Brain Food
June is National Brain Health and Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.
Taking care of our most important asset–our brain, and feeding our bodies with a whole food, plant-based diet, has been proven, will help us thrive now, and well into the future! And, it is never too late! Think about old habits to toss and new things to try! Mushrooms are a much-loved ingredient in cuisines around the world. They are full of vitamins, minerals and are especially rich in antioxidants which protect cell-health and support a robust immune function. In fact, researchers are challenging that mushrooms can assist in mental disorders, protect against cognitive decline and more. Mushrooms are fascinating to me and many others. Most grocery stores sell them in their vegetable aisles, but they aren't vegetables—they are fungi! A kingdom all of its own with networks underlying, and communication systems that are facilitators crucial to human life, and all existence. Wow. Although, only some are edible… Edible mushrooms, both cultivated and wild species, contain a high amount of dietary fiber, antioxidants and protein, as well as being extremely nutrient dense, very low in calories and naturally contain vitamin D. They are a good source of B vitamins, and the latest research has found that integrating the following mushrooms into a normal diet, even if only consuming them in small portions, may have a lower risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which often precedes Alzheimer’s disease.
golden mushrooms
oyster mushrooms
shiitake mushrooms
white button mushrooms
dried mushrooms
reishi mushrooms
So why not keep a look out for and try any of these varieties! The study(*) showed eating more than two portions of these cooked mushrooms per week could lead to a 50 percent lower risk of MCI.
I know that introducing mushrooms into your diet for some, is a new concept so stay tuned for my Instagram LIVE this month with good friend and talented Chef, Jeremy Rock Smith. A dash of Julia, a pinch of Bourdain, and a drop of Deepak and tons of good memories for me, and we’ve got him! Internationally known as a good dude making good food, Jeremy is a classically trained chef, healthy-cooking expert, and best-selling cookbook author. Known for his signature style of cooking with a side of comedy, Jeremy serves as Culinary Ambassador for the Kripalu Center of Yoga & Health, Culinary Specialist at Miraval, and is on the faculty of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine in Washington, D.C. Jeremy’s delightfully down-to-earth approach to whole foods cooking has brought him a dedicated following and esteemed tenures as Demonstration Chef at Canyon Ranch and Executive Chef at Kripalu. He is the author of best-selling cookbook, The Kripalu Kitchen: Nourishing Food for Body and Soul (2019), and his humorous approach to nutritious & holistic living has earned him accolades in a range of publications including the Food Network Blog, HEALTH, Prevention, Yoga Journal and is also known for his fan-favorite appearance on Food Network’s Chopped, which he competed on in 2019. Recently, Jeremy was announced as the Culinary Director at Berkshire Hills Culinary Camp and we are going to have a whole lotta fun together! We’ll be announcing the date soon! We can’t wait to see you there! It’s all about ‘shrooms!
*Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease
♥️ Heather
