March 28, 2024

Healthy diet reduces risk for cognitive decline

The month of June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness month. Every 67 seconds someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s. An estimated 5.3 million Americans of all ages have the disease. Evidence shows that eating a healthy and balanced diet that is lower in fat and higher in vegetables and fruit may help reduce the risk of cognitive decline. Follow these easy tips to help reduce your risk.

1. The next time you fire up the grill, throw some veggies, or even fruit, alongside the meat, poultry or fish. Use kabob skewers or a grill pan for mushrooms, peppers, onions, summer squash or cherry tomatoes. Brush the vegetables with olive oil or canola oil to keep them from drying out. Grill until tender which will only take 10-15 minutes depending on what type of vegetables you use. Grilled fruits like peaches, pineapple or mangos can also be threaded on a kabob and add great flavor to a cookout.

2. Add extra vegetables to pasta dishes. Slip some peppers, spinach, onions or cherry tomatoes into your traditional pasta sauce. You can also layer grated carrots in with the lasagna noodles.

3. Get creative with summer salads. Toss fresh fruit like mango, strawberries, nectarines or diced apples in with your leafy greens. Add a low fat poppyseed dressing or low fat raspberry vinaigrette to complement the fruit.

4. Add vegetables to sandwiches and wraps. Vegetables add delightful crunch to both. Try sliced tomatoes, green leafy lettuce, avocado, cucumbers or thinly sliced summer squash.

5. Boost the color and flavor of your omelet with vegetables. Simply chop, sauté and add them to the egg as it cooks. Try combining different vegetables such as mushrooms, spinach, onion or bell peppers. You’ll create a meal that’s dinner worthy.

6. Add berries and melon to low-fat yogurt for a cool summer dessert.

7. Make fruit your snack of choice. This time of year you don’t have to settle for boring. Mangoes and fresh pineapple are more exciting than bananas and apples. Take advantage of fresh berries available this time of year. Just wash and eat, how simple is that.

8. If peeling, cutting and chopping aren’t your thing, let someone else do the work.

Grocery stores offer an ever-expanding selection of prepared produce. The convenience is well worth the extra price for most people.

This poppyseed dressing works well on vegetable salads and fruit salads.

Poppyseed Dressing

1 teaspoon dry mustard

¾ cup sugar (or sugar substitute)

½ cup cider vinegar (or try fruit flavored balsamic vinegar)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon powdered fruit pectin (such as Sure Jell, found in the canning section of your grocery store)

1 cup water

1 Tablespoon poppyseeds

Whisk together mustard, sugar, vinegar and oil. Add fruit pection and whisk until well blended, and slightly thickened (about 2 minutes). Add water and poppy seeds. Refrigerate.
Per 2 Tablespoon serving: Calories 50 Fat 1 g Carbohydrates 11 g Sodium: 0mg