I used to think cravings were just willpower. You want something sweet, you either say yes or you say no, end of story. It’s not quite that simple.
Some links in this post may be affiliate links. We only share what we actually use and trust.
The more I’ve paid attention to gut health over the years, the more I’ve realized a whole lot of what we’re dealing with starts there. Not just digestion, but inflammation, energy, even the way you feel day to day. And one of the more surprising things I’ve learned is that the conversation between your gut and your brain doesn’t go the direction most of us think.
Most people assume the brain is in charge, sending signals down telling the body what to do. But what they’re finding is that a big portion of that communication actually starts in the gut and travels up. Meaning what’s going on in your gut can influence what you think you want. So when you’re craving sugar, it might not just be you having a moment. It could be the microbes in your gut asking to be fed.
Now, that’ll make you stop and think for a second.
Which brings us to food. Specifically, the kind we used to eat without thinking about it. Fermented foods used to be a regular part of everyday life. Not because people were chasing gut health, but because it was how you preserved food and made it last. Sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir, pickled vegetables, all of that showed up on the table without a second thought.
These foods matter because they carry what people now call probiotics, which are the live beneficial bacteria that help keep your gut balanced. Prebiotics are the foods that feed those bacteria, things like fiber-rich plants. And postbiotics are what those bacteria produce once they’re doing their job. All three matter, but you don’t need a fancy label to get them.
But of course, these days, we've managed to mess up something that's come so naturally for so long. A lot of what’s sold in stores now as “gut healthy” doesn’t always deliver what it promises. Between processing, shelf stability, and added ingredients, you’re sometimes getting the idea of the thing without the actual benefit.
So this is another one of those places where I look to kick it old-school.
I make yogurt and sauerkraut at home.
My dad is from Greece and yogurt is as much a staple there as ketchup is here. So growing up, the yogurt maker (yes we had one way back then) was on the counter and always running. So that's where I decided to start.
The yogurt is about as easy as it gets. Milk, a little starter, and my Instant Pot does the rest. I like mine thick, tangy and Greek style - so I cook it long and strain it down, and that’s what we keep on hand. It’s clean, it’s simple, and I know exactly what’s in it.
I lived in Germany for several years and developed an absolute love for Sauerkraut, so that's my other go-to fermented food. It takes a little more patience but not much more effort. Cabbage and salt, that’s it. I use a mason jar with a fermentation lid to keep things easy and hands-off. It sits, it does its thing, and a few weeks later you’ve got something that’s alive in the way food is supposed to be.
Now, I don't live in Lala Land. I know sauerkraut isn’t winning any popularity contests in every household. It’s got a bite to it. But if you like that kind of tang, it’s one of the simplest ways to get those beneficial bacteria into your system without overthinking it.
And no, I’m not standing in my kitchen like some kind of fermentation expert. I’m just using tools that make it easier. An Instant Pot for the yogurt, a simple lid for the jars, and that’s about as complicated as it gets.
Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about doing it perfectly. It’s about getting back to a way of eating that made sense long before we started putting everything in a package and calling it better.
And if your gut really is doing more of the talking than we thought, it might be worth paying attention to what you’re feeding it.
From The Field: Feed your gut like it matters, because it probably has more say than you think.
This is what we use and what works for us. It’s not medical advice, just lived experience. Start small, use good sense, and do what’s right for you.