A Natural Digestive Aid

Yesterday was a surprising day. One of my friends was constipated and only knew about Metamucil or prescription stool softeners. That blew me away. There is a wonderful natural digestive aid that is cheap, super effective, and convenient to either buy or make. It is...

Yogurt. I find that plain yogurt works best. By plain yogurt I mean the store bought kind that does not have any sugar, fillers, or fruit...or anything, for that matter...in it. It is labeled as PLAIN.

Simply eat some spoonfuls of this and wait for the magic to happen. For me, it is quick and efficient. Plus, the plain variety is tasty.

Even better than the store bought, mass produced variety is the homemade variety. Making your own yogurt is so easy and cheap that it's surprising more people don't do it. You don't need any fancy equipment or know-how. You can, however, buy a yogurt maker if you'd like.

To make:
I simply bring a quart of milk to the boiling point.
While the milk is heating, I put a tablespoon of plain yogurt (already on hand) in a glass cup. Once the milk starts to bubble, simply pour it into the glass cups.
Cover the individual glass cups with plastic wrap (to keep it from forming a filmy layer).
Either place the cups into the yogurt maker or into a cake pan.
If using a cake pan, pour about an inch of hot water into it, then place the cups in.
Cover with a thick towel to help with the fermentation process.,
Place in a non-drafty area, away from any cold.
Let process for hours. The longer you let it 'cook', the stronger the taste.
Store in fridge when done.

Why Organic Food?

If one is not familiar with all the benefits of organic food, they are missing out. It is not just a fad or trend. Choosing organic food over non-organic food has many advantages, including:

* Taste. This is the deciding factor for choosing organic food. Once you taste unadultered food, you won't want to go back.
* No pesticides. Many times, a non-organically grown food will have a very strong aftertaste of chemicals. It is just repulsive.
* Environmentally friendly. By not using chemically-produced pesticides, the soil is healthier for all involved.
* Less food allergies. The pesticides used on traditional agriculture crops is known to cause food allergies in a variety of people.

These are but a few of the reasons to eat organic. Yes, the products will cost more than the traditionally grown, but the alternative is well worth it.

Another Way to use Peppermint

Peppermint provides us with a variety of ways to enjoy it. It is soothing, tasty, and versatile. One way to enjoy it is as a coffee flavoring.

Go to your local grocery and buy bulk peppermint leaves. Not only does it smell delicious, but it tastes just as good. Store the leaves in a glass jar, away from heat.

Peppermint is traditionally known to help with digestion. Using it as a coffee flavoring helps decrease the coffee's acidic effect upon the stomach - it works wonders in my case.

Peppermint Coffee
(makes 24 ounces, 4 servings)

4 heaping tablespoons ground coffee
1 teaspoon peppermint leaves
24 ounces of cold water

Place into coffeemaker and brew until done. Serve with milk, if desired.