January Newsletter

Support Brain Health: Simple ways to add to your wellness routine

(Family Features) When most people think of wellness, diet and exercise are the first things that come to mind. Brain health is another essential element of your overall wellness because it affects your quality of life in many ways.

Brain health is the foundation of your ability to live a productive and successful life by communicating and solving problems. It’s the driving force behind your daily function.

Give your brain extra support with these tips:

Stimulate Your Mind
Like any muscle, your brain needs exercise. Your workout equipment for your brain can include activities like puzzles, reading, learning an instrument, taking up a new hobby or learning a new language.

Focus on Brain-Supporting Foods
What you eat doesn’t just affect your physical health; it affects your brain health, too. One example is the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet, which is the result of more than 20 years of data collected by researchers at Rush University Medical Center and Harvard School of Public Health.

It follows the Mediterranean style of eating whole foods with minimal processing and includes an emphasis on plant-based foods, including leafy greens, whole grains and heart-healthy legumes along with some fish and smaller amounts of poultry. The MIND diet aims to build on these principles and emphasizes antioxidant-rich berries, dark leafy greens and fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring or sardines.

A dish like Kale and Quinoa Bowl with Salmon reflects the MIND diet guidelines and is a delicious and smart way to support your brain with good nutrition.

“Fueling your brain starts with your plate,” said Melissa Halas, MA, RDN. “This tasty kale, quinoa and salmon recipe by Alton Brown has smart ingredients that match the MIND diet. Plus, the results are delicious. It’s so important to support your brain with the right nutrients.”

Sleep Well
While you catch up on your rest, your body is hard at work rejuvenating all your systems, and your brain is no exception. Getting plenty of sleep each night gives your brain time to repair itself so you wake feeling sharp and focused.

Add a Supplement to Your Daily Routine
Most people fall short of reaching recommended nutrient levels with their diets alone. Supplements can help fill the gap. An option like Neuriva Plus can help support the key indicators of brain health: reasoning (think and understand things in a logical way), focus (zoom in and filter out distractions), accuracy (react with greater speed and precision), memory (record and recall stored information), learning (retain new information) and concentration (concentrating on tasks for longer periods).*

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Available in capsules and gummies, the Neuriva brain health supplements include naturally sourced ingredients like Neurofactor™ (coffee cherry extract) and plant-sourced phosphatidylserine (PS), as well as B vitamins to support brain health.

“I recently turned 60 and over the past couple of decades, I’ve been very focused on taking care of my health from the inside out – first with my food, and now taking action to support my brain health,” said Alton Brown, award-winning chef and food geek. “Neuriva fits perfectly into my holistic regimen, which for me, is just simple life practices, like exercising, eating a balanced diet and getting a good night’s sleep.”

Manage Stress
Keeping your stress in check is good for your mental well-being, but it also affects your physical and cognitive health. Practicing yoga, meditation or listening to music are some ways to reduce stress while improving your cognitive function and performance.

Connect with Others
Personal interaction also sharpens your brain, as it encourages you to practice communication and other cognitive skills. You can protect and improve your brain health by creating and nurturing connections with friends and family.

Keep Moving
Your brain needs plenty of oxygen for good function. Physical activity burns calories and builds muscle while increasing oxygen flow and stimulating nerve cell growth.

For more ideas to support brain health and wellness, visit Neuriva.com and download the Neuriva Brain Gym app.

Kale and Quinoa Bowl with Salmon

Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown on behalf of Neuriva
Servings: 4

Kale and Quinoa Bowl:

1 bunch lacinato or "dinosaur" kale, stems removed and cut into ribbons (about 4 ounces, stemmed)
1 bunch (1 1/2 ounces) flat leaf parsley, stems removed and roughly chopped
2 shallots, thinly sliced
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 lemon, zest and juice only
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup plain, low-fat yogurt
4 ounces firm feta cheese, divided
1cup (3 1/2 ounces) walnuts, toasted and lightly crushed, divided
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups cooked white quinoa
1/2 cup dried cherries
freshly ground black pepper

Salmon:

2 skin-on salmon fillets (around 1-inch thick and 5 ounces each)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons light olive oil

To make kale and quinoa bowls: In large bowl, toss kale, parsley and shallots with 2 tablespoons olive oil; set aside 10 minutes.
In bowl of food processor, puree remaining olive oil, lemon juice and zest, garlic, yogurt, 2 ounces feta, 1/3 of the walnuts and salt.
Pour dressing over greens then fold in quinoa, remaining walnuts, cherries and remaining feta.
Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving with several grinds of black pepper.
To make salmon: Wrap fillets in paper towels then heat large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes.
When skillet is hot, season fillets with salt. Add oil to skillet and carefully tilt to evenly cover bottom. When oil shimmers, slide fillets in, skin-side down, pressing each fillet firmly down with spatula.
Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 3 minutes then cover and cook 2 minutes.
Carefully flip fillets, cover and cook 1 minute, or until fillets reach desired doneness or internal temperature of at least 130 F** on thermometer inserted into centers.
**The United States Department of Agriculture recommends a minimum internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
To serve, separate kale and quinoa mixture into four bowls. Slice each fillet in half and place on top of kale and quinoa.

Content courtesy of Neuriva

Photo courtesy of Getty Images (woman eating at laptop)
Photo courtesy of Getty Images (woman doing a puzzle)
Photo courtesy of Lynne Calamia (Kale and Quinoa Bowl with Salmon)

SOURCE:
Neuriva [tab]

Create Healthy Habits for a New Year

(Family Features) At the start of a new year, many people choose to embark on a journey to improve their health; this can take the form of losing weight, jumpstarting a fitness routine or mitigating a health issue. What many people don’t realize is having the right mindset is key to any successful change in behavior.

