Good Mood Food – Week 6 – EAT YOUR GREENS
Leafy greens
In a 2014 review published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, the Mediterranean diet—high in leafy greens—was associated with a reduced risk of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.
Leafy Greens such as spinach and kale are rich in Magnesium which may also help you to feel calmer.
In short:
Leafy green vegetables contribute to improved brain health.
Your brain is an organ that’s connected to everything happening in your body.
To fix your brain you need to start with fixing your body by optimizing what you put in & limiting the harmful choices.
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EAT YOUR GREENS TO MAINTAIN OPTIMUM MENTAL HEALTH
Back in Week 1 of this series, I suggested you think of your Mental Health as a recipe.
I spoke about two very specific ingredients your brain requires on a daily basis to function optimally – one is the lock the other is the key to activate it and make it available.
- Smino Acids – which are the building blocks of protein (the lock) beans, lentils, wholegrains etc
- Co-Factor Nutrients – think of them as the keys to unlock & convert the amino acids into usable neurotransmitters. Leafy greens are the co-factor nutrients
Preventing Memory Loss
One of our biggest fears as we get older is losing our memory or cognitive function. This is also central to Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Simply increasing our consumption of green leafy vegetables could offer a very simple & affordable way of potentially protecting our brain from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
The individual nutrients linked with helping to keep the brain healthy &. slowing cognitive decline are:
- Magnesium – which can help you to feel calmer.
- Vitamin K – kelp (seaweed), broccoli, lettuce, peas, lentils
- Folate – present in B vitamin rich foods i.e. wholegrains, leafy greens, beans/lentils etc
- Beta-Carotene – (vitamin A) green leafy veg: spinach & watercress
5 Ways To Eat More Leafy Greens
Getting your daily serving of leafy greens is easy, even if you’re not a salad person.
- Use large salad leaves instead of conventional wraps. Use romaine or Cos leaves as wraps or transportation for your favourite sandwich fillings, such as chicken breast or avocado.
- Toss into smoothies. Add a handful of spinach leaves or kale into a blender along with avocado, ginger, pineapple, plant milk, & a super green powder such as spirulina.
- Mix into sauces & soups. Blend chopped spinach or beetroot greens into your pasta sauce or add kale to your Minestrone soup. And pesto doesn’t always have to be made with basil; try using kale or spinach instead.
- Add to sautés. Cook stem broccoli, Swiss chard, or spinach in a pan over high heat with plenty of olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes for a delicious side dish.
- Eat with eggs. Chop up some rocket leaves or spinach and add it to an omelette or breakfast scramble.
YOU DON’T HAVE TO SUFFER IN SILENCE!
Every woman’s experience is different. You may experience none or all of the current 43 known symptoms!
If you are experiencing symptoms, the good news is – You don’t have to suffer in silence! A healthy diet & lifestyle can really make a difference in managing your symptom severity.
Often, cutting out certain foods & increasing your activity levels will make a considerable difference to your overall mood & sense of wellbeing.
Inform yourself about the lifestyle changes you need to make to embark on this new stage in your life – learn how to support your body in order to THRIVE!
