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Get a grip woman!
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I find fermented foods a really interesting subject. The only one I do regularly is my sourdough bread, although I used to make yoghurt back in my single days. I still have the paraphernalia for that somewhere. My one & only attempt at sauerkraut was a smelly epic fail, but I have read quite a few books from the library on the subject of fermenting & received the River Cottage book on it for a gift a couple of years ago. I fully intend to have a go at something else this year.
I had read about resistant starch....cooked cooled potatoes being more beneficial for good gut bacteria & I believe cooked cold pasta, as in a salad, also has the same effect.
F2025's challenges: 1) To fill our 10 Savings Pots to their healthiest level ever
2) To read 100 books (36/100) 3) The Shrinking of Foxgloves 6.5kg/30kg
"Life can only be understood backwards but it must be lived forwards" (Soren Kirkegaard 1813-55)3 -
themadvix said:I’m pretty sure a Zoe podcast with the top scientists there argued the opposite - that unless there’s a specific need, bought pro/probiotics don’t do a lot.
This is only anecdotal I appreciate, but it suggests to me that they do have an effect even if the mechanism is not understood.
KKAs at 15.07.25:
- When bought house £315,995 mortgage debt and end date at start = October 2039 - now £233,521
- OPs to mortgage = £11,816 Interest saved £5,28 to date
Fixed rate 3.85% ends January 2030
Read 41 books of target 52 in 2025, as @ 9th August
Produce tracker: £272 of £300 in 2025
Watch your thoughts, they become your words.
Watch your words, they become your actions.Watch your actions, they become your reality.5 -
Jumping in as I've just completed a year on the Zoe programme and had a microbiome retest, which compares your current (identifiable) gut bacteria against your previous sample (which is reassessed based on their latest database so you're comparing like with like as the science evolves). After a year of eating far more plants, a wider variety of plants, far less beige food (because I'm actively avoiding it in situations where I just used to give in, like work travel), less meat and fish (not overly fond of it, but ate it because I was told it was good for me), far more fibre (around 70-90g/day, sometimes more... don't try to do this too quickly!), and a regular yogurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut and kimchi - varying the brands as much as possible, I have introduced 9 new beneficial bacteria and killed off 4 that are associated with poor health outcomes. I've also lost weight, improved my energy (I joined due to long covid symptoms), got rid of restless legs, raynauds, peripheral neuropathy and my skin is fabulous. Everything you need to know to improve is in the podcasts, so you don't need to pay for the programme - I did because I was desperate to do something do deal with my ongoing symptoms almost 3 years after having Covid.15
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That’s really interesting Greenbee, thanks for sharing. Huge fan of the podcasts and interested in the study but it’s not for me financially at the moment. I definitely eat more fermented food now - and try to be evangelical but without much success!Mortgage free 16/06/2023! £132,500 cleared in 11 years, 3 months and 7 days
'Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.' Ernest Hemingway5 -
Feel free to ask questions (on my diary/via PM/here if SL doesn't mind!), and I'll do my best to answer. It was only sheer desperation that made me sign up - and they're very good at sharing the information online. Now my brain is mostly working properly again I think there's enough information there for most people to be able to go it alone (then again, the FB groups suggest otherwise - people pay for the programme but don't want to change what they eat!). I think I've probably saved as much as I've spent given that that I'm eating more pulses and veg and less meat and fish (and eggs clearly, I've got 11 eggs that need using up).5
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Oh, @greenbee, I am very happy for you to ask questions or chat on my diary, it is really interesting, especially the anecdotal experiences.
@themadvix, the opposite position is what I have always believed, based on some assumptions about digestive acids, which is why I found the article so interesting. Let me see if I can link to it... I have made a screen shot image and here is a link (you might need a subscription/free trial to read in Times on-line).
Save £12k in 2025 #2 I am at £4863.32 out of £6000 after May (81.05%)
OS Grocery Challenge in 2025 I am at £1286.68/£3000 or 42.89% of my annual spend so far
I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the Grow your own thread
My new diary is here7 -
Thanks @greenbee for sharing your experience of improving your gut bacteria and the positive impact you have seen. I do enjoy fermented food, but I am currently failing to include them in my diet🤦 I will go and listen to the podcasts and if I have any questions I will get back to you.
@Suffolk_lass thank you for sharing the article, I will read it tomorrow on a larger screen.Fashion on a ration 2025 0/66 coupons spent
79.5 coupons rolled over 4/75.5 coupons spent - using for secondhand purchases
One income, home educating family3 -
themadvix said:
Watty, if you do Facebook, there’s a group called UK fermenting friends and if you join, you can request in the chat for WK grains and someone will send you their excess for free. I got my MK grains this way. Really helpful and friendly group too.Made it to mortgage free but what a muddle that became
In the event the proverbial hits the fan then co-habitees are better stashing their cash than being mortgage free !!3 -
Well, we each have a list. Mine is 3 things, DH has one in three parts. His was outside, mine are in, out and drive about, so his might not get done if he is too cold.
He was too cold so I am not even attempting my outdoor job proper. It is bitter. I will get my seeds in and audit them instead.
So instead, we have made both our own and the double room beds, and moved all the bee paraphernalia from the single spare room along to the double. This is in preparation for getting a loft ladder person along to see if they can fit a revised loft hatch and ladder, and board out part of the loft. There are three lofts...! then all that bee stuff can go up in the loft. We won't need insulation, there is tons of it!
I'm on my 3rd load of washing (three to go but one is a hot overnighter, so might leave the others until tomorrow).
Whoops, just found yesterday's post...Save £12k in 2025 #2 I am at £4863.32 out of £6000 after May (81.05%)
OS Grocery Challenge in 2025 I am at £1286.68/£3000 or 42.89% of my annual spend so far
I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the Grow your own thread
My new diary is here4 -
This morning I have to wait around as a piece of outdoor furniture is due to be delivered. I gave my address when ordering, as I will be here but it is not for us, it is for the Village Hall outdoor space. The cover arrived Friday (a different supplier). I only ordered on Thursday morning though, so both have done pretty well.
This evening's meal is in the simmer oven, some shin of beef made into a take on goulash, having been tempted by @foxgloves (well Mr) making it for them this week and me thinking, I need to zhuzh things up a bit from my basic season and cook long and slow, then add to something else (tried and trusted) formula. So, potato (and carrot) is peeled and chopped and I will add it in a few hours. We will have some steamed cabbage with it (not to be authentic, just because we like it!).
I was let down by a bee equipment supplier yesterday after them having my money for two months; not impressed but I can see they are in the process of refunding to my Payfriend account, which will hit the credit card before the money there goes, for this month's bill. The November purchase money was taken in December! My local reseller of equipment has the items in stock and I will collect them on Saturday when I collect him to go to an education day on the dreaded Asian Hornet. I should have just gone to him first!
I must go over to banking and pay for the kit, and see if our treasurer has refunded me for the purchases I have madeSave £12k in 2025 #2 I am at £4863.32 out of £6000 after May (81.05%)
OS Grocery Challenge in 2025 I am at £1286.68/£3000 or 42.89% of my annual spend so far
I also Reverse Meal Plan on that thread and grow much of our own premium price fruit and veg, joining in on the Grow your own thread
My new diary is here5
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