Originally posted by bLuE oRdEr
> Originally posted by Major Tarantino
can you beleive this though?Contrary to popular opinion, home remedies such as live yoghurt applied to the vagina are not proven cures for thrush. However, taking steps like using live yoghurt or washing with salt water (one teaspoon to a pint of water) can help soothe the itching and soreness of thrush while you are waiting to get treatment from your doctor or pharmacist.
...I think I'm losing my appetite now.
That may be so,
but yogurt is responsible for so much in this world, to understand this we must go right back,
so get ready (;))
We must begin at the beginning, in Joy Division times before the yogurts we know today, the raw uncultured yogurt was just emerging from the increasing mass of fermented foods... The origin of fermented foods and cultured milk products goes so far back that it predates recorded history!! 
Still lets continue!! Most cultured foods start with milk, which people have been drinking since the dawn of time.
The first evidence of the domestication of cows occurred in 9,000 BC in Libya, and while there are no written records that prove these ancient people ate yogurt, the probability is high that they consumed cultured milk products of some sort. India’s Ayurvedic writings, dating back to 6,000 BC, indicate that regular consumption of dairy products led to a long and healthy life. In India, the milk of almost every animal, from camels to yaks, continues to be made into cultured foods, including yogurt and cheese, of which there are more than 700 varieties.
Authorities believe that cultured foods first occurred naturally, probably from organisms present in the food itself or in the environment. Because these foods were pleasant tasting, it is likely that people soon learned to save a "starter culture" from a particularly good batch of yogurt or other cultured food. This starter was added to a bowl of fresh milk to induce fermentation.
Most authorities agree that the ancient people of the Middle East ate yogurt regularly. Written records confirm that the conquering armies of Genghis Khan lived on this food. History tells us that by the year 1206, Genghis Khan had conquered all of Mongolia and united the warring tribes under his banner. By 1215, the Mongols held most of the Ch’in Empire and had vanquished Turkistan and Afghanistan. They even penetrated southeastern Europe.
Highly mobile, the Mongols rode small, swift horses that were bred to traverse the vast plains of the Mongolian empire. Every Mongol’s wealth was measured by the number of horses he owned, and each soldier traveled with a large string of them. These hardy horses were what helped make this army invincible. Not only did they carry soldiers into battle, they also provided the rich milk that was fermented and enjoyed by every member of the conquering hordes—from the Great Khan to the lowliest slave. Known as kumiss, this is one of the earliest known fermented milk products. Highly nutritious, kumiss not only not sustained the Mongols, it kept them healthy.
Kefir, another cultured milk product, originated in the Caucasus mountains of Russia. It is variously cultured from the milk of goats, sheep, or cows. Its name translates loosely to "pleasure" or "good feeling." Due to its health-promoting properties, kefir was once considered a gift from the gods. Ever since the eighteenth century, kefir has been credited with healing powers. As early travelers to the Caucasus region came home with stories of its powerful healing properties, everyone wanted some of this medicinal miracle food. However, the necessary starter cultures, which were passed from generation to generation among the Moslem tribesmen of the Caucasus, were considered a very real source of family and tribal wealth. The tribes guarded the secret process jealously and protected it with their very lives.
In the early 1900s, the All-Russian Physicians’ Society contacted the Blandovs, two brothers who owned cheese factories in the northern Caucasus mountains. The Society asked the brothers for help in obtaining some kefir culture. The brothers put their heads together and came up with a daring idea. Their plan depended on the cooperation of a beautiful young woman named Irina Sakharova, who worked in one of Nicolai Blandov’s plants. She was sent to coax a Caucasus prince named Bek-Mirza Barchorov into giving her some culture grains. Although the prince was dazzled by the lovely Irina, he refused to give her any of the precious substance.
The prince made it clear that he wasn’t willing to give up the secret of kefir. But he wasn’t willing to give up Irina either, and she was kidnapped by the prince’s men as she was returning home. Forcibly, they brought her back to the court, where the prince, hoping to win her love, proposed marriage. Irina refused. Eventually, Irina was rescued by the Blandovs. Then, backed by the brothers, she brought her grievance against the prince to the Czar’s court. The prince offered Irina gold and jewels as reparation for the wrongs done to her, but she refused. As a settlement of her suit against Prince Bek-Mirza Barchorov, Irina demanded—and got—grains of the precious kefir culture.
In September 1908, Irina Sakharova brought the first bottles of cultured kefir to Moscow, where it was used medicinally with great success. In 1973, Irina, at age 85, received a letter from the Minister of the Food Industry of the USSR. In it, he gratefully acknowledged her primary role in bringing kefir to the Russian people.
