Health Services

By Megan Gushrowski, Pharmacist and Karen L. Kier, Pharmacist
On behalf of the ONU Healthwise Team 

If someone uses the idiom to “take it with a pinch of salt,” they are asking you to consider or evaluate a statement because one may be skeptical about the truthfulness. Others may think of a pinch of salt when it is used in cooking. However, a pinch of salt (sodium chloride) does have an impact on one’s health.  

A diet high in sodium is a known contributing factor to high blood pressure and a recent study shows it may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. A study published by the Mayo Clinic in November 2023 asked people whether they always, usually, sometimes, or never/rarely added salt to their food and then followed these people to see if they developed type 2 diabetes. 

By Karen L. Kier
Pharmacist on behalf of the ONU Healthwise Team 

In 1971, David Bowie released his Grammy Hall of Fame song Changes. This song is considered one of his top 5 songs. In the lyrics, Bowie writes “time may change me.”  How have our thoughts changed on niacin over time?

Niacin is known as vitamin B3 and is commonly found in foods such as meats, fish, nuts, brown rice, seeds and bananas. Many cereals, grains, flour, and breads are enriched with niacin. 

A deficiency of niacin results in a condition called pellagra. The term comes from the impact on the skin involving rashes and sensitivity to the sun. Other symptoms can include weakness, confusion, and stomach pain. Alcohol consumption can reduce niacin levels in the body as well as the prescription drugs, phenytoin (Dilantin) or valproic acid (Depokote).