Benton V2

SALT BOWL XXII

2021 Volume 14, Issue 4

Your health means everything. And now is the time to make the most of it. It’s time to address those concerns, large or small, that you’ve been putting off. We’re here to help, providing a range of quality healthcare services, from routine screenings, to surgeries, to emergency care. Don’t make your health wait. Get the care you need now.

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EDITOR’S LETTER

What is the formula for good entertainment? Hollywood might say that it is a good ol’ fashioned rivalry. Case in point, Rocky I and II give us one of the best battles of all time on film, as the “Italian Stallion” Rocky Balboa faces off against boxing champion Apollo Creed! Even the world of animation loves a good rivalry. Consider these classics: Bugs Bunny vs. Daffy Duck, Tom vs.

Jerry, Road Runner vs. Wile E. Coyote, and Sylvester vs. Tweety Bird.

Here in Saline County there are no bigger rivals than the Benton Panthers and the Bryant Hornets. That is why Saline County Lifestyles is proud to bring you this 14th Annual Salt Bowl Special Edition.

Wikipedia defines sports rivalry as “an intense competition between athletic teams or athletes. This pressure of competition is felt by players, coaches and management, but is perhaps felt strongest by the fans.” This certainly holds true for Saline County. While the community isn’t strapping on the pads and enduring those grueling two-a-day summer practices, everyone is getting pumped for another clash between sports rivals. It is always exciting to see the entire community coming together in support of their local teams.

Regardless of where your loyalty lies, this issue of Lifestyles is sure to start your season off right. It’s been easy to see over the past 13 years that this edition is by far our most popular magazine of the year. Per the usual, it will be another one of our signature 72-page flip covers with all the “fixin’s,” including a mini-poster, team schedules, detailed team reviews, all the exciting rivalry coverage and much more. This is your ultimate community sports edition!

In keeping with the concept of animated rivals, the Benton Panthers hope to leave the Bryant Hornets saying Tweety’s signature line “I tawt I taw a puddy tat!” as they rush past them for a touchdown. One thing is certain: the Salt Bowl always offers great entertainment! And though the teams might be rivals, at the end of the game we are all still one community that proudly supports our own.

Your town. Your life. Your magazine.

2021 Volume 14, Issue 4

PUBLISHER & EDITOR Josh Elrod

jelrod@ignite-mediagroup.com

ART DIRECTOR Krystal Neuhofel krystal@salinecountylifestyles.com

CONTRIBUTORS Contributing Writers Dennia Beard Charles Crowson Brent Davis Jillian Jacuzzi Marietta McClure Nate Olson Dr. Michael Pafford Dr. Sam Taggart Contributing Photographers Lela & Lyla Photography

IDEAS/COMMENTS If you have a story idea or comment, please email us at: feedback@salinecountylifestyles.com

ADVERTISING

JOSH ELROD Publisher & Editor

If you are interested in advertising in Saline County Lifestyles please email us at: info@ignite-mediagroup.com Saline County Lifestyles is published by:

Ignite Media Group P.O. Box 861 Bryant, AR 72089 www.salinecountylifestyles.com Articles should not be considered specific advice as circumstances vary per individual. Advertised products and/or services are not necessarily endorsed by Ignite Media Group.

2 • Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

CONTENTS DUAL CAM: CAMERON HARRIS

DR. SAM

FITNESS TIPS

RAISING CAIN

POWER TO WIN

HEALTH UPDATE

INSURANCE INSIGHT

BENTON TEAM PREVIEW

BENTON TEAM SCHEDULE

04 09 10 14 18 22 26 30 33

Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 3

It’s Wednesday afternoon, and Benton Panther senior Cameron Harris has a big decision to make.

More accurately, he’s helping his younger sister make the big decision.

“Yeah,” he says while laughing.

“She’s trying to pick between M&M Mini’s and another candy.”

Proper snacks are always critical, and when we caught up with Cameron, he was with his family at a local grocer, en route to a 17-and-under AAU basketball tournament in Alabama. “This will be one of the last chances we’ll have to be evaluated before football starts.”

That’s right. The Panthers are less than eight weeks from kicking off the 2021 season against Bryant in the Salt Bowl, and their standout wide receiver is still all-in as a starting guard for former Razorback Corliss Williamson and his Arkansas Hawks basketball team.

4 • Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

You see, Cameron is of two minds with both football and basketball and is regarded as one of the State’s best two-sports stars. But how does this cheerful, 6-3, 200 lb. standout keep everything straight?

“People ask me that a lot,” Cameron said. “Every day is schoolwork, but some days, it’s all football. Other days, it’s all basketball. And yeah, on a few days I do just need to rest.

“When I’m working on football, it’s more than just memorizing the playbook and thinking only about that,” he added. “I’m studying how the great players, those guys in the NFL, are running routes and creating separation and blocking against different coverages. Those are the things that will set me apart and give us a better chance to get the ‘W.’ “With basketball,” he added, “it’s exactly the same. I’m always studying and watching other players’ styles and approaches. I’m looking for ways to match my game to theirs and improve.”

