No, neither had we, but some of the team at Blanchards Bailey are going to find out this August.
The Dorset-based law firm have put together a team of twenty professionals to pull the 35,000kg aeroplane 50 meters in as fast a time as possible. Of course, there is a great reason for this plane pull challenge; the goal is to raise as much money, as possible, for the firm’s charity of the year, The GAP Project run by Dorset Mind.
The GAP Project provides eco-therapy support services to help improve people’s mental health by connecting with others and tending to allotments in Dorchester.
The aim is to get people outside and more active by gardening and maintaining the charity’s allotments. The GAP project has been set up by Meyers Estate Agents and Dorset Mind.
Dorset Mind are independent and responsible for their own funding – so when you donate, you know that your money benefits people who live in Dorset.
Their support groups educate people about the signs and symptoms of mental ill health, and how to develop new coping skills. The charity also run an accredited one-to-one befriending programme, designed to help people regain confidence and social skills.
Ben Jones, Partner at Blanchards Bailey said:
“Mental health awareness is so vital, now more than ever. Our lifestyles have been considerably different over the last eighteen months and the restricted contact we have endured has had a huge impact on people’s mental wellbeing. The GAP Project helps overcome those difficulties by facilitating safe interaction with others in a relaxing outdoor environment which is conducive to positive mental health.
The team at Blanchards Bailey will also be volunteering at the allotments to make sure they are in tip-top condition! What’s more, the GAP project has recently taken on a second premises at Red Cow Farm in Dorchester to form a new eco therapy garden. We’re looking forward to helping the GAP project get the land ready for the next phase of this exciting initiative.”
This article comes off the back of completing one of the most challenging races I have done both mentally and physically.
Image – Mel Mitchell
The weekend of the 17/18th July saw me and a handful of my fellow Dorset Doddlers travel up to the Lake District to tackle the last ever Man Vs Lakes in what was the hottest weekend so far this year with temperatures reaching 28/29°C.
Image – Mel Mitchell
The race started with us crossing the quicksands of Morecombe Bay before heading off into what was a rollercoaster of hills and forests. This included Rat Races infamous ‘vertical kilometre’ as well as the opportunity to take a quick dip in the lakes themselves, which I have to say was quite refreshing in the blistering heat! As always the company of my fellow Dorset Doddlers was without question one of the reasons I completed day 1 of this epic adventure, crossing the finish line in Coniston like the 4 musketeers.
Image – Mel Mitchell
With 28 plus miles already in my legs, waking up and getting ready for the second day was in itself a mental challenge. In the bus on the way to the start line it dawned on me that I may have to face sea to Scarfell on my own. I was the only one crazy enough to upgrade to the second day. Pretty sure there was alcohol being consumed at the time of booking! For those that know me, I’m renowned for getting lost, so with the second day being self-navigating I was immediately a little nervous. I mean, 32 miles is long enough, I didn’t want to make it any longer. Thankfully I found a fellow runner to buddy up with, which was a massive relief for the both of us, keeping each other going through the picturesque views and gruelling climbs.
Image – Mel Mitchell
If you had asked me 5 years ago whether I would ever be running the distances I do now I would have said ‘you must be joking!’. It just goes to show that your body and mind is capable of so much more than you think it is. If you believe you can, you will.
The Wingfield Digby family is delighted to announce that Sherborne Castle re-opened it doors on Friday 23 July.
Sherborne Castle
Visitors can walk in the footsteps of royalty & Sir Walter Raleigh, see magnificent staterooms and nationally important collections of art, furniture and porcelain. The key episodes of history come to life through the “Great Stories of the Castle” series.
New for 2021: the recently restored billiard room, plus a new museum showcasing family curios such as
Lord Digby’s False Teeth
Lord Digby’s false teeth a skull with a bullet that was lodged in the eye socket from the Civil war 17th Century Deed boxes – lined with ‘the last sayings of a mouse, lately starved in a cupboard’
17th Century Deed Boxes
This immersive and interactive experience includes smell boxes to bring the displays to life.
Children can take the Castle Quiz and enjoy the Garden Trail.
Relics from the civil war
Explore acres of ‘Capability Brown’ landscaped garden surrounding a lake – a free-to-download garden audio tour is available to intriduce you to 30 garden features including a cascade, fossil house, orangery, folly and Raleigh’s seat.
