You’re Sweet Enough Already, So Lay Off the Sugar If you’re like most people, you still believe that sugar is harmless—especially since you probably eat it every single day in one of its countless forms. Hey, you might not be in perfect health, but you’re still alive, right? Well, should talk to Robert Lustig, an American pediatric endocrinologist at the University of California, San Francisco.

Lustig’s research on fructose (one of sugar’s most prevalent and damaging forms) is enough to make a person throw away a perfectly good doughnut. (Gasp.) This oldie but goodie titled “Sugar: The Bitter Truth” is worth a viewing if you haven’t seen it—and another viewing even if you have. As Lustig himself says, it’s a fabulous story, and “the only thing that’s missing is sex” (http://www.uctv.tv/shows/Sugar-The-Bitter-Truth-16717).

At the very least, watch to this Lustig-inspired TED-ed video on just how much sugar is hidden in your diet—and how you can avoid it (http://ed.ted.com/lessons/sugar-hiding-in-plain-sight-robert-lustig). The Spice of Life Is … Salt? “I know the cure for everything: Salt water. … sweat, tears or the sea.”

Isak Dinesen wasn’t referring to medical research when she penned this line 80 ago, but she wasn’t necessarily too far off. A recent Danish study found that salt can fight, and perhaps even prevent, infection. Besides this surprising benefit, for some people, even increasing salt intake above the Center for Disease Control’s currently stringent guidelines (less than 2,300 milligrams per day for most people and less than 1,500 for some) can actually increase longevity. While a quarter of the population is salt sensitive and should limit their sodium intake, most people can find their health “sweet spot” and lower their risk of mortality by ingesting between 2,500 to 5,000 or even 6,000 milligrams of salt per day. Read on for more information and research regarding how salt simply isn’t the enemy it has been made out to be:

http://m.utsandiego.com/news/2015/mar/03/salt-sodium-infections-titze/

Cheese Crackers

1 1/4 cup walnut flour (grind walnuts in food processor)
1/2 tsp salt, garlic salt or sugar free spice of your choice
1/2 cup freshly grated  cheese
1 egg

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. 
Grate 1/2 cup cheese.
In a food processor (or medium bowl) whip the egg  until the egg has loosened and become frothy. Add in the walnut flour, salt, and cheese until a stiff dough forms. Cut two pieces of parchment paper the size of baking sheet. Put dough on top of one piece of parchment. Place the second piece of parchment on top of the dough and roll out with rolling pin until dough covers the parchment sheet. Roll the dough so it is the same thickness or it will bake unevenly.
Remove top parchment. Using a pizza cutter, score the dough into squares. Place the parchment with the cut dough onto baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove let cool and break apart on scored lines.