Finding a lump on your breast can be a worrisome experience inducing sleepless nights. That’s how my 45-year-old patient, Mindy, felt when she discovered one on her left breast. During her office visit, she told me that the lump had become more tender, larger, and slightly painful in the preceding weeks. Mindy correctly connected that lump with her menstrual cycle. She had been suffering from heavier, more irregular, and longer periods for a few months and had noticed the lump in the middle of her cycle, noting that it became more tender as her cycle progressed. That lump only increased ..read more

During our initial consultation, my 34-year-old patient Jennifer brought up a host of health issues that were making her feel less-than-optimal on a daily basis. “The post-lunch bloating, pulsing afternoon headaches, and feeling tired all the time are the worst,” she told me, exhaling with frustration. Over the past year, Jennifer had gained about 20 pounds and began suffering from irregular periods, frequent mood swings, and almost constant sugar cravings. Her frustration was palpable and she felt her gut health was to blame. All of the symptoms she described pointed to something that ..read more

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so we’re honoring women’s wellness this month by first taking a closer look at how the gut microbiome and breast cancer may be linked in surprising ways, and then looking at some of the top anti-cancer foods you can start incorporating into your daily diet right away. Did you know 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer at some point in their lifetime? Odds are you know someone who is a breast cancer survivor. Maybe you are. Or you may have lost someone to breast cancer. If this is you, then keep reading, because this blog post is especially for you ..read more

In last week’s guest blog from Summer Bock, you learned about the many (many!) benefits of functional ferments like water kefir, sauerkraut, and kombucha. From helping modulate the immune system to neurotransmitter production, inoculating the gut with fermented foods is one of the most important keys to a Happy Gut (and “happy brain”).  This week, I’ll be chatting with Summer — a friend, fermentationist, and the creator of her own course on fermentation (which is available for anyone) —  about how to get started with fermentation. Getting started with fermentation If you’ve read ..read more

BY SUMMER BOCK   Last week, in my first of three guest blogs for Happy Gut Life, I introduced you to the wonderful world of fermentation — a world that has drastically changed my life for the better. What started as a simple method for preserving food has stuck around and decades later, the world is still obsessed with fermentation. That’s no mistake — it’s because fermentation’s health benefits are too strong to ever go out of style.  I’ll be honest: As a fermentationist and the creator of my own course on fermentation, I could talk about the benefits of ferments indefin ..read more

As a fermentationist who trains people on functional ferments, the creator of my own course on fermentation —  The Fermentationist Certification Program — and Happy Gut Life’s guest content contributor for the month of September, it’s no surprise that I get asked “What is fermentation?” all the time. It’s also probably no surprise that I could write an encyclopedia just to answer this one, seemingly simple, question. If you’re surprised that fermentation could be that complex, you’re not alone. The Wikipedia summary of the science and history of fermentation is watered-down at bes ..read more

Happy Gut® Slaw Pro- and Prebiotic, Fiber-rich Lunch Salad Ingredients ½ head small purple cabbage, roughly chopped  ¼ c. turmeric kraut 1 tbsp sunflower seeds (sprouted preferred) 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds (roasted or sprouted preferred) ½ green apple, cubed ½ red bell pepper, chopped 1 tbsp tahini  1 clove chopped garlic ½ lemon 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Sea salt and cracked pepper (to taste)   *optional grilled protein (your choice) Instructions Mix cabbage, kraut, sunflower & pumpkin seeds, apple, and red pepper together in a bowl.  Mix the tahini, g ..read more

Berry Berry Delicious Smoothie Breakfast Smoothie Ingredients 1/2 cup blueberries 1/2 cup almond milk 1 cup spinach 1 inch cube ginger, peeled 1 scoop Cleanse Shake Instructions Combine ingredients in a blender and blend well until smooth or desired consistency ..read more

Frijoles Negros Cubanos Cuban Black Beans Ingredients 1 bolsa de frijoles negros (bag of black beans, 16oz) 1 cebolla picada (diced yellow onion) 1 pimiento verde cortado en cubitos (green bell pepper sliced, then cubed) 1 hora de laurel (bay leaf) 1/2 cucharadita de comino (1/2 tsp cumin seed or 1/4 tsp ground cumin) 4 dientes de ajo picados (garlic cloves minced) 6 tazas de aqua (cups of water) 1/4 taza de de vinagre de manzana (1/4 c. apple cider vinegar)  Olive oil Kosher Salt  Pepper Method Soak frijoles overnight with a teaspoon of salt, then drain Sauté onions and ..read more

Remember the days when the smell of spices would float from the kitchen and fill the air of your childhood home.  Our sense of smell carries memories of the past, people, and places more vividly than any other sense. Often overlooked, it is the sense we take for granted, except when it’s absent. Like many things in life, we don’t appreciate their role in our lives until they are gone. Digestion actually first begins with your sense of smell. Without it, food would be tasteless and lack sabor(flavor). Smell enhances the flavor of food in the same way that acoustics round out the sound ..read more