Billiard Room
And when you’re finished exploring, treat yourself to a West Country cream tea in the tearoom or a chilled glass of their very own Sherborne Castle wine?
The Castle & Gardens are open seven days a week: Gardens from 10am, Castle from 12pm
(last admission to Castle 3pm). Up to four children free under 16 with every paying adult.
Hello and welcome to my August column. I hope this finds you well and enjoying the summer. This month I’d like to reflect on the opening up of the economy now that Freedom Day has taken place – albeit it felt very different to the huge celebratory day Boris originally talked about. With infection rates rapidly rising, Freedom Day wasn’t the big mask-tearing off celebration Boris was talking about a few weeks ago. In fact we’ve seen a huge shift in the approach from Government in recent weeks with the message changing in several areas.
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The ‘everyone back to the office’ call has been diluted and businesses are now encouraged to think about bringing staff back – as opposed to the big return Boris was originally talking about. The ‘irreversible’ Freedom Day relaxations also do not seem to be irreversible and many businesses we speak to have real concerns as we look to the future. We recently undertook a snap survey with over 50 businesses attending an event and the results highlighted the nervousness many are feeling.
71 per cent of people would rather not shake hands/have physical contact at business events at this time. Eighteen per cent were relaxed about it and 11 per cent were undecided.
28 per cent thought the government was right to relax requirements such as face masks and social distancing but 56 per cent thought it was the wrong time.
78 per cent thought there was inadequate guidance for businesses regarding Freedom Day.
62 per cent are concerned about the possibility of future restriction being introduced after Freedom Day.
We are of course very keen to see all businesses open up after what has been a truly dreadful time, particularly for those businesses that have been mandated to close. But common sense is absolutely vital within this and we believe a sensible and cautious approach is required. Infection rates are surging and we are now facing the ‘pingdemic’ as the app tells people they need to self-isolate. We are already hearing about businesses that are having to temporarily close due to staff having to isolate – add this to the huge challenges businesses are facing in terms of recruitment – it’s clear our road to recovery will be a long one.
One service that has been vital during the pandemic and is there to benefit and support all businesses across Dorset is the Business Gateway service. Funded by Dorset LEP and delivered by Dorset Chamber, this is a free information, advice and signposting service, open to all businesses in Dorset. You can call for advice on support for your business and this service helps businesses navigate the complexities of publicly-funded business support. Whether it’s information on grants, loans or advice for your business, we can help. Call 01202 714800 and select Business Gateway.
Before the television series Broadchurch was filmed in West Bay, the little harbour near Bridport barely featured on the tourist trail – though locals have always claimed that the best fish and chips in Dorset could be enjoyed by the quay.
Image by Edwina Baines
However, it was buzzing with holidaymakers on the sunny morning of my visit to Sladers Yard Gallery. Housed in the historic Georgian rope warehouse, its flower-filled courtyard is also home to the delicious Café Sladers. The Gallery itself opened in 2006 and has flourished under the ownership of Norwegian furniture designer Petter Southall and his wife, Anna Powell.
Anna’s parents were both artists and although she is now curator and gallery director, initially she took up book publishing. She met Petter when he was studying sustainable design in wood at John Makepeace’s Hooke Park College. Over the years they have developed a reputation which means their work is sold worldwide: their customers return regularly and Anna has built up a close relationship with her stable of artists. Her enthusiasm and motivation have never wavered from the moment she saw a customer fall in love with a painting, make a connection and become transfixed.
Their Summer Prints and Drawings Show (which runs until 12th September), now brings together seven acclaimed local artists and aims to explore the economy and discipline of the printing and drawing processes: Sally McLaren’s drypoint, aquatint and carborundum monoprints and Julian Bailey’s drypoint prints join Martyn Brewster’s silkscreen, linocuts, etchings and pen and ink drawings, Michael Fairclough’s aquatint prints, Vanessa Gardiner’s pencil drawings, Janette Kerr’s mixed media drawings and Alex Lowery’s drawings with pencil, gouache and acrylic. The warehouse setting is an appropriate location for their works which are set off by stunning examples of Petter’s furniture.
The atmospheric building was built in 1805 as a warehouse for Georgian merchants who were importing flax from Russia for the rope and twine trade in Bridport. The wooden pulley wheel has been restored by Petter with hemp ropes to lift examples of his furniture up to the first and second floors. Under the timber ceiling on the ground floor, my eye was immediately drawn to the brilliant colours of leading British print-maker Sally McLaren’s Rock Surge. An artist who has become even more connected to the landscape through the recent lockdowns and subsequent release, her most recent prints are celebratory, exploratory, light in touch and brilliant in colour.
