Move over kombucha...this fizzy DIY probiotic-rich soda is cheaper, more medicinal, and a lot easier to make!

Aloha Steemit familia!!! Never buy a probiotic again!!! This drink is sooo delicious... so medicinal...and so probiotic rich!

Studies of the human gut show that environment affects quality, quantity, and diversity of gut flora just as much as diet. Also, a recent finding suggests that the healthiest populations have more diversity in microbiota species.

So...with that in mind...it just makes sense (to me) to capture as many wild strains of beneficial bacteria and yeast as possible...from your local environment. And to make it more healthful...why not move for your medicine...by foraging and gardening for your ingredients? More on that later...

Photo by Martin Schoeller

Most people know what kombucha is and have probably seen it sold for about four bucks a bottle. The health claims made for kombucha mostly revolve around its probiotic content which has been reported to aid in digestion and immune function.

Some people have gone so far as to make their own...which we did for several years.

However...a few things make kombucha not so optimal:

1. It contains refined sugar. Most people claim that the microbes eat all the sugar up, but from personal experience...there's still sugar in the final product.

2. It contains caffeine. This is not so good for children. And I get a lot of clients with children who are already hyper and can't sleep...so no bueno. Also, if you're trying to heal your adrenals and improve sleep as an adult...stimulants are not adviseable.

3. Making it at home is a pain because you have to keep the mother alive by feeding her every few weeks...and she gets HUGE!!!

4. It gets REALLY expensive!!!!

...

So ultimately, I stopped buying and making kombucha for these reasons.

Lately I've been looking for an alternative way to get a variety of probiotics...and low and behold...I'm excited to say I found IT!!!

And did I mention...it's sooooo much fun to make!?!

This recipe was inspired by one of the world's Fermentation Bibles, The Art of Fermentation: An In-Depth Exploration of Essential Concepts and Processes from around the World by Sandor Elix Katz.The recipe is for an ancient drink made with juniper berries, lemon and water, called "Smreka".

Here's a link to a post I made a a while ago on how to make this drink.

No sugar!!! No caffeine!!! 5 min to throw together !!! And Cheap!!!

This beverage was such a success and so simple that I decided to try other combos of herbs...gathered on our hikes and garden walks...to capture the terroir (the unique beneficual bacteria and yeast) of each location and reap the benefits of the herbs used.

Here's one I made with lemon grass and nasturtium flowers from the garden.

And here's one I made with desert marigold flowers, Mormon tea, and chapparal that I collected on a hike.

I love being in the company of the spirit of the herbs suspended in water on my counter. I'm reminded everyday of the plants that have become my family over the years...and the many unique gifts they bring.

A few other combos I'm excited to try are goji berries and tulsi leaf and flower...spearmint and lemon verbena leaf and flower...and horsetail and squaw berries.

Just make sure that when you attempt a wild ferment to always innoculate with wild yeast using a wild fruit such as juniper, wild grape or blueberry, or manzanita berry. You can also innoculate it with a few teaspoons of a previous batch of soda.

If you made it this far!!! Big probiotic-rich hugs to you!!!!

I hope this inspires you to try something new...to take your health to another level.

If fermentation is something you enjoy already...I'd love to learn from you and hear of your creations!!!

Aloha!!!

Pachee and