Love Being a Woman

As you all know I’ve been trying very hard to stick to my diet and get some weight off!  Well, so far I’ve lost 13lb, nearly a stone and I have to say I’m quite proud of myself.

It hasn’t been easy the last couple of weeks with starting a new job as a care worker and having a totally different routine to work around but I’ve managed quite well considering.

I find myself totally addicted to yoghurts at the moment.  If I find myself in a hurry they are just really easy to grab out the fridge and, this got me wondering – why are they so good for us?

Did you know that if you have some plain, live yoghurt after a course of antibiotics it will help to restore normal flora back to your gut.  It is also great for yeast infections and you can treat infected areas with yoghurt.  Anyone that suffers with thrush may already know this one!

Yoghurt is basically made from milk or cream which is cultured with active live cultures.  Active live cultures are good bacteria that are necessary to help the body to function at its best.  The good bacteria prevents the growth of harmful bacteria that can cause infections and diseases.  It keeps the yeast levels in our bodies more balanced and has also been know to help prevent urinary tract infections.

And, since it is made from dairy products it is also rich in calcium which, as we all know is great for bone and teeth health.  Calcium is especially important for those of us seeking to prevent bone density loss and osteoporosis.  It is also a great source of protein which give the body energy.

It is so versatile and easy to get into your diet from smoothies made with fruit pulp to frozen deserts to adding to curry dishes.  And babies from 6 months old absolutely love yoghurts and they will definitely thrive from eating them. 

In many middle eastern homes it is made freshly at home from a culture handed down, perhaps even over generations, but western tastes may prefer to buy a new culture every few weeks or so. Just add a pint of finger warm pasteurized milk to a small pot of live, plain yoghurt. You can use full cream or semi skimmed milk. Stir in a large tablespoon of dried milk powder. You then cover it and leave for about 8 hours in a warm place.

So, if you really want to look after your insides on a daily basis and keep your system topped up with good bacteria, eat a yoghurt (or in my case 2) a day!  You will definitely feel the benefits.

Tags: Health, ideas, Recipes, slimming, tips, Women