Category: Brandpoint

2018-03-05T11:41:00

(BPT) – Get active outdoors with a hobby more satisfying than binge-watching another television series. As a pastime, gardening can help you eat delicious, more flavorful food while transforming your patio or yard into a colorful hangout for butterflies and bees.

Many people don’t realize how easy it is to have a fresh supply of crisp veggies, fragrant herbs or fresh-grown flowers. Whether you have a balcony, rooftop or patio, gardening is a hobby that quite literally allows you to harvest big rewards.

One of the most exciting parts of gardening is deciding what to grow. With thousands of plants to choose from — flowers, vegetables and herbs — a small pot of soil can be a canvas for creativity.

To find the most popular flowers and plants this year, we checked in with Ball Horticultural Company, a global leader on all things gardening, to see what the top trends are in 2018.

Strong and colorful

When spring arrives, we all crave color and warmth to celebrate the end of winter. To get that wow factor — and get it fast — try planting flowers that grow and fill in quickly and thrive in extremes. The Megawatt Begonia brings magnetic color even in shaded spaces. It’s also a low-maintenance option if you’re new to gardening. Likewise, the Echinacea Sombrero Sangrita is a perennial flower that returns each year with stunning red blossoms.

For foodies who want to show off

Every chef knows the secret to tasty cooking is great ingredients. For many gardeners, the truly magical combination is finding that edible veggie that looks as good as it tastes. Take 2 Combos combine two sweet pepper plants with a touch of heat and beautiful orange and yellow fruit. There’s also a combo of a slicer and cherry tomato perfect for small spaces and for snacking and cooking. Speaking of peppers, a new, attractive variety is Candy Cane Red Pepper. It has green fruit striping that ripens to red and offers up crisp, sweet flavors, much like a candy cane!

A refuge for bees, butterflies and beyond

There are dozens of reasons people choose to garden: fresh food, interior and exterior decoration, relaxation, stress reduction and more. One emerging trend is that people want to make their garden a destination for pollinators like bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. A few captivating flowers that attract these beautiful and helpful creatures are:

* Lucky Star Pentas — Provides butterflies summer-long flower clusters in eye-catching colors

* Copper Prince Ornamental Millet — This thriller makes a dramatic statement with foxtail plumes that birds feast upon

* SuperBlue Lavender — A deeply colorful and fragrant bee magnet

Gardening helps you relax and decompress. What’s more, there is a huge amount of satisfaction involved in seeing your vegetables and flowers grow. Follow these trends and watch your plants blossom and beautify your home and yard. After all, we could all use a little more color in our lives.

2018-02-22T10:01:00

(BPT) – With new so-called “healthy” food trends popping up all the time, it’s hard to keep track of what’s actually good for your health and what’s just a fad. Luckily, new research continually shows consumers which fads to ditch and which kitchen staples stand the test of time and should be kept in our diets. For example, did you know that coconut oil, a recent consumer favorite in health and beauty circles, has been found in a new study to actually increase cholesterol?

If you are looking for simple changes that have a big impact on nutritional health, consider clearing some unhealthy eating habits from your diet. Here are a few health fads that aren’t as nutritious as you may have heard, and helpful swaps that can benefit your health.

Cooking with coconut oil

Over the last few years, coconut oil has gained prominence on grocery store shelves, in the news and on social media. Long considered a multipurpose beauty oil, coconut oil began to make its way into recipes, and consumers hoped its health benefits extended to the kitchen. However, a recent study has found that coconut oil increases cholesterol. Adding corn oil to one’s diet, on the other hand, was found by the study to result in better cholesterol levels compared with coconut oil. Similarly, a previous study published in The Journal of Clinical Lipidology found that corn oil can help lower cholesterol two times more than extra virgin olive oil. With a high smoke point, versatile usage and a neutral flavor, corn oil makes a great staple for any pantry.

Juice diets and cleanses

While it’s important to include fruits and vegetables in your diet, “cleansing” your body with a diet limited to cold-pressed juices won’t provide enough essential vitamins and minerals for a healthy diet. According to research by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, there is no real evidence that juice cleanses work. The human body is great at keeping the good stuff in and filtering out the bad, and a varied diet is important for maintaining energy throughout the day. Plus, according to Vive Nutrition, juice diets tend to make people feel hungrier and lead to overeating. If cold-pressed juices are something you enjoy, go ahead and include them in addition to your meals.