In his 2020 football season, the work appeared to pay off. Cameron hauled

in 56 catches for just more than 900 yards and 14 touchdowns. While the junior says his year could’ve been better, Benton Head Coach Brad Harris says Cameron’s skillset is simply different.

In fact, it’s a talent he’s been watching grow for almost half a dozen years.

I’m studying how the great players, those guys in the NFL, are running routes and creating separation and blocking against different coverages.

“I remember Cameron as a 5th and 6th grader,” he said. “He was skilled at such a young age, and you worry that type of attention might create too much pressure for a young player. As early as 8th grade, he had an exceptional season, and it was easy to get excited about

the potential with this young man.”

The script for Cameron’s 2020 basketball season at Benton was similarly successful. He averaged 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists per game while also shooting just under 40% from three-point range. And like Brad Harris with football, Benton Panther head basketball coach Dexter Hendrix became familiar with Cameron at a young age.

“I think I first saw him when he was in the 6th grade,” he said. “What immediately struck me was his game and court awareness. He understood and was communicating the game to his teammates so much better than other players at that age.”

Hendrix calls Cameron’s athletic talents a “gift” but contends a different, ever-growing skill is what still sets him apart from his peers.

“His basketball IQ is so unique. It’s up there with the best I’ve coached.

“By constantly studying the game, Cameron has an understanding of situations, clock management and whom and what we need to attack certain players, given where we

Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 5

are in the game,” he added. “The athleticism is undeniable, and when you combine that with his intelligence, you have something special.”

Cameron’s work at the high school and AAU levels has paid off and garnered attention from several college programs. According to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, he’s been offered scholarships from East Central Oklahoma, Oral Roberts University, and Texas A&M. But not everything for Cameron has come easily. Two knee injuries in the 8th and 9th grades sidelined the twosport standout for almost a full year.

However, thanks to focus, rehab and the encouragement of his older brother, Fred, Jr., Cameron has returned to cap off his high school career on his terms.

“I still don’t always trust that my knee is going to hold up, but I’m getting there,” he said. “My brother Fred had a similar injury that affected his career, and he’s always staying on me to do the rehab and come back stronger and faster.”

As one of the more vocal leaders in the Panthers locker room, being “stronger and faster” is an attitude Cameron and his fellow seniors hope will serve as a foundation as they prep for the 2021 6A West season.

“I believe we have a great shot at the playoffs,” Cameron said. “We have a great offensive makeup and a defense to match it. I’m expecting big things from us this year.”

If you ask Coaches Harris and Hendrix which direction Cameron may go when the time comes to choose one sport in college, odds are you’ll get two different answers and valid reasons for why. But when you ask Cameron, he says he still has plenty of time.

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“I’d like to play both in college, but that’s probably not going to be possible,” he says with a laugh. “I don’t know…one day I think it’s going to be football. The next, it’ll be basketball.”

Just chalk it up to another decision facing a young man who’s worked hard to earn that choice.  Charles Crowson

6 • Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 7

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8 • Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

Good day, I hope this note finds you well.

I did not come from a musical family. Our regular sources of music were the radio on Friday and Saturday night and church on Sunday. On the radio, we heard the Louisiana Hayride on Friday night and the Grand Ol’ Opry on Saturday night.

On Sunday, church music added a counterpoint to the honky-tonk and country we heard on the radio.

Generally, most of the church music we heard was uplifting and fun.

When I was in the fourth grade in Augusta, Arkansas, we were given the option of going out for band. For several weeks, the high school band director came across town (about six blocks) to size up the new group of budding virtuosi. We were encouraged to pick an instrument and give it a try. I choose the cornet. For the first couple of years, that same band director tutored us. In the sixth grade, we moved to the high school and began playing with the school band.

The band was quite small, at the most 24–25 players, including junior high and high school. During football season, we always had a marching band and spent inordinate amounts of time perfecting drills and reasonably

precise formations. By the time we were in the seventh grade, the pecking order had been established. In the small ensemble band, two of my friends were the pick of the litter.

The band directors had tried for several years to find a place for me.

The final straw was when the director suggested I might want to move over to the baritone. At that point I could see the writing on the wall. There were younger kids, who were better than I was, and they needed to move up; I was sort of in the way. And so it was, after five years of brass instrument training, I gave up the band and went out for football.

From my time in band, I learned several important lessons: I learned to love pretty, soulful, intricate music.

I was taught to read music and a modest amount of music theory. This instilled in me the understanding that music is lyrical mathematics. The clear voice of Beethoven’s Pathetique Sonata has stirred me since I first heard it.

Playing music in the band requires self-discipline; it takes work and practice every day.

Playing or marching in a band requires teamwork.

Several years ago I had the privilege to help produce a musical play at the Royal Theater, and after sixtyplus years, I decided that I wanted to learn to play the guitar. I have used the knowledge I learned in that small high school band. Each day I put in an hour of practice, and it isn’t drudgery: it is fun.

Sometimes, I get to play music with my bluegrass friends; it takes a team to make music and not noise.

