— HeyMonicaB

Ok, I have received a significant amount of resistance when I ask people to eliminate yogurt, so I would like to discuss.

There is a lot of advertising about yogurt and acidophilus as healthy bacteria/probiotics, good for the “waistline,” etc., but truth be told, yogurt is a channel clogger. It is exactly like jumping into a very cold pool of mud, where you can’t move and can’t get out. Your body is made of flowing, warm, thin fluids, subtle veins, arteries, and blobby warm, soft organs. Yogurt is cold, gooey, heavy, and thick and it will coat whatever is in its way. Yogurt’s clogging qualities can cause health problems (especially in kapha, because it has the same qualities as kapha) like chest congestion, sinus problems, allergies, and edema (swelling). If you already have these problems, lay off the yogurt and see if you feel better.

If you are a yogurt lover, here are some tips:

• Don’t eat it in the morning when agni is at its lowest – you’ll put out your tiny fire with the cold goo.
• Have it at lunch (infrequently) when agni is strongest. You can add honey or rock sugar.
• Never combine yogurt and fruit. I know, I know…the parfaits, Pinkberry and Jamba Juice. They’re yummy, but I would not promote them. Sorry.

The good news is that you can turn yogurt into buttermilk and our agnis LOVE it. Buttermilk is a channel opener and a great digestive. The difference is in the heat and friction that is added when you churn yogurt into buttermilk. It changes the substance completely. You can sip it during a meal and/or end a meal with buttermilk.

A simple recipe for buttermilk:

2-3 parts water (kapha use 3 parts so that it’s more liquid. vata & pitta 2 parts)
1 part yogurt
Optional: add honey or rock sugar
Churn or whisk the mixture for 2-3 minutes until it’s room temp