In this issue: Friendships for better health, food label advice, remedies for chapped lips and more.

Discover the link between health and friendship. Manage my newsletter.   HOUSECALL Mayo Clinic is ranked #1 in the nation. Vol. 17, Issue 81 | October 3, 2016   THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES     Friendships: Enrich your life and improve your health Good friends are good for your health. Besides preventing loneliness, learn the other benefits of friendship and how to meet new people.     Exercise intensity: How to measure it   To get the most out of your workouts, aim for a moderate to vigorous exercise intensity. See how taking note of your heart rate and the way you feel can help.           EXPERT ANSWERS   Chapped lips: What's the best remedy? With cooler weather finally here, keep in mind that there's a lot you can do to treat — and prevent — chapped lips. Consider these tips. Paced breathing: Can it help with hot flashes? Taking slow deep breaths may reduce hot flashes and aid your health in other ways.   PLUS ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS ... Slide show: Healthy meals start with planning Mental health: Overcoming the stigma of mental illness Urine odor Human growth hormone (HGH): Does it slow aging?     TRUSTED HEALTH TOOLS   Use our Symptom Checker to explore possible causes of your symptoms based upon Mayo Clinic's patient care experience.   Use these simple calculators and self-assessments for personalized health tips.   BMI calculator Heart disease risk calculator     NOW BLOGGING   Nutrition-wise: Front-of-package labels — buyer beware Are you more tempted to buy foods when you see the words "healthy" or "natural" on the front of the package? These labels may not be as helpful as they seem.     MAYO CLINIC PRODUCTS & SERVICES   A cookbook to complement your diet Flavor comes first. The new approach to eating well is full of enjoyment and satisfaction. This stunning book offers more than 350 pages of helpful tips and information, menu-planning ideas and hundreds of recipes to complement your diet plan. Find out more.     The Mayo Clinic Diet online Designed to help you lose 6 to 10 lbs. in 2 weeks! Start with a personalized diet profile now.     HEALTHY RECIPES   Cranberry spritzer Apple corn muffins Broiled white sea bass Potato salad   HEALTH TIP OF THE WEEK   Is sea salt healthier than table salt? Despite the fact that sea salt is often promoted as being a healthier type of salt, it has the same basic nutritional value as table salt. In fact, by weight sea salt and table salt contain comparable amounts of sodium. The main differences between sea salt and table salt are in their taste, texture and processing. Whichever type of salt you enjoy, do so in moderation. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting sodium to less than 2,300 milligrams a day.   Need practical advice on diet and exercise? Want creative solutions for stress and other lifestyle issues? Discover even more healthy lifestyle topics at MayoClinic.org.   Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Advertising & Sponsorship Policy    |    Opportunities     Did you know? Mayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical institution dedicated to patient care, education and medical research. Proceeds from advertising and the sale of Mayo Clinic books and newsletters support Mayo Clinic's mission. Share our passion for science and health. Please consider a gift to Mayo Clinic. Click here to donate.     Connect with Mayo Clinic For more of our reliable health information and tools, visit us at MayoClinic.org. Or add us to your social network!   Like us on Facebook Follow on Twitter Follow on Pinterest   Watch on YouTube Patient Stories View More Newsletters       Thanks for joining our mailing list, mantiskhiralla@gmail.com, for Mayo Clinic HOUSECALL.   REMOVE me from this list | Add me to this list | Customer service   © 2016 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905. All rights reserved.