Surrounded by customers enjoying coffee and delicious cakes, we viewed Julian Bailey’s greatly loved landscapes, particularly of the Dorset coast. These are in private and public collections throughout Britain including those of HRH The Prince of Wales. Julian studied art at the Ruskin School while attending New College, Oxford, followed by the Royal Academy Schools where he was awarded the Turner Gold Medal and later the Landseer Scholarship.
Over the last three or four years, Julian has been developing his life drawing in Drypoint etching. “I am so very excited to be giving a selected number of these Drypoints their first outing at Sladers Yard this Summer.” He has produced a new hardcover book, “Hold the Pose”, to coincide with the exhibition. I loved the sensitive expression in ‘Mermaid on a West Country shore’, which is based on a family friend, and set at Ringstead Bay. The viewer is left to fathom out the mythical overtones for themselves.
We negotiated the narrow stair case to the upper gallery floor where I was immediately drawn to two huge dramatic black and white mixed media works, beautifully lit on an end wall. ‘The Ebb and Flow That Goes on Forever’ almost exudes the salt and thrilling sublime essence of the waves. West Country artist Janette Kerr is the ultimate painter of the fierce power of the sea: her bold, expressive work is so exciting. To gain a real understanding of her subject matter, Janette begins on location (recently in the Shetlands and in Svalbard, Norway), responding directly to the elements, with the sea heaving and crashing around her, the wilder the better. She talks to meteorologists, scientists and with the locals, looking for the stories of people who have lived, fished, explored or even died there.
Vanessa Gardiner is a well-established Charmouth painter who has been working as a professional artist for many years. She paints in a dramatically contoured style enlivened with lyrical curving lines. The vibrant cobalt turquoise of the sea is glimpsed in inlets through the rocks. I also loved her series of Headlands study pencil drawings which explore the raw beauty of these particular places. Vanessa initially draws on site so always stays true to the harsh, barren landscape as she sees it. Typical of her respectful attitude to the natural world, this discipline keeps her work fresh and vital.
Martyn Brewster is one of Dorset’s major artists. Inspired by the natural landscape and sea on the Dorset coast where he lives, his atmospheric, abstract paintings combine seductive combinations of colour with vigorous lyrical compositions exploring the coastal light. He has developed his own silkscreen techniques which set colours against one another in abstract compositions.
Michael Fairclough’s subtly coloured aquatint prints explore the immensity of sun, sky and sea. He masterfully portrays the effects of light emerging from clouds and playing on the water. In Lyme Bay II – Burton Cliff he captures the wonder of nature as the colours of the sky and sandstone cliffs fade with the setting sun. ‘To me painting is about glimmering reflections of sea and wet rock or colossal shafts of light through clouds – and always, always changing texture, structure, rhythm and light. The texture and structure are in the paintings. The rhythms are those of the wind and the waves, of bird wings and calls, drawn out and slow or sharp and frenetic like the music of Donegal. The light is all-pervading.’
Alex Lowery’s strong, distinctive gouache studies of Portland and West Bay show the marching patchwork of rooflines against the lyrical contours of cliffs stretching away in the background. In the charcoal study of Wynford Eagle, the use of this medium to control the light as it falls across the contours of the West Dorset village is superb. The manor house and chapel nestle into woodland while the sloping contours of ploughed fields and ancient strip lynchets fall away below the winding lane reaching into the distance.
With a little more freedom to roam this summer it will be well worth a trip down to the sea to visit this iconic gallery and exhibition – and of course enjoy wonderful seafood, coffee and cake in the courtyard!
Dates for your diary! Child Okeford Art Trail on Fri 27th Aug – Mon 30th Aug
11 am to 4 pm.
There are 15 artists taking part in venues throughout the village. Free admission. Art Trail leaflets available in local shops. Refreshments available at Gold Hill Café.
