thebraindocs
The Brain Docs
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Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai, MD, PhD Neurologists, Scientists, Authors 🧠
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Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with a Spicy Cashew Queso 🌶️🔥
For the Sweet Potatoes
10-12 small palm-sized sweet potatoes
Oil spray
Roasted Tomato Salsa
• 28 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 -2 large jalapeño pepper
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/2 an onion
• 1 cup fresh cilantro, stems chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin, pinch of salt
Spiced Quinoa and Black Beans
• Oil spray
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup roasted tomato salsa
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• Spices: 2 tsp cumin 1 tsp chili powder and 1/2 tsp garlic powder, black pepper
• 1 15 oz black beans
• Juice of 1 large lime
THE BEST Cashew Chipotle Queso recipe, also in our book, the 30-Day Alzheimer’s Solution
• 1 cup raw unsalted cashews
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• Spices: 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1 large chipotle peppers in adobo sauce from a can (or a tbsp of any hot sauce)
• 1/2 cup boiling hot water
Directions:
Wash, slice and bake the potatoes as shown at 375F for 50 minutes to an hour until soft and sweet. While the potatoes are baking, make the salsa by processing all the ingredients in a food processor. Make the cashew queso by blending all the ingredients. Cook the quinoa with the salsa and spices for 10 minutes until the quinoa absorbs all the flavors. Then add the beans and lime juice and serve. This can be a meal on its own.
I invite you to join NEURO Academy if you’d like to cook these kinds of delicious and healthy recipes with me every week. Link in bio!
#healthyeating #healthyrecipes #brainhealth
For the Sweet Potatoes
10-12 small palm-sized sweet potatoes
Oil spray
Roasted Tomato Salsa
• 28 ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1 -2 large jalapeño pepper
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1/2 an onion
• 1 cup fresh cilantro, stems chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin, pinch of salt
Spiced Quinoa and Black Beans
• Oil spray
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup roasted tomato salsa
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• Spices: 2 tsp cumin 1 tsp chili powder and 1/2 tsp garlic powder, black pepper
• 1 15 oz black beans
• Juice of 1 large lime
THE BEST Cashew Chipotle Queso recipe, also in our book, the 30-Day Alzheimer’s Solution
• 1 cup raw unsalted cashews
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• Spices: 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1 large chipotle peppers in adobo sauce from a can (or a tbsp of any hot sauce)
• 1/2 cup boiling hot water
Directions:
Wash, slice and bake the potatoes as shown at 375F for 50 minutes to an hour until soft and sweet. While the potatoes are baking, make the salsa by processing all the ingredients in a food processor. Make the cashew queso by blending all the ingredients. Cook the quinoa with the salsa and spices for 10 minutes until the quinoa absorbs all the flavors. Then add the beans and lime juice and serve. This can be a meal on its own.
I invite you to join NEURO Academy if you’d like to cook these kinds of delicious and healthy recipes with me every week. Link in bio!
#healthyeating #healthyrecipes #brainhealth
Know these 3 numbers and have them within normal limits:
1 - BLOOD PRESSURE (you should check your BP at home and document it at least once a week, especially as you reach midlife, because it is one of the most important risk factors for stroke, Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. This rule may change for elderly people, who may benefit from a higher blood pressure if they have narrowed cerebral arteries).
2 - LDL CHOLESTEROL (In multiples lines of studies, higher LDL increases risk for stroke, Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia).
3 - Hgb A1c, which shows what your average blood sugar (glucose) level was over the past two to three months.
Next time you see your healthcare provider, speak with them about identifying any vascular risk factors you may have, and if you do, find out ways to improve them under their supervision with lifestyle, medication or both.
If we focused on just these three measures and improved them, it would massively reduce the burden of disease in our society.
Additional reading:
Blood cholesterol and risk of dementia in more than 1·8 million people over two decades: a retrospective cohort study. PMID: 36097999
Midlife Modifiable Risk Factors for Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of 34 Prospective Cohort Studies. PMID: 31902364
#bloodpressure #ldlcholesterol #diabetes #brainhealth #brain
1 - BLOOD PRESSURE (you should check your BP at home and document it at least once a week, especially as you reach midlife, because it is one of the most important risk factors for stroke, Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. This rule may change for elderly people, who may benefit from a higher blood pressure if they have narrowed cerebral arteries).
