Get Forked
KINESIOLOGY practitioner Rena Walker has the healthy solution to your gut problems.
While running her business as a kinesiologist, Ms Walker noticed people in Darwin often had problems with their gut or digestion. This inspired her to research fermented drinks and sauerkraut, both of which produce antibiotics and are brilliant for gut health.
After perfecting her craft Ms Walker, alongside Get Fermented founder Bronwyn Clee, has turned to running workshops on drink fermentation.
“I’ve been running the workshops for last two or three years. Just helping other people get started,” said Ms Walker.
“They can make it themselves the way they like it. It’s much more economical to make it yourself rather than buying it from the stores.”
Ms Walker offers a number of different flavours for her clients to sample; from fruity, to spicy, to sweet, to whatever else they may desire. That way her client knows exactly what they would want to trial.
“I also give them the starters that they need to go home and start fermenting straight away.”
Both fermented drinks and sauerkraut have immense health benefits. They are both rich in vitamins and probiotics that not only help gut health, but also help fight cancer, help the immune system, reduce pain and discomfort, and reduce inflammation in joints.
“Gut health is really important,” said Ms Walker.
“Good gut health is how you get rid of the toxins from your system, it’s how you process the food that you eat, and it’s how your body gains the nutrition it needs.”
The fermenting process involves the fusion of yeast and bacteria in the air. The bacteria
digests the sugars within the fermenting mixtures kick-starting the fermenting process. Bubbles form in the mixture creating the probiotics necessary for the healing of the gut.
“It’s kind of like what happens when you brew beer,” said Ms Walker.
“Sauerkraut is a similar process. Originally made to preserve vegetables, such as cabbage. This old way of preserving through fermentation gave us a lot of healthy probiotics.” The hot and humid climates of Darwin are prone to causing indigestion problems for people. As a result more and more people are getting into fermenting.
“I think this is a benefit to everybody in a world of processed food and too much sugar. Fermenting can be a huge benefit in many of our diets.”
At Ms Walker’s Get Fermented workshops you can learn to make your own fermented drinks. Get Fermented currently runs three to four workshops a year.
For more information regarding Get Fermented head to getfermented.com.au/ fermenting-workshops/.