Tag: healthy lifestyle

“My Toilet Routine Became Clockwork” – What Drinking Kombucha Every Day For A Week Does To Your Body

From acai and goji berry to avocado and kale, ‘superfoods’ have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. Despite these food items having been around since forever, why have they been marketed as though no one knew about their benefits?

I never understood the importance of gut health until I was falling sick more often and feeling tired and lethargic all the time. After a severe case of food poisoning last year and not getting proper rest, I started getting really interested in probiotics to help strengthen my immune system.

Probiotics are good bacteria that help stabilise your gut and strengthens your immune system. They can be found in fermented food like yogurt, kimchi and kombucha.

Now, I’ve always been a skeptic of kombucha as it’s been overhyped over the last couple of years. After a first bad experience drinking it in San Francisco, I stayed away from kombucha for the longest time ever. But after reading up on some health benefits, I knew I had to give it another chance.

So I went straight to the source and sought help from experts instead. And I came across Winnie And Zhiwei, founders of local kombucha and kefir makers Craft & Culture.

Does Kombucha Actually Work?

But while skeptics (like me) definitely aren’t wrong in believing that superfoods could simply be overhyped fads, there are also individuals who have seen actual health benefits after incorporating these items into their diet.

One of these skeptics-turned-believers is Winnie, co-founder of local kombucha and kefir makers Craft & Culture. After experiencing food allergies, indigestion problems and falling ill frequently, she was introduced to Kombucha by a friend who suggested that it would help boost her immune system naturally.

For the unacquainted, Kombucha is a fermented drink brewed with tea, sugar, water and a symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). It tastes like something between a diluted apple cider vinegar or Korean fruit vinegar – depending on the types of teas and sugar used.

Its origins date back to ancient China, one of the first civilizations to recognize the health benefits of kombucha. Its benefits were also backed by researchers in Switzerland who reported that “drinking kombucha was similarly beneficial as eating yogurt”.

It’s the probiotics that really make this beverage a healthy one. There are good bacteria and bad bacteria inside our gut and probiotics tend to fit in the good bacteria category, as they are shown to have positive health benefits on our digestive system. Having a regular intake of probiotics prevents you from falling sick because your immune system is 80% dependent on the health of your intestines.

On the other hand, Kefir is a fermented milk drink which originated from the north Caucasus Mountains and is fermented from Kefir cultures “which are a combination of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. While it reminds me a lot of Greek yogurt, Kefir is said to have about 20 times more probiotics and nutrients.

The Experiment

In order to see for myself if kombucha and kefir really does deliver on its health benefits, including help with bloating, digestion and improving my gut health overall, I decided to drink it for a week.

Winnie and Zhiwei packed my first batch of kombucha and kefir and I couldn’t wait to try it out. I was excited as the drinks came in a variety of flavours so I knew I had something new to try everyday. As I have poor digestive health, I was told to start with 1/3 of kefir in the morning and half a bottle of kombucha in the afternoon.

They both warned me that kombucha and kefir loads your system with good bacteria and this can cause a mini ‘war’ in your gut. I gave a faint smile and mentally prepped myself for a long week at work (or the toilet for my case).

The First Few Days

I started my morning as instructed. I was a huge fan of the kefir as it reminded me of drinking mango lassi but the bad news was 1/3 kefir proved to be too much for my sensitive gut to handle. I ended up running to the toilet an hour later.

It didn’t help that I drank half a bottle of kombucha a few hours later. The first 2 days of drinking kombucha and kefir was truly hell as I was feeling bloated half the time and I felt really uncomfortable throughout the day. The solution? I gave my gut time to rest and continued taking the probiotics but in smaller amounts. It got better on the third day and I found myself being able to down the entire bottle for breakfast and lunch.

Major Changes That I Noticed

As the days passed, I found myself feeling lighter and happier while making my way to work. I swapped my usual order of kopi siew dai for a bottle of kefir and kombucha everyday and noticed that I was feeling more refreshed and alert even if I didn’t get enough sleep the previous night. For someone who starts feeling sluggish and reaching out of the munchies at 4pm, I felt a whole lot better once I included more probiotics in my diet.

Intrigued, I did a little bit more research and found out that probiotics could relieve mental health conditions like stress and anxiety. Which makes complete sense as if one had an unhealthy gut and lifestyle, less dopamine is produced. This means that people with unhealthy guts tend to be more unhappy. Connecting the dots between gut health and brain health was a life-changing moment for me.

