Probiotics

The world of natural medicine never fails to amaze me. What amazes me most is that many of these remedies have been around for centuries and they work extremely well without any side-effects. So why aren’t they more popular? Instead we turn to what is now conventional medicine which, in my experience, is not as effective.




My number one cure-all natural medicine that I endorse to anyone that will listen is Bee Propolis, a probiotic syrup. Probiotics, “…refers to foods or supplements containing live beneficial microbes, primarily bacterial strains, that are used to fortify or rebuild our natural gut flora.” I discovered the probiotic supplement Bee Propolis at the Ilog Maria shop in Tagaytay. And am I ever grateful! I take it whenever I feel like I’m coming down with something and when I’ve actually come down with something. But taking it at the onset of a cold or flu is nipping it in the bud. When I’m already sick with a cold I take it every two hours for a day (3-5 days for a flu, much harder to cure if its full blown though) and I’m as good as new.

You don’t have to wait to be sick to take probiotic products or foods. Taking probiotic foods or supplements keeps the intestinal flora healthy which is necessary in keeping or rebuilding a strong immune system and aiding in the digestion process. Fermented foods such as saerkraut, miso, yogurt and soy sauce have these beneficial bacteria.

Another important factor in keeping healthy flora is our diet. Foods rich in fiber feed beneficial bacteria. Intrestingly, the “bad” bacteria feed on simple sugars. We've all heard it before - eat your veggies! Beans and fruits are also rich in fiber.

Try out this recipe for Pithale, an Indian curry dip made with besan (chickpea flour), which is delicious and fiber rich. This is the second time I try out a recipe from blog One Hot Stove. Thanks Nupur!

*100 grams of besan gives you 11 grams of soluble fiber. The average adult needs about 25-30 grams of fiber a day.