Skipping dessert

Everything in moderation! Indulging every once in a while is an important part of a balanced diet. Harsh dietary restrictions, especially on the foods you love, may lead to short-term results, but aren’t sustainable in the long run, according to research by the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Rather than cutting sugar completely, avoid binges by allowing yourself a treat every once in a while on a cheat day to maintain balance in your diet.

Snacking on granola bars

Packed with whole grains, granola bars seem like the perfect healthy snack, but many contain an unhealthy amount of added sugar, which creates a caloric and less-than-nutritious food choice. In fact, according to a survey in the New York Times, less than 30 percent of nutritionists would call granola a healthy food. Replacing granola bars with healthier options like whole nuts will greatly benefit your health. This snack choice is less sugary, more filling and full of omega-3 fatty acids, which are shown to reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

With contradicting information about health coming out daily, it’s important to research the facts to learn which tips are fads and which are truly good for you. By making these diet swaps that benefit your body, you can start the year as your healthiest self ever.

2018-03-05T10:01:01

(BPT) – Every day, consumers are bombarded with buzzwords when selecting groceries — natural, organic, non-GMO, gluten-free and so on. Coupled with news headlines about the environmental impacts of growing, raising and catching food, it’s no wonder many of us are becoming more confused about which choices are right for our diets, our budgets and the environment. And nowhere is this issue more confounding, perhaps, than in the seafood section.

Fish and seafood are flavorful sources of protein, and the variety and versatility of the ocean’s bounty is no mystery. What may be considered a mystery is whether all the options in front of us are sustainably sourced. Some are labeled wild, others farm-raised, but questions remain given the limited information provided and the fact that mislabeling can occur (an independent study of the open global market found an average mislabeling rate of 30 percent for all fish and seafood).

With the world’s growing demand for seafood, ocean environments are increasingly strained. The livelihoods of approximately 10 percent of the global population are supported by the oceans through artisanal and commercial fishing careers. Overfishing — when too few adult fish remain to breed for a healthy population — has been an issue for some species, and it can decimate fish stocks and habitats as well as the fishing communities and economies that rely on a healthy supply.

Illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing continues to occur around the world and can exacerbate overfishing problems. IUU fishing generally disregards quotas and the environment, as does destructive fishing, which may expose delicate ecosystems to explosives or chemicals.

Fortunately, industry groups have developed standards and certifications to help us navigate the murky waters and find some clarity. For 20 years, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), for instance, has been refining its science-based standards for certifying sustainable fisheries and introducing traceability in its efforts to keep the oceans wild and teeming with life for generations to come. And, seafood that has been determined to meet the MSC’s stringent standards is marked with an easily identifiable blue fish label.

By looking for the trusted blue fish label, seafood shoppers can be assured that their purchase:

* Represents only wild fish or seafood from fisheries assessed by an independent third party to meet strict science-based criteria.

* Supports sustainable fishery practices and good management that adapts to changes in the environment.

* Traces back to a certified sustainable fishery and is kept separate from non-certified fish and seafood.

* Features correct labeling, providing peace of mind while selecting food for the dinner table.

Of course, not all certification labels are the same. To make a truly informed choice, you might consider doing a little homework before deciding which label to seek and support with your shopping and dining-out dollars. Several well-regarded international organizations maintain best practices for food production, sustainability and traceability, providing recognition of certification and ecolabeling programs that meet them. Organizations like the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UNFAO), ISEAL Alliance (the global memberships association for sustainability standards) and the Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative (GSSI) are all considered reputable sources for more information.

With a little research, you can gather information that helps ensure the seafood you put on the table can be traced to its source and verified as wild and sustainable. At the same time, its enjoyment can be guilt-free: each purchase provides incentive for more fisheries, retailers and restaurants to join the movement to support transparency, traceability and sustainability in our food system. By speaking with their wallets, consumers have the power to track their seafood from ocean to plate and keep it wild.

2018-02-22T09:01:00

(BPT) – There is no disputing that digital health technology and connected devices can produce massive amounts of data. But that data, on its own, is not always particularly useful.

