11 Comments
User's avatar
Tyler Alterman's avatar

Did you have any other gut symptoms? I was wondering if this would work for my case where soluble fiber is a no-go

Alexandra's avatar

I didn't have any other gut symptoms. According to chatgpt it might be worth giving spore-forming probiotics a try:

> Unlike many probiotics, they’re not heavily dependent on soluble fiber as fuel.

> Because they don’t aggressively ferment carbohydrates, they’re often better tolerated.

> Can help rebalance dysbiosis. Some produce antimicrobial compounds that suppress gas-producing or histamine-producing bacteria.

Natto may be more tricky. It doesn't have a ton of soluble fiber, but it has some, and could trigger other issues.

Grace Jackson's avatar

How did you make the natto? Was it hard?

Alexandra's avatar

Hi Grace,

Here's how we do it, unfortunately we're using both an Instant Pot and a steam oven so you might not have those. If you Google you'll find other how-tos with different equipment.

- Soak soybeans overnight, rinse.

- Pressure cook for 20 minutes

- Inoculate with bacteria (we use this stuff https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09325M42X -- one packet lasts many batches but once you have your batches going you can use a bit of your last batch to inoculate the next)

- Cook 24 hours at 113F’ at ~75% humidity.

Once the beans are pressure cooked it’s important to not introduce any other bacteria, so we pour boiling water over anything (spoon, etc) that will touch the beans.

We use an Instant Pot for the pressure cooking and a steam oven for the low temperature cooking (a small countertop model from Nuwave, which I got for about $300 and adore for cooking just about everything).

Alternatively you can buy natto in the frozen section of many Asian markets. They come in styrofoam packs. I just get upset about buying something shipped from Japan in styrofoam--just doesn't seem sustainable--which is what motivated me to make it at home. But if you just want to try out how natto works for you, that might be the easiest option.

Emma Skurnick's avatar

This is beautifully written , and it looks great on the page, too! Congratulations :)

Alexandra's avatar

Thanks so much with your help with the illustration, Emma! So grateful to have you in my life!! ❤️🙏

daniel brottman's avatar

wow super cool, so glad you found such a clear solution

Cynthia Rylander Crossen's avatar

There's so much to discover about our health -- glad you explored and found a good solution for yourself and hopefully others.

Alexandra's avatar

Thanks for reading, Cynthia! 💗

Kristin Posehn's avatar

You had me at "miracle-gro" for brains! This is such a delight to read AND discovery-packed. Can't wait to try out the alien spider eggs and see what my dudes think.

Alexandra's avatar

Thank you, Kristin! Hope your dudes enjoy alien spider eggs joining the party. Let me know how it goes!