This document provides information on planning a brain healthy menu. It discusses the major classes of nutrients including macronutrients like protein, carbohydrates, and fats that provide energy, and micronutrients like vitamins and minerals. It recommends daily amounts of protein, carbohydrates, vegetables, fruits, and dairy. It also discusses the importance of antioxidants from fruits and vegetables in protecting against free radical damage and reducing risks of diseases. A sample brain healthy menu is then presented that meets daily nutritional needs and provides antioxidants to support brain health.

1. Menu Planning For the Brain 1

2. Nutrients There are six major classes of nutrients: carbohydrates, fats, minerals, protein, vitamins, and water. These nutrient classes can be categorized as either macronutrients (needed in relatively large amounts) or micronutrients (needed in smaller quantities). The macronutrients include carbohydrates, fats, protein, and water. The micronutrients are minerals and vitamins. The macronutrients (excluding water) provide structural material (amino acids from which proteins are built, and lipids from which cell membranes and some signaling molecules are built), and energy. Some of the structural material can be used to generate energy internally, and in either case it is measured in kilocalories. Carbohydrates and proteins provide approximately (4 kcal) of energy per gram, while fats provide (9 kcal) per gram.,[ 2

3. How much is enough water? Take half your body weight. The result is the # of ounces you should drink every day. 3

4. Effects of Inadequate H2O Decreased muscle strength & control Decreased ability to sweat Increased body core temperature Decrease in mental acuity Eventually, heat stroke. Dry mouth is an indicator that you are 1% dehydrated 4

5. Here Is What We Need 1 oz Protein Breakfast 3 oz Protein Lunch 2 oz Protein Dinner Total of 6 ounces of protein a day 5

6. Here Is What We Need Starch/ Carbohydrate 2 oz Breakfast 2 oz Lunch 2 oz Dinner Total of 6 oz per day 6

7. Here Is What We Need Vegetables ½ cup Breakfast ½ cup Lunch ½ cup Dinner Total of 1 ½ cup per day 7

8. Here Is What We Need Fruit ½ Cup Breakfast ½ Cup Lunch ½ Cup Dinner Total of 1 ½ cups a day 8

9. What do the fruits and veggies do? Provide antioxidants that the body cannot make on its own, thereby blocking free radical damage. What does that damage look like? Skin Wrinkles Joints Arthritis Arteries Heart Disease Brain Alzheimer's DNA Cancer 9

10. Free radicals can pose a major threat to our health because they have the potential to damage our body at the cellular level. But what exactly is a free radical? A free radical is an atom or molecule which contains an unpaired electron. Since electrons have a very strong tendency to exist in a paired state, free radicals try to steal electrons from other atoms and molecules. The danger they pose comes when they react with important cellular components in our body. Free radicals usually steal from the nearest stable molecule, taking its electron. When the attacked molecule loses its electron, it becomes a free radical itself (because now it is missing an electron), which starts a chain reaction. One free radical starts a cascade of new free radicals in our body, finally resulting in the disruption of the living cell. 10

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12. Free radicals are generated naturally in the body as a normal part of biochemical processes like breathing and digesting. Sometimes the body's immune system creates free radicals in order to neutralize viruses and bacteria. While free radicals are not all bad, too many of them can lead to a number of problems. An excess of free radicals can be caused by smoking, sunbathing, fried food, infections, excessive exercise, stress, smog and other environmental pollutants, harmful chemicals, toxins, radiation, etc. 12

13. Excess free radicals are a problem because their damage can cause premature aging, heart disease, cancer, autoimmune diseases, arthritis, diabetes, chronic fatigue syndrome and a host of other conditions. The type of disease that occurs is dependent upon which of the free radical defenses in the body were not functioning properly and where the free radical attacks occur. To protect us against the harmful impact of free radicals, our bodies utilize antioxidants. Antioxidants are molecules which can safely interact with free radicals and terminate the chain reaction before any damage is done. Antioxidants donate an electron to the free radical and convert it to a harmless molecule. Fresh fruits, vegetables and grains are all good sources of natural antioxidants, but you can choose to take a supplement as well. Fruits and veggies that are rich in antioxidants are sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, papaya, turnip, spinach, strawberries, kiwi, cranberries, plums, broccoli, red and green peppers, tomatoes, etc. 13

