Living Foods Bowl

There are a few eras in my life that have been marked by rapid growth. I call these my expansion eras.

One was in 2011, where I went through an intense period of assessing my life, how it looked, how I wanted it to look, and the discrepancy between the latter two. I started expanding my mindset and entertaining ideas outside of my usual, cookie cutter, ways. I was working a very serious 9-5 job in public policy, dressed in pencil skirts and frilly blouses, kept 13 different pairs of pumps underneath my desk, and my social scene was largely happy hours and birthday celebrations with my [very straight edge] coworkers. But as we approached that summer, my best friend had just moved to DC, I had made a few new friends, and my social scene started to shift. I was going to more shows and raves, experimented with plant medicine, and started to think about what I really wanted my life to look like. I rescued a dog—the first in a series of wildly irresponsible decisions—because I was sick of denying my own wants and living this facade of what I thought a perfect and respectable life looked like. Even though I did not have the capacity to be a dog owner at the time, rescuing Samantha was probably the best long term decision I made.

My next expansion era was the fall of 2012, when I had to pull the pieces of my life together after the series of irresponsible decisions I made in 2011.

After that, my next big expansion era was the summer of 2017-2018, when I went vegan, started meditating every day, met and fell in love with “the comedian,” decided to move to NYC, and kind of realized that law probably wasn’t for me.

The next expansion era is the one that really laid the blueprint for my life today. It was early 2019. I had just moved to NYC, the comedian and I had just broken up, I was largely jobless, directionless, heartbroken, but also fully broken as a person.

It was during my 2019 expansion era that I learned about attachment theory, that I learned about nervous system regulation, that I started doing breathwork, and that I got deep into healing on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level. It was during this era that I figured out how to connect with my highest self, how to hypnotize myself, and the concept of repressed parts. It was during this era that I actually shifted out of law, that I got comfortable with the idea of working a non-traditional job, and that I admitted to myself things that I previously thought were cringy, like my desire to be seen.

Also during this era: I came across a wellness influencer who talked about “pre-dinner.”

Priming Your Digestion

What she called “pre-dinner,” I now call “priming your digestion.”

The premise is to eat light, raw, and fermented vegetables before eating heavier foods to “prime” your digestion.

Think of it as doing vocal warmups before performing a Whitney Houston cover, or Steph Curry showing up at MSG 7 hours before he plays the Knicks to get adequately warmed up.

The specific formula that I like to hit to properly prime my digestion is a bowl that has lots of leafy greens, some bitter herbs, something fermented, and nothing too heavy.

Bitter compounds stimulate taste receptors, which signal the brain to increase saliva and digestive enzyme production, which leads to better breakdown of food in the stomach and small intestine, improving nutrient absorption and reducing digestive discomfort.

Bitters also stimulate the liver to produce bile, which is essential for the digestion and absorption of fats, which reduces the likelihood of bloating and constipation, making subsequent heavier, fatty foods easier to digest. Lastly, bitter greens can stimulate peristalsis, the wave-like muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract. Enhanced gut motility helps prevent constipation and ensures a smoother digestive process.

I also like to include some fermented foods because they are rich in live beneficial bacteria (probiotics), which can help balance the gut microbiome. A healthy microbiome improves digestion, enhances nutrient absorption, and can help alleviate digestive issues such as bloating, gas, and constipation. The acidity and flavor profile of fermented foods can stimulate the production of stomach acid and digestive enzymes. Increased digestive secretions prepare the stomach for the heavier meal to come, promoting efficient digestion and preventing digestive discomfort.

Light, raw vegetables contain natural enzymes assist in breaking down food components, reducing the digestive workload and enhancing nutrient absorption from the upcoming heavier foods.

When you eat heavier foods, like starches, protein-dominant foods, or more fat-heavy foods, after eating these lighter, digestive-stimulating foods, your digestive system is already primed to handle the complex task of breaking down and absorbing these nutrients. This sequence helps to:

• Improve Digestion: Enhanced enzyme and bile production leads to more efficient digestion of proteins and fats.

• Prevent Discomfort: By reducing the digestive workload and promoting regular bowel movements, this approach helps prevent common digestive issues such as bloating, gas, and constipation.

• Enhance Nutrient Absorption: A well-prepared digestive system can more effectively absorb nutrients from heavier foods, contributing to better overall health.

