• Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
The Brain Health Magazine
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The Brain Health Magazine
No Result
View All Result

Eat More Vegetables to Improve Wellbeing and Brain Health

Healthy Living

in balance, Healthy Living, Nutrition
September 7, 2020
0
Eat More Vegetables to Improve Wellbeing and Brain Health

by Sierra Fawn Guay, MS, RDN, LDN

One of the simplest, and most overlooked, dietary habits that many of us can implement to improve our well-being and brain health is to eat more vegetables. The recommendation to eat more vegetables is common among diets that have been linked to good brain health (including the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay or MIND Diet, the Mediterranean Diet, and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or DASH Diet). The MIND Diet recommends eating one serving of leafy green vegetables and one serving of any other vegetable each day, while both the Mediterranean and DASH Diets emphasize the consumption of vegetables.

There are many reasons why vegetables are important tools for achieving and maintaining good health. Vegetables are excellent sources of water, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.

  • Water is essential for many body functions. Did you know that water is important to help maintain cognitive function?
  • Fiber is important for gut, heart, and brain health. Eating adequate fiber helps maintain good bowel regularity, and healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels.  Did you know that eating enough fiber can help you feel full for longer periods of time?
  • Vitamins and minerals are essential for nearly all body functions. Did you know that eating vitamins and minerals from vegetables is more effective (and less expensive) than taking supplements?
  • Phytonutrients are components of foods that provide some physiological benefit. Phytonutrients act as antioxidants, support our immune systems, and fight inflammation. Did you know that vegetables are one of the best sources of phytonutrients?

Eating more vegetables can seem challenging at first. Here are three tips to help:

  1. Fill half of your plate with vegetables at each meal. If you are not eating from a plate, be sure to include vegetables as a side dish or as an ingredient (think pizza with a side salad, or vegetable soup).
  2. Eat vegetables in whatever form you have access to and can afford. Fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables are all good options.
  3. Challenge your beliefs. This tip is a personal favorite, since people often tell me that they do not like any vegetables. While this used to unnerve the dietitian in me, I have come to understand that most people who tell me this have not actually tried vegetables in years, and what most people mean is that they do not like the tasteless mush they were forced to eat many years ago as children. Below, you will find an easy-to-create recipe for roasted Brussels sprouts, which I implore you to try even if you have a distant childhood memory of hiding boiled, unseasoned, mushy Brussels sprouts in a napkin because even your dog would not eat them.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients:

2 lbs Brussels sprouts, washed, ends trimmed, and cut into halves*

1-2 tbsp olive oil

5-10 cloves of garlic, peeled

2-3 tbsp pine nuts (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss Brussels sprouts and garlic cloves in olive oil and spread in single layer on baking pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Shake pan every five minutes or so. Roast until Brussels sprouts have browned and edges are crispy, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, on the stove top, add pine nuts to shallow pan and roast over medium heat until lightly browned and aromatic, about five minutes.

Combine Brussels sprouts and garlic with pine nuts. Serve warm. Enjoy!

*When you cut the sprouts into halves, some leaves will fall loose. Keep those leaves and roast them. They will be extra crispy and delicious.

Did you know that Brussels sprouts are one of the best plant sources of omega 3 fatty acids? That means that these beautiful vegetables are especially beneficial for our brains!

Sierra is a registered dietitian who works with brain injury survivors in Greenville, North Carolina.

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare Via EmailPinterest

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Next Post

Yoga: Warrior II Pose

SIGN UP

BLOG

January Tarot Reading: Embrace Your Inner Goddess

by Sam Black Your feminine/masculine power wants to show itself and your inner strength and beauty wants to shine.  Be cautious to not hide yourself behind false statements and question what truly feels true to you.  You are hungry for more and it is time to allow your inner desires to be fulfilled.  Part of nurturing others is […]

Read more

The Life and Death of an All-American, Hometown Boy

by Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief With the release of the book Love, Zac: Small Town Football and the Life and Death of an American Boy by Reid Forgrave, we are given an intimate look inside the diaries and journals of Zac Easter, who was convinced his increasing mental health issues were because of CTE, the result […]

Read more

New Year’s Day Workshop

 Join me for a day of extreme self care, while getting clear on what you want to bring into your life for 2021!! In this 6 hour workshop you will learn how to incorporate yoga*, mindfulness, essential oils, intentions, and affirmations into helping you create the year (and life) you WANT! Connecting the mind […]

Read more

December Tarot Reading: Loch Ness

Embrace the mysteries in our world and beyond.  There is beauty in the unknown and excitement in the stories that they leave behind.  You are a work in progress and being a little mysterious does not make you a monster.  Be true to who you are today and take inspiration from the tales that are created around your […]

Read more

BOGO Sale — Buy One Give One Print Subscriptions

This holiday season we are offering you the opportunity to give the gift of The Brain Health Magazine, while enjoying one for yourself! Buy one print subscription, give one to a friend or loved one! Terms and conditions * only your paid subscription will auto renew in one year * one year subscription for $25, […]

