The American Cancer Society recommends five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Mixing colors - eating from the rainbow - is a good way to think about healthy fruits and vegetables. Strive to eat red things - strawberries, raspberries, cherries, red peppers and tomatoes, yellow things - squash, yellow peppers, small portions of bananas and peaches, blue things - blueberries, purple things - plums, orange things - oranges, tangerines and yams, green things - peas, spinach and broccoli, etc.
Lean Protein
- Fish - Salmon (especially Alaskan Salmon caught in the wild - farmed fish is not as rich in omega-3-fatty acids, tuna, mackerel, herring (also listed under fats)
- Poultry - chicken - skinless, and turkey - skinless
- Meat - lean beef and pork
- Eggs - enriched DHA eggs are best
- Tofu and Soy products - whenever possible choose organically raised
- Dairy products - low fat cheeses and cottage cheese, low fat sugar free yogurt and low fat or skim milk
- Beans, especially garbanzo beans and lentils - also listed under carbohydrates
- Nuts and seeds, especially walnuts - also listed under fats
Great recipe - soak walnuts in water and sea salt overnight, drain and sprinkle with cinnamon - natural blood sugar balancer - and low roast 4 hours at 250 degrees -- makes them easier to digest.
Complex Carbohydrates
- Berries - especially blueberries - brain berries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries
- Oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruit
- Cherries
- Peaches, plums
- Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts
- Oats, whole wheat, wheat germ oatmeal needs to be the long cooking kind as instant has a higher glycemic index since the manufacturer has broken down the fiber to speed cooking time and basically make it a refined carbohydrate. Same goes for bread, look for at least 3 grams of fiber. Remember unbleached wheat flour is white flour, it must say whole wheat.
- Red or yellow peppers (much higher in Vitamin C than green peppers)
- Pumpkin squash
- Spinach - works wonderfully as a salad, or a cooked vegetable, adds fiber and nutrients
- Tomatoes
- Yams
- Beans - also listed under proteins
- Avocados
- Extra virgin cold pressed olive oil
- Olives
- Salmon - also listed under protein
- Nuts and Nut Butter, especially walnuts, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts, pecans and almonds - also listed under protein
- Water
- Green or black tea
Copyright © 2005 Daniel G. Amen, M.D.
About the Author:
Daniel G. Amen, M.D., is a clinical neuroscientist, psychiatrist, and brain-imaging expert who heads up the world-renowned Amen Clinics. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and has won numerous writing and research awards. He writes a monthly column in Men's Health called "Head Check" and has published nineteen books, numerous professional and popular articles, and a number of audio and video programs. His books include Making a Good Brain Great - Harmony Books; October 2005;$24.00US/$34.00CAN; 1-4000-8208-0, Preventing Alzheimer's, Healing Anxiety and Depression, Healing the Hardware of the Soul, Healing ADD, and the New York Times bestseller Change Your Brain, Change Your Life. He is an internationally renowned keynote speaker and a popular guest expert for the media, with appearances on CNN, the Today show, The View, and other venues.
Published 12/08/05