2 - LDL CHOLESTEROL (In multiples lines of studies, higher LDL increases risk for stroke, Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia).
3 - Hgb A1c, which shows what your average blood sugar (glucose) level was over the past two to three months.
Next time you see your healthcare provider, speak with them about identifying any vascular risk factors you may have, and if you do, find out ways to improve them under their supervision with lifestyle, medication or both.
If we focused on just these three measures and improved them, it would massively reduce the burden of disease in our society.
Additional reading:
Blood cholesterol and risk of dementia in more than 1·8 million people over two decades: a retrospective cohort study. PMID: 36097999
Midlife Modifiable Risk Factors for Dementia: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of 34 Prospective Cohort Studies. PMID: 31902364
#bloodpressure #ldlcholesterol #diabetes #brainhealth #brain
Easy Creamy Hummus 💚
Save this recipe! 🏷️
I’m happy to share this recipe with you all! If you come over to our home, you’ll find a container of this in my fridge all the time! We make hummus sandwiches with tomatoes and veggies, add them to wraps, use as a pasta sauce, dip with veggies and bread, etc. Hummus is integral part of our…life.
Warning: you’ll stop liking store-bought hummus if you make this - it’s THAT good!🔥
Ingredients:
1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked with a teaspoon of baking soda for at least eight hours or overnight
2/3 cup good quality tahini
1/2 tsp cumin
Juice of two large lemons
2 garlic cloves (grate it on a fine grater or zester it if you don’t want small bits of garlic in the creamy hummus, for an even creamier texture)
Salt to taste
4-6 tablespoon ice cold water during blending
Directions:
Soak the chickpeas with the baking soda overnight. Boil for 40 minutes with an additional half a teaspoon of baking soda. Drain and agitate with your hands and you will see the skin floating on top. Rinse a couple of times and remove the skin as you pour the water out of your bowl. No need to fuss if there’s still some skin left. Blend with the other ingredients. While blending add a few tablespoons of ice-cold water until creamy.
Toppings: 2 tbsp dried mint, 2 tbsp pine nuts, 2 garlic cloves flash sautéed in some EVOO, and sliced preserved lemons.
Keeps in the fridge for a week. Enjoy! 💚
#hummus #legumes #healthyrecipes
Save this recipe! 🏷️
I’m happy to share this recipe with you all! If you come over to our home, you’ll find a container of this in my fridge all the time! We make hummus sandwiches with tomatoes and veggies, add them to wraps, use as a pasta sauce, dip with veggies and bread, etc. Hummus is integral part of our…life.
Warning: you’ll stop liking store-bought hummus if you make this - it’s THAT good!🔥
Ingredients:
1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked with a teaspoon of baking soda for at least eight hours or overnight
2/3 cup good quality tahini
1/2 tsp cumin
Juice of two large lemons
2 garlic cloves (grate it on a fine grater or zester it if you don’t want small bits of garlic in the creamy hummus, for an even creamier texture)
Salt to taste
4-6 tablespoon ice cold water during blending
Directions:
Soak the chickpeas with the baking soda overnight. Boil for 40 minutes with an additional half a teaspoon of baking soda. Drain and agitate with your hands and you will see the skin floating on top. Rinse a couple of times and remove the skin as you pour the water out of your bowl. No need to fuss if there’s still some skin left. Blend with the other ingredients. While blending add a few tablespoons of ice-cold water until creamy.
Toppings: 2 tbsp dried mint, 2 tbsp pine nuts, 2 garlic cloves flash sautéed in some EVOO, and sliced preserved lemons.
Keeps in the fridge for a week. Enjoy! 💚
#hummus #legumes #healthyrecipes
Baked Tofu Cesar Salad
Follow for more evidence-based information on nutrition and brain health!
Baked Tofu:
1 carton silken tofu, frozen overnight, thawed in the fridge and pressed
For the crust:
1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs, or panko
2 tbsp walnuts, processed into a mealt
1 tbsp whole wheat or oat flour
1 tbsp dried Italian herbs (oregano, basil)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 of a bouillon cube, mixed in with your hand with the rest of the mixture
Plant-based Caesar Dressing:
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 30 minutes
Zest of a lemon
Juice of one large lemon
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp mustard
2 garlic cloves
1 cup water (for blending and thinning the dressing out, start with 1/2 a cup and add more if needed)
2 tbsp capers, chopped
Lots of freshly ground black pepper
Walnut Parmesan:
1/2 cup raw walnuts (or any other nuts)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast 1/8 tsp salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 tsp miso paste (optional)
Crispy Chickpeas:
1 15 oz can cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed, sprayed with olive oil, baked or air fried for 15 minutes, then tossed with Italian herbs, a dust of garlic powder, black pepper and 1 tbsp nutritional yeast.
