The Healthy Benefits of Eating Yogurt

We have been told for years that eating yogurt is healthy for us, but do we really understand what the benefits are. Sure we know that we get calcium and protein just as we would from any other dairy product. Plus we know non-fat yogurt is better than low fat yogurt for our arteries.

There are so many other healthy benefits to yogurt you may not know about.

For instance, if you are taking anti-biotic medication for an infection, it is weakening your immune system. The anti-biotic doesn't differentiate between good bacteria and bad bacteria. You need to replace these bacteria to keep the immune system healthy enough to ward off further invasions from bad bacteria. By eating the yogurt, the cultures in the yogurt will help replace the bacteria that your body has lost.

If you are suffering from high cholesterol, eating yogurt daily can help to lower or stop your cholesterol from escalating. The yogurt carries phytosterols which block the cholesterol from being absorbed in the intestines. Yogurt only blocks cholesterol that is being absorbed in the intestines. If your cholesterol is getting through by other sources, the yogurt will not help.

Yogurt helps with gastrointestinal problems such as, constipation, diarrhea, lactose intolerance, colon cancer, irritable bowl syndrome. It can also help with prevention of ulcers and stomach cancer.

The cultures in the yogurt have been proven to help eliminate vaginal infections. Yeast infection in women is common when there PH balance or acidity is too high. The active culture in yogurt brings the acidity levels down to a balanced level. Diabetic women tend to have more trouble with yeast infections. Yogurt may make your blood sugar levels rise, so use discretion when trying this. Check the labels for sugar content. Different yogurts may vary on sugar content.

If you do regular colon cleansing, you need to put active bacteria back into the colon. Yogurt is a perfect way to get the good bacteria back in. If you are having problems with constipation after a colon cleanse, add a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to the yogurt. This will add fiber and omega-3 fatty acid.

When purchasing your yogurt, be sure to read the label. It really does not matter whether you buy from a grocery store or a health food store, as long as the back of the label lists "live and active cultures."

These are home remedies, if you are taking medication for any of these conditions; do not stop your medications. Inform your doctor what you are trying to do with the added yogurt to your diet and have him check to see if your condition improves.