Any keen Astronomer or Astrophotographer born before the early 90s will remember seeing the iconic image of the Pillars of Creation taken by Nasa’s Hubble Space Telescope in April 1995. These elephant trunks of interstellar gas reside in the Eagle Nebula (M16), specifically the Serpens (the serpant) constellation, some 6,500–7,000 light years from Earth. Dubbed the Pillars of Creation, because the gas and dust are in the process of creating new stars, while also being eroded by the light from nearby stars that have recently formed. The image is easily among the top ten images taken by Hubble, and was revisited in 2014 to create an even more detailed high definition image of these incredible structures which can be seen here The Pillars of Creation | NASA. Whilst my telescope is no where near as powerful as Hubble, and with the Earths atmosphere and weather to contend with, I set out this month to capture this region of space as it has been on my ‘bucket list’ of objects to capture since I started astrophotography last year. Over a few nights at the end of July, as astronomical darkness returned to our skies for just an hour or so each night, I set about collecting data on the Eagle Nebula which is relatively low in the night sky. The resulting image shows the Pillars of Creation nestled in the heart of the Eagle Nebula. The image was taken using a Skywatcher 200 PDS Newtonian Reflector Telescope and dedicated Cooled Astro Camera. I also used a Tri-band narrowband filter to reveal the fainter nebulosity within the image. At around 3 hours of total capture time, I’m ecstatic to have captured this amazing region of space from my very own garden in Dorset to add to my own collection!
M16 Eagle Nebula
The sky at night this month – August 2021 (443 words)
August is always a great month for Astronomy, and we have some fantastic events coming up! Kicking off with the Perseid meteor shower peaking on the 12th August, one of the most reliable displays of shooting stars to enjoy. In addition, the neighboring giants of our solar system Saturn and Jupiter are at their closest and brightest to Earth, making it a great time to grab that telescope and start exploring!
As this months image shows, the Serpens constellation is easily viewable this month and home to the Eagle Nebula (M16) discovered by Jean-Philippe Loys de Cheseaux in 1745. Through binoculars, you’ll be able to identify the bright infant stars developing in this star forming region, but a telescope will help to reveal the nebulosity within this amazing Nebula.
Saturn reaches its nearest point to Earth on the 2nd August at a mere 830.8 million miles, but can be easily observed throughout the month. A small telescope can reveal the famous rings as well as the brightest moons out the its 82 strong collection. Look to the middle of Capricornus in the southeast to find and explore this amazing world.
On the 10th August at around 8:45 pm, the crescent Moon will be form a line with Venus, Mars, Regulas and Mercury. Look to the West low on the horizon.
On the 11th August, a beautiful sight to behold is the crescent Moon teaming up the evening star, Venus as you look to the West.
During the second week of August, the Earth runs into a stream of debris left in the wake of comet Swift Turtle. The specks of cosmic dust smash into our atmosphere at a speeds of 130,000 mph which burn up causing the bright display. The meteors appear to diverge from the same part of the sky, lying in the constellation Perseus. Stay up until after midnight on the 12th for a free fireworks display! The Moon will also be setting before 10:30pm, ensuring a great show.
On the 20th August, Jupiter is at its nearest this year and opposite the Sun. Look towards Aquarius in the southeast. At distance of 372.8 million miles, with a pair of binocular held steady, you will be able to see Jupiter’s 4 biggest moons. Switch to a telescope and you’ll be able to see the cloud patterns on this blazing Gas Giant.
On the 21st August, a full Moon will team up with Jupiter, the second brightest planet.
On the 28th August, the Moon resides to the right of the Pleiades, with the Moon passing below them on the 29th, above the Hyades and Aldebaran transiting to the left on August 30th.
Congratulations on your 1st year from us all at Love Local Trust Local
With 2020 being such a washout, a few things started to happen that we may have initially thought we were ‘immune to’, here in a country such as Blighty.
Remember those headlines reporting a lack of loo roll, pasta, tinned goods and anything in-between, as the nation leapt into panic buying mode? Whilst this was a worrying time for the big supermarkets, it was fascinating to see buying habits change; suddenly people were appreciating local produce a lot more. They were buying from small farm shops, because the produce was available, and in some instances, even growing it themselves, as we all started to live our ultra ‘Good Life’ in case the proverbial truly hit the fan.
During this time, we also eradicated ‘stuff’ from pretty much anywhere. Go to a restaurant post-Covid and you could expect to order from an app in many cases – no promotional table tat (a great thing for the environment), no newspapers kicking about at the doctor surgery. Wherever you would previously have access to things like promotional leaflets, local freebie magazines and like, you now simply could not get your hands on a copy for fear of contracting Covid itself.