The real value comes from translating that data into personalized and actionable information and putting it into the hands of people, in real time, whose health might depend on those facts and figures.

UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage members with Type 2 diabetes may be eligible to utilize new wearable technology to help monitor their glucose levels 24/7 via the convenience of a cell phone. They can also connect directly with a health coach to seek individual support, share information and make behavior changes to improve their health.

Announced in mid-January with DexCom, Inc., the leader in continuous glucose monitoring, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, this innovative pairing — high-tech, real-time wearable monitors with direct access to diabetes coaches — will be available to eligible plan participants across multiple regions throughout this year.

Here’s how the blend of high-tech and high-touch care supports people managing Type 2 diabetes:

1. Dexcom’s Mobile Continuous Glucose Monitoring System (CGM) technology consists of a sensor — usually worn on the abdomen — that continuously reads glucose levels just beneath the skin.

2. A transmitter sends the data to a smartphone, which processes and displays updated data every five minutes and can reveal relationships between eating, exercise and blood sugar that are difficult to observe with only test strips and a glucose meter.

3. Diabetes coaches help participants interpret the transmitted data and give guidance on how to change behavior pertaining to nutrition and exercise to help keep glucose levels in a safe range.

4. Participants also receive an activity tracker to help them understand and act upon data gathered by the wearable device.

5. Glucose data summaries can be shared with participants and their primary care providers to help foster better care coordination, which ideally may result in increased glucose control, reductions in medications and an empowered approach to managing diabetes.

“With more than 27 million people nationwide living with Type 2 diabetes, there is urgent need to address this epidemic in new ways,” said Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement. “Continuous glucose monitoring can be a game changer for people enrolled in our Medicare Advantage plans, as the data can be translated into personalized information that can be acted upon in real time.”

To learn more about UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans, visit UHCMedicarePlans.com.

Plans are insured through UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or one of its affiliated companies, a Medicare Advantage organization with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in the plan depends on the plan’s contract renewal with Medicare.

Y0066_180216_124040 Accepted

2018-03-05T08:01:00

(BPT) – –

2018-02-22T06:01:00

(BPT) – They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But for millions of low-income children across the country, the low-cost or free lunch they get at school is the most nutritious, most filling meal they will eat.

In 2016, over 30 million kids across the U.S. received low-cost or free lunches at their school. With such a wide-ranging impact, school meal programs play a huge role in the well-being of our nation’s young people.

According to Wilder Research, nearly one in six children in the state of Minnesota live in food-insecure households. Many of these kids rely on school lunch to get the nutrients they need. To make sure these needs are met, one school district in the state has been blending nutrition with trends in popular culture to create a dynamic program that is getting kids excited about healthy food while also creating better eating habits.

Jr. Iron Chef

Question: In an urban school district, how can the idea behind a popular television show be used to raise awareness of healthy meal options?

In essence, this is what happened when Miguel Lopez, a seventh-grader at Anwatin Middle School, along with seven other teams and 16 other students, competed alongside eight professional chefs in one of Minneapolis Public Schools’ “Jr. Iron Chef” competitions.

Modeled after the popular television show, where teams compete to create the most appetizing dish, this three-year-old program was designed in cooperation with Cargill to teach students about good nutrition and meal preparation. Students from across the district were invited to compete — just as popular celebrity chefs on TV do — in live cooking competitions.

“This night was not so much about the competition, but about what these students have learned about how to prepare good meals on their own,” said Minneapolis Public Schools’ Director of Culinary and Wellness Services, Bertrand Weber. “We wanted to apply the Iron Chef concept to help improve our students’ health and well-being. Yes, it was a cool night, but the hope is that they will go home and do this for themselves and their families versus choosing less healthy meal options.”

While the Jr. Iron Chef competition was getting students all over the district revved up, Cargill and Minneapolis Public Schools were weaving another popular culinary trend into the district’s nutrition and wellness programs: food trucks.

Nutrition on wheels

Parked outside the venue where Jr. Iron Chef was held was a shiny, new food truck purchased with a recent $75,000 grant from Cargill to Minneapolis Public Schools. This is the school district’s second food truck. The first one hit the road in 2013 and became so popular that it quickly exceeded capacity.

The trucks are staffed by the school district’s nutrition and culinary staff, to bring nutritious meals to students, especially when school is not in session.