For the salad:
2 heads of romaine lettuce, chopped and tossed with the caesar dressing.
Scientific Reference:
Effects of soy isoflavones on cognitive function: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrition Reviews, 2020. PMID: 31504836
#brainhealth #healthyrecipes #healthyfood #salad
Follow for more evidence-based information on nutrition and brain health!
Baked Tofu:
1 carton silken tofu, frozen overnight, thawed in the fridge and pressed
For the crust:
1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs, or panko
2 tbsp walnuts, processed into a mealt
1 tbsp whole wheat or oat flour
1 tbsp dried Italian herbs (oregano, basil)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 of a bouillon cube, mixed in with your hand with the rest of the mixture
Plant-based Caesar Dressing:
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 30 minutes
Zest of a lemon
Juice of one large lemon
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp mustard
2 garlic cloves
1 cup water (for blending and thinning the dressing out, start with 1/2 a cup and add more if needed)
2 tbsp capers, chopped
Lots of freshly ground black pepper
Walnut Parmesan:
1/2 cup raw walnuts (or any other nuts)
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast 1/8 tsp salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 tsp miso paste (optional)
Crispy Chickpeas:
1 15 oz can cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed, sprayed with olive oil, baked or air fried for 15 minutes, then tossed with Italian herbs, a dust of garlic powder, black pepper and 1 tbsp nutritional yeast.
For the salad:
2 heads of romaine lettuce, chopped and tossed with the caesar dressing.
Scientific Reference:
Effects of soy isoflavones on cognitive function: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrition Reviews, 2020. PMID: 31504836
#brainhealth #healthyrecipes #healthyfood #salad
Strawberry Basil Ice Cream 🍓
References:
Dietary strawberry improves cognition in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in older adults. PMID: 33468271
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cashews, soaked for at 30 minutes
- 3 ripe bananas, frozen
- 1 lb organic strawberries, divided in half, one half frozen, the other half cooked with 1/4 cup Monkfruit sweetener and 1/4 cup chopped basil over low heat for 15 minutes.
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Basil cream: 1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves blended with a tablespoon of water, a tablespoon of tahini and a tablespoon of pure maple syrup or 1-2 pitted date(s).
Directions:
Soak the cashews to make it soft. Freeze the sliced bananas and half of the strawberries. Make the strawberry sauce by mashing sliced strawberries with Monkfruit, bring to a simmer and then add the fresh basil and stir. Set aside. Make the basil butter by blending the ingredients. In a strong blender, blend the cashews, bananas, strawberries and vanilla until smooth. Pour in a freezer safe pan and swirl in the strawberry sauce and the basil butter. Freeze for at least 4-6 hours. You could also use an ice cream machine. Scoop and enjoy.
#brainhealth #healthyrecipes #healthydessert #icecream
References:
Dietary strawberry improves cognition in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in older adults. PMID: 33468271
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cashews, soaked for at 30 minutes
- 3 ripe bananas, frozen
- 1 lb organic strawberries, divided in half, one half frozen, the other half cooked with 1/4 cup Monkfruit sweetener and 1/4 cup chopped basil over low heat for 15 minutes.
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Basil cream: 1/2 cup of fresh basil leaves blended with a tablespoon of water, a tablespoon of tahini and a tablespoon of pure maple syrup or 1-2 pitted date(s).
Directions:
Soak the cashews to make it soft. Freeze the sliced bananas and half of the strawberries. Make the strawberry sauce by mashing sliced strawberries with Monkfruit, bring to a simmer and then add the fresh basil and stir. Set aside. Make the basil butter by blending the ingredients. In a strong blender, blend the cashews, bananas, strawberries and vanilla until smooth. Pour in a freezer safe pan and swirl in the strawberry sauce and the basil butter. Freeze for at least 4-6 hours. You could also use an ice cream machine. Scoop and enjoy.
