Healthy Eating

Brain health is essentially like any other kind of health. Use it or it withers away like leg muscles that don’t do any walking. The human body is put together the way it is for a purpose. When all the little parts are working or exercised, the various systems that are affected can do their job properly, whether they are digestive, muscular, or central nervous system. The brain is a part of the central nervous system, which of course influences the whole body.

The Alzheimer’s Association has laid out some guidelines for good brain health. Four categories are involved.

1. Cognitive activity is one of the most important things a person can do to achieve a healthy brain. This means actual thinking, reading, discussing, watching documentaries, or doing puzzles. Taking a class would work. Writing a book would work.
2. Diet and certain types of food are necessary for brain health. Fish is highly recommended. This same diet is heart healthy as well. A person should eat low fat, lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and nuts. Cut out some of the sugar and red meats. Replace butter with olive oil. It is basically the same diet that has been recommended by doctors for years.
3. A healthy lifestyle will affect the brain. This means physical health and exercise must be daily activities. Walking, hiking, and dancing will do. So will a yoga class. The key here is to actually get some physical activity on a daily basis. It needs to be an entrenched habit, done as a matter of course. Get out of bed and go for a walk or ride a bike. Bike riding is as much fun now as it was at seven years old. But do wear the protective gear, helmets, knee pads, etc.
4. Social engagement can be difficult for people who have been going through major life changes, such as the death of a spouse, moving to a smaller place, or suffering a serious health problem. To get back into a social routine, join a group of like-minded individuals. Book readers get the double stimulation of reading and discussing. This is an especially good time to enjoy the political hi-jinxes all around us. Other people might prefer some sort of music group, or they might like to take a class and learn something entirely new, like art history or how to use a computer.

In October 2015, AARP started the Global Council on Brain Health. AARP collaborated with Age UK in the formulation of this exclusive and necessary group. The group is made up of scientists, scholars, doctors, and other policy experts. These are individuals who see the need for study of the brain and its health, especially with the longer lifespans we have today.

Maintaining and improving brain health is one of the goals of this organization. The GCBH will use modern science experimentation and technological breakthroughs to debate and study all pertinent data. Then they will create practical recommendations and clear trustworthy information for clients who need it.

AARP also points out that a hearing aid may help with dementia cases. Also, stress can cause memory lapses, so can lack of proper sleep, and lack of proper exercise as well. There is a section on brain games too. AARP’s choices include Countdown, which is a really hard math game. Two were solvable, one was not.

Elephant memory is when you have 60 seconds to memorize a long list of words. There are other games involving shapes and colors, guessing which animal calls go with which animal, and guessing words in foreign languages. There is an interesting variety of games on AARP’s website. It would be a challenging game stopover for anyone looking for a creative game. Some of the games are visual and some are memory games. They are complicated enough to make looking through them fun.

An interesting definition of brain health is given by BrainHealth.gov. It is the ability to remember, to learn, to plan, and to concentrate. The brain’s mission is to make sense of the world and oversee daily operations.

The best way to keep the brain healthy is to keep it active. Encourage it to think occasionally. This can be done by reading, watching documentaries, and certainly by doing crossword puzzles and maybe a little Sudoku.

Having conversations with small children is always good for the brain. Pet care and interaction will also help in keeping the brain active. Neighbors are always good for a chat too.

Watch this video: 25 Surefire Ways To Improve Your Memory And Keep Your Brain Sharp

Cookies make a good snack that can be served at any time of the day. When presented with a glass of milk, this is the ultimate bribery to a child. Cookies, however, have been known to have large amounts of calories which are quite the deal breaker here. For many a sweet tooth, we secretly agree that we wish we could make guilt-free cookies. The reality is that there is such a thing as a healthy and delicious cookie. Healthy and delicious don’t often go hand in hand, take kale juice for example or some of those diet teas. The opposite can be said for cookies. Cookies can be made using low- calorie ingredients to make a healthy and scrumptious snack. The beauty of this is that one does not have to constantly worry about consuming one too many, and consequently, showing on the weighing scale.

Why You Should Eat Healthy Cookies

When one cookie is not enough, indulging in the healthy cookie is not a problem. Healthy cookies have fewer carbs and low calories which are good for the body. They may be flourless, eggless and gluten-free to match your healthy lifestyle. The cookies are often made with healthy ingredients such as pumpkin, coconut, and even sesame seeds. You can make sugar cookies that are low in cholesterol and high on taste. The essence of the cookie is to provide a healthy alternative to the normal cookies that often have lots of sugar, unhealthy fats, and gluten.

The good thing with the healthy cookie is that you do not have to fret when cravings kick in. It is alright to have a few just to satisfy the urge to bite into that sweet, crisp treat. Another good thing with the healthy cookie is that it adds more benefits to the body as it is often made using healthy ingredients. The added advantage of this is that you get to maintain a lean figure while indulging in your favorite snack.
How to Make Healthy and Delicious Cookies.

The big question is how to make a delicious cookie, that is not lacking in taste and good texture, without compromising quality. Some of the great recipes will definitely use any of the tricks discussed herein:
• Swapping the butter and margarine for canola oil and other heart-healthy oils is a good way to make a healthy batch of cookies. The saturated fat is not good for the heart, and high-calories in butter and margarine are definitely not recommended.
• Use of 100% whole grain and seeds such as sesame is a good idea too. The trick is to add healthy ingredients to your cookie dough that enhance the flavor, texture and health benefits of your cookies. The use of whole grain flour is quite significant as it adds four times the fiber needed by the body to the cookies.
• Use portion control to regulate the size of your cookie as opposed to having large cookies. This is a way to trick the brain into believing that you had two cookies, instead of having one large piece.
• Using less sugar than the specified amount in your cookie recipe. Reducing sugar by half is a great way to reduce calories thus healthier cookies. This is especially useful for diabetics and those who are watching their carb intake.
• The last trick is to eliminate all the artificial ingredients and trans fats from your cookie dough. By using simple ingredients and avoiding all the unnecessary ingredients, the cookies are sure to have that home-made touch to them.

In a nutshell, the healthy cookie is all about a guilt-free indulgence in your favorite snack. While the usual cookies may not be the best way to indulge, the healthy cookie has got you covered.

Here is a good recipe from London:

Now enjoy those cookies, and also stay healthy!