Last week I shared that the Easter bunny brought my
family an uninvited guest…a mega, knock-you-on-your-bootie kind of flu virus. Ugghhh.
Today, one week later I am still feeling the ill effects of this nasty
Super Bug.
In these last few days of desperation, I
have turned to my nutrition knowledge in the hopes of finding
something/anything that would help me (and my family) to feel better…quickly!
Actually, what I found to be most helpful was the Kombucha tea that I picked up at Whole Foods last Monday before the flu bug set up camp at our house. I have been drinking Kombucha for a while now and love the many health benefits the drink has to offer. To my surprise, when I say the word Kombucha here in Logan County, I get a ‘komboo-what?’ kind of look.
This morning, disappointed to still be feeling ‘less than par’, I packed up and headed into Bellefontaine to get me a couple bottles of Kombucha. Guess what. It is not to be found. Disappointed, I returned home and am now compelled to share with you the wonderful health benefits of Komubucha tea.
What is Kombucha? Kombucha is a living
health drink which has been used for thousands of years to help stimulate the
metabolism and maintain a healthy immune system. Recently, Kombucha has become
even more well-known for its ability to increase the effectiveness of natural
detoxification processes and replenish vital organic acids and enzymes required
by the body for optimal health.
The first recorded use of Kombucha was in 221 B.C. during the Chinese empire of the Tsin-Dynasty. They called it “The Immortal Health Elixir”. I like the modern day version better..."Antioxidant Moonshine". lol
In the early 1950's, Soviet scientists
were researching the large increase in cancer that had occurred after World War
II. They sent two teams of researchers to two districts in the region of Perm
on the Kama River of the Ural Mountains where there were hardly any incidences
of cancer occurring. They discovered that despite living in an area highly
contaminated by lead, asbestos and mercury, these people were experiencing minimal
illness. Investigating further, they found that almost all the households were
drinking “tea kvass” the Russian word for Kombucha.
Why the sudden interest in this tonic that
has been used for hundreds of years? Perhaps it is something to do with the
many health benefits that tens of thousands of people have experienced due to
their consumption of Kombucha. Even President Reagan used Kombucha to halt the
spread of his cancer in 1987.
Kombucha has been known to have the following effects:
Boosts Energy
Improves Digestion
Strengthens at a Cellular level
Prevents Acid Reflux
Assists With Weight Loss
Improves Sleep
Relieves Constipation
Strengthens and restores hair
Beautifies the skin
Improves Circulation
Removes toxicity from the body
Improves eyesight
Eases the pain of arthritis
Cures your hangover
Heck, with a list like this...what do we have to lose!
Kombucha contains beneficial bacteria in the form of Lactobacillus Acidophilus, as well as dozens of other probiotic strains. By ingesting Kombucha, we can increase the amounts of good bacteria to maintain a healthy digestive tract. Kombucha has been known to possess anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal components which all aid in better health.
When Kombucha first enters the digestive
system it coats the stomach with digestive enzymes and live probiotic
organisms. The healing elements of the live Kombucha culture immediately begin
breaking down undigested foods, toxicity, and wastes produced by pathogenic
bacteria that often interferes with our normal digestive processes. Kombucha
breaks down these harmful substances before they are able to enter the blood
stream, and converts them into a form which can easily be disposed of by the
body. This is exactly what I needed to
rid myself of the unwanted Easter Super Bug!
The live, active cultures present in
Kombucha remain dormant until they come into contact with the sugars in the
digestive system. Kombucha thrives on these excess sugars and binds to toxins
commonly found in the diet, clearing the way for the body to absorb the full
nutrient content of the foods we eat. While the probiotics in Kombucha are
detoxifying the digestive system, they are also producing organic acids and B
Vitamins which speed the cleansing process.
The boost of probiotic strains provided by
Kombucha helps to flush out harmful bacteria and pathogens by regulating the
level of acidity in the digestive tract.
In other words, drinking Kombucha lets your body heal itself. By
regularly consuming Kombucha, we can attain all our longevity goals, transform
our health and beauty from the inside out, and have the best day ever!
(Kombucha is a little pricey when
purchased at larger stores like Whole Foods.
It can easily be made at home for a fraction of the cost and since I am
finding it hard to find Kombucha in our small, quaint rural area….I will soon
be offering Kombucha classes. Watch my
blog for upcoming class information.)
Kombucha lesson…over.
"Let food be thy medicine."
-Hippocrates
I want some KOMBUCHA! lol... this stuff sounds pretty amazing. I'll be on the lookout when in the city.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter's been drinking this for a few years...I thought it was a fad, but she obviously knows more than her mom! Will look for it;) Ready for a class!
ReplyDeleteGood for your daughter Dena...yes, there comes a point when our children can teach US things that we don't know. I'll let you know when I get my class schedule together....I want to do kefirs, ferments, etc. There's lots to share so we ALL enjoy better health. (I sound like a nutri-nerd now, don't I?)
ReplyDelete