YOGURT TODAY
Today, yogurt is enjoyed just about everywhere. With the exception of the Chinese, who prefer fermented soy products, milk-cultured yogurt is enjoyed worldwide.
In the 1970s, yogurt consumption rose in the United States by 500 percent. By the mid-1980s, Americans were spending close to $1 billion on yogurt every year. And for the fiscal year ending November 1995, the National Yogurt Association estimated yogurt sales in this country alone at around $1.38 billion.
Yogurt is as familiar as milk in the dairy cases of supermarkets everywhere. It is available fresh or frozen and in regular, low-fat, and nonfat varieties. And talk about flavors—you can now select from a bewildering array of flavors that were unthinkable not so long ago. Most people view yogurt as a wholesome, high-protein, healthy food. It is, and it isn’t. It all depends on how the yogurt is made.
The friendly bacteria used to culture true yogurt are Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. When these bacteria are added to milk and allowed to ferment, the resulting culture is a naturally sweet, mildly tangy, smooth, fresh-tasting custard-like treat. And, thanks to the action of the bacteria, true yogurt is almost a "predigested" food. Within an hour after eating yogurt, 90 percent of it is digested. Compare this to a glass of milk, of which only 30 percent is digested in the same amount of time. More importantly, the friendly live bacteria present in true yogurt offer health benefits, some of which are discussed in this book’s Preface. More benefits will be discussed in succeeding chapters.
Unfortunately, those colorful little cups of stuff in the supermarket don’t qualify as true yogurt. You should be aware that the commercial production of yogurt isn’t regulated. There are some loose guidelines that give a list of bacteria that are acceptable as starter organisms, but the bacteria are not ranked according to their health-promoting benefits. Many organisms will cause fermentation, but only living specific strains of L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus provide proven health benefits. Often, the least expensive organisms are the most popular with profit-oriented producers.
Although it is frowned upon, some manufacturers still pasteurize their products after the culturing process is complete. This destroys any harmful bacteria lurking in the yogurt; however, it also kills the microorganisms used to cause the fermentation. Therefore, even if the very best bacteria have been used as culturing organisms, they will be destroyed in the pasteurization process. Only living bacteria provide proven health benefits.
If you are like most people, you probably like the sweet fruit-flavored yogurts best. They are the bestsellers. But if you think the addition of fruit adds to the healthy qualities of yogurt, you’re mistaken, for several reasons. First, the fruit that is added to most commercial yogurt is processed, not fresh. Second, the live bacteria used as a culturing agent like the sugars in fruit as much as you do; in fact, they would much rather nibble on the fruit sugar than ferment the milk. Whether the fruit is layered on the top or the bottom, or swirled throughout the yogurt, chemical additives are placed between the fruit and the cultured milk to keep the live bacteria from coming into contact with the fruit.
The manufacturer of one very popular, fruit-flavored yogurt uses a culture called pima, which is not a lactobacillus (milk-based) culturing agent at all. What pima produces is slime. This allows the manufacturer to skip adding a thickener to the yogurt. The end result of the pima culture is a homogenous slimy mass that does not separate. If it was sold as plain yogurt, you’d probably spit it out. To hide the slimy texture and odd taste, the manufacturer adds a lot of processed fruit and sugar.
Unfortunately, for all of these reasons, I can’t recommend any of the commercially produced yogurts on the market today. I urge you to read labels carefully and try to make an informed choice. It’s a shame that this simple, nutrient-rich, health-promoting food has been so commercialized.
Some health food stores promote their own brand of yogurt. Unfortunately, even yogurt sold as "old fashioned" or "homemade" may not have the quality you’re looking for. This is because even your health food store suppliers shop for starter cultures in the same places commercial producers shop. It’s easier and less expensive to use a manipulated bacteria that has been designed to shorten production time, rather than use truly beneficial strains of L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus cultures. The milk will still sour, and the end result will look right and taste right, but, without the right starter culture, the healthy benefits you’re looking for will be missing.
If you won’t settle for less than the best yogurt, make your own using a starter of L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus, which is sold in most health food stores. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is. True homemade yogurt is smooth and creamy, faintly sweet, and mildly tangy with a refreshing aftertaste. I promise you, one taste of your own homemade yogurt will convince you it is well worth the very small effort.
If you like yogurt that is sweet and fruity, add your own fresh fruit. If you like it crunchy, add some low-fat, no-sugar-added granola cereal. Health food stores offer a variety of healthy, whole grain cereals that make perfect toppings for a morning bowl of true yogurt.
It seems that everyone is aware of the importance of a well-functioning immune system, but few people give much thought to their digestive processes. Nonetheless, it is well-known that what you eat has a major effect on your health. What you might not know is that your gastrointestinal tract is actually your first line of defense against disease.
