Despite it’s incomparable health benefits, yogurt is often overlooked by today’s dieters and health fanatics.

First and foremost, yogurt is rich in easy-to-absorb calcium. One cup of yogurt can provide the body with the nutrients needed to build, strengthen maintain the bones each day. The fact that low-fat dairy products minimize the risk of bone disease and fractures has been recognized for many years.

Yogurt is also loaded with complete proteins, providing the body with all the different amino acids it needs to function. In addition, yogurt contains numerous vitamins and minerals, as well as low fat content.

Lactose intolerance is a common issue, one that leads many people to believe that they must live without milk products. Not so for yogurt, since the bacteria it contains breaks down the lactose into more tolerable components.

The bacteria in the food have other advantages as well. They are capable of restoring the proper balance of ‘good’ bacteria within the body, especially in the case of antibiotics. Healthy bacteria populations strengthen the immune system, and also improve digestion and the absorption of vitamins and minerals in the body.

Sunscreens and other sun-related products are considered some of the most important in skin care. A recent study has discovered a natural, less oily substance that possesses similar qualities: the strawberry.

The research team, comprised of both Italian and Spanish scientists, tested the effect of strawberry extract on human cell structures in concentrations of 0.05, 0.25 and 0.5 milligrams per milliliter. The study’s results proved that the anthocyanins, which are responsible for the red coloring in strawberries and other plants, protect the skin from UVA rays and reduce long-term skin damage from the sun.

“We have verified the protecting effect of strawberry extract against damage to skin cells caused by UVA rays,” said Maurizio Battino of the Universita Politecnia delle Marche.

“These aspects are of great importance as they provide protection for cell lines subject to conditions that can provoke cancer and other skin-related inflammatory and degenerative illnesses.”

Though the findings are undoubtedly significant, their everyday practicality is still under debate.

Sara Tulipani of the University of Barcelona explained:

“These compounds have important anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-tumor properties. At the moment the results act as the basis for future studies evaluating the ‘bioavailability’ and ‘bioactivity’ of anthocyanins in the dermis and epidermis layers of the human skin, whether by adding them to formulations  for external use of by ingesting the fruit itself.”

Many people recognize the necessity of exercise and its significant impact on an entire lifestyle, but have difficulty integrating it into their daily routine. One of the most common excuses is lack of time; how can a working mother, for example, fit a sufficient amount of exercise into her busy week?

Gretchen Reynolds, a physical education expert, addresses the issue. She recommends HIIT workouts,or high impact interval training, to solve this issue.

This approach to fitness requires a total of 20 minutes, three times a week. By focusing the body on quick, short bursts of intense training, it keeps energy levels high and calories burning for hours after the fact.

Here, Sean Patrick Farrell and Gretchen Reynolds present the method, and provide tips for beginners.

Everyone knows that honey is a healthy ingredient to add to your tea or salad…. What most people don’t understand is just how beneficial the substance really is.

Rich in vitamins, minerals and amino acids, honey is very good for the skin. It also retains moisture thanks to its humectant properties, while remaining completely oil-free.

Interestingly, honey is also a highly effective acne fighter. When mixed with water, its components break down and react to form hydrogen peroxide, a natural antiseptic that increases the skin’s immunity and fights acne-causing bacteria. In addition, the substance contains strong anti-inflammatories, which can reduce the appearance of blemishes as they heal, and even minimize scars.

Honey can also be used to prevent skin issues, not only to treat them. Probiotics, the healthy bacteria found both in the body and outside it in foods like yogurt and miso, provide stiff competition for harmful bacteria. Honey contains prebiotics, complex carbohydrates that boost probiotic growth in the digestive system when eaten, and on the skin when applied directly. The skin’s probiotics are under constant stress from varying temperatures, moisture, invading bacteria, dirt and clogged pores. The prebiotic complex found in honey nurtures their growth and maintains a healthy balance of bacteria in the skin.

Lastly, honey, like green tea and argan oil, contains potent antioxidants such as caffeic acid and catechins. These help protect the body’s cells, boost healing and rejuvenation, and significantly slow down the aging process.

The general belief is that the best amount of exercise to get in a week is 150 hours. Many would claim that this suggestion is in the fact what keeps them overweight or unhealthy, since finding even an hour or two of free time during the day is no small feat.

An amazing solution to this issue is the HIT workout, or High Intensity Training. This miracle worker helps the body lower blood sugar levels, release fatty acids, and improves both aerobic and anaerobic aptitudes within minutes.

This 3-4 minute form of exercise is not new. One HIT routine was developed in the nineties by Dr. Tabata of the National Institute of Fitness and Sports. He dictated a workout that merely included eight 20-second bursts of high activity with a 10-second pause between each one. In total, such a workout would take less than four minutes.

HIT workouts consist of exercises like squats, pushups, sit ups, lunges, ‘the plank’, crunches and dips. Done in quick succession, these drills will leave the body aching, shaking, sore and continuously burning calories. The body will continue to burn fat and strengthen muscles long after you shower and continue with your day.

The benefits of the HIT workouts are endless. They are short and do not require equipment, can be done as many times a week as possible, burn fat and strengthen the muscles, circulatory system and respiratory system, alleviate stress, boost your mood and focus and improve sleep. There is no excuse; finding a total of four minutes every week is no chore.