#brainhealth #healthyrecipes #healthydessert #icecream
RESISTANCE TRAINING AND BRAIN HEALTH 🧠
Reference: Mediation of Cognitive Function Improvements by Strength Gains After Resistance Training in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: Outcomes of the Study of Mental and Resistance Training. PMID: 28304092
#brainhealth #neurology #neuroscience #neuro #exercise #strength #prevention #brain #dementia
Reference: Mediation of Cognitive Function Improvements by Strength Gains After Resistance Training in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: Outcomes of the Study of Mental and Resistance Training. PMID: 28304092
#brainhealth #neurology #neuroscience #neuro #exercise #strength #prevention #brain #dementia
If the brain is made of fat, do we need to eat more fat to keep it healthy? Follow for more evidence-based information on brain health 🧠.
You’ll here a LOT of noise about how your meals should be high in fat because “the brain is made out of fat”. Yes, it is made of significant amount of fat, but you don’t have to FOCUS on eating fat. A balanced dietary pattern having a mix of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and sources of omega-3 polyunsaturated fats is what seems to be best for brain health both short-term and long-term. This hyper-focus on eating primarily fatty foods for brain health is not based on any objective evidence.
🏷️ Save this one and share it next time when you hear someone say EAT MORE FAT for brain health.
#alzheimersawarenessmonth #brainhealth #brainout
You’ll here a LOT of noise about how your meals should be high in fat because “the brain is made out of fat”. Yes, it is made of significant amount of fat, but you don’t have to FOCUS on eating fat. A balanced dietary pattern having a mix of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes and sources of omega-3 polyunsaturated fats is what seems to be best for brain health both short-term and long-term. This hyper-focus on eating primarily fatty foods for brain health is not based on any objective evidence.
🏷️ Save this one and share it next time when you hear someone say EAT MORE FAT for brain health.
#alzheimersawarenessmonth #brainhealth #brainout
Exercise is an incredible way to blunt the effect of any other negative factor in our life, and in this study, they looked at isolation specifically. Including a regular exercise routine in your life is one of the most powerful ways you can improve your brain capacity at any age!
Reference: Klein et al. Short-term isolation effects on the brain, cognitive performance, and sleep – the role of exercise. Frontiers in physiology, January 2023.
#exercise #brain #brainhealth #cognitive #strength #cardio
Reference: Klein et al. Short-term isolation effects on the brain, cognitive performance, and sleep – the role of exercise. Frontiers in physiology, January 2023.
#exercise #brain #brainhealth #cognitive #strength #cardio
Chocolate Orange Cardamom Fudge 🍊🍫
SAVE and share this recipe and follow for more brain-healthy recipes and tips!
1 whole orange, peels boiled for 20 minutes, drained and rinsed
¼ cup almond butter
½ cup almond flour (2-3 tbsp more if the batter is thin)
½ cup sugar and dairy-free dark chocolate chips or pieces, melted
2 tbsp cocoa powder (if your chocolate is not dark)
½ tsp ground cardamom
4-6 pitted dates
Orange zest on top
Blend the boiled orange peels, oranges and dates. Mix with the melted chocolate. Add the almond butter, cardamom, almond flour and cocoa powder if you’d like more of the cocoa taste.
#brainhealth #brain #healthyrecipes #fudge
SAVE and share this recipe and follow for more brain-healthy recipes and tips!
1 whole orange, peels boiled for 20 minutes, drained and rinsed
¼ cup almond butter
½ cup almond flour (2-3 tbsp more if the batter is thin)
½ cup sugar and dairy-free dark chocolate chips or pieces, melted
2 tbsp cocoa powder (if your chocolate is not dark)
½ tsp ground cardamom
4-6 pitted dates
Orange zest on top
Blend the boiled orange peels, oranges and dates. Mix with the melted chocolate. Add the almond butter, cardamom, almond flour and cocoa powder if you’d like more of the cocoa taste.
#brainhealth #brain #healthyrecipes #fudge
Overnight Quinoa Power Breakfast ✨
Share this with your friends who could benefit from this breakfast recipe!
