In Partnership with Living Alchemy
In a wellness world often defined by numbers—CFU counts, percentages, daily values—Living Alchemy has taken a different path. Since 2016, the Canadian company has been quietly reshaping how we think about supplementation by returning to one of the oldest forms of nourishment: fermentation.
Their certified organic, traditionally fermented whole food supplements aren’t just about adding microbes into the body, but about creating harmony—between nutrients, between ecosystems, and ultimately within ourselves.
At the heart of Living Alchemy’s approach is a reverence for nature’s intelligence, where beneficial bacteria, yeasts, and mycelia are encouraged to work together in balance, much like they would in the wild. The result is a living, artisanal line of supplements that feel less manufactured and more cultivated.
To explore this philosophy and what makes fermentation such a powerful tool for modern health, we spoke with Irene Pauline Humpelstetter, Living Alchemy’s Director of Education, Certified Nutritional Practitioner, and Chartered Herbalist.
Wander: Living Alchemy has an almost artisanal approach to supplementation. Before we get into the science, could you share what excites you most about this work and the philosophy behind it?
Irene: What excites me most is how alive this work feels! At Living Alchemy, we treat supplementation like an art form, rooted in reverence for nature’s intelligence. Our philosophy is about transformation: taking whole foods and, through fermentation, unlocking their fullest potential. It feels less like manufacturing and more like cultivating. That living quality is why our supplements resonate.
Our new book, The Book of Fermentation, beautifully captures this philosophy as both a guide and a celebration.
Many probiotics chase high CFU counts, but Living Alchemy emphasizes diversity and the fermentation process instead. Why does quality matter more than numbers?
CFUs can sound impressive, but just numbers alone don’t guarantee health benefits. What truly matters is the diversity and vitality of those microbes.
Through a living culture fermentation, you get resilience, complexity, and bioavailable nutrients, not just synthetic strain counts. Our focus is on quality over quantity, ensuring the microbes create harmony. From Living Alchemy, this includes prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics from fermented whole foods.
Fermentation has been part of traditional diets for centuries, yet supplementation is a newer space. How does the body respond differently to fermented whole-food nutrients compared to isolated capsules?
The body recognizes food before it recognizes anything else. When nutrients are delivered in their whole, living, fermented form, they come with enzymes, organic acids, bioavailable vitamins, minerals and cofactors that the body naturally understands.
A lot of people take probiotics but still experience digestive issues. From your perspective, what’s often missing in conventional approaches to gut health that fermentation can provide?
Often, what’s missing is context. Probiotics alone don’t solve everything if the gut environment isn’t welcoming. An ecosystem approach is why many find fermented whole food supplements are more effective than conventional probiotics.
Living Alchemy’s formulations combine bacteria, yeasts, and mycelia. How does this “community” work together in the gut and why is this ecosystem approach more effective than single strains?
In nature, microbes don’t exist in isolation. They thrive in communities. By combining bacteria, yeasts, and mycelia, we mirror that natural ecology. Each plays a unique role in a balanced amount: bacteria build gut flora, yeasts offer resilient digestion, and mycelia provide microbiome adaptability.
For those already eating fermented foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, or kefir, where does supplementation fit in?
Fermented foods are allies, but their microbial profiles are often limited to what grows in that specific food. Supplementation offers consistency, diversity, and targeted support you might not get from diet alone. Living Alchemy supplements provide therapeutic value for targeted health conditions.
We’re always curious about the little rituals that make a big difference in daily life. Do you have a personal wellness ritual (nutrition-related or not!) that helps you feel grounded?
Every morning, I take a few quiet minutes for breathwork before the day begins. It helps me arrive in my body with presence and clarity. I also love the ritual of preparing fermented foods right from my garden, it’s like watching a jar slowly come alive is so grounding. Those practices remind me that wellness is about rhythm.