The Magic of Fermentation

When I refer to “fermented veggies” what I mean are raw vegetables that have been lacto-fermented.

Lacto-fermentation is a traditional method of food preservation that uses lactic acid bacteria to convert sugars in food into lactic acid. This process not only preserves the food but also enhances its nutritional value and flavor. Here’s a detailed explanation of how lacto-fermentation works and its benefits:

The Process of Lacto-Fermentation

1. Preparation:

   • Vegetables: Commonly fermented vegetables include cabbage (to make sauerkraut or kimchi), cucumbers (for pickles), and carrots. These vegetables are often shredded or cut into small pieces.

   • Salt: Salt is usually added to the vegetables. It helps to create an environment that favors the growth of lactic acid bacteria while inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria. The salt draws out water from the vegetables, creating a brine solution.

2. Fermentation:

   • Lactic Acid Bacteria: Naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria (such as Lactobacillus species) are present on the surface of vegetables. When the vegetables are submerged in the brine, these bacteria start to ferment the sugars in the vegetables.

   • Anaerobic Environment: The vegetables must be kept submerged in the brine to create an anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment, which is essential for the growth of lactic acid bacteria and the prevention of spoilage organisms.

3. Conversion to Lactic Acid:

   • Fermentation Reaction: The lactic acid bacteria convert sugars in the vegetables into lactic acid and carbon dioxide. The accumulation of lactic acid lowers the pH of the mixture, creating an acidic environment that preserves the vegetables and gives them a tangy flavor.

4. Maturation:

   • Time: The fermentation process can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks, depending on the temperature, the amount of salt, and the type of vegetables. During this time, the flavors develop and the texture of the vegetables changes.

Benefits of Lacto-Fermentation

1. Preservation:

   • Extended Shelf Life: Lactic acid acts as a natural preservative, extending the shelf life of fermented foods by inhibiting the growth of spoilage bacteria and molds.

2. Enhanced Nutritional Value:

   • Probiotics: Fermented foods are rich in probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that support gut health and boost the immune system.

   • Increased Bioavailability: Fermentation breaks down anti-nutrients and enhances the bioavailability of vitamins and minerals. For example, fermented vegetables often have higher levels of B vitamins and vitamin K2.

3. Improved Digestion:

   • Digestive Enzymes: The fermentation process produces digestive enzymes that help break down food, making it easier to digest.

   • Prebiotics: The fiber in fermented vegetables acts as a prebiotic, feeding the beneficial bacteria in the gut and promoting a healthy microbiome.

4. Flavor and Texture:

   • Complex Flavors: Fermented foods develop complex, tangy flavors that can enhance a variety of dishes.

   • Crisp Texture: The fermentation process can also change the texture of vegetables, often resulting in a desirable crispness.

Benefits of Eating Fermented Vegetables

Fermented vegetables offer a range of health benefits due to their rich content of probiotics, vitamins, and bioactive compounds. Here’s a detailed look at their advantages:

1. Improved Gut Health

• Probiotics: Fermented vegetables are rich in beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, which help balance the gut microbiome. A healthy gut microbiome is crucial for digestion, nutrient absorption, and immune function​

• Prebiotics: The fermentation process increases the prebiotic fiber content in vegetables, which serves as food for beneficial gut bacteria, promoting their growth and activity .

2. Enhanced Nutrient Absorption

• Bioavailability: Fermentation breaks down anti-nutrients like phytic acid in vegetables, enhancing the bioavailability of vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, and B vitamins​

• Vitamin Production: Certain probiotic strains in fermented vegetables can produce vitamins, particularly B vitamins and vitamin K, during the fermentation process .

3. Immune Support

• Immune Modulation: Probiotics in fermented vegetables can modulate the immune system, enhancing the body’s defense mechanisms against pathogens and reducing inflammation .

4. Digestive Health

• Enzyme Production: Fermented foods are rich in digestive enzymes that help break down food, making digestion easier and more efficient .

• Relief from Digestive Disorders: Regular consumption of fermented vegetables can help alleviate symptoms of digestive disorders like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and lactose intolerance

5. Mental Health Benefits

• Gut-Brain Axis: Probiotics can influence the gut-brain axis, potentially improving mood and cognitive function. There is growing evidence that a healthy gut microbiome can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression .

