Very often we have internal stomach issues manifesting in the strangest of ways, some quite up-front and visible like constipation, diarrhoea, ulcers, IBD (Irritable Bowel Disorders – ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease) or autoimmune disorders like thyroid or rheumatoid arthritis. Some issues we think are not related to the digestive system like pigmentation, dark circles, patchy skin, under-eye bags, allergies, migraines, frequent UTI’s (urinary tract infections).
Bad microbial diversity is really at the root of this issue; that is the bad microbes in your gut, drown good ones; over a period of time this causes dysbiosis and leads to the bad bugs taking over the digestive system then. This causes the tight junctions of the intestinal lining to give way causing seepage of toxins called the leaky gut syndrome. In the Brighu-Samhita as well (Ayurvedic approach) there is a reference made to kitanus that produce Ama a toxic by-product of dysbiosis.
One way of reversing this condition is to introduce good fermentation via foods into the diet (see out pressed salad recipe). Foods like kanji, quick pickles (not Indian long cooked pickles), pressed salads, non-dairy probiotic drinks, bone soups (non-vegetarians) to strengthen mucosal lining, this helps maintain the integrity of the intestinal lining which is your immune barrier to outside diseases.
One of the pillars of the Macrobiotic approach is to keep fermentation high in your diet, to ensure a plethora of the good bugs (microbes) that are actually transient in your gut. The diet keeps your inner ecosystem in complete balance, ensuring a rich flora and fauna in your gut. This in turn will promote good digestion and absorption of nutrients from your food. Make sure you include something fermented at each meal.
