8 Foods to Keep Your Brain Young and Healthy

Senility, Alzheimer's, and age-related memory loss: these conditions of mental decline that come with aging can be delayed or even prevented. Besides engaging in daily activities that work out your brain, a regular and balanced diet rich with essential amino acids, omega oils, minerals and vitamins will ensure a vibrant and sharp memory. Eat these foods to give your brain the nutrition it needs.

1. Fish
Protein, an important component in the making of neurotransmitters, is essential to improve mental performance. Aside from being an excellent source of high quality protein, fish are packed with essential oils, such as Omega-3, which protect the brain and supports its development and functioning. Deep sea fish have the highest amounts of fatty acids, and they include salmon, sea bass, halibut, mackerel, and sardines.

2. Blueberries
These delicious berries are full of powerful antioxidants, which eliminate free-radical damage that causes aging, and they also possess neuroprotective properties that can delay the onset of age-related memory loss by guarding brain cells from damage caused by chemicals, plaque, or trauma. And they combat inflammation, the other factor in aging.

3. Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds are wonder foods for your brain. Packed with protein and essential fatty acids, nuts and seeds are also chock full of the amino arginine, which stimulates the pituitary gland at the base of the brain to release growth hormone, a substance that declines quickly after age 35; this is a real anti-aging boon to your brain!

Whip up a batch of my "Anti-aging brain mix" to bring with you anywhere and eat a small handful in between meals as a daily snack. It will nourish and support your brain. Pack in sealed container or zip-lock bag to preserve freshness.
• 1 cup walnut
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/3 cup of dried goji berries (also known as lycium berry, and easily found in health food stores)
• 1/2 cup dried apricots
4. Cruciferous Vegetables
Broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts are all rich in choline, an essential nutrient for memory and brain health. Choline is a precursor to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which contributes to healthy and efficient brain processes. As we age, our body's natural choline output declines, and its neurochemical action weakens. You can eat choline-rich foods to increase your production of acetylcholine, which will improve your brain power.

Other sources of choline include: eggs, soybeans, peanuts, cabbage, black beans, and kidney beans.

5. Oil: Monounsaturated Fats
Monounsaturated fats contain essential fatty acids and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which are crucial for brain development and function, among many other excellent benefits for your health. Olive oil, sesame oil, canola oil, almond oil, flaxseed oil, and fish oil are rich in monounsaturated fats and are good choices for brain health. Population studies show that people with a diet that is high in unsaturated, unhydrogenated fats may have a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease, whereas those with a diet that is higher in saturated fats and trans fats have an increased risk.

6. L-carnitine Foods
Age-related memory problems are many times caused by plaque buildup and diminished blood supply to the brain, compromising the delivery of nutrients and oxygen. L-carnitine, an amino acid manufactured in your liver, increases circulation in the brain — among a myriad of powerful benefits for your health. Also, because it prevents fat oxidation in the brain, L-carnitine shows some promise in preventing Alzheimer's disease. Good sources of L-carnitine include: meats, fish, poultry, wheat, avocado, milk, and fermented soybeans.

7. Microalgae
Microalgaes from the ocean and uncontaminated lakes, including blue-green algae, spirulina, chlorella, seaweed, and kelp are easy-to-digest, high protein and high-energy supplements-and contain over a hundred trace minerals! Available in your health food store, microalgae are simple to incorporate into your diet to ensure a good, strong brain function. Look for powders you dissolve in juice or flakes you can sprinkle on your food.

8. Green Tea
Green tea prevents an enzyme found in Alzheimer's disease and is also rich in polyphenols, antioxidants that help prevent premature brain aging. Drink two cups a day to get the brain benefits. To decaf tea, steep for 45 seconds and pour out the water, add fresh hot water to the leaves or tea bag — 95% of caffeine will be eliminated.
Herbal Boost
There are many Chinese herbs that support healthy brain functions, including ginkgo biloba and gotu kola. For support of healthy brain function I recommend our family formula called Enduring Youth, which contains Chinese herbs such as Chinese yam, goji berry, schisandra berry, Asian cornelian, China root, Cistanches, sweet flag, Chinese senega, dipsacus, anise, and Chinese foxglove. For more information, click here.

I hope you get the brain benefits of these foods. I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

-Dr. Mao

Chicken Salad

As we had some very delicious Chicken Salad Croissants at our Enrichment activity I thought I would include it for this month. In talking to Sister Brown, who made the salad, it seems that she uses a cooking technique I call ASM – “As the Spirit Moves”. However, I did find some interesting recipes for inspiration.