Fermented Foods vs. Probiotic Supplements: Summary of Study Results

Several studies have compared the benefits of consuming fermented foods to taking probiotic supplements. Here are some key findings:

1. Diversity of Probiotics

• Higher Diversity: Fermented foods typically contain a broader range of probiotic strains compared to supplements. This diversity can be more beneficial for maintaining a balanced gut microbiome​

• Natural Synergy: The complex microbial communities in fermented foods may work synergistically, enhancing their probiotic effects more effectively than isolated strains found in supplements .

2. Survival through the Digestive Tract

• Better Survival Rates: The natural matrix of fermented foods can protect probiotics, increasing their chances of surviving the acidic environment of the stomach and reaching the intestines alive, whereas supplements might not always offer the same level of protection .

3. Additional Nutrients and Bioactive Compounds

• Nutrient-Rich: Fermented vegetables provide additional nutrients and bioactive compounds (e.g., enzymes, vitamins, antioxidants) that are not present in probiotic supplements, contributing to overall health beyond just gut health​

4. Health Outcomes

• Comparable or Superior Effects: Some studies suggest that the health benefits of consuming fermented foods can be comparable to, or even exceed, those of taking probiotic supplements. For example, fermented foods have been shown to improve metabolic health, reduce inflammation, and enhance immune function

This Dish

orange marmalade heirloom tomatoes, korean cucumbers, daikon kimchi, fermented turmeric sauerkraut, fermented red cabbage, home raw pickled onions, broccoli sprouts, micro cilantro, avocado, nori sheets, raw sunflower seed dressing

The Benefits

I designed this bowl to be perfect for priming your digestion, while also being incredibly delicious and well rounded in and of itself. Specifically:

• tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which has anti-inflammatory properties, reducing gut inflammation and discomfort; and turmeric is rich in curcumin, another highly anti-inflammatory compound

• raw onions contain prebiotic fibers that feed beneficial gut bacteria, improving gut health and reducing bloating​

• cilantro contains antioxidants that help detoxify the body and reduce inflammation, improving gut health and reducing bloating

• broccoli sprouts contain sulforaphane, an anti-inflammatory compound that supports gut health and reduces inflammation​

• raw onion & lemon have digestive enzymes and stimulates the production of bile, aiding in digestion and reducing bloating​

• cucumber, avocado, the fermented veggies, and sunflower seeds provide hydration and soluble fiber, which aids in smooth digestion and regular bowel movements

• combining the soluble fiber with the healthy fats from sunflower seeds creates a laxative-like effect

• all of the fermented veggies + miso are rich in beneficial bacteria like Lactobacillus, which help balance the gut microbiome, reduce inflammation, and improve digestion

The Recipe

Honestly, there isn’t much of a “recipe” here other than the dressing. You can really make it your own and use whatever combination of fermented veggies, raw veggies, and greens that you like.

Bowl Ingredients:

• 2-3 big heirloom tomatoes

• 2 big Korean cucumbers

• 4 tablespoons each of various fermented veggies

• 1 cup of broccoli sprouts

• 1 cup microcilantro

• 1/2 cup of the dressing

Dressing Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds

• 4 tbsp chickpea or white miso

• 1 cup water

• 1 whole lemon, peeled

• 2 tbsp onion powder

• 2 cloves garlic

Instructions:

1. Soak sunflower seeds overnight/for 8+ hours

2. Drain & rinse sunflower seeds and blend all the sauce ingredients together until super smooth

3. For the onions, use a mandolin or slice them VERY thin, cover in lemon juice, and let them marinate for 4+ hours ideally

4. Just assemble a little bowl, and you can use by using pieces of nori sheets and make little baby tacos with the sauce, some raw veggies, some fermented veggies, and microgreens

Links from this Recipe

• The Brands of Ferments I used:

  • Small Town Cultures Purple Sauerkraut

  • Hosta Hill Daikon Kimchi

  • Hawthorne Valley Turmeric Sauerkraut

• Vitamix

• Mandolin

• For nori sheets, my favorite is..

For More on Gut Health

To hear more about gut health, along with information about your nervous system, mindset, self-development, and more, listen to episode 190, “5 Wellness Trends that Will Destroy Your Life & 2 that Live Up to the Hype” available everywhere you listen to podcasts (including Apple Podcasts here) and you can WATCH the whole thing on Spotify (available here).