Spread love this Valentine's Day: Send a senior citizen a card to combat loneliness
This Valentine's Day, the Lowcountry has the opportunity to brighten the day of a senior citizen by sending a decorative card.
'One and three seniors are lonely, they don't have somebody checking on them and seeing them every day. A lot of their time is spent watching television – it is lonely,' said local Senior Helpers owner Amy Peterson-Smith.
Senior Helpers is partnering with Meals on Wheels and East Cooper Medical Center for a 'Dear Senior' Valentine's Day Card Drive.
The steps are simple to send a card. Once the card is decorated with a nice message, residents are encouraged to drop it off at a local Senior Helpers facility. The deadline to send a card is February 7th.
Peterson-Smith added that loneliness can also lead to other illnesses and diseases.
According to the U.S. Surgeon General, the lack of connection also has physical health consequences, including an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and dementia. The lack of social connection increases the risk of premature death by more than 60%.
Senior Helpers' goal is to receive 1000 Valentine's Day cards from members of the community!
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Once written off as a bland diet food, cottage cheese has become a versatile dairy staple that's surged in popularity thanks to its creamy texture, high protein content and ability to pair well with both sweet and savory dishes. You'll find it piled on toast with fruit and honey at brunch spots, blended into smoothies at health cafes, scooped alongside tomatoes and crackers at summer barbecues and used as a healthier substitute for cream cheese, heavy cream, ricotta and sour cream. "People are incorporating cottage cheese into almost every recipe you can think of," says Kristen Smith, a registered dietitian nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. But as trendy as it has become, is cottage cheese actually good for you? Here's what to know. What is cottage cheese? Cottage cheese is a fresh, unripened cheese known for its mild and tangy flavor and distinctive curds. It's made by curdling milk with an acid or enzyme, then "taking the solid parts of the milk (called curds) after they've been separated from the liquid part known as whey," explains Smith. Once this separation occurs, the curds are "drained, rinsed and seasoned with salt" before often being combined with a "creamy dressing" to create the signature texture we associate with cottage cheese, says Kristina Cooke, a California-based licensed nutritionist and registered dietitian. Its signature lumpiness can vary depending on how the curds are cut and processed. Some varieties feature small curds, while others offer large ones. And sometimes the mixture is whipped together, making a smoother product. No matter which variety you prefer, Cooke says that freshness is what sets cottage cheese apart from other cheeses like cheddar, mozzarella or brie. Aged cheeses undergo fermentation and drying processes that intensify flavor and extend shelf life, while cottage cheese has a higher moisture content and must be refrigerated to prevent spoilage. While this gives it a shorter shelf life, cottage cheese has the advantage of retaining more water-soluble nutrients and offering a lighter, more delicate flavor. Cheese has plenty of protein. But it's not 100% good for you. Is cottage cheese good for you? Cottage cheese has a lot to offer in terms of health benefits. "Cottage cheese is packed with protein, which helps your body build and fix tissue, keeps you feeling full and supports muscle growth," says Smith. Indeed, a 1/2-cup serving offers about 12 to 15 grams of protein – and with a tradeoff of less than 100 calories to boot. 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