Cultured

A revealing look at the 300 trillion microorganisms that keep us healthy—and the foods they need to thrive These days, probiotic yogurt and other "gut-friendly" foods line supermarket shelves. But what's the best way to feed our all-important microbiome—and what is a microbiome, anyway? In this engaging and eye-opening book, science journalist Katherine Harmon Courage investigates these questions, presenting a deep dive into the ancient food traditions and the latest research for maintaining a healthy gut. Courage’s insights include: • Meet your microbiome: What it is, how it works, and why it's essential for our immune system--and overall health • Gut-friendly food traditions: A guided tour of artisanal makers of yogurt, kimchi, kefir, kombucha, olives, cocoa, and other vibrant, ancient foods from around the world that feed our microbiome (along with simple recipes for curious at-home cooks) • Cutting-edge science: A first-hand look at some of the top lab facilities where microbiologists are working to better understand the human gut and how to feed it for good health Equal parts science explainer, culinary investigation, and global roadmap for healthy eating, Cultured offers a wealth of information for anyone interested in making smart food choices in our not-so-gut-friendly modern world.

“THIS BOOK’S purpose is to tell you what a cultivated person is, what the value of the cultured person is to himself, his fellows, and his society, and finally, the kind of things the cultured person knows, thinks, and feels. The point of the book is that it may succeed in giving you a fair idea of where you stand in relation to the continuum of culture, and help you understand in what further direction you need to proceed.”—Ashley Montagu, Ph. D. This provocative book, first published in 1958, is an inquiry into, and an answer to, three very important questions: 1) What is a cultured man? 2) What does “culture” mean in America? 3) What is YOUR “culture quotient”? Dr. Montagu analyzes and evaluations the first two questions above in a brilliant opening essay. He then provides 50 tests (1,500 questions with answers) which explore YOUR knowledge and attitudes and which enable you not only to determine where you stand as a truly cultured person but also to find out precisely in what directions you need to move to improve your “culture quotient.” From ballet to biology, from psychology to sex, this is an instructive test of your own intellectual status, a challenge and a guide to self-improvement. Dr. Montagu was a professor of anthropology at Rutgers University before retiring in order to devote all his time to writing. He was well-known for his TV and radio appearances, and became a renowned author.

If you’re having digestive problems or feeling sick and rundown—or if you simply want to feel better and have more energy—this is the book for you. In Cultured Food for Health, Donna Schwenk opens your eyes to the amazing healing potential of cultured foods. Focusing on the notion that all disease begins in the gut—a claim made by Hippocrates, the father of medicine, more than 2000 years ago—she brings together cutting-edge research, firsthand accounts from her online community, and her personal healing story to highlight the links between an imbalanced microbiome and a host of ailments, including high blood pressure, allergies, depression, autism, IBS, and so many more. Then she puts the power in your hands, teaching you how to bring three potent probiotic foods—kefir, kombucha, and cultured vegetables—into your diet. Following the advice in these pages, along with her 21-day program, you can easily (and deliciously!) flood your system with billions of good bacteria, which will balance your body and allow it to heal naturally. In this book, you’ll find: • Step-by-step instructions on how to make basic kefir, kombucha, and cultured vegetables • More than 100 tasty, easy-to-make recipes, from smoothies to desserts, that feature probiotic foods • A three-week program with day-by-day instructions on gathering supplies and ingredients, and making and eating cultured foods • Helpful answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about culturing • Hints and tips about how to easily incorporate cultured foods into your life • Exciting information on the probiotic-enhancing properties of prebiotic foods, such as apples, broccoli, onions, squash, brussels sprouts, and honey Cultured Food for Health takes the fear out of fermentation so you can heal your gut and experience the energy, health, and vitality that are available when your body is working as it’s meant to. So join Donna today, and learn to love the food that loves you back!

