LR specifically, these resources are invaluable:
- CulturedFoodLife.com: A hub for information about probiotics, recipes, and how to restore your microbiome
- Luvele.com.au: For equipment, recipes, and step-by-step guides to make cultured foods at home plus yoghurt starters with cultures like Lactobacillus Reuteri available.
Both sites offer a wealth of knowledge that we have devoured (along with the new Cultured Superfood we are making to restore LR for our family).
Why We’re Passionate About Gut Health and Restoring Microbes
At Short Street Kitchen, we’ve been researching, learning and putting into practice healthier eating and living for years and teaching what we’ve learned in our workshops. We love growing food, cooking, preserving, fermenting and experimenting with recipes to improve gut health and provide better nutrition because we want to get the most from this one precious life and we believe health is the key.
We created SSK to share what we love and our business has grown from workshops on the back verandah to a custom-built workshop space to an online store and we continue to expand the ways we share the tools, products and knowledge to help you improve your health..
Improving your gut microbiome has the power to transform your life - and that’s not overexaggerating! Check out the links above for more information about Cultured Superfoods and if you’re ready to reduce toxins in your home, find ways to nutritionally boost your diet and care for your family’s health and wellbeing, head to our online Shop here.