Whilst reducing our chances of picking up this virus, during this time it was with sadness that we lost some real gems in our community that kept people connected, particularly when it comes to local publications.
So, when we were approached by the team at the BV magazine, we were delighted that the team were on the pulse and able to get up and running to share local news in a way that meant we could continue getting word out promoting our businesses, to real customers and prospective customers who may have a genuine interest in what we have to offer.
During Lockdown 1.0, the team who had established the brand Love Local Trust Local, formed the very first Love Local Trust Local Food & Drink Awards. There was concern that mid-Covid could be a bad time to launch such an occasion, however the timing couldn’t have been more relevant given the need to source local becoming more prominent, so the Love Local Team pressed on.
We found a real synergy with the team at the BV magazine who welcomed us to the fold and got onboard with supporting the cause of Love Local Trust Local; created by farmers for farmers, to support our Dorset-based food and drink producers, but also created to educate the consumer on what they are really eating and how to understand where the produce has come from and what it really is.
Our cause is such a relevant one for the team at the BV magazine, so we were delighted to have them join us for the first year of the awards as part of the sponsorship and judging team, and have continued with us into 2021, which we are so grateful for.
Whilst digital thrives, as a wider organisation, with The Langton Arms, Rawston Farm Butchery & Shop, and Love Local Trust Local, we’ve felt a real concern for those who may be getting left behind in such a digital world. Whilst we continue to communicate inside our venues effectively, mediums such as print advertising have become exponential in their cost, and quite frankly out of reach for small businesses who have been hit equally hard through Covid.
To help quell this social issue, the team are proudly running monthly social media workshops for those who have not entered into the digital world, or perhaps are less confident using the social media platforms they might already have. We had a great turnout for the first session in July, where we offered cake and coffee, and our marketing team were on hand to get our attendees online and comfortable with how to use these digital mines of information! If you know someone who would benefit from one of these sessions, give us a buzz on either The Langton Arms 01258 830225 or Rawston Farm Butchery 07796801525 and we’ll get them booked in and connected with the likes of the BV magazine so they can stay updated and abreast of local news.
Following the BV’s outstanding first year, we have been honoured to get involved and work with the team to keep the locals informed and educated on topics we are truly passionate about; James Cossins at Rawston Farm has really enjoyed contributing to the publication with the history of the farm. Barbara Cossins has been honoured to be contributing on various topics, such as the politics of the meat we are eating and what Brexit means, as well as promoting Love Local Trust Local and promoting eating and shopping local to the residents of Dorset.
So with the Blackmore Vale online celebrating their first birthday, we’d really love to offer them a very happy birthday, and a massive congratulations on a stand-out first year. Publications like this really are the crux of local society and truly help to keep people connected at times when they need connection the most, and we are proud to be a part of that story!
Shaftesbury-based family firm Wessex Group is celebrating its own Gold medal, having been awarded a Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Gold Health and Safety Award in recognition for the hard work it does to ensure the safety of not only its own staff, but also its customers, clients and contractors – making sure they all get home safely to their families at the end of every working day.
Wessex Group head Office
RoSPA Awards are not given lightly – those organisations who receive one are recognised as world-leaders in health and safety practice. Nearly 2,000 entrants a year vie to achieve the highest possible accolade in the UK’s longest-running Health and Safety industry awards.
Julia Small, RoSPA’s achievements director, said: “The UK RoSPA Awards scheme receives entries from organisations across the globe, making it one of the most sought-after achievement awards for health and safety worldwide.
Wessex Team
Wessex Group Director Simon Morgan said “It is the bedrock of our business to provide a safe working environment for our staff, customers and clients alike; it is our number one priority.
To win this highly acclaimed award on our first attempt is a reflection of the diligence and commitment to ensuring safe working methods at all times shown by all of the teams.”
Wessex Group Electricians
Wessex Electricals Ltd was founded in Shaftesbury in 1963 by Tony Morgan, and Wessex Fire & Security Ltd was launched
as a sister company in 1984. Wessex Group was created as a central structure for the two separate businesses, and today the company is run by his sons Alistair & Simon Morgan
ROSPA GOLD AWARD
Julia Small explained “with this Gold award we recognise the best of the best; those organisations that have gone the extra mile, raising the bar for the delivery of safety in the workplace. Employees, wherever they may be should be able to go to work safe in the knowledge that they will return home unharmed and healthy at the end of every day.”
