Artisan Sourdough Bread

I began my artisanal bread story out of necessity. About ten years ago I was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondyloarthritis, an autoimmune disorder that affects the joints. I know - I was scared! The thought of having any potentially debilitating disease was terrifying. I immediately began taking the Sulfasalazine that my then rheumatologist recommended, assuring me that it was "safe," and could put my disease back into permanent remission where it belonged. I took it as directed and received a blood test after six weeks.

On a Sunday evening in January, while waiting in line for a Sundance film, the doctor phoned me and instructed me to stop taking the medication immediately, as my liver enzymes were dangerously high. He also said no alcohol, only clean, organic eating, and to stop taking any and all medication (even my daily supplements) until my numbers were back to normal. When your western medical doctor tells  you to eat organic, you know it must be serious! 

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I began weekly blood tests to check my liver, and after four weeks, my numbers were very slowly going back down. I then decided to get proactive and dove into researching how to first heal my liver and then deal with the Spondyloarthritis. 

I discovered that yes, eating only organic is a must and that beets, lots and lots of them,  would help my liver recover. I invested in a slow masticating juicer and began juicing beets, celery, and kale daily. With this regimen, my liver was completely back to normal in three weeks! The numbers fell dramatically rather than just inching down as before. 

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I found a functional medical doctor in my area who believed in wellness through nutrition and lifestyle changes, only using medical prescriptions when absolutely necessary. She suggested that I try  a gluten-free diet, as gluten can tend to be inflammatory - inflammation and autoimmune diseases are not a good mix. 

Now, I am one of the few remaining classically trained Home Economics Educators in the country. I LOVE to use my hands and skillset to prepare and eat delicious food, so naturally, the thought of never eating bread again made me very sad. I mean, what's better than a delicious sandwich? My research lead me to fermented sourdough, where the fermentation process naturally lowers the glycemic index. The yeast in the natural levin and the bacteria essentially consume the sugar which makes for a more digestible product and lowers insulin response which leads to less inflammation. Through these practices and daily nutritional supplements I have effectively put my autoimmune disease into full remission and have developed a pretty amazing bread product.