by Dr. Marli Botha Gut health refers to the balance of micro-organisms that live in the digestive tract. Looking after the health of the gut and maintaining the right balance of these micro-organisms is vital for physical and mental health, immunity, and more… Fortunately, just like there are a lot of things that can contribute to an...
by Dr. Marli Botha Many facets of modern life such as high stress levels, too little sleep, eating processed and high-sugar foods, and taking antibiotics can all damage our gut microbiome. Poor diet is one of biggest causes of gut issues. While good bacteria thrive on things like fibre and plant foods, bad bacteria and yeast...
by Dr. Marli Botha Hard fact: Your body is full of trillions of bacteria, viruses and fungi! They are collectively known as the microbiome. While some bacteria are associated with disease, others are actually extremely important for your immune system, heart, weight and many other aspects of health. This article serves as a guide to the...
by Dr. Marli Botha There’s no proof that regular computer use causes any long-term damage to the eyes, however, it may cause blurred vision, double vision, dry and red eyes, eye irritation, headaches, neck or back pain, difficulty in focusing and others. When you look at the screen for too long, the blinking rate reduces and...
by Dr. Marli Botha The use of online devices such as phones and laptops has gone up by almost 75% during the pandemic in both children and adults due to online classes and work from home, according to Dr G.V. Divakar, Managing Director, Divakar’s Speciality Hospital, and Asian Research & Training Institute. Even those who are...
by Dr. Marli Botha Whoever says “fresh is best” may need a refresher in deliciously crispy and slightly tangy pickles, or savoury miso, spicy kimchi, bubbly kombucha and everyone’s favourite: beer. Fermentation has long been a way to preserve beloved foods, usually altering the taste and texture of the food item, sometimes for the better… 5 Funky...
by Dr. Marli Botha Please do keep in mind that not all fermented foods are created equal. For instance, although cheese is fermented, it's not known to bring the same health benefits as yogurt. The difference is live microbes, yogurt has them, but cheese typically doesn't. Live cultures are found not only in yogurt and a...
by Dr. Marli Botha The benefits of fermented foods consumption have been demonstrated in a number of research reports. These qualities have been demonstrated, for example, to reduce childhood diseases such as diarrhoea and malnutrition. Thus, fermented foods may be recommended for improving the health and nutritional quality of traditional African foods and regular inclusion of...
by Dr. Marli Botha Chances are you’ve been eating fermented foods your whole life, maybe without even realising it. So many of the everyday staples we take for granted – like wine, tea, cheese, bread and chocolate – are made using different fermentation processes. As many people are cottoning on to the appeal of naturally fermented...
by Dr. Marli Botha Herbal tea is not technically a true tea, as it does not derive from the Camellia sinensis plant (i.e. the plant that is used to create black, oolong, green, and white teas). Instead, herbal tea is an infusion or blend of various leaves, fruits, bark, roots, or flowers belonging to almost any...