Read more

Black Friday through Cyber Monday SALE

This Black Friday through Cyber Monday receive discounted pricing on my book and life coaching packages! They make great Christmas gifts for a loved one in your life! In addition to getting an autographed copy of the book with FREE SHIPPING — I will be donating $1 from every book sale to LoveYourBrain on #GivingTuesday  […]

Read more

Navigating Changes: Shifts in Relationships After a Traumatic Brain Injury

by Dr. Jayde Kennedy-Ball, PsyD, LP, CBIS Following a traumatic brain injury, life typically becomes a whirlwind surrounding the medical, physical, cognitive, and emotional implications. We get wrapped up in treatment and attempting to piece together some semblance of normalcy. Often, the impact the injury has on one’s relationships gets buried or put in the “We’ll […]

Read more

Get Your Game Face On!

by Sharik Peck, PT In 2019 I found myself in Australia helping athletes from three nations compete in a large track meet. My daughter was competing in the sprinting events. Our conversations are not about winning or losing; we focus on finding joy in the experience and in doing the best we can. Finding joy […]

Read more

Life Lessons Learned From a TBI

by Amy Zellmer, Editor-in-chief A few years before my brain injury, I rescued a sweet little Yorkie from the local Humane Society. She had come in over the weekend and was underweight, scruffy, and scared. On the phone they warned me that she was mean and would try to bite anyone who held her. When […]

Read more

INSTAGRAM

Follow Us!

  • ARE YOU READY TO MAKE 2021 YOUR YEAR OF WELLNESS?

Amy works with clients from all walks of life who are suffering from chronic illness or injury. She has a desire to help them find their individual path toward wellness and creating a life that makes them feel joy by integrating coaching with yoga, mindfulness, meditation, reiki, crystals, and extreme self-care to complement any traditional therapies that they may be undergoing.



She has her 200-hour RYT (yoga teacher training) and is currently working toward her 500-hour. Additionally, she is a level one Reiki practitioner working toward her Reiki Master. She has also completed training and certification in Mindfulness, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), and crystal healing. 



She believes in all things holistic and natural, and has a soul-burning desire to share them with others who are ready to stop being a victim of their circumstances, and start being a thriving beacon of light in the world while living their life to their fullest potential. 

After sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in 2014, Amy Zellmer made it her mission to help others find resources and alternative treatments sooner, rather than later, in their own recovery. It was during her remarkable recovery that she learned you have to be your own advocate and blaze a path for yourself.

Her message to those struggling to find their way is that wellness comes from within, and we all have the innate ability to heal ourselves . . . if we
  • My New Year
  • Do you have a Christmas Morning tradition? If so, what is it?

 #holidayspirit #christmasmorning
  • Be the reason… today and everyday!

 #wordstoliveby #smile #spreadlove #uplift #positivevibes
  • If you had to choose one, which one would it be?! 

#holidaydrinks #hotcocoa #eggnog #applecider
  • I have room for ONE MORE to join my New Years Day self-care workshop!! Grab the last spot before it’s gone and I will get your care package shipped out TONIGHT!! 
💚LINK IN BIO💚
  • Spending the afternoon learning from @jen_gottlieb and @chriswinfield in the #beontvbootcamp ... it’s time to get more media appearances and raise awareness about TBI 

#tbisurvivor #tbiawareness #tbirecovery #tbi #braininjurysurvivor #braininjurysupport #braininjuryawareness #braininjuryrecovery #concussionrecovery #concussionawareness #concussion #pcs #postconcussionsyndrome #postconcussionrecovery #postconcussionlife #author #writer #blogger #publisher #editor #magazine #advocate #advocacy #trailblazer #solopreneur
  • Pay what you choose option now available for my Self-Care Workshop on Mew Year’s Day! 
LINK IN BIO
  • It happens in the blink of an eye. Whether it’s a fall, a car crash, assault, or even a stroke. There’s little to no warning. All of a sudden your entire life is completely different. 

The traditional medical world doesn’t seem to understand the long-term consequences of TBI. Many are sent home and told they’re fine. While others might be told it’s all in their head (oh the irony). It’s a long, lonely road ... and one that friends and family often give up on. 

I mean, if doctors don’t seem to understand, how can we expect others to get it? It’s isolating and depressing. It’s a viscous cycle until one day you finally find the right kind of doctor that knows how to help you and you can finally get off the rollercoaster. 

But at some point you have to allow yourself the time to grieve. If you continue to be pissed off at the world you will never get better. You must allow yourself the time and emotions to process all that you’ve been through. Then it’s time to focus on healing and moving forward. 

#tbisurvivor #tbiawareness #tbirecovery #tbi #braininjurysurvivor #braininjurysupport #braininjuryawareness #braininjuryrecovery #concussionrecovery #concussionawareness #concussion #pcs #postconcussionsyndrome #postconcussionrecovery #postconcussionlife #author #writer #blogger #publisher #editor #magazine #advocate #advocacy #trailblazer #solopreneur

© Copyright 2019 | The Brain Health Magazine

  • Advertise With Us
  • Submission Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms
  • Contact Us

DISCLAIMER: THIS MAGAZINE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE - View PDF

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Directory
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used.