So, when you go to Salt Bowl this fall, remember there are any number of teams on the field: the two football teams, the Pep squads and cheerleaders and bands. All of these kids are learning lessons that will stay with them the rest of their lives.

Have a good journey, Sam Dr. Sam Taggart is a retired doctor/writer/ marathon runner in practice in Benton for the last 45 years. He recently released Country Doctors of Arkansas, published by the Arkansas Times. His other books, The Public’s Health: A narrative history of health and disease in Arkansas, With a Heavy Heart and We All Hear Voices are available at your local booksellers or online at amazon.com.

Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 9

ACTIVE

Lifestyle

FITNESS TIPS Eat Your Way to a Better Mood

By Marietta McClure, Head Trainer, McClure Fitness

Just as the way you exercise affects your ability to reach your fitness goals, how you choose to fuel your body is equally important—if not more. Your food choices can affect your mood, for better or worse.

Let’s call out the foods that are working against you and find what we can eat that enhances your mood so that you can eliminate another obstacle on your path to success.

SACRIFICING MORE THAN JUST YOUR FITNESS GOALS Most people associate a diet with eating healthy. But it doesn’t have to be that way. When you understand what’s at stake, it becomes clear what you’ll choose to eat. Research shows what we eat goes directly to our limbic system, which is the emotional center of our body. No doubt you’ve noticed this connection when you eat certain foods. The effect on our physical and emotional health is apparent.

If you want to make better decisions beforehand and eliminate the regret afterward, think less about specific foods and more about the broader group. Over time, you’ll start to quickly identify the foods that either align with your goals or set you back.

Here are some of the largest food culprits that negatively affect your mood.

REFINED SUGAR

This is always at the top of my “things to avoid” list. Here’s a list of the health benefits of refined sugar: • • • Get my point? There aren’t any.

Refined sugar has a tiny span of feel-good payoff that inevitably leads to a crash. It disrupts mood and kills energy levels.

PROCESSED CARBOHYDRATES Carbohydrates are tricky because most people fail to understand the difference between good carbs and bad carbs. I’ll save the deep dive for another day—just know that you wan to avoid flour, added sugars, and refined starches. They lack the proper nutrients needed for optimal brain function. Good carbs are veggies, potatoes, whole grains, and brown rice.

TRANS FATS Most fried food is lovingly classified as comfort food. Sadly, there isn’t much comfort in clogged arteries and increased risk of heart disease.

Anything cooked in hydrogenated oils contains trans fats, which cause a host of health issues.

10 • Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

THE CONNECTION BETWEEN MENTAL HEALTH AND FOOD

Now that we’ve identified what can negatively impact your mood, it’s important to understand what’s at stake. All three major culprits mentioned above have one common outcome: increased inflammation.

Also, consider the fact that a diet full of these non-healthy food choices usually means we’re not consuming enough nutrient-dense foods. This leads to deficiencies in necessary nutrients and fiber, which also increases inflammation.

Inflammation is detrimental to your body. It takes a toll physically and mentally. There are numerous studies that link inflammation to depression.

Depression is a serious issue that isn’t talked about enough. How we feel affects our motivation, sleep habits, and often leads to reaching for foods that only contribute to the problem. A great place to start when combating depression is to get back to the basics. This includes sleep, exercise, and what you eat.

SMART FOOD CHOICES TO SUPPLEMENT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH Think about what you eat when your mood is down. Does it fall in any of the categories above? If so, identify that as a mood killer and make a conscious

ACTIVE

WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT’S AT STAKE, IT BECOMES CLEAR WHAT YOU’LL CHOOSE TO EAT. RESEARCH SHOWS WHAT WE EAT GOES DIRECTLY TO OUR LIMBIC SYSTEM, WHICH IS THE EMOTIONAL CENTER OF OUR BODY. decision to choose something different.

Here are the major categories of mood-boosting foods.

FRUITS & VEGETABLES Foods that are rich in antioxidants and phytonutrients naturally reduce inflammation. Fruits and veggies are also nutrient-dense, which helps your brain function properly. Blueberries and strawberries can give you the sweet treat you need instead of refined sugar.

WHOLE GRAINS Complex carbs in whole grains release serotonin gradually into the brain. This reduces blood sugar spikes and can help reduce depression. Whole grains are also full of nutrients like fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals that get stripped out of processed carbs.

LEAN MEAT Sticking to healthy fats found in lean meat can give you a boost in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential nutrients to improve brain function and combat symptoms of depression. They’re also high in protein and have fewer calories than their non-lean meat counterparts.

SELF-AWARENESS IS THE KEY Every body is different. We all respond to internal and external factors in our own way. The tips mentioned above are fairly universal—just be aware of how you react to the foods that are proven to hurt your physical and emotional health.

Stay in balance and recognize when you’re overdoing it on the sweets or you’ve had one too many doughnuts.

Whatever you do, please don’t let negative self-talk creep in and drive you further away from where you want to be. Tomorrow is always a fresh start.

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Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 11

12 • Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

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Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 13

It is rare when hype meets reality.

Expectations build up to a point that, despite the best of efforts, outcomes don’t reach the bar of lofty goals. Even rarer is the player who simply does his job, plays his role without fanfare, and in the process builds the mold for those that follow.