Focus on Lifestyle Results
When setting a new intention or starting a wellness program, set realistic and achievable goals so you can monitor your progress and stay motivated. When setting goals, it’s important to be clear with yourself about what changes you want to make in order to set yourself up for success. Rather than aiming for complex or difficult goals, set easier goals in order to keep motivation high. For instance, if you’re starting a weight loss journey, focus on your non-scale victories like having more energy to play with your kids or building the stamina to tackle your first 5K run.

Rely on Tools to Guide Your Journey
Arming yourself with resources can help make your journey to healthier living feel more attainable. One example is digital health platform Noom, which shows people how to shift their mindset to improve their overall health and well-being. With a powerful combination of psychology, technology and human coaching, the app has enabled millions to live healthier lives through behavior changes.

As a complement to the app, you can also learn more about it in the book, “The Noom Mindset,” available wherever books are sold.

“All of our habits are governed by powerful internal forces,” said Andreas Michaelides, a clinical psychologist and Noom’s chief of psychology. “‘The Noom Mindset’ gives readers a glimpse into how some of these forces operate and ways to change them to help you cultivate habits that could positively impact your health.”

Treat Yourself with Kindness
Many well-intentioned healthy habits fall off track because of a small slip or slower-than-expected progress. Be realistic about what you hope to achieve and set yourself up for success with a mindset that reflects the old adage that slow and steady wins the race. If you skip a workout or decide to indulge in your favorite dessert, give yourself grace and get back on track the next day.

For more information, visit noom.com/book or download the app.

SOURCE:
Noom [tab]

A Mission for Nutrition

Accomplish health goals with better-for-you family meals

(Family Features) Setting out on a mission to eat healthier starts with creating goals and working to achieve them with those you love. To help make nutritious eating more manageable, call together your family and work with one another to create a menu everyone can enjoy while staying on track.

Connecting an array of recipes that all can agree on starts with versatile ingredients like dairy. Gathering at the table with your loved ones while enjoying delicious, nutritious recipes featuring yogurt, cheese and milk can nourish both body and soul.

For example, the key dairy ingredients in these recipes from Milk Means More provide essential nutrients for a healthy diet. The cheese varieties in Feta Roasted Salmon and Tomatoes and 15-Minute Weeknight Pasta provide vitamin B12 for healthy brain and nerve cell development and are a good source of calcium and protein, which are important for building and maintaining healthy bones. Meanwhile, the homemade yogurt sauce served alongside these Grilled Chicken Gyros provides protein and zinc.

To find more nutritious meal ideas to fuel your family’s health goals, visit MilkMeansMore.org.

Feta Roasted Salmon and Tomatoes

Recipe courtesy of Marcia Stanley, MS, RDN, Culinary Dietitian, on behalf of Milk Means More
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4

Nonstick cooking spray
3 cups halved cherry tomatoes
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
1 1/2 pounds salmon or halibut fillets, cut into four serving-size pieces
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line 18-by-13-by-1-inch baking pan with foil. Lightly spray foil with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
In medium bowl, toss tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, oregano or dill weed, salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
Place fish pieces, skin side down, on one side of prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining pepper. Lightly press feta cheese on top of fish. Pour tomato mixture on other side of prepared pan. Bake, uncovered, 12-15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with fork.
Place salmon on serving plates. Spoon tomato mixture over top.

Grilled Chicken Gyros

Recipe courtesy of Kirsten Kubert of "Comfortably Domestic" on behalf of Milk Means More
Prep time: 30 minutes, plus 30 minutes chill time
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 8

Chicken:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Yogurt Sauce:

1 1/2 cups plain, whole-milk yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup diced cucumber
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

3-4 small loaves whole-wheat pita bread, halved lengthwise
1 cup thinly sliced tomatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

To make chicken: Place melted butter, dill, oregano, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper in gallon-size zip-top freezer bag. Seal bag and shake contents to combine. Add chicken. Seal bag, pressing air out of bag. Shake chicken to coat with marinade. Refrigerate chicken in marinade 30 minutes.
To make yogurt sauce: Stir yogurt, lemon juice, diced cucumber, dill, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover sauce and refrigerate.
Heat grill to medium heat.
Grill chicken over direct heat, about 10 minutes per side, until cooked through. Transfer chicken to cutting board and rest 10 minutes. Thinly slice chicken across grain.
Serve chicken on pita bread with tomatoes, red onion and yogurt sauce.

15-Minute Weeknight Pasta

Recipe courtesy of Kirsten Kubert of "Comfortably Domestic" on behalf of Milk Means More
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6

6 quarts water
16 ounces linguine or penne pasta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 cup thinly sliced sweet bell pepper
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup reserved pasta water
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 cup smoked provolone cheese, shredded
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Bring water to rolling boil and prepare pasta according to package directions for al dente texture, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
In large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in onions, carrots and sweet bell peppers. Saute vegetables about 5 minutes, or until they brighten in color and begin to soften. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and garlic. Cook and stir 1 minute to allow tomatoes to release juices.
Pour reserved pasta water into skillet, stirring well. Bring sauce to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 3 minutes. Taste sauce and adjust seasonings, as desired.
Transfer drained pasta to skillet along with lemon zest and smoked provolone cheese, tossing well to coat. Serve immediately with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese, if desired.

SOURCE:
United Dairy Industry of Michigan