Brainy diet
Mar 19th, 2008 | By admin | Category: Healthadsonar_placementId=1266549;adsonar_pid=544757;adsonar_ps=1371712;adsonar_zw=300;adsonar_zh=150;adsonar_jv=’ads.adsonar.com’;Buy a link here
We could all use a brain booster. Seniors and those of us who are middle-age want to stay sharp, parents of young children need the mental energy to chase toddlers, and college kids need to focus on their studies.
While medicine has helped many people counter the effects of attention disorders, nutrition experts also know that the nutrients found in salmon, dark leafy greens, walnuts, red berries, sweet potatoes and other foods can boost brain power and concentration in people young and old.
“It is important for us to keep ourselves cognitively healthy,” says Betty Holloway, registered dietitian and founder of Nutriphoria LLC in Pewaukee, who advises an overall healthy approach for brain health. “We can empower ourselves through the foods that we choose to eat.”
Holloway recommends plenty of exercise and an anti-inflammatory diet (one rich in vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and dietary fiber) that includes Omega 3 fatty acids to boost brain function.
According to Holloway, Americans get too much Omega 6, which is found in polyunsaturated fats such as canola oil. She says that for our brains to work at their best, we need to increase Omega 3 and decrease Omega 6.
She recommends fish such as salmon, halibut, shrimp and snapper, as well as walnuts and flax seed, as good sources of Omega 3. According to Holloway, “Healthy brains are made up of 60 percent fat and that fat is Omega 3.”
Holloway says that as we age, the fatty tissue in the brain is susceptible to oxidation. We can slow down that process, she says, with exercise and proper diet, one rich in Omega 3s to replenish lost cells and also packed with foods high in antioxidants - brightly colored fruits and vegetables such as oranges, blueberries, red peppers and sweet potatoes, for example.
Other nutrients that are antioxidants include vitamins E, B, B6, B12, folic acid and selenium, which are found in foods such as avocados, bananas, lentils, sunflower seeds, whole grains, broccoli and onions.
A 1996 Purdue University study indicated that the brains of adults and children with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have significantly lower amounts of Omega 3s than healthy brains.
More recently, a 2006 University of Australia study of children with ADHD showed that the symptoms of 60% of those kids showed significant improvement after 30 weeks of daily supplements of Omega 3. Other studies have not been as conclusive, and some people in the medical community question whether nutrition alone can cure these conditions.
Lori Pyter, of Family Psychological Services in Pewaukee, counsels families and treats children with attention deficit disorder and other learning disabilities. Pyter recommends better nutrition to her patients as one part of an overall approach to helping decrease the symptoms. She also recommends increasing Omega 3s and adding supplements not as a cure-all but as a prescription that also includes regular exercise, sufficient sleep, drinking plenty of water and elimination of processed foods.
“Children should be eating whole foods,” says Pyter. “I really emphasize eliminating food dyes like those in juice boxes that stain kids’ lips and tongues. Red and blue dyes have been shown to have a big negative effect on the behavior of a lot of kids with distraction issues. It is like taking a stimulant for them.”
Pyter advises parents to limit sugar in their kid’s diets, but she knows that realistically, children and their parents are going to eat sweets.
“When kids do eat sugar, choose the real thing,” she says. “Look at the label and always pick products with sugar over fructose or sucrose. Choose products that are more natural - for example, Breyers ice cream. Look at (its) label: You can recognize the ingredients, and it’s a short list without additives, preservatives or dyes.”
Another tip from Pyter is to consume some protein with that sugar. For instance, have a big glass of milk with your birthday cake. The protein helps your body process the sugar much more easily than if you had birthday cake alone, and you will avoid the sugar spike.
Deborah Nealon of Brookfield, a registered dietitian and the mother of a child with a learning disability, says that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. “I make sure my kids have a breakfast of carbohydrates and protein, and a variety of snacks to eat when they come home from school,” she says.
Nealon feeds her children foods that help them stay focused and is diligent about their nutrition.
“Regular meals and snacks that consist of whole grains, fruits, nuts, eggs and fish can help the most fidgety child stay focused,” she says. Some of the foods the Nealon family eats for their brain health are oatmeal with almonds, fresh spinach and mixed green salads, yogurt, potatoes of any kind, salmon two times per week, and fresh oranges for bedtime snacks.
“Good nutrition through the entire life span is important, but can it help kids with learning disabilities? I say yes,” says Nealon.
If kids are resistant to the idea of change and “good-for-your-brain food,” it may help to involve them in the process of adding nutrient-rich foods to the family menu.
My son Andrew, who is 13 years old, has cerebral palsy and it is important that he is well-nourished to stay focused and energized. Like many 13-year-olds, however, Andrew has strong opinions on his food choices.
