Last week we brought you our blog on How To Keep A Healthy Mind through exercise, socialising, testing your mental skills and cooking.
This week we’re focusing on the cooking aspect and how you can keep a healthy body & mind through eating right.

You can find links for each recipe at the bottom of this blog.

Eating well isn’t just good for your physical health, it can make a huge difference to your mental health too.
We’ve all heard the saying ‘’you are what you eat’’, but what does this actually mean?

Basically, the food you consume acts as fuel for your body, and certain types of food will give you more energy. Your nutrient intake will impact how well your body & mind are able to function throughout the day, so this must start from the very first meal of the day, breakfast!

Breakfast

Just like the rest of your body, your brain cannot function without energy. That’s why breakfast is actually the most important meal of the day. Whole-grains will release energy slowly throughout the day. Wholegrain cereals, granola, oatmeal/porridge and muesli are all quick breakfasts you can have in the morning that will keep you going until lunch.

Alternatively, a bowl of fresh Greek yogurt and fruit, filled with calcium, protein & packed with nutrients will give you a real boost in the morning.

Our recommendation: Sliced Avocado on rye bread with a poached egg. Quick, easy & delicious. Avocados are a fruit that promote brain health, containing monounsaturated fat, vitamin-E and Vitamin-C, they contribute to healthy blood flow and can lower blood pressure.

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Lunch

Oily, fatty fish like salmon, sardines, trout, mackerel and herring contain essential fatty acids (Omega 3) that cannot be produced by the body and can only be obtained through your diet. Omega 3 also contains anti-inflammatory substances. Fatty acids are good for the heart and can boost neuron function in the brain.

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Dark green, leafy vegetables such as certain types of lettuce, kale and spinach all have their own benefits.
There are many different types of lettuce, but all are low in calories and contain potassium, which can help maintain blood pressure.
Kale, which is a high quality carb that’s low in calories, is a good source of antioxidants and vitamin C and will help maintain healthy eyes, hair and skin.

Spinach is high in antioxidants, iron and vitamins B, C & K and helps to promote healthy bones, hair and blood flow.

Our recommendation: Hot Smoked salmon salad with a chili lemon dressing. Light, healthy and filling, try using mixed leaves like spinach, rocket and watercress, salmon steaks (skin removed) and chili’s to pack a real punch.

Dinner

There’s strong evidence to believe that tomatoes, which contain the powerful antioxidant lycopene, can help protect against damage to brain cells that occurs during the development of Alzheimer’s and Dementia.
Broccoli contains vitamin K and choline which will help with cognitive functions and has been found to improve memory.

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Our recommendation: Garlic turkey and broccoli stir-fry. If you have left over turkey from your Christmas dinner, then this is the recipe for you. Really easy to do and low on calories, you can add in and take away whatever you want from this recipe. We’d recommend adding cashew nuts, which are packed with iron, zink and copper and pak choi, a Chinese cabbage that can really help with digestion.

Snacking

If you’re the type of person that likes to snack throughout the day, we’d recommend sticking with fruit, nuts and seeds. All of which are low on calories and contain many different health benefits.
Blueberries, which are known as a super-food, are believed to help improve or delay short term memory loss.
Nuts and seeds are high in vitamin E, which can help prevent cognitive decline.
It’s also believed that there are many health benefits to dark chocolate such as, improving blood flow and lowering blood pressure. Dark chocolate can also lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.

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All foods mentioned above have their own benefits, but they should all be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced and healthy diet.

Please see below for each recipe that we have recommended and why not let us know how you got on with these dishes by leaving a comment on our facebook page.

Recipes

Sliced Avocado on rye bread with a poached egg

Hot Smoked salmon salad with a chili lemondressing

Garlic turkey and broccoli stir-fry