GO-TO YOGURT

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Whether your go-to yogurt is traditional Greek, Icelandic or Australian, to make sure it's the healthiest choice, check the label to find out if it has more probiotics and less sugar. 

Whether your go-to yogurt is traditional Greek, Icelandic or Australian, to make sure it's the healthiest choice, check the label to find out if it has more probiotics and less sugar. 

Yogurt has become a healthy go-to for breakfast, snacks, smoothies, or in recipes to cut down on calories. 

Greek yogurt is The O Report's favorite because it has less lactose and sugar, but more protein, than traditional yogurt. (Greek yogurt has up to 20 grams of protein; traditional has 11-15 grams.) 

Also be on the lookout for Icelandic and Australian yogurts, which are just now appearing in U.S. supermarkets. Icelandic is the thickest of all varieties, but it's also the tartest; Australian is the creamiest, but has a higher fat content. Also new is Oui by Yoplait, a line inspired by the brand's French recipe. It comes in 5-ounce glass jars, which allows the yogurt to set up without added cornstarch or gelatin. 

No matter which kind of yogurt you prefer, a recent article in Better Homes & Gardens magazine listed two things to check the label for so you can make sure the yogurt you choose is the healthiest. 

1. Probiotic Check. Look for the Live & Active Cutlures seal on the label of dairy and nondairy yogurts. It means that it contains the highest amount of probiotics. If you don't see a seal, make sure L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus are listed as ingredients. 

2. Sugar Check. Plain yogurts should have 9 grams or less of natural sugar per serving. Flavored yogurts should have less that 15 grams of sugar. If it's higher than 17 grams, it has the same sugar content as two Fun Size Snickers. 

 

 

SOLE POWER

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With sandal season in full swing, it's time to focus on feet. In a feature in the June issue of Better Homes & Gardens, Katy Bowman, author of Whole Body Barefoot, shared some great tips for keeping feet healthy, which contributes to better body health overall. 

Her main point is that to stay strong, feet need exercise just like the rest of the body. And flexible toes give feet a wider base of support. She recommends these four moves:

1. Foot Stretch. While barefoot, sit near the edge of a chair. Fold the right foot back, tucking toes under so the top of your foot touches the ground, heel centered. Hold. Repeat with the left foot.

2. Toe Tense & Release. Keeping toes on the ground, spread them as far apart as you comfortably can. Hold for two seconds, relax, repeat. 

3. Big Toe Lifts. Raise your left big toe without lifting your other toes. Lower and repeat five times. Repeat with the right big toe. 

4. Hips Over Heels. Most people carry their weight on the forefoot rather than the stronger back part. Stand straight, and shift your weight (hips) back over heels without lifting toes.