The Benton Panthers have such a mold in the making with Cain Simmons.

Cain is the son of Creighton and Celita Simmons. “I knew I wanted to play football when I was a little kid, as I got to watch my brother play high school football,” says Cain. “I started in fourth grade. I played linebacker and fullback for the Patriots in the Future Panther Football League.”

As they say, the rest is history. Cain enters the fall as a senior for the Benton Panthers with the chance to become the All-Time Leading Tackler for the team.

Cain is 5’ 9” tall, weighs 175 pounds, bench-presses 285 and runs the 40yard dash in 4.59 seconds. Those who know him describe him as “small for a defensive back”. But his defensive numbers are those of a much larger player.

“I like playing defense because I like hitting,” says Cain. “I look up to Budda Baker (safety for the NFL Arizona Cardinals) because he isn’t the biggest but he plays with no fear.”

Terry Benham and Jim Gardner have been the broadcasting voices of Panthers football for many years. Cain caught their attention as far back as the eighth grade.

Gardner has been watching Cain since the Future Panther days. “He is a gifted athlete, but more so, plays with great heart and tenacity. He is unique in terms of ability, energy and toughness.

I’ve always been impressed by how Cain plays bigger than his size. He’s been as good and sure a tackler, especially in open space, as I can remember. The guy just doesn’t ever miss a tackle. Statistically, he’s topped the 100-tackle mark each of his two high school seasons. His sophomore year (2019), he was second on the team in tackles with 103, forced and recovered two fumbles, had three interceptions and four pass break-ups. His junior year (2020), he led the team in tackles with 102 [despite missing one game], recovered a fumble and had four pass break-ups.”

Benham takes the description further.

“Cain has a chance to become the alltime leading tackler this season, and that says a lot about his ability to play the game of football. Cain has always been 14 • Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

an incredible athlete and just had good football instincts like his brother Collin.

Many times, I can’t see the number of the tackler initially from the booth, but when I see the ball carrier’s legs go up in the air, I know Cain was somewhere in the mix.”

The highest praise for Cain comes from his head coach, Brad Harris. “Cain is a very aggressive player who likes contact and has a nose for the ball. He is also one of our fastest players on the team so that makes him even more dangerous; he can make plays from sideline to sideline. Cain reminds me of Stone Paul, who played safety for us in 2014. Stone had a great nose for the ball and was a playmaker for us. Stone has been one of the best safeties I have coached in my career, and I put Cain in that category. But one thing that makes Cain better is his speed: he is much faster to the ball than Stone was for us in 2014.”

Harris continues, “Cain is the leader of our defense. He will be a 3-year starter, and the guys on our team know that and look at him as our defensive leader. He will start at safety and will also return punts and kick offs. He may also play some wide receiver. So the bar is set high for Cain this season. We have high expectations for him—not pressure, but just expectations. He will live up to them, too, because he likes to compete.

If I had one word to describe Cain it would be “Competitor.” He loves to compete and he does not like to lose!”

Cain’s approach to life off the field is a characteristic that many say is his strongest.

“He’s a bigger star off the field, in my opinion,” says Benham. “He’s just a good kid who doesn’t let his sports accolades go to his head. He just shows up, does his job, and enjoys his teammates. That attitude will serve him well long after the game of football is in his past.”

Coach Harris agrees. “Cain is a great kid. He is a good student, a good player, the type of young man you want on your team. You want your kids to grow up and be like Cain Simmons.”

Coach Harris adds finally, “Cain is kind of the quiet type before games, keeps to himself and just gets ready for the game. He studies film with us coaches during the week to get ready for his opponents, mainly personnel and knowing what each player is good at.”

Without a doubt, the coaches and players on the Hornets will be studying film, too—looking for ways to slow Cain down.  Brent Davis Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 15

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Strength and power—those are two of the most important traits a football player needs to be successful. Since 2014, the Benton Panthers have either finished as runner-up or state champions in the 6A/7A division of the State Weight Meet.

Head Coach Brad Harris

18 • Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

explains the competition is based on bench-press and power clean lifts.

The team has currently won three State Weight Meets—2018, 2019 and 2021—and was on track in 2020 to lift more weight than any of the previous teams but due to COVID, the meet was canceled. The Panthers are set to make a strong comeback this year.

Suffice it to say the Panther coaching team and players take strength and conditioning seriously. “Each player must have a good base of strength regardless of what position he plays,” Harris says.

“In every play, there is a winner or loser, and most plays are won by the players who possess more strength or power.

Football is a very physical and tough game—guys who are strong and powerful are typically the best players on the field.”

Harris says the Panthers may not always be the most athletic team on the field, but the team always plays hard. “Our players are committed to the process; they know in order for us to be a competitive team we have to be in the weight room year-round.”

Offensive Line Coach Jason Gentry, who is the strength and conditioning coordinator, says in addition to performance, injury reduction is a major factor in building this strong foundation.