The trucks also appear at district-run wellness seminars and cooking demonstrations.

“The value of these food trucks has been recognized by Minneapolis Public Schools and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA),” said Cargill Vice President of Corporate Responsibility Michelle Grogg. “It’s been a successful strategy that community and state partners have found to improve their capacity to reach food-insecure children when school is in and out of session.”

In the summer of 2017, Minneapolis Public Schools served approximately 400,000 free meals and snacks to Minneapolis youth. This coming summer, Minneapolis Public Schools’ two food trucks will operate at a total of eight summer feeding sites in conjunction with community youth and physical activity programming.

A new example

As school lunch plays such an important role for millions of urban, low-income students, the importance of steering these kids toward eating more nutritious, wholesome meals cannot be overstated. Though it can be hard to get kids excited about fruits and vegetables, the creative and forward-thinking programs put on by the Minneapolis Public Schools point in a fun, and promising, direction.

“It’s great to see two popular trends in food being applied to the nutritional needs of our students,” says Grogg. “We hope it doesn’t stop here and we hope other communities around Minnesota and the U.S. learn from our successes.”

2018-03-01T11:23:00

(BPT) – If you’re a parent, a big part of your job is making sure your children feel well. No matter how many times you wash their hands, sterilize their toys or keep a sparkling clean house, inevitably the germs will win. All parents know that taking care of a sick child can be a stressful experience that can leave you feeling helpless — especially when they have a cough that is keeping them up at night.

On top of that, if you’re trying to juggle a job, keep the house in order and get enough sleep yourself, the experience can feel overwhelming.

Emily Schuman, founder of the popular lifestyle parenting blog Cupcakes and Cashmere, has had more than her fair share of days spent taking care of her toddler when she is sick. The following are some of her best cough and cold remedies to help care for your little one when they’re sick.

1. Sleep is great medicine

Parents know that a sleepy child is a crabby child. Just as sleep is vital for a child’s mood, it is also a crucial step in combating coughs and colds. Naps and early bedtimes should be a priority. To help your sick child sleep better and longer, you might have to give them more cuddles than usual!

2. Reduce their coughing

One of the worst parts of taking care of a sick child is hearing them cough, which is also uncomfortable for the child. In fact, a recent Vicks VapoRub survey* found that nearly all (94 percent) moms say coughing from being sick makes sleeping difficult for their child, and 92 percent say finding symptom relief to improve their child’s sleep is top priority. Fortunately, Vicks VapoRub, a cough remedy moms have used for over 100 years, is safe, effective, has long-lasting vapors and is fast-acting for children ages 2 years and up. When applied on the chest or throat, the medicated vapors in Vicks VapoRub last up to eight hours, to help quiet the cough, which in turn helps moms and their children sleep better and get the rest they need.

3. Bring out the humidifier

With winter comes dry air, and when you add in central heating, the air is even dryer. This is particularly uncomfortable when you have a cold or cough. Placing a humidifier near your child’s bed can do wonders as far as allowing them to breathe more comfortably and sleep better.

4. Feed them nutrient-rich foods

When you’re sick, it’s easy to gravitate toward comfort food like mac and cheese or sweets. But it is important to make sure your child gets plenty of nutrients from food like fresh fruits and veggies. Soups and smoothies are perfect ways to get your little ones to eat these foods.

5. Provide them with activities and distractions

Being sick is not fun, and not just because your child feels lousy. They’re also cooped up, bored and incredibly restless. Make sure you have plenty of rainy-day activities, like coloring books and special toys, ready for them. If they feel up to it, encourage them to make a fort out of the couch cushions. It’s also the perfect time to let them have extra screen time.

It’s hard to have a sick child at home, but getting ample sleep, having Vicks VapoRub on hand, using a humidifier, eating well and being prepped with some creative distractions can go a long way toward comforting your child and making things easier for the entire household. And remember as stressful as it can be caring for a sick child, nearly nine in ten (87 percent) moms say it can be a bonding experience.*

* This content is based on an online survey conducted by Kelton in October 2017 among a sample of 1,016 American mothers with children between the ages of 2 and 17.

