In my last post I wrote that I was going to start eating fermented foods more deliberately.

First, I looked for something easy I could do right away. Natto (fermented soybeans) you can pick up at any supermarket every morning. It’s cheap. So I decided: “One week, every morning.” And I actually did it.

Days 1–3: Nothing Special

Monday morning, I added natto to my usual breakfast. Rice, egg, and natto. Drizzled on the sauce, stirred well, ate.

Delicious. Obviously delicious.

But nothing happened. My body didn’t suddenly feel lighter. My stomach didn’t dramatically improve. Of course it didn’t — and after three days, still no noticeable change.

Honestly, I was still half-skeptical. “Is anything actually going to change from this?”

Day 4: I Heard an Interesting Story

A colleague at work — 55 years old, a bit older than me — brought up health in conversation. “I’ve been eating natto every morning since last year,” he said. “I feel like my digestion has gotten better.”

“I feel like” — that’s the key phrase. He can’t prove it. But it seems he genuinely senses it in his body.

I don’t have that feeling yet myself. But I’ve stopped finding the morning routine of eating it a burden.

Days 5–7: A Small Discovery

By the end of the week, I noticed one thing.

Since I started eating natto, I’ve been eating a proper breakfast.

Before this, I’d often skip it — “no time,” “not hungry” — and just get by on a cup of coffee. But when I think “I’m going to have my natto today,” I naturally find myself cooking rice, sitting down properly, and eating a real meal.

It might be less about the effect of fermented foods and more about the effect of actually eating breakfast. Either way, it feels like a worthwhile change.

What I Think After a Week

Nothing dramatic happened. I can’t say “fermented foods changed my life!”

But I’ve started to find something quietly interesting about deliberately eating the same thing every day. There’s a small sense of accomplishment — like completing a daily quest in a game.

I’ll probably keep going next week. While I’m at it, I’m thinking of browsing the pickle aisle at the supermarket.

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Next time: Something at the supermarket’s pickle section caught my eye.

※ This article is based on personal experience and publicly available information. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease. If you have health concerns, please consult a doctor or registered dietitian. See our Disclaimer.