He says, “As the saying goes, ‘The cream rises to the top.’ This is also true of the players’ determination and commitment. Those who make the effort to do the little extra and trust the process give themselves the chance to be successful. Overall, we've got a lot of players committed to the process.”

Harris points out that Panther teammates take pride in their State Weight Meet accomplishments and enjoy going every year to represent Benton. Individual awards over the past three years include: • 2021 – Beau Wright lifted in the 198 lbs. class and won his division by lifting a total of 655 lbs. He also set the new State Power Clean Record for his Weight Class with a lift of 350 lbs.

• 2021 – Jayvon Parker won the 132 lbs. Weight Class with a total of 445 lbs.

• 2019 – Monterio Mack won the 148 lbs. Weight Class with a total weight of 505 lbs. and Jake Wright (Beau's older brother) won the 165 lbs. weight class with a total weight of 590 lbs. Jake also set the Power Clean Record at 325 lbs. in 2019.

• 2018 – Brock Morris won the 198 lbs. Weight Class with a total weight lifted of 660 lbs., which is the current state record for total weight lifted in that weight class and he also set the Power Clean State Record of 325 lbs., which stood until Beau broke it this past year with his lift of 350 lbs.

Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 19

“During this time, we have had several guys finish in the Top Three of their weight class too,” Harris says.

Each athlete must weigh-in the day of the meet and must weigh below the weight limit to lift in the division, so each athlete is competing against someone of his own size. Each player is competing for an individual championship, but more importantly he is competing for his team totals too, Harris points out. Individual bench-press and power clean totals are added together to get a total weight lifted individually and then totals of 10 athletes are added together to get the team total.

In 2021, the team lifted a total of 5,180 lbs., which was 400 lbs. more than the next team at the meet.

The team typically spends about an hour and a half working out, which includes warm up, flexibility work, weight training and speed/agility work. They spend four days a week lifting through the off-season and summer workout program and three days a week during football season.

Both Harris and Gentry are motivated to do what is right by their athletes. It’s about more than game day. “Everyone loves game day, but not everyone likes that daily preparation of football and that is what I really love about coaching,” says Harris, who joined Benton in 2014 to get back closer to family in Arkadelphia. He was promoted to head coach in 2016.

“I love to see the growth of a player through the season or through the offseason, which is when the biggest gains or improvements happen,” Harris says.

The athletes are Gentry’s motivation.

“I love to see them succeed after putting in the work required,” he says. Gentry, who grew up in Bryant, has always called Saline County home. He’s starting his 12th year with the Panthers.

Football is much like life, according to Harris. “It is tough; you have good times and bad times, and you have to learn to handle the ups and downs in both.” Helping players get through those ups and downs is rewarding. “I want to win as much as any coach in the State, but I also want to help young men grow into great men, and seeing that growth is why I coach.”  Jillian Jacuzzi

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20 • Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 21

HEALTHY

Lifestyle

HEALTH UPDATE The Food Fountain of Youth

By Dr. Michael Pafford, MD Saline Memorial Hospital

The Salt Bowl is almost here, and just as high school competition heats up, the science of nutrition is heating up as well. How do muscles consume energy for the physical exertion that you are about to see on the field at War Memorial Stadium? How do injured muscles heal themselves? Clearly those questions are too broad for complete explanation here, but there is some exciting research just published in June of this year that sheds light on these questions and also holds potential for slowing the effects of aging!

In the June 11, 2021 issue of Science, Mihoko Yoshino and colleagues report on the effects of Nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) supplementation in prediabetic women.

Anti-aging research is a growing topic in science for the last fifteen years, but amid the numerous studies reported on nutritional supplementation and aging, this article stands out for a few reasons.

First, this study was conducted in humans rather than animals.

Animal studies are generally easier to conduct, so most basic science gets conducted in animal subjects. Because animal biology, although similar, is not the same as human biology, conclusions from animal research cannot always be applied to humans.

Second, when considering nutritional supplements, it can be difficult to show that something you

ingest does actually make its way into tissue cells. Third, even if you can show that an ingested supplement makes its way into tissue, it is even harder to demonstrate that it caused any effect once it got there. This research by Yoshino’s group actually covers all three of these bases.

prediabetic women and were able to show that cellular levels of NAD+ rose and that the increased levels of NAD+ helped muscle tissue utilize blood sugar.

Essentially, the higher levels of NAD+ seemed to make muscle cells respond to insulin more efficiently, such that they more effectively used glucose.

First, what is NMN? NMN is a nutrient in many foods. It is not as essential as a vitamin, but it is a precursor of NAD+, which is a cofactor for energy production pathways within all different types of tissue cells.

NAD+ can be generated in a variety of ways, so even if you did not consume NMN in your diet, you would still manufacture NAD+, though with more effort and potentially in lesser amounts. There are only a few foods that have substantial amounts of NMN, and those foods (edamame, broccoli, and cabbage) aren’t on very many people’s favorites list.

This result is really rather dramatic given that the main defect in type II diabetes is that muscle tissue is resistant to insulin and can’t respond to the insulin signal that is telling the muscle to burn the blood sugar. Not only might this research lead to potential therapies that could delay the onset of type II diabetes, it might also help explain why type II diabetes is on the rise in our society. I can’t imagine that fast food, with its obvious lack of cabbage and broccoli, is very high in NMN or vitamin B3 (the alternative pathway that leads to NAD+).

