What's tasty and has a lot of health benefits?
The answer... Yoghurt. Yes yoghurt. You might be wondering how?
Yogurt is a thick, custard
or pudding-like food, made by the natural bacterial fermentation of
milk. Many people enjoy it plain or flavored with breakfast, lunch, or
as a snack, and it's also an ingredient in a number of other dishes.
Your body needs to have a healthy amount of ''good'' bacteria in
the digestive tract, and many yogurts are made using active, good bacteria. One
of the words you’ll be hearing more of in relation to yogurt is ''probiotics.''
Probiotic, which literally means ''for life,'' refers to living organisms that
can result in a health benefit when eaten in adequate amounts.
Yoghurt
is rich in potassium, calcium, protein and B vitamins, including
B-12.
Research shows yoghurt
strengthens and stabilizes the immune system.
The lactobacillus in yoghurt feeds the intestines, maximizes nutrients you can
absorb into your body, insures the digestive system stays healthy, and
stabilizes the immune system.
The lactic acid of
yoghurt is a perfect medium to maximize calcium
absorption.
In yoghurt the process of growth from milk into yoghurt involves the conversion of
lactose into lactic acid. Lactic acid helps digest lactose. In other words, yoghurt
provides the enzyme needed to digest milk products. Calcium, which is
found in dairy products, needs to enter the body in an acid matrix or your body
will not absorb it. So the lactic acid of yoghurt is a perfect medium to maximize
calcium absorption. Eight ounces of yoghurt will equal 400 mg of calcium, 25%
more calcium than you would get out of a glass of milk.
When someone is HIV positive and has a CD4 count under 200 their production of
hydrochloric acid (HCL) slows down. HCL is normally produced by your stomach to
help with the digestion of food. When you have less HCL and digestive enzymes
digestion becomes incomplete, food moves too quickly along the digestive tract.
Your body doesn't get enough calcium and other minerals. Difficulty sleeping and
mal-absorption are common end results. Yoghurt is one of those foods that you can
eat to enhance your HCL production thus improving your digestion, vitamin and
mineral absorption, and your bodies general well being.
Yoghurt
can be used as an effective douche.
Research shows women who eat 4 cups of
yoghurt/week have less vaginal
and bladder infections.
Have you experienced the irritating vaginal itch, usually accompanied by a
discharge? As women we can get yeast overgrowth in our vaginas. Living with HIV
makes women even more vulnerable to these kinds of infections. Taking
antibiotics has the unwanted effect of wiping out normal flora in our bodies.
Antibiotics or antifungals (just another type of antibiotic) tips the balance of
good and bad yeast. Candida will grow in abundance when other bacteria and
yeasts are depleted. Candida is trying to solve the problem of the imbalance. It
is vital to keep a healthy diet of a wide variety of foods that contain natural
bacteria and yeasts.* Yoghurt is just such a food. It can be used internally and
externally, and it is a prime good yeast replacer for our vaginal and intestinal
flora. If you've ever used the applicators to insert antifungals into your
vagina save them -- they can be filled with yoghurt instead!
Yogurt is loaded with vitamins.
One serving is a significant source of potassium, phosphorous,
riboflavin, iodine, zinc, and vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid). Yogurt also
contains B12, which maintains red blood cells and helps keep your
nervous system functioning properly. "Vitamin B12 is found mostly in
animal products, such as chicken and fish, so strict vegetarians can
easily fall short. Eating more yogurt can
help close the nutrient gap: An eight-ounce serving contains 1.4
micrograms of the vitamin, about 60 percent of what adult women need
daily.
For fitness freaks: A cup of yogurt a day can help you recover faster after a workout.
With the right ratio of protein to carbohydrates, yogurt,
particularly high-protein Greek yogurt, makes an excellent
post-sweat-session snack. "The perfect time to grab a container is
within 60 minutes of exercise,"
says Keri Gans, RD, a nutritionist in New York City. The protein
provides the amino acids your muscles need to repair themselves, Gans
explains, and the carbohydrates replace your muscles' energy stores,
which are depleted after a hard workout. It's a bonus
if you drink a bottle of water along with it: The protein in yogurt may
also help increase the amount of water absorbed by the intestines,
improving hydration.
Yogurt may prevent high blood pressure.
Every day 70 percent of us consume more than twice the recommended
amount of salt; over time that can lead to hypertension and kidney and
heart disease. The potassium in yogurt, almost 600 milligrams per eight
ounces, may help flush some of the excess sodium out of your body.
Face saver
No need for pricey derm treatments to perfect your complexion.
"Yogurt contains lactic acid, which is a component in some in-office
chemical peels," says dermatologist Hema Sundaram, MD. "It gently
exfoliates the top layers of the epidermis, which can clear up blemishes
and discolorations, and may even reduce fine wrinkles."
Try this DIY mask: Mix 1 cup Greek yogurt with 2 to 3 drops of almond or olive oil and a tablespoon of honey; apply to face, leave on for 20 to 30 minutes, then rinse and pat dry. Result: more radiant skin
So say YES to yoghurt.
