Boost Brain Power

What does every engine need to run at maximum capacity? The right fuel. Mornings can be hectic with everyone hustling and bustling to be on time for work or school. So get up bright and early to make plenty of time for a nutritious breakfast, or use the weekends for family activities that include preparing and freezing your own "grab and go breakfasts" or snacks. Try to stay away from high glycemic foods such as sugary cereals, donuts and pastries. They tend to feed the brain too quickly, create fidgeting, nervousness and inattentiveness. Low glycemic foods tend to feed nutrients to the brain more slowly and systematically. A traditional breakfast including orange juice, rich in vitamin c and powerful antioxidants, whole grain toast and an egg, which contains the brainy "choline" is a great start. Oatmeal is another great breakfast with staying power, only takes a few minutes to prepare and goes with small fruits like raisins, chopped apple, blueberries, etc. Of course my personal favorite is the pancake.

You can turn an ordinary looking pancake into a nutritional powerhouse by being creative and incorporating some foods they may not necessarily suspect, like toasted wheat germ for example. Here's some other ideas for sneaky nutrition to get you going:

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour -- "Since it has less gluten than regular whole wheat flour, pastry flour makes for light and fluffy pancakes, waffles and muffins. Try a mix of whole wheat pastry and regular whole wheat for more texture; you might want to start with 3/4 pastry and 1/4 regular."

Toasted Wheat Germ -- "Adds a nutty, sweet flavor and is high in B vitamins and fiber. Replace up to 1/2 cup of flour with wheat germ in your favorite recipes. It can also be sprinkled onto cereal and sandwiches."

Grind up Nuts and Seeds -- "Many kids and some adults don't like nuts. It's too bad because nuts and seeds are high in good fats, protein and minerals. Grind them up and add them to your baked goods, even cakes. Replace up to 1/2 cup of flour with the ground nuts."

Ground Flax seeds -- "Flax is high in beneficial fatty acids for proper brain development in kids. It is also high in fiber. Sneak this one into baked goods, cereals, smoothies and sandwiches."

Mornings are usually too hectic for much experimentation. I like to cook on the weekends and turn in it into a huge production, making bran muffins, pancakes, oatmeal cookies and sealing them up fresh to toss in the freezer. If you have enough space, I highly recommend this week-end activity. It adds to so many aspects of health for yourself, your family, and your spirit. Oh and did I mention you can save time and money! Enjoy!

More to Yogurt Than Meets the Eye

Photo courtesy Wikipedia

Probiotics or friendly bacteria are vital to a healthy, properly functioning intestinal tract and act as a backup to your body's immune system. Probiotics can promote health by secreting antibiotic-like substances, which help detoxify and suppress pathogens, promoting proper digestion. Certain probiotic strains are particularly beneficial, producing abundant amounts of the enzyme lactase, and may effectively aid many individuals with an intolerance to dairy products. Probiotics are most often depleted by the use of antibiotics, stress, lack of sleep, carbonated drinks, laxatives or poor diet. Probiotics are found in such foods as sauerkraut, unsweetened yogurt as an example.

I am mainly focusing on yogurt, as it is familiar to most people, especially women and especially associated with dieting. Yogurt has been in use by different cultures for centuries, going back as much as 4500 years. It is very nutritious and an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Additionally, people that have difficulty digesting regular milk products, can tolerate yogurt, as well as soy milk.

Yogurt is not really a "diet" food or as some believe, a low calorie ice cream substitute, but that may be part of the reason we consume over a billion pounds a year. While plain low fat yogurt is relatively low in calories, the addition or certain flavorings make it comparable in calories to vanilla ice cream. Fruit flavored yogurt sales far outpace that of the plain.

It has long been thought that there was an association between longevity and the consumption of yogurt. While studies have produced no evidence to show that eating yogurt will keep us alive longer, it still has a place in a healthy diet for all ages.

Yogurt is useful in a lot of recipes as a substitute for sour cream, an ingredient in the ever popular smoothie, and is used in Turkish and other regional dishes. Plain non-fat yogurt is used in this recipe for a cold soup. You will need a blender to puree the following ingredients:

2 cups peeled and seeded cucumbers
1 cup water
1 cup non-fat yogurt
1 clove garlic
several mint leaves
2 tsp. honey
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. dill weed

Serve chilled in small bowls. You may add mint, dill and a few drops olive oil to garnish.

Nutrient Rich Orange Juice

Orange juice is rich in Vitamin C and contains 120% of the recommended daily allowance. Vitamin C is not stored by the body and should be replaced daily. This requirement is easily met by drinking an 8 ounce glass of orange juice. An 8 ounce glass has 110 calories. Vitamin C is one of the most powerful antioxidants and acts to neutralize harmful elements know as free radicals to help prevent disease and fight infection. 8 ounces of orange juice also contains: Thiamine 10%, Niacin 4%, Folate 15%, Calcium 2%, Vitamin B6 6%, Magnesium 6%. Also a rich source of potassium, containing 13%, which is important in maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance in cells.