The main principles to
take away from these programs is that balance is essential, especially balancing proteins,
good fats, and good carbohydrates. Having protein at each meal helps to balance blood
sugar levels; adding lean meat, eggs, cheese, soy, or nuts to a snack or meal limits the
fast absorption of carbohydrates and prevents the brain fog that goes with eating simple
carbohydrates, such as donuts. At each meal or snack, try to get a balance of protein,
high fiber carbohydrates, and fat.
6. Pick Your Top 24 Healthy Foods and Put Them in Your Diet Every
Week
In order for you to stick with a "brain healthy" calorie restricted nutritional
plan you must have great choices. I am fond of the book Super Foods Rx by Steven
Pratt and Kathy Matthews. It lists 14 top food groups that are healthy and reasonable in
calories. I am going to add several other choices that are especially good for the brain.
Choose between these 24 foods each week. They are healthy, low in calories, and help us
reach the goals of consuming powerful antioxidants, lean protein, high fiber carbohydrates
and good fat.
The American Cancer Society recommends five to nine servings of fruits
and vegetables a day. Mixing colors (eating from the rainbow) is a good way to think about
healthy fruits and vegetables. Strive to eat red things (strawberries, raspberries,
cherries, red peppers and tomatoes), yellow things (squash, yellow peppers, small portions
of bananas and peaches), blue things (blueberries), purple things (plums), orange things
(oranges, tangerines and yams), green things (peas, spinach and broccoli), etc.
Lean Protein
1. Fish -- Salmon (especially Alaskan Salmon caught in the wild, farmed fish is not as
rich in omega-3-fatty acids), tuna, mackerel, herring (also listed under fats)
2. Poultry -- chicken (skinless) and turkey (skinless)
3. Meat -- lean beef and pork
4. Eggs (enriched DHA eggs are best)
5. Tofu and soy products (whenever possible choose organically raised)
6. Dairy products -- low fat cheeses and cottage cheese, low fat sugar free yogurt and low
fat or skim milk
7. Beans, especially garbanzo beans and lentils (also listed under carbohydrates)
8. Nuts and seeds, especially walnuts (also listed under fats) -- Great recipe: soak
walnuts in water and sea salt overnight, drain and sprinkle with cinnamon (natural blood
sugar balancer) and low roast 4 hours at 250 degrees -- makes them easier to digest.
Complex Carbohydrates
9. Berries -- especially blueberries (brain berries), raspberries, strawberries,
blackberries
10. Oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit
11. Cherries
12. Peaches, plums
13. Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts
14. Oats, whole wheat, wheat germ -- oatmeal needs to be the long cooking kind as instant
has a higher glycemic index since the manufacturer has broken down the fiber to speed
cooking time and basically make it a refined carbohydrate. Same goes for bread, look for
at least 3 grams of fiber. Remember unbleached wheat flour is white flour, it must say
whole wheat.
15. Red or yellow peppers (much higher in Vitamin C than green peppers)
16. Pumpkin squash
17. Spinach -- works wonderfully as a salad, or a cooked vegetable, adds fiber and
nutrients
18. Tomatoes
19. Yams
** Beans (also listed under proteins)
Fats
20. Avocados
21. Extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
22. Olives
** Salmon (also listed under protein)
** Nuts and nut butter, especially walnuts, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, pecans and
almonds (also listed under protein)
Liquids
23. Water
24. Green or black tea
7. Plan Snacks
I love to snack; just like to munch on things to get through the day. When snacking it is
helpful to balance carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Since I travel frequently, I have
learned to take my snacks with me, so I am not tempted to pick up candy bars along the
way. One of my favorite low calorie snacks are dried fruits and vegetables. Not the kind
of dried fruits and vegetables stocked in typical supermarkets that are filled with
preservatives, but the kind that just have the dried fruit and veggies. A company called
Just Tomatoes, from Walnut, California (www.justtomatoes.com) makes great products. When you have dried fruit
or veggies -- all carbohydrates -- add some low-fat string cheese or a few nuts to balance
it out with protein and a little fat. |