2018-03-01T08:01:00

(BPT) – Whether competing recreationally, at an amateur level or professionally in front of the world, proper nutrition is a key component of any athlete’s performance. A variety of nutrients come into consideration, but one seems to get the highest level of attention: protein.

Because protein helps build and maintain muscle and body tissue, it’s important for active individuals to eat enough. Snacking on protein-rich foods and eating meals packed with protein can help support an athlete’s physical wellness so they can reach their goals.

Here are a few recommended practices for athletes to lead the pack with their meal routines:

Pre-workout fuel for sustained energy: Before practice or a workout, load up on whole grains and protein with hard-boiled eggs and a granola bar to keep you fueled longer. A nutritional powerhouse with only 70 calories, one large egg contains 6 grams of high-quality protein and nine essential amino acids. Remember, your muscles rely on mainly carbohydrates, but also protein for sustained energy during activity.

Recovery and repair post-workout: After physical activity, include eggs and other protein-packed foods in a post-workout sandwich or wrap to help your recovery. Research indicates eating a mix of carbs and protein — ideally about 20-30 grams of protein — has been shown to promote muscle repair and optimal recovery.

Not only are eggs delicious, nutritious and versatile, they are also one of the most affordable sources of high-quality protein. This makes it easy for athletes to maintain an optimal diet that is heavy on the results and light on their wallets.

Previous misconceptions had many people just eating egg whites, but today eating the yolk offers loads of nutritional benefits. That’s because the yolk contains more than 40 percent of the protein in an egg and most of the egg’s nutrients, like choline, vitamin B12 and selenium.

Want to fuel yourself to be the best you can be? The Incredible Egg has a collection of protein-packed egg recipes to help you get inspired. For athletes always on the go, there are also quick and easy egg recipes to please any palate. For example:

Microwave Cheese & Pepper Coffee Cup Scramble

Ingredients:

For more information and egg recipes fit for any athlete, visit IncredibleEgg.org.

2018-03-01T07:01:00

(BPT) – Everyone faces their own journey in life. This journey will likely have hurdles of many kinds. These hurdles can knock you down, but with the right mindset and attitude, they can never keep you down. In fact, they can actually make you stronger.

Chelsee Nabritt has been overcoming hurdles since birth. Born two months early, she remained in the hospital due to heart issues and seizures. Nabritt also suffered with respiratory distress syndrome and was on a heart monitor for one year after birth. Her parents thought she was out of the woods when she was released from the hospital and she seemed healthy for many years. Then when she turned 7, she began experiencing severe nose bleeds regularly.

“My mom was terrified and took me to the hospital where I was diagnosed with platelet storage pool disorder,” Nabritt says. “It’s among the rarest of rare bleeding disorders, but part of a larger group of over three million people in the U.S. who have bleeding disorders ranging from the rare ones like mine to hemophilia and von Willebrand disease. What we share in common is our blood doesn’t clot normally, which can result in spontaneous bleeding into muscles and joints, and extended bleeding after an injury or surgery. It can even be fatal.”

Nabritt has always remained positive. Along with her healthcare team, she has learned to manage her condition. At age 7, she began attending Hemophilia of Georgia’s Camp Wannaklot, where she met other kids with bleeding disorders for the first time, including only one of two individuals she knows of with platelet storage pool disorder. This helped her realize she’s not alone.

Whatever journey you are on, you will face unexpected hurdles. Staying positive and keeping your head high is important. Nabritt shares some of her life rules for overcoming obstacles and becoming the best person you can be.

Choose to be happy

“With a better understanding of my chronic disease, I made a choice. I chose to be happy and live my life without barriers. Had I chosen darkness over light, or let negative thoughts overshadow the positive ones, I’d only be hurting myself and those who love me,” says Nabritt.

Give the gift of time to others

“The greatest gift you can give someone is your time,” Nabritt says. “I remember how older kids helped me better understand how to live my best life regardless of my bleeding disorder, and I decided to do the same.

“At 18, I was old enough to transition from being a camper to a camp counselor at Camp Wannaklot. And when the National Hemophilia Foundation issued a call for membership to its National Youth Leadership Institute (NYLI), I jumped at the opportunity. I’ve used my NYLI platform to lead workshops for young community members on public speaking and advocating with legislators, and to share my own experience.”