It has been recognized for many years that certain disease states like obesity, diabetes, and muscular atrophy, have lower than normal tissue levels of NAD+ in common. Given that low tissue levels are found in disease, and that most common diets do not have high amounts of NMN, many scientists have speculated that supplementing NMN is potentially helpful.

In a nutshell, Yoshino and colleagues prescribed 250mg of NMN to

22 • Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

Even more interesting, NAD+ is also essential to the function of special cells called pericytes. Pericytes are the supporting cast for many different tissues and play a key role in regenerating injured muscle cells.

They also contribute to growth of new blood vessels and capillary beds (angiogenesis). As we age, our ability to repair tissues declines. Some researchers think that the key to reversing aging is to reestablish the body’s ability to repair itself. Promoting the function of pericytes with NMN

HEALTHY

Lifestyles

ALTHOUGH I’M EXCITED

BY THIS RESEARCH, ITS WAY TOO EARLY FOR US TO BET THE FARM THAT NMN SUPPLEMENTATION IS THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH. AGING IS MULTIFACTORIAL AND COMPLICATED. supplementation certainly seems to be a step in the right direction.

Although I’m excited by this research, its way too early for us to bet the farm that NMN supplementation is the fountain of youth. Aging is multifactorial and complicated. If science is ever successful in reversing aging, it won’t be by addressing only one of thousands of metabolic pathways that play a role. Health is far too complicated for a one-size-fits-all approach to aging. Nonetheless, I see plenty of reason to believe that your mother was right when she tried to get you to eat your broccoli. Maybe you should take her advice!. 

Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 23

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B E N TO N E Y E C L I N I C . C O M

24 • Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 25

FAMILY

Lifestyle

INSURANCE INSIGHT Coach Your Kids Correctly

By Dennia Beard, State Farm Insurance

I am a competitor. I love to compete and I love football, so why would I not be excited about this time of year? While I originally joined the high school cheerleading squad for its ability to improve my social status, what resulted was a great love of the football experience. The fresh smell of the crisp fall air, the stadium lights that shone down on what was often a very muddy field—it was heaven on earth.

and the stakes are way higher. I am now blissfully married, with two precious daughters. My thirteen-yearold is already talking about getting her driver’s permit next year. I have no idea how we got here. The truth is, thirteen years passed by quickly. I have become consumed with the same revolving thoughts: 1) how did we get here so fast, and 2) how in the world do I equip her for what’s ahead?

I loved putting on my uniform and screaming at the top of my lungs for those sweaty-headed boys that were just trying to make our town proud.

After dancing at halftime to the latest Bell Biv DeVoe track and jumping and running from one end of the sideline to the other, I would wrap up the evening with a delicious meal of cheap nacho cheese poured artfully over tortilla chip rounds, and an ice cold fountain drink.

Ahhh...those were the days, right?

In the insurance industry, the subject of teen driver safety comes up quite often. We try very hard to educate parents and new drivers on the many ways we can help them build their driving skills (and maybe just earn an insurance discount, too). There are websites and mobile apps with tons of advice, tools, and checklists to give parents and teens more confidence on the road.

The large and very loud crowds (I mean, what else was there to do on a Friday night?) would drink in every ounce of sweet victories and suffer through the vicious sting of defeats. In high school, my team celebrated a State Championship and in college, my team was completely defeated. Regardless the outcome of the season, one thing remained the same…we couldn’t wait for it to start back up again.

Well, now the game has changed

Funny though, none of that has made me feel any better about putting my baby behind the wheel of a car.

I have been driving for nearly thirty years and I still have close calls and near misses. Driving is a lifelong lesson. I worry about the pressures our young people face on a daily basis.

These days, there is a lot of attention surrounding texting and driving. I agree, it is a huge scary issue, but it is driving under the influence that scares me the most. Having lost a

26 • Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

good friend to such a tragedy, I feel compelled to include it in this text.

No matter how often or how well parents convey the message to young drivers about the dangers of driving under the influence, some teens are still not getting the message! Over 1/3 of teens still drink some alcohol, and 1 out of 5 get into a car with someone who has been drinking, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2019 Youth Behavior Survey. Those are terrifying statistics.

So how can you encourage your young adults to have fun and stay safe during the back to school celebrations (and ordinary days)? Try these tips.

Talk to other parents. Connect with them about parties, gatherings, and which teens are driving together.

Then, share information and strategy for getting everyone home safe. As fun as Prom is, it may be a particularly difficult time for teens to resist risky behavior: according to research by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), nearly half of teens said friends pressured them to experiment with drugs and alcohol during Prom.

Let your kids know they can call you for a ride—no matter what. Remind them that motor vehicle crashes are the most common form of fatal accidents for people ages 16–19.

FAMILY

NO MATTER HOW OFTEN OR HOW WELL PARENTS CONVEY THE MESSAGE TO YOUNG DRIVERS ABOUT THE DANGERS OF DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE, SOME TEENS ARE STILL NOT GETTING THE MESSAGE! You will pick them up no matter where and no matter what time.

