You’ve probably heard the saying, ‘you are what you eat,’ but what does that really mean? To achieve a vital and enhanced immune system we need to do more than to simply switch to eating organic food. Our immune system is the first wall of defence that will fight off bacterial, viral and fungal invasion. A diet rich in fresh organic produce will go a long way in determining a strong immune system but have you ever considered the state of your nether regions - the lower bowel? The bowel is said to be the seat of disease and the secret of good health actually depends on the quality of the gut flora that lives within the digestive tract. These bacteria are essential for proper nutritional assimilation and the creation of vitamins. Enzymes occur naturally inside our digestive systems but often become depleted with age, so enzymes taken in with the daily diet are necessary for the complete breakdown of food. If there is not a good balance of healthy, pro- active bacteria then the pathogens will dominate and encourage disease to take hold. So how do we encourage the goodies to proliferate? A regular intake of fermented food on a daily basis will introduce a steady stream of digestive enzymes and bacteria. Vegetables and grains that are allowed to ferment will introduce lactic bacteria to break down the enzyme inhibitors and also turn any complex starches into sugars. Food such as sauerkraut and kimchi are lactic ferments that are made from vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds and these will greatly enhance your health status. Sourdough bread is the old fashioned way of making bread and is also the most natural. It is a ferment that actually changes the chemistry within the dough. With this kind of ferment, the bread will be much easier to digest and it will be tastier as well. In fermenting the food we eat, enzymes are also created and are necessary to life….and death. Without enzymes there is no life and we need a steady supply of enzymes in our daily food to enable us to have good digestion. Eating fermented food must then become a necessary part of our daily regime. Unfortunately you can’t buy these living, enzyme rich foods so you will need to produce them yourself. But once you try eating lactic fermented food, you won’t look back!