This one uses canned chicken – which is not only good for speed and ease but, since canned chicken is a good storage product (and a good change of pace from tuna sandwiches) would be a way to practice the UWYSSWYU(use what you store – store what you use) method of food storage.

http://www.campbellskitchen.com/SpecialtyRecipeSearch.aspx?specialty=swansonchunkchicken&searchText=%2bchicken+salad+sandwich&keyword=chicken%20salad%20sandwich

I included this section because it shows roasting a chicken and then gives some interesting ideas concerning using the left-overs.

http://simple-green-frugal-co-op.blogspot.com/2009/01/roast-chicken-dinner-uses-for-leftovers.html

Then I decided to include one site that had quite a few choices of recipes. Within a very useful recipe file source ‘Recipe Source’ I found (along with a myriad of other recipe types and catagories) the following Chicken salad recipes

http://www.recipesource.com/fgv/salads/index7.html

On this page recipes are from 332 to350

http://www.recipesource.com/fgv/salads/index8.html
Recipies 351 to 380 on this page

Bon appitite

February 2009 Newsletter

February Lessons
February 1 Presidency Lesson
Teacher: Linda Owen
February 8 Joseph Smith Lesson #23 Leading in the Lord’s Way
Teacher: Kamilla Lloyd
February 15 Joseph Smith # 25 Truths from the Savior’s Parables in Matthew 13
Teacher: Ramona Ford
February 22 Teachings for our Times “
Go Ye Therefore, Sylvia Allred Nov. 2008 Ensign, pg 10
Teacher - Myrna Clark
February Visiting Teaching Understanding the Devine Role of Women (a copy can be found @ http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=bca69d9ff732f110VgnVCM100000176f620a____ & will be on the Newsletter blog site.) http://www.springviewreliefsociety.blogspot.com/

February Activities
February 16 President’s Day
February 21 7:00 A.M. Ward Temple Day
February 21 6:30 P.M. Ward Soup and Bread Dinner Night
February 22 Ward Conference
February 25 Enrichment Night 7:00 – Disaster Preparedness --
January 8-Feb 26 Women’s Basket Ball -6:30 for the Young Women – 7:30 for Relief Society Sisters @ the Brookshire Ward
February 14 Valentines – Remember there is so much more to Love than Romance. There is love for our Savior – which is followed by love for our fellow sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father.
1 Jn. 4: 7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
Performing genealogical and temple work for those who have gone before us is also a form of love.
Mal. 4: 6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

The Lady of the Month
This month we are highlighting Sister Jenifer Tate. Sister Tate has generously provided an interesting story of her life. This fascinating story can be seen on the Newsletter blog site. As a side not Sister Tate had her baby girl on January 21, 2009 named Brynn.


Goal Setting
The first of the year seems like a good time to make resolutions and goals. As we have new goals as a ward I thought I’d put the in.

1. Proclaim the Gospel
a. Each Family Pass Out a Book of Mormon Each Month
b. 100% Home and Visiting Teaching
c. Each Family To Bring Back a less Active Family or a Convert Baptism
2. Redeem the Dead
a. Attend the Temple Regularly
b. Complete Four or More Generation Chart
3. Perfect the Saints
a. Daily Prayer, Scripture Study, & Weekly Family Home Evening
b. Complete the Book of Mormon as a Family by November
c. Save 4 Months of Expenses & 6 Months Food Storage

February Recipe
The following recipes are courtesy of the Enrichment Activity.

Simply Delicious Truffle
1 Package (any flavor) “chocolate chips” (i.e. chocolate mint, peanut butter chips, etc.)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine and heat in microwave for 1 minute. Mix and shape into balls. These balls can be rolled into coconut, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, a blend of cocoa powder and powdered sugar, etc.
Other recipes on the blog

Sister Jenifer Tate

My family lived just above 900 E. on Elgin Ave. when I was born in August 1983. I even remember going down the steps to the primary room in the old building that used to sit where ours does now. About 5 years later we moved to Cottonwood Heights and in another 5 years to Holladay where my family still lives. I have 2 younger brothers: Michael (21) and Stephen (16).

I have always loved to sing and have had a bit of a flair for the dramatic. When I attended Olympus Jr. and Olympus High, I participated in every choir and performance group offered, in addition to school musicals and various performing opportunities with friends. I was fortunate enough to travel to New York with a select choir to sing in Carnegie Hall my sophomore year. I started to write my own songs and music in high school, just to dabble in the creativity of it.

After graduating from high school in 2001, I attended the University of Utah (a decision that was partly influenced by my sweet mom who would throw away all "out-of-state" college brochures before I had a chance to see them, partly by the full-ride academic scholarship they offered me, and partly because I have always been a UTE at heart) to double major in Public Relations and Vocal Performance. By the end of my first semester I realized that I didn't want to sing because I had to, but because I wanted to, so I dropped Vocal Performance and focused solely on Public Relations. In addition to full-time school, I worked full-time and started dating a cute boy who I sent off on a mission with the intention of "waiting for".

My first year of college, I rushed Epsilon, an LDS sorority through the Institute of Religion, got extremely involved, met some wonderful friends and did a lot of dating. The next year I was called to be the vice president, in charge of planning activities, and later in the year was called to be the president. One of the first "exchanges" I planned was a summer activity with a fraternity that many of my friends were in. We had breakfast up the canyon and I gave a ride home to a very cute boy named Seth. I asked Seth out to a sorotity date night the following week and we quickly started "dating". He was also "waiting" for a missionary. Seth and I continued dating for more than 6 months, became best friends, and fell in love. Then, we broke up so he could more diligently "wait" for his missionary and spent the next 7 months getting back together and breaking up at least 20 times.