Let your microbes take the lead to experience the joy you are meant to live! Donna Schwenk, author of Cultured Food for Life and Cultured Food for Health, has always infused a sense of simplicity, accessibility, and doability into the hundreds of cultured food recipes she has produced throughout the years. She has introduced countless home chefs to the concept of gut and microbiome healing and using fermented foods and probiotics such as kefir and kombucha, to allow your body to work as it is meant to, and heal naturally with billions of good bacteria. But when Schwenk was faced with a cross-country move, she found her own life out of balance. Schwenk knew she needed to establish a stabilizing center, even amidst the chaos, so she crafted easy, on-the-go recipes that could be made with limited time and supplies. By making healthy, delectable foods that were easily transportable in a container as small as a jar, Schwenk realized that despite being caught in limbo externally, internally she felt energized and never once deprived. Schwenk’s step-by-step healthy jar recipes will lead you through making basic cultured vegetables, kefir and kombucha, and and producing more than 100 easy-to-make morning foods, dips, dishes, snacks, desserts, and drinks. From Cocoa Kefir Krunch Puff Breakfast to Winter Salsa to Coconut Miso Soup to Lemon Ginger Kraut to Peanut Kefir Butter Cups, Schwenk’s real-world tested recipes are made for the active, modern household. Whether you are mid-move, on your way to an early morning meeting, helping the kids to get out the door, or rushing off to class yourself, these compact dishes, treats, and quick fermented snacks will nourish your body and mind for the day ahead.

Examines "the healing properties of kefir, kombucha, cultured vegetables, sprouted flour, and sourdough ... Donna Schwenk is working to bring [the methods of fermentation] back to readers by showing that these now-unfamiliar processes are actually easy and fun"--

Donna Schwenk’s world changed when she discovered cultured foods. After a difficult pregnancy and various health problems, she became determined to find answers to what ailed her. And in her quest, she came across the ancient art of home fermentation, a food preparation technique that supercharges everyday foods with beneficial bacteria to balance your digestive system, and vitamins and minerals to enhance your overall health. This simple, natural process has been used for thousands of years to create everything from drinks like kefir and kombucha to foods like kimchi and pickles. After incorporating fermented foods into her life, Donna began to experience a vitality that she had never known. And then she was hooked! She started a new life as a teacher and writer, blogging on her website culturedfoodlife.com, in an effort to bring the beautiful world of fermented foods to as many people as possible. She now works with thousands of people to open the door to a world of foods that can help improve an array of health problems including high blood pressure, diabetes, allergies, acne, hypertension, asthma, and irritable bowel syndrome. In Cultured Food for Life Donna brings this same information to you and shows you that preparing and eating cultured foods is easy, fun, and delicious! After speaking to the science behind the healing power of probiotic foods and telling the astonishing story of how she healed herself and her family, Schwenk walks you, step by step, through the basic preparation techniques for kefir, kombucha, cultured vegetables, and sprouted flour, plus more than 135 recipes that use these foods to create dishes to please any palate. With recipes like Herbed Omelet with Kefir Hollandaise Sauce,Sprouted Ginger Scones with Peaches and Kefir Cream,Kefir Veggie Sprouted Pizza, Apple Sauerkraut, and Brownie Cupcakes with Kefir Frosting, along with inspirational stories from Donna’s family and friends, you’ll learn everything you want to know about a diet that’s as tasty as it is healthy.

Transform Everyday Foods into Mouth-Watering Superfoods Detailing everything you need to begin fermenting in your home kitchen, The Cultured Cook offers recipes and tips for making vegan, gluten-free foods even better for you. From delicious plant-based yogurt and cheese, to basics such as sauerkraut, pickles, and kombucha, to tempting desserts — even ice cream! — you’ll discover ways to add fermented foods to every meal. Your body will enjoy the benefits of probiotics, as well as the increasingly recognized prebiotics, to supercharge your health.

The text concentrates on the infectious viral and bacterial diseases that are most prevalent in aquaculture. Although much information has been derived from North American studies, important diseaase problems from other parts of the world are included. Also, where applicable, the influence of the various diseases on wild populations has been included. This book is intended for students and scientists who are interested in health maintenance of aquatic animals, aquatic pathobiology, and infectious diseases of fin fish. Hopefully, it will be used as a text for beginning fish pathologists and as a reference source for those of broader experience.