Caveman in the 21st century

I miss my carefree childhood. Whether it was because my parents did a good job ensuring I had a carefree life or perhaps life was much better than.
I wished my kids had a chance to experience a slice of my life the way I did.

 

It was simple, bare essential one may even say but it was real fun. There was no fear and no need to worry of any threat lurking close by. We were never warned of stranger danger nor did I see my mom questioning the green grocer like I do these days. Asking questions like who is the supplier and whether it was organic.

 

Each afternoon, after school we would step outside and play till sundown. There was no such thing as iPad, gaming console and other famous electronic gadgets that we have now. The only electronic gadget that provided some entertainment was my black and white television which only showed cartoon on weekends and in the evening. There was no cartoon network at your disposal 24/7.

 

We may have advanced in many aspects but I feel like a caveman; who needs to hunt for his next meal (the work involved in finding real, as nature intended food). I am always searching for 'real food' to put on my table. Food that is free from 'poison' (artificial ingredients like pesticides and other synthetic substances on plants, antibiotics and growth-enhancing substances) which was made by human in the name agricultural development.

It's good that more people are becoming aware of these threats and some action is being taken but it is still not enough because getting your hands on 'real food' is tougher (if you plan to grow and raise you own produce) and more expensive (organic and Non-GMO produce is more costly) than inorganic food.

Milk is not what is used to be

All my life I grew up drinking milk, whether in its original form or in teas but it was always there. It was the next most consumed liquid after water in my house. My mom made sure we each had at least 3 tall glasses of milk every day. I don't remember any of us complaining in fact we loved drinking fresh milk. Who wouldn't when it was from our very own cows! It cannot get any fresher than that!

None of us faced any indigestion or blotting problems due to milk. In fact the word "lactose intolerant" was an alien word. But today, after seeing my paediatrician I've been told that my daughter may be suffering from milk allergies and the only way to be sure was by eliminating milk from her diet.

Eliminate milk!

That's a tall order, I thought silently. If you peek into my pantry, you will find milk in almost everything I have stocked up there. We enjoy milk very much and to eliminate for one means we will have to stop consuming it too.

After 2 weeks of being dairy free, she was much better and stopped complaining of tummy ache. So she is officially the first Punjabi in my family who is unable to digest milk. When I shared this latest development with my mother, she said "what utter nonsense!" According to her when my eldest brother couldn't stomach formula milk as a baby was given diluted cow's milk from our very own backyard.

But luckily for me, her milk allergies weren't very bad and she can still tolerate milk to some level, like in yogurt. Although the main ingredient in making yogurt is milk, the lactose is converted in lactic acid by yogurt's bacteria which worked wonderfully for her digestive system (Probiotic).

The benefits of yogurt

Although her body rejected milk but I had this nagging thought that kept pushing me to find other ways to let her enjoy the benefits of milk and that was when I discovered she can consume yogurt. 

Yogurt provides all the benefits milk has to offer because yogurt is easier to digest and is high in calcium and protein.

It is good for your bones, teeth and hair too. It also aids in healing after intestinal infection like diarrhea. I used to rely solely on BRAT diet (banana, rice, applesauce and toast) for my toddler. Little did I know that yogurt was a good source of probiotic that could do the trick in assisting my poor child when she was suffering from (mild) diarrhea.

Yogurt can boost your immune system, can decrease yeast infection, it's good for your colon, it can help lower cholesterol, it is an excellent post-sweat-snack and just like an apple a day keeps the doctor away, a daily serving of yogurt keeps the cold away. Isn't that brilliant?

 

What more, it is super easy to make your own yogurt. Just because it isn't made of unpasteurized milk doesn't mean it isn't good. In fact I am a little worried consuming unpasteurized yogurt or cheese because it  carries a risk of food poisoning - E. coli and Salmonella

If you are convinced yogurt is good for you and want to make your own, which I promise is super easy and requires a handful ingredients, refer to the link provided at the bottom of this page for recipe and method to make homemade yogurt. 
 

Yogurt is good to be eaten on its own or added into your curry, smoothie, oats and pretty much anything - sky is the limit. It is also a good substitute for cream and is not as fattening.

 

Frozen ice blended yogurt aka lassi

Served with fresh and frozen fruits

 

 

Go ahead and have a cuppa of yogurt instead of usual coffee and get ready to up haul your digestive system.

 

A good digestive equals good health.

If you are sold on the goodness of yogurt, please visit my Recipes Page to learn how simple it is to make your own yogurt and start saving money today.

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Thank you for stopping by at A cuppa for my thoughts