Pursue your passion pragmatically

Nabritt says, “You owe it to yourself to pursue your passion, but as you follow your heart, you have to use your head and work hard. Right now, my dream is to one day pursue public office so I can create policies that enable people with bleeding disorders to live healthy, productive lives. I’m taking it step-by-step and that includes finishing my sociology degree before pursuing a dual master’s.”

The grass is green enough where you are

“There have been times I’ve envied people without bleeding disorders. But I quickly realized that I had no way of knowing if these people lived better lives than me, nor should I waste any more time thinking about it. I always strive to reach for the stars, but I also know it’s important to keep my feet on the ground and do the best I can, where I am, with what I have.”

Using the community’s symbol—the red tie—plus advocacy and passion to advance her cause

2018 is a very big year for Nabritt. She’s graduating from college and working with NHF to mark its 70th anniversary by serving on the planning committee for its 70th Bleeding Disorders Conference in October. Nabritt also is using her leadership and advocacy skills to promote NHF’s Red Tie Campaign. The campaign aims to help galvanize a bipartisan Congressional majority to act decisively to protect access to affordable, quality healthcare for not only people with bleeding disorders, but all 150 million Americans with chronic conditions.

“I’m urging everyone to get involved by visiting www.RedTieCampaign.org to make a donation, show us their best red tie style using NHF’s virtual photo booth, and then share their photos with #RedTieCampaign. To protect our access to healthcare, we must work together, now,” says Nabritt. “As John Lewis once said, ‘If not us, then who? If not now, then when?’”

2018-02-28T14:21:00

(BPT) – World Salt Awareness Week is being celebrated this year from March 12 to 18 and is the perfect opportunity to recognize all the many benefits of salt. Salt, or sodium chloride, is essential for life. In fact, no mineral is more essential to human survival than sodium because it allows nerves to send and receive electrical impulses, helps your muscles stay strong and keeps your cells and brain functioning. However, sodium chloride (salt) is a nutrient that the body cannot produce, and therefore it must be consumed.

The other component of salt, chloride, is also essential to survival and good health. It preserves acid-base balance in the body, aids potassium absorption, improves the ability of the blood to move harmful carbon dioxide from tissues out to the lungs and most importantly, supplies the crucial stomach acids required to break down and digest the foods we eat.

Because the level of salt consumption is so stable, it is an ideal medium to fortify with other essential nutrients such as iodine. Iodized salt was first produced in the U.S. in 1924 and is now used by 75 percent of the world’s population to protect against intellectual disability due to Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD). Iodine is an essential element in healthy human life, enabling the function of thyroid glands to produce needed hormones for proper metabolism. When children in the womb don’t get enough iodine from their mother, fetal brain development may be impaired. Iodized salt remains one of the greatest public health success stories.

Salt is also essential in hospital IV saline, which is standard therapy and the fastest way to deliver fluids and medications throughout the body. This saline drip doesn’t just keep patients hydrated, it delivers a 0.9 percent solution of salt. Without this saline drip, patients can end up with low levels of sodium in the blood, resulting in a condition known as hyponatremia. This serious condition can lead to seizures, coma, permanent brain damage, respiratory arrest and death, and it is why the shortage of saline in hospitals is of such critical importance.

Salt is also a vital component of hydration. After exercise, it is critical to replace both water and salt lost through perspiration. That is why all athletes make sure they are consuming sufficient salt during and after a workout.

The average American eats about 3,400 mg per day of sodium, according to The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and this may be on the low side of the safe range. A 2014 study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, tested sodium consumption in more than 100,000 people in 18 countries. The study found that the healthy range for sodium consumption was between 3,000 and 5,000 mg per day.

Seniors can be especially susceptible to the dangers of low-salt diets. In 2013 a task force of 12 professional medical, nursing and nutritional organizations assembled by the Pioneer Network published the “New Dining Practice Standards.” Their report concluded that low-salt diets were contributing to malnutrition and weight loss among a significant percentage of seniors in assisted living facilities. Low-salt diets can also cause seniors to suffer from mild hyponatremia, an electrolyte imbalance in the blood that can lead directly to walking impairment, attention deficits and a much higher frequency of falls.

Salt is the flavor of life, and this year we should all recognize its many benefits while we celebrate World Salt Awareness Week. To learn more visit www.worldsaltawarenessweek.org.