14. Different antioxidants work in different areas of the body, so the key is to eat as wide a range of antioxidants as possible. The most important antioxidant supplements are vitamin E, Vitamin C, Beta-carotene and Selenium. All are required for optimum health and illness prevention, however, our bodies can not manufacture them so they must be supplied through proper nutrition and supplementation. Antioxidant compounds must be constantly replenished since they are used up in the process of neutralizing free radicals. 14

15. Here Is What We Need Dairy ( milk, Pudding, cottage cheese, Yogurt, cheese, etc. 6 oz Breakfast 6 oz Lunch 6 oz Dinner Total of 18 oz per day 15

16. Daily Nutritional Needs 3 oz Protein 3 servings Vegetables 3 servings of Fruit oz Dairy Total Kcals for an average day 1313 kCals 16

17. Fun Time We are trying to achieve between 1600 and 2000 kCals Per day for Nutrition and Energy 2000 -1313 -------- 687 Free Kcals 1600 -1313 ----------- 487 free Kcals 17

18. 1 Plain Danish Breakfast ( 349 Kcals) 1 Slice Apple Pie for Lunch (411 Kcals) 1 0z Chicken Gravy Lunch (22 Kcals) ½ cup of Vanilla Ice cream Dinner ( 266 Kcals) Total for Calories for the Day 2361 Healthier Alternatives 1 Orange (62 Kcals) 1 Cup Raw Carrots (50 Kcals) 1 oz Walnuts (178 Kcals) Cup Blueberries (70 kcals) Total Calories for the day 1673 18

19. Choices In Striving for a healthier Diet , We do have choices The next slide is a price comparison between traditional farm raised and Organic Produce 19

20. 20 Organic conventional $$

21. Reference Daily Intake (or Recommended Daily Intake) (RDI) is the daily dietary intake level of a nutrient which was considered (at the time they were defined) to be sufficient to meet the requirements of nearly all (97–98%) healthy individuals in each life-stage and sex group 21

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23. A “brain healthy” diet means low-fat, low cholesterol choices combined with an abundance of antioxidant foods that are beneficial to the brain. 23

25. Wild Rice

26. Garden Salad of Broccoli Beets and Yellow Bell Peppers24

27. Salmon Koho 4 oz 132 kcals Wild Rice 3 oz 304 Kcals Yellow Bell Pepper 3 oz 23 Kcals Fresh Beets 1 oz 12 Kcals Broccoli 3 oz 29 Kcals Total 500 Kcals 25

28. In a 4 0z serving of Salmon we get: Omega 3 fatty acids, which protects and supports brain development and function 10 % of RDI for potassium ,366 mg 5% of the RDI for Iron , 1 mg 4% of RDI for Zinc, 1mg 3% of the RDI for Vitamin A , 134 IU 11% of the RDI for Vitamin B6, .2 mg 57% of the RDI for Vitamin B12, 3.3 mcg 26

29. Brain Health Breakfast Poached Eggs (2) 142 kCal Grilled Tomato (3 oz) 15 kCal Whole Grain Toast (2 sl.) 160 kCal Blueberry Smoothie (8 oz) 192 k Cal Total k Cal 509 Vitamin C, 41% RDI Vitamin A , 14% RDI Vitamin B6, 11 % RDI Vitamin B12, 7 % RDI 27

30. Brain Health Lunch Lean Beef Steak (4oz) 365 kCal Baked Potato with 1 T Butter (9 oz) 339 kCal Green Salad with Avocadoes, 115 kCal Pita Bread, 165 kCal Total kCal:984 Vitamin C, 115% RDI Vitamin A, 100 % RDI Vitamin B6, 73 % RDI Vitamin B12, 41% RDI Riboflavin B2, 37% RDI Thiamin B1, 67% RDI 28

31. Brain Healthy Snack Fruit Salad of Fresh Strawberries and Blueberries Strawberries and Blueberries beside being delicious are a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and antioxidants 29

32. The complete day’s Brain Health Menu Breakfast 384 kCals Lunch 501 kCals Dinner 428 k Cals Snack 116 kCals Total 1429 kCals 30

33. Life is meant to be enjoyed. The food we eat is a source of pleasure as well as nutrition Finding the balance between enjoyment and Nutrition Is Just Using your BRAIN! 31