Limit the number of passengers.

More people in the car equals a higher risk of fatal crashes according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Some States limit the number of passengers a driver under the age of 18 may have, so check your state laws.

Lifestyles

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IF YOU LIVE, WORK, WORSHIP OR ATTEND SCHOOL IN SALINE COUNTY, YOU QUALIFY FOR MEMBERSHIP!

VISIT OUR WEBSITE TODAY TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT SECURELY ONLINE.

Remember, your kids are watching you…all of the time.

Set a good example with your nondistracted, always-seat-belted driving.

Monitor your kids’ sleep.

Tired kids may not be the best decision makers, either behind the wheel or when confronted with difficult decisions. I can’t drive when I haven’t rested well the night before. We have to be mindful of this when it comes to our teens.

Maintain a zero-tolerance alcohol and drugs policy. Your kids are listening to you and honest conversations may have the intended effect (even if you get the eye rolling).

According to a MADD survey, parents who stress that drinking is not acceptable raise teens who are 80% less likely to drink than those with more relaxed parents.

Keep talking—no matter what.

Don’t frame it as a lecture, but talk to your kids about what they’d do in certain situations. Ask them if there are friends who struggle with safe driving behaviors and frame example situations and solutions.

We’ve all spent years on the road, so we know that every trip we take is a chance to learn and improve.

But your teens? They may believe a license is all the learning they need.

It isn’t. They need practice, they need resources, and they need you. 

Dennia Beard, Agent 501-778-6066 www.insurebenton.com BENTON LOCATION

1408 Military Road Benton, AR 72015 FORDYCE LOCATION

1112 W. 3rd. St. Fordyce, AR 71742 SERVICES: Auto Insurance Home and Property Insurance Life Insurance Health Insurance

Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 27

promoting Panthers on and off the field.

At Relyance Bank, our support for our community remains strong on and off the field. Visit with locals who run the extra yard for our hometown.

We look forward to celebrating a great season with the Benton Panthers.

Relybank.com | 855.365.RELY | 870.535.7222 | Member FDIC

28 • Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 29

Photos by Tony Gatlin Photography

The hurt and anguish evident in Benton Coach Brad Harris’ voice broadcast on statewide airwaves on the first playoff Friday night in Arkansas last fall wasn’t caused by a Panthers loss. It was worse than that.

Benton didn’t even get to play its scheduled game with Marion due to COVID-19 cases and contact tracing among players, so the Panthers forfeited, and the season was over.

“We had a really good week of practice and felt good, and then it got pulled out from underneath us on Thursday,” Harris said.

“We didn’t get an opportunity to finish the season. That’s tough.”

For the returning players, that abrupt end has been fuel for offseason workouts as the squad prepares for the 2021 season opener—the Salt Bowl against Saline County rival Bryant.

“Ending the season like that was a tough pill to swallow, and we want to get back on the field and are excited to play,” Harris said.

Three quarterbacks are vying for the spot left by departed two-year starter Garrett Brown, who passed for more than 8,000 yards in his career. Junior Jack Woolbright (5-9, 155) impressed as the junior varsity quarterback with mobility in the pocket. “He brought an exciting dimension that I hope he can bring to [the varsity],” Harris said.

Senior Andre Lane (5-9, 200) was a big-play receiver for the Panthers a year ago, but worked out under center in the offseason. Harris said he’d like to “keep him at receiver” although the coach admits he “throws a great ball and is dynamic.” Lane was the secondleading receiver last year with 57 catches

30 • Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

for 715 yards and a touchdown. He is also a threat at kick returner. He is receiving recruiting attention from Arkansas’ NCAA Division II programs.

Sophomore Hudson Chandler (6-0, 200) was pressed into action in junior high because of injury, and Harris said he is “in the mold of Brown” as a pocket passer. Classmate Payton McNeely (6-2, 225) seems likely to help immediately as a wide receiver or H-back, but he did take some snaps under center in the spring and was a starting signal caller in junior high in 2020. McNeely impresses in the weight room with a 315-pound bench press and 400-pound squat.

Senior Casey Johnson (5-11, 200) is a two-year starter at running back, running for just under 1,000 yards as a sophomore and eclipsing the 1,000yard mark in 2020. “He’s tough to bring down and gets downhill and runs tough,” Harris said. Arkansas Baptist College has offered a scholarship, and Harris said several of the state’s D-II schools are also interested.

Versatile Donovan Pearson (5-9, 180) will see snaps at running back and receiver in 2021. “He is one of our better skill guys and has gotten faster. He is electric.” Sophomore DeAngelo Clay (511, 165) is a West Memphis transfer and reminds Harris of a younger Johnson.

Senior Cameron Harris (6-2, 190) led Benton in receiving a year ago with 64 catches for 960 yards and 12 touchdowns. The basketball player has a 6-6 wingspan and uses that advantage to snag balls over shorter opponents. Junior Logan Owen (5-11, 164), who played on the junior varsity squad last fall, and sophomores Colby Howard (6-1, 155) and Jake Burks (5-10, 175), add depth at receiver.