After including kombucha in my diet, I was able to have a “smooth move” every morning and my toilet routine became clockwork. Drinking kombucha and kefir regularly seems to have really improved my gut health in just a week.

Will I Keep Going?

After a week of drinking kombucha and kefir daily, I must admit that I’m now a convert. I’ve previously had kombucha that tasted very “yeasty” but Craft & Culture’s beverages proves that healthy drinks don’t have to taste bland.

I love how it tastes and – more importantly – how it makes me feel. If it means improving my gut health and overall happiness, I’ll probably up the dosage of kombucha to 2 bottles per day.

Give kombucha and kefir a try and check out the offerings at Craft & Culture if you’re looking to improve your digestive health!

Craft & Culture
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Also Read A Uniquely Singaporean Omakase: Feast On An 8-Course Meal Made With Local Produce In A HDB Flat For $99

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There’s A Superhero Themed Cyclothon Happening In Singapore And All Are Welcome

Many Singaporeans will probably have noticed that in the past couple of years, it’s been fun runs galore here on our little red dot.

While each run has had its own unique draw, from loud, pumping music, to cartoon character themes, runs just aren’t for everyone.

Sure, there may be plenty of things to keep you distracted from the fact that you’re running, but the relatively short 5K can still be quite the challenge, especially for those of us who haven’t done any kind of physical activity in a long time.

If running isn’t your cup of tea, there’s another sporting event happening soon – and at this one, you’ll have a couple of wheels to help you out.

The annual OCBC Cycle is back.

Happening from 18 – 19 November, OCBC Cycle is Singapore’s most happening cycling event. An event that brings together cyclists young and old, from the greenest to the most seasoned, everyone is welcome to be a part of this cycling fiesta.

OCBC Cycle 2017 has something for everyone, with 3 riding categories for people who just want to have a good time. The best part? This year’s event will be graced by superheroes.

Ride With Friends

A Super Hero-themed ride, come dressed in your favourite Marvel or DC heroes and heroines! Better yet, come dressed like famous superhero (or supervillain) duos like Batman and Robin, Professor X and Magneto, or the Joker and Harley Quinn, with your partner or your bestie.

You can even go all out and pimp your ride with superhero elements – just make sure it doesn’t become a hazard when you cycle! Capes can be especially dangerous for cycling superheroes.

The best dressed person with the most fearless getup will get to walk away with a Casio EXILIM EX-FR100 Action Cam (worth $629) that’s perfect for capturing action-packed outings like these.

A scenic route that will take you past some of the most iconic landmarks of Singapore, including the other-worldly Singapore Sports Hub, majestic Supertrees at Gardens By The Bay, and the Marina Bay Sands, make sure to take in all the sights as you cruise through this 23km route.

Ride With Family

Want to spend some quality time with the family?

The Mighty Savers® Kids and Family Ride guarantees a great time for even the youngest of the pack.

Themed ‘Bubbly Fun’, the route comprises zones that will be filled with bubbles by bubble blowing machines. The kids are sure to have a ball with the bubbles, popping them as they cycle!

If you’d like to take it easy and go for a leisurely ride, go for The Corporate Bike Ride. Pick between the 23km The Straits Time Ride and the 42km The Sportive Ride, and take on the city with a group of at least 15 cyclists!

Amp up the team spirit and ditch the event jersey in favour of one of your own company tees. Deck yourselves in your company colours, make post-cyclothon dinner plans, and make a day of it!

After all, the company that plays together, stays together.

Gear Up For OCBC Cycle 2017

Sticking with the cycling theme, the OCBC 2017 participation medal comes in the form of 1/3 of a stylized bicycle gear.

Wear it around your neck like a badge of honour once you’ve finished OCBC Cycle 2017. If you come back for subsequent editions of the OCBC Cycle in 2018 and 2019, you can combine the 3 pieces to form a complete gear!

Don’t have a bike of your own? Don’t worry, you can rent yourself a bike for this event! Some reliable places to get your bikes are T.K.H Leisure, Cycle To The Park, S-Lite Event Support and more. With these bike rental services readily available, finding a bike to ride with should be the least of your worries!

If you know you’re long overdue for some exercise, or just like sweating it out with like-minded people, register for OCBC Cycle 2017 here! And make sure to take your best pals along because everything is better when you do it with a friend!

OCBC Cycle 2017
Venue: Singapore Sports Hub 
Date: 18 – 19 Nov 
Website

Also read Someone Finally Opened A Durian Specialty Cafe, And It Serves More Than The Typical Puffs And Cakes

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