In an attempt to ease our mother-son battle, I challenged Andrew to create his own breakfast recipe. The only rule was that it includes whole grains, a fruit and a protein.
The result is Andrew’s “Power Morning Toast,” a yummy concoction of whole-wheat toast spread with almond and peanut butter, layered bananas and sprinkled with flax seed and cinnamon sugar.
Now that Andrew has created his own healthy recipe, there is no more fighting over what constitutes a healthy breakfast, and I am satisfied that he is off to school and ready for his day.
Here is Andrew Mulholland’s recipe for a healthy and tasty way to start the day. Mix together the peanut and almond butters for kids who are not so adventurous and may only like peanut butter. Almonds and peanuts both benefit brain health.
Andrew’s Power Morning Toast
Makes 1 or 2 servings
2 pieces toasted whole-wheat bread
1 to 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter and/or almond butter
1 banana, peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices
1 teaspoon ground flax seed
1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar
Spread peanut and/or almond butter on top of toast. Place sliced bananas on top of that. Sprinkle on flax and then cinnamon sugar.
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We like to cut up our extra fruit and toss it into plastic bags as it starts to ripen. So I almost always have frozen fruit on hand. The other benefit to using fruit that is very ripe is that we do not have to add sugar to our smoothie. The riper the fruit, the sweeter the smoothie.
Good Morning Smoothie Makes 3 to 4 servings ¾ cup frozen red grapes
¾ cup frozen banana
½ cup blueberries or strawberries 1 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
1 tall glass filled with ice cubes In a blender, add all of the ingredients and blend until smooth. You may need to add more juice or ice cubes to get the desired consistency.
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This dish comes from my friend, Stephanie Manriquez, who whipped it together for my husband and me many years ago with the wild Alaskan salmon that her husband had caught. It has become a weekly family favorite for us. Be sure to purchase wild salmon because farm-raised salmon may contain chemicals and pollutants.
Dilly Baked Salmon Makes 4 servings 2 pounds wild Alaskan salmon fillet
1/3 cup Dijon mustard (I prefer Maille’s nice mild taste)
¼ cup of Hellmann’s mayonnaise 1 small handful chopped fresh dill or 1 ½ teaspoons of dried dillweed
½ medium red onion, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rings
½ lemon, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rings Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Rinse salmon fillet with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Place the salmon, skin side down, in the middle of a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil that is large enough to enclose the salmon, and make a tent.
In small bowl, whisk together Dijon mustard, mayonnaise and dillweed. Spread mixture evenly on top of salmon. Place onion slices evenly on top of Dijon mixture. Place sliced lemon rings evenly across top of onions.
Wrap salmon in foil packet, basically making a tent, so that steam does not escape in the oven. Place on baking sheet and bake in preheated oven 40 minutes.
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This recipe has lots of nutrients to feed your brain, such as zinc, B vitamins and selenium.
Mexican Marinated Tenderloin with Guacamole Makes 4 servings 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped (smash each garlic clove slightly with handle end of knife to release juices)
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon ancho chili powder (rub the chili powder between your fingers to release the flavor)
½ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper Juice of 1 fresh lime
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 beef tenderloin steaks (6 to 10 ounces each) (see note)
Guacamole (see recipe)
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 cup crumbled queso fresco (see note)
½ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into 8 wedges In small bowl, whisk garlic, sea salt, chili powder, pepper, lime juice and olive oil until blended.
Place steaks in a rectangular glass dish and pour marinade over meat.
Turn steaks over to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate no longer than 1 to 2 hours.
While steaks marinate, make guacamole. Scrape into a serving bowl and set aside.
Preheat an outdoor grill to high.
Remove steaks from marinade and place steaks, still coated with marinade, on grill.
For meat cooked to medium doneness, grill 2 to 3 minutes per side. (Or, grill to desired doneness.)
Remove steaks to platter and top with sliced onion, crumbled queso fresco and chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and guacamole on the side.
Notes: Bone-in rib steaks, rib-eye and boneless strip steaks can be used as well.
Queso fresco crumbles similarly to feta.
Guacamole:
4 large ripe avocados
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped (smash garlic clove slightly with the handle end of the knife to release the juices)
Juice of 1 fresh lime ½ medium white onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, deveined and finely chopped
¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt to taste Cut avocados in half and scoop out flesh into a large bowl.
Add garlic, lime juice, onion, tomato, jalapeño pepper, cilantro and salt.
Lightly mash avocado and rest of ingredients together with back of a fork, mixing and turning as you go.
Keep avocado slightly chunky. Taste and add more salt as desired.
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