Two senior returning starters anchor the offensive line. Christian Evans (6-3, 235) returns at right tackle and Walker Davis (6-3, 275) shifts from left guard to tackle. Harris lauds Evans’ tenacity, familiarity with the scheme and effort and calls Davis “as good as

anyone we’ve had on the Benton line in a long time.” Davis bench-presses 355 pounds and power cleans 455 pounds.

Junior Karter Sanders (6-0, 255) is penciled in at center after playing extensively on the JV squad last fall and improving in the offseason.

Three players are competing for the guard spots. Junior Elijah Harris (5-9, 235) impresses with his 300-pound bench-press and 500-pound squat. Junior Connor Morgan (6-0, 255) played JV last fall.

Senior Eli Krebs (5-10, 255) shifts over from the defensive line “because of a need” and can play guard or center. Krebs is a 4.0 student and Harris credits his intelligence with his seamless transition. Sophomores Tanner Holden (6-0, 230) and Caleb Purdy (6-0, 320) will also compete for snaps.

A trio of soccer players will compete for the kicking duties. Juniors Lucas Wilber (5-11, 145) and Tate Sparks (6-1, 155) have kicked since junior high. Senior Dillon Bosley (6-0, 155) auditioned in the offseason nailing a few kickoffs into the end zone, but he was injured playing soccer in the summer, so he won’t resume football activities until fall camp.

Junior Hunter Goodwin (6-1, 235) worked diligently in the offseason to add 25 pounds to his frame and has impressed with his intensity, solidifying a spot at defensive end. Senior Conner Jewell (5-8, 225) has a “good motor” and could play end or nose guard.

Senior Brendan Matthews (6-0, 230) could play inside. Junior Jaquese Caple (5-11, 245) and sophomores Ian Alvarez (6-2, 190) Jordan Burr (5-9, 210) will compete for snaps. Junior Dylan Stopp (6-1, 230) transferred from Kansas at the end of the school year and tried to get acclimated after playing on the defensive line at his previous stop.

Davis will also fill in at nose guard

“on situational plays,” Harris said.

Senior linebacker Beau Wright (5-11, 195) is the Panthers’ second-leading tackler with 93 stops in 2020. Wright, who returned a fumble 80 yards for a touchdown against Little Rock Parkview last year, “loves the weight room” and set the state weight meet power clean record with a 350-pound lift. He also bench-presses 335 pounds. Wright also could punt for Benton this season.

Junior Jake Jones (5-10, 210) returns in the middle after racking up 59 tackles last fall. Senior Zane Manchack (5-11, 210), who also could punt, worked hard in the offseason gaining 20 pounds of muscle and increasing his bench-press to 315 pounds and his power clean to 285.

Senior Andrew Armstrong (5-9, 180) will also compete for snaps as will sophomore Chase Harding (5-11, 210).

Speedy senior Jadin Collinet (6-0, 190) is entrenched at cornerback after seeing action as a junior. He stood out during 7-on-7 competition in the summer, Harris said.

Junior Perverious Perkins (5-11, 155) isn’t large in stature, but Harris said “he is pretty physical” at cornerback.

Diminutive juniors Jayvon Parker (5-7, 145) and Jamarius Morgan (5-8, 155) will also compete for snaps.

Junior Tyre Jimmerson (5-10, 160) played JV as a junior but earned the free safety job in the spring. Promising sophomore Chris Barnard (5-9, 180) will also see snaps as he adjusts to the scheme. Junior Patrick Shipp (5-10, 160) could see snaps at either safety spot.

Senior returning standout Cain Simmons (5-9, 177) has totaled over 100 tackles the past two seasons from the bandit position—a hybrid linebacker/ defensive back position used in the 3-3-5 scheme. Simmons has thrived and is “our best defensive player.” Simmons impresses with his physicality and ability to patrol sideline to sideline.  Nate Olson Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition • 31

www.acd-inc.com

They’re our core values and we work hard to demonstrate them on a daily basis.

Whether we’re at home or work, with friends or customers, on the field or off, we’re always striving to be better than yesterday.

ACDI is proud to support the Benton Panthers, and all who root them on.

32 • Saline County Lifestyles • 14th Annual Salt Bowl Edition

DATE OPPONENT PLACE TIME AUG 20 LR Christian Academy HOME 7:00 PM AUG 28 BRYANT (Salt Bowl) WAR MEM (Home) 7:00 PM SEPT 10 LR Southwest HOME 7:00 PM SEPT 17 @ LR Catholic AWAY 7:00 PM SEPT 24 Russellville*(Homecoming) HOME 7:00 PM OCT 1 @Siloam Springs* AWAY 7:00 PM OCT 8 LR Parkview* HOME 7:00 PM OCT 15

@Mountain Home* AWAY 7:00 PM OCT 22 Greenwood* HOME 7:00 PM OCT 29 @Lake Hamilton* AWAY 7:00 PM NOV 5 Van Buren* (Senior Night) HOME 7:00 PM