We broke up for the last time when Seth decided to get back together with his missionary but stayed friends and continued to hang out. My missionary returned home 2 weeks later and informally proposed the night before I left on a trip to Lake Powell with some friends (including Seth). Knowing how much I had changed, I told him we would have to start by dating and go from there, so he promised to "woo" me until I was convinced. The following day, Seth broke up with his missionary and that night, in Lake Powell, proposed. I said yes, we got married 2 1/2 months later in October 2003 and it has been 5 years of wedded bliss since. We lived in an apartment across from the Salt Lake temple until we bought our home on 800 East in July 2004.

I graduated from the University of Utah in December 2004 and Morgan was born in April 2005. With Seth still in school, I went back to work and he did the stay-at-home dad thing. I was offered an amazing job doing Public Relations for FranklinCovey and worked there until Chloe was born in March 2007. When Chloe was born, I was able to stay home and become a full-time Mom. Our third baby, a girl, is due January 21 and we are excited to welcome her to our family. I currently serve as the 2nd counselor in the Young Women's Presidency and love working with the girls and the leaders and especially with my sweetheart as the Young Men's president.

Some of my hobbies include snowshoeing, hiking, boating, scrapbooking, photography, music, writing, camping, cooking, sewing, and home decor crafts. I am a major thrill-seeker and love roller coasters, cliff jumping, bunjii jumping and all sorts of adrenaline-pumping activities, but have gotten more cautious since becoming a mother. I have always been a planner and organizer and most would consider me a bit OCD, so motherhood is teaching me, by neccesity, to go with the flow!

Visiting Teaching Message February 2009

“Understand the Divine Roles of Women,” Ensign, Feb 2009, 67

Teach the scriptures and quotations that meet the needs of the sisters you visit. Bear testimony of the doctrine. Invite those you teach to share what they have felt and learned.

Julie B. Beck, Relief Society general president: “I have a testimony gained from pondering and studying the scriptures of a plan of happiness given to us by our Father in Heaven. That plan has a part for His daughters. We have the female half to take care of, and if we don’t do our part, no one else is going to do it for us. The half of our Father’s plan that creates life, that nurtures souls, that promotes growth, that influences everything else was given to us. We can’t delegate it. We can’t pass it off to anyone. It’s ours. We can refuse it, we can deny it, but it’s still our part, and we’re accountable for it. There will come a day when we will all remember what we knew before we were born. We will remember that we fought in a great conflict for this privilege. How do we meet this responsibility? We daily put our energies into the work that is uniquely ours to do.”

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: “The basic doctrinal purpose for the Creation of the earth is to provide for God’s spirit children the continuation of the process of exaltation and eternal life. …

“… Although there is simply not a more significant contribution you can make to society, to the Church, or to the eternal destiny of our Father’s children than what you will do as a mother or father, motherhood and fatherhood are not the only measures of goodness or of one’s acceptance before the Lord. …

“Every sister in this Church who has made covenants with the Lord has a divine mandate to help save souls, to lead the women of the world, to strengthen the homes of Zion, and to build the kingdom of God” (“Women of Righteousness,” Liahona, Dec. 2002, 36, 39; Ensign, Apr. 2002, 68, 70).

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles: “By divine design, men and women are intended to progress together toward perfection and a fulness of glory. Because of their distinctive temperaments and capacities, males and females each bring to a marriage relationship unique perspectives and experiences. The man and the woman contribute differently but equally to a oneness and a unity that can be achieved in no other way” (“Marriage Is Essential to His Eternal Plan,” Liahona, June 2006, 51–52; Ensign, June 2006, 83–84).

Silvia H. Allred, first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency: “The Lord has blessed women with divine attributes of love, compassion, kindness, and charity. Through our monthly visits as visiting teachers, we have the power to bless each sister as we extend our arms of love and kindness and give the gifts of compassion and charity. No matter what our individual circumstances are, we all have the opportunity to edify and nurture others” (“Feed My Sheep,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2007, 113).

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985): “To be a righteous woman during the winding up scenes on this earth, before the second coming of our Savior, is an especially noble calling. The righteous woman’s strength and influence today can be tenfold what it might be in more tranquil times” (“Privileges and Responsibilities of Sisters,” Ensign, Nov. 1978, 103).

If you would like some FANTASTIC geneology tips!

There's a 1 day seminar that has been put on for years. It is in Bountiful and is well worth the time effort to go to. I have included the website on my website list to the right.

Getting back on Trek

One of my New Year's resolutions is to be more deligent with our Trek. The last actual mileage number I remember getting was 72 - but I know we're a lot higher than that.

I'm thinking that actually having a poster of the miles gone so far would be useful. I'm hoping I will have that by the 2nd week in January. There is a MapQuest map from the Springview Ward to the Nauvoo Temple with the 'Interesting Web sites'.

I set this up as a seperate blog so that anyone who would care to use the comment section to report their own mileage can do so. Also, if you would like to e-mail me your mileage, my e-mail address is patricia.a.wilson.84106@gmail.com.