It has been known for some time that what we eat can reveal connections between the gut and the immune system, but there is still so much we don’t yet know.
For those of us who subscribe to the Zoe COVID-19 app, you may have recently read an article where they found in their studies that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables had a protective effect against COVID. A somewhat bold claim as it is usually a bit more complicated than that. However, it is true that 70% of our immune system resides in the gut so it would make sense that we should take care of our gut health, and eating more plants is a great way to start – whatever our preferred way of eating.
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Just this month, there was an interesting set of findings of a 17-week study published in Cell comparing the results of a plant based high fibre diet with a diet high in fermented foods (foods that contain probiotics) (1). It concluded that fermented foods may be faster at remodelling the gut microbiome. They noted two things – first, the diversity of the gut microbiome increased and second, inflammatory markers were reduced. They were however, eating six portions a day – both dairy and vegetable ferments. For those in the high fibre group – the immune responses were much more personalised and less clear cut.
One of my favourite reviews was published in 2019 (2)where the micro and macro nutrients of several different ways of eating were considered (vegan, vegetarian, ketogenic, Mediterranean, high sugar, low FODMAP, western-type and gluten-free), in order to better understand what might be considered an optimal diet for a healthy gut, and ultimately the consequences on our immune system. The Mediterranean diet and the plant-based diets were the two ways of eating that produced the greatest diversity of micro-organisms. Our guts are like our gardens, we have to plant, feed and weed regularly if they are to be at their very best.
So where to start?
With clients, I always start with small changes and build up gradually – that way, it is more likely that new habits can be created. Here are eight ideas – whether you dislike anything remotely healthy but know you should really eat more, or if you already eat well, but would like to do more.
Start with an apple a day. Your Gran was right. Apples feed the beneficial bacteria in our gut to produce butyrate, a substance which plays an important role in the health status of our gut. Pectin, directly under the skin of the apple is where the most beneficial substance is, so eat the peel. Raw or cooked is fine. Make a batch of stewed apple for the week (no sugar), maybe some cinnamon, leave the skin on and keep in the fridge. Eat with your breakfast or have it for dessert.
Switch yogurt for kefir (a fermented drink). Whilst yogurt (natural, unsweetened), contains some probiotics, kefir contains much more and therefore a better choice for gut health. Dairy and non-dairy kefir is widely available in supermarkets. Great paired with fruit for breakfast. Freezing does not kill the beneficial bacteria in kefir, so blend with some bananas and berries and make ice lollies.
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One root vegetable and two other plants a day. If the idea of eating more plants seems overwhelming to you, three different types a day is a great place to start. Consistency is key – so every single day – work up to six teacups full.
Plants (ideally veg) with every meal. Most people can do lunch and dinner but often struggle with breakfast. Think a few salad leaves, avocado or tomato with eggs, or some spinach hidden in a fruit smoothie.
Half of the plate filled with veg. I’m talking mostly plants not grains – so not half a plate of pasta. Variety is important, so not half a plate of carrots. Try for at least two, eg carrots and chickpeas, then see if there is room for something green too. Colours are important as they each provide different nutrients. Remember the expression “eat the rainbow”.
Give kimchi or sauerkraut a try. These fermented vegetables are a great way to increase probiotics but start slowly – it takes a while to build up tolerance. One small portion a day to begin with.
30 plants a week. For the dedicated. This can be done as a challenge and is fun way to encourage kids to increase the amount of plants in their diet. Individuals who eat at least 30 different plants each week have more varied gut bacteria. You can download a fun challenge chart to stick on your fridge here. Add nuts, seeds and berries to your breakfast, mixed salad or soup for lunch, fruit and nuts for snacks, maybe a plant-based meal or two a few times a week for dinner, eg veggie chilli con carne, lentil burgers, or just an extra portion of veg on the side. Make liberal use of the freezer – frozen veg are often better than fresh.
Swap alcohol for kombucha. Kombucha is a fermented tea and is a potential source of probiotics and antioxidants. Only a small glass in order to build up tolerance slowly is all that is needed. Pick a low sugar variety – it’s only healthy when made properly.
Rinninella, et.al. (2019). Food components and dietary habits: Keys for a healthy gut microbiota composition. In Nutrients (Vol. 11, Issue 10). MDPI AG. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11102393