Ingredients (serves 2):
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, washes and rinsed well and cooked with 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 2 tbsp each flax, chia and hemp seeds
- 2 tsp monk fruit sweetener (optional, for sweetness)
- 2 cups unsweetened soy milk
- 1 tsp cinnamon or cardamom
Optional toppings: Bananas, berries, unsweetened soy yogurt, walnuts, more hemp seeds, nut butter (I used my Hazelnut cocoa butter, recipe in the 30-Day Alzheimer’s Solution book).
#brain #brainhealth #breakfast #healthybreakfast #healthyrecipes #healthyfood #healthylifestyle #prevention #health #quinoarecipes
Share this with your friends who could benefit from this breakfast recipe!
Ingredients (serves 2):
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, washes and rinsed well and cooked with 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 2 tbsp each flax, chia and hemp seeds
- 2 tsp monk fruit sweetener (optional, for sweetness)
- 2 cups unsweetened soy milk
- 1 tsp cinnamon or cardamom
Optional toppings: Bananas, berries, unsweetened soy yogurt, walnuts, more hemp seeds, nut butter (I used my Hazelnut cocoa butter, recipe in the 30-Day Alzheimer’s Solution book).
#brain #brainhealth #breakfast #healthybreakfast #healthyrecipes #healthyfood #healthylifestyle #prevention #health #quinoarecipes
Focusing on getting at least 7-8 hours of deep, restorative sleep is critical for optimal cognitive performance, whether you are 9 or 99 years old, and avoiding brain diseases. Reaching the deepest stages of sleep (Stage 3 of the sleep architecture) enhances our recall, processing, reaction-time, reasoning and problem-solving. Our choices during the day can either enhance or disrupt our capacity to reach that critical stage of sleep, therefore it is really important to follow a routine and implement the rules mentioned above.
Which one(s) do you need to work on?
🏷️ Save and tag a friend who would benefit from this information, and follow for more evidence-based information on brain health. #brainhealth #sleep #brain
Which one(s) do you need to work on?
🏷️ Save and tag a friend who would benefit from this information, and follow for more evidence-based information on brain health. #brainhealth #sleep #brain
Thai Mango Salad 🥭
Pickled Carrots and Daikon Radish:
2 cups of carrots and daikon ’sticks’
1/2 cup distilled vinegar
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp monk fruit sweetener (yes, erythritol is perfectly healthy and so is monk fruit extract) or 2 packets of stevia or any other sweetener you would like
Mix the liquids with the salt and sweetener and soak the veggies in it for at least 30 minutes in the fridge, better if 24 hours, can keep for a week in the fridge.
Dressing:
1/4 cup almond butter
4 dates
1/4 cup soy milk
3 tbsp liquid aminos
Juice of 2 large limes
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2-3 tsp sriracha (or 4 depending on your tolerance)
1/2 cup water to thin it out
Salad:
6-8 cups of salad greens/kale/cabbage/napa cabbage combo
1 package of cooked brown rice noodles
1 16 ounce tofu, baked or air-fried (or any legume like chickpeas)
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
2 large Ataulfo (or Honey) mangoes, sliced
1/4 cup of each cilantro leaves, basil and mint
1/4 cup almond, chopped
Crushed red pepper flakes as garnish (highly recommend)
#salad #healthyrecipes #saladrecipe #recipe #brainhealth #nutrition #healthylunch #healthydinner #plantbasedrecipes
Pickled Carrots and Daikon Radish:
2 cups of carrots and daikon ’sticks’
1/2 cup distilled vinegar
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp monk fruit sweetener (yes, erythritol is perfectly healthy and so is monk fruit extract) or 2 packets of stevia or any other sweetener you would like
Mix the liquids with the salt and sweetener and soak the veggies in it for at least 30 minutes in the fridge, better if 24 hours, can keep for a week in the fridge.
Dressing:
1/4 cup almond butter
4 dates
1/4 cup soy milk
3 tbsp liquid aminos
Juice of 2 large limes
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2-3 tsp sriracha (or 4 depending on your tolerance)
1/2 cup water to thin it out
Salad:
6-8 cups of salad greens/kale/cabbage/napa cabbage combo
1 package of cooked brown rice noodles
1 16 ounce tofu, baked or air-fried (or any legume like chickpeas)
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
2 large Ataulfo (or Honey) mangoes, sliced
1/4 cup of each cilantro leaves, basil and mint
1/4 cup almond, chopped
Crushed red pepper flakes as garnish (highly recommend)
#salad #healthyrecipