Thinking Thin

You know the old adage "think thin"?  Well I believe there is some truth to that.  I have only been doing this regimen for 2 1/2 days and I already feel slimmer (which is great until I look in the mirror and realize that it has only been 2 1/2 days.)  Still, I am having a great day today.  I woke up feeling clear and humming with energy when it usually takes a certain amount of grumbling before I launch myself out of bed.  My mind feels less foggy and I am generally more pleasant to be around.
Here is what I figure:  I have probably been full of candida for most of my pregnancy and it peaked when I had to have a huge dose of antibiotics when the baby was born.  Since then I just haven't felt right.  My digestion and complexion were poor, I had a foggy brain (granted that might have partially been due to "baby brain"), and I just felt all around polluted.  I haven't done an herbal cleanse in a couple of years due to being pregnant, breastfeeding, and then pregnant again so I know things were building up.  Now I am giving my poor ol' body a break from all of the naughty stuff that I was eating to help myself feel better (ironic) and I have to say it is so rewarding to feel immediate results, even if they are not visible.

Another thing that I am happy about is that I have finally had success in making a perfect batch of yogurt!  While this may not seem thrilling to most people, I have been trying for so long with such poor results that it is nothing short of a miracle!!  So I will now share the recipe and process with you.

Yummy Yogurt

1 L 2% milk
1 c. skim milk powder
1/2 c. plain yogurt with active cultures (room temperature)

You will also need a cooking thermometer and (the secret weapon- thanks again Alton Brown) a heating pad with a low setting.
Heat the milk to 150 degrees and add the milk powder.  Let the milk cool to 118-120 degrees and gradually stir in the yogurt.  Combine well and pour into your container (I use a tupperware).  Now wrap the heating pad around the container and secure with a rubber band.  Put a blanket or sweater over it and keep it cozy for 6-8 hours with the temperature on low (or medium if your pad is as wimpy as mine).  Refrigerate overnight and enjoy!
If the consistency is too runny then it wasn't kept warm enough, if it goes curdy then it was too hot.  This morning mine scooped like softened ice cream.  Yay!  Have fun with this, it is way cheaper than buying good yogurt and it is so fresh that the happy little bacteria do great things for your body!  Enjoy!