Problem: Article: By this age, lying is certainly a conscious behavior. Older children and adolescents know the difference between truth and fantasy. They are aware of the consequences of telling lies, and, unfortunately, they have also gotten much more skilled at lying. Adolescents lie to avoid punishment, to get out of doing undesirable activities, to hide unacceptable behaviors, to protect their privacy, to avoid attention, and to protect other's feelings. Lecturing is generally futile with adolescents. For the most part, they understand right and wrong and the potential consequences of their actions. Therefore, you may not need to reiterate why what they did was wrong. However, asking your adolescent son or daughter why they chose to lie might clue you into a deeper rationale, or highlight places where boundaries need to be set.  Adolescents are exercising independence and evolving in their identities. They are also fiercely loyal and protective of their friends and peers. If your son lies about a friend whose mom is an alcoholic, he may be doing so to not only maintain confidentiality of his friend's situation, but also making sure you don't try to cut off their seeing one another in a time when his friend really needs support. After you ask their rationale, avoid any blaming or finger-pointing. Sit quietly and listen to understand their point-of-view. Are you extremely strict? Are you not giving them opportunities for age-appropriate independence? Consider this scenario: your 15-year-old daughter is lying about wearing makeup to school. You find out from a friend who's a teacher and immediately fly off the handle when she comes home one day. Your reaction itself is enough to encourage more lying - your child fears your disapproval, so she hides her behavior from you.  This example is not placing fault in your parenting, but rather allowing for the fact that with older children you should open up the door for a dialogue. If your response is to naturally say "no", to stamp out negotiations or to not let your children have any voice, then lying or covering up is expected. Aim to pick your battles with your lying child so that they feel capable of opening up a dialogue with you. Decide which issues are non-negotiable and allow your maturing teen some input in the decision-making on issues that are more flexible. Of course, the final say should always be left up to the parents, particularly in cases involving safety. However, more effective collaboration may help to eliminate your child's lying habit.  It may be necessary to visit with a family therapist if you are having trouble releasing the reigns on your growing adolescent child. A professional can help you set boundaries, but also assist your entire family in improving communication. Sometimes teens keep a problem secret because they're afraid of how you'll react. They may react with guilt or shame when caught. You can show your trustworthiness and your love for them by offering help instead of punishment.   If your teen concealed a bad grade, offer to help them study. If your teen was hiding a mental health issue, tell them you're here to help them get through this and offer to help them get counseling. If your teen is dealing with some other crisis, sit with them and offer to help them brainstorm how to handle it. State the obvious and explain the consequences. If you have caught your adolescent child in a lie, there is no need to go on and on about the details, or ask clarifying questions that only result in your child telling more lies. Be upfront with your child by saying, "I know you lied about ____". If you want to understand their lie, then ask. Otherwise, tell your child the consequences of lying and carry on.  Acknowledge their point of view without excusing the lying. For example, "I understand that you felt nervous about how I'd react. Still, I want you to tell me the truth, even if it's bad news." If you (and your partner or spouse) determine that your child's lying requires consequences, be sure to carry them out. Not following through on punishments, or presenting "empty threats", can undermine your authority and cause your child to think they can get away with inappropriate behavior. That's why you should always give yourself space to ponder over - and maybe discuss with someone else - your child's behavior before dolling out punishments, so you can be sure the punishment is reasonable based on the infraction.  If your teen regrets the lie, punishment isn't usually necessary. Try asking the teen what they think would be a fair consequence for what they've done. Strive to enforce logical consequences to your child's lying. In other words, make sure the punishment fits the crime. For example, if your adolescent son lied and said he was watching a younger sibling, but the sibling was injured because your son was actually distracted by TV, an appropriate consequence would be to take away TV privileges. Teens may lie more if they fear that you won't listen or care about their side of the story. Taking time to listen and bond with you may encourage them to open up.  When they tell you something you don't love to hear, remember that they chose to tell you instead of hiding it. Say "thanks for telling me." Offer a listening ear or some help if they'd like.
Summary: Evaluate your adolescent's goals for lying. Ask your child why they choose to lie and listen to their response. Evaluate your role in adolescent lying. Offer help to a teen who is struggling with a problem. Refuse to be dragged into an argument. Follow through on consequences if necessary. Work on building a healthy relationship to help your teen feel more comfortable telling you things.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Repeat until you've completed 3 sets. For faster results, increase the number of sets/times per week you do this exercise.

SUMMARY: Do this exercise for 30 seconds to 2 minutes per set. In order to start seeing/feeling results, aim to do 3 sets 5 days a week for 6 weeks.

In one sentence, describe what the following article is about: If you’re concerned that you are getting too much salt in your diet, discuss your concerns with your doctor or a registered dietitian. They can help you determine whether you need to cut back on your sodium intake, and how much sodium you should be getting in your diet.  Your doctor or dietitian may be more likely to recommend that you cut back on your salt intake if you have certain health issues, like high blood pressure or diabetes. Doctors recommend that most healthy adults should consume no more than 2,300 mg (0.08 oz) of salt per day. If you eat a standard American diet, chances are that you are eating far more than the recommended dosage. You can cut down on your salt intake with a few simple changes:  Trade pre-packaged foods for fresh ones. Pre-packaged meats, such as luncheon meats, bacon, or sausage, are often loaded with additional salt. Look for products that are labeled “low sodium.” Check pre-packaged food labels carefully for sodium content. Cut salt out of recipes, when you can. Try spicing up your food with other seasonings, like salt-free pepper or garlic powder, instead. Potassium, like sodium, is an important electrolyte that your body needs to stay healthy. Most people eat too much sodium, and not enough potassium. Getting enough dietary potassium can help your body get rid of excess sodium. Good sources of potassium include:   Baked potatoes, with the skin left on. Avocado. Bananas. Leafy green vegetables, like spinach or Swiss chard. Dairy products, like yogurt or milk. Beans and lentils. . Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, is a diet that focuses on lowering your sodium intake and using healthy portion sizes. Depending on your needs, your doctor or dietitian may recommend a standard DASH diet or a lower sodium DASH diet. On a standard DASH diet, you can eat up to 2,300 mg (0.08 oz) of sodium per day. On a lower sodium diet, you can eat no more than 1,500 mg (0.05 oz) of sodium per day.
Summary:
Talk to your doctor about your salt intake. Cut down on dietary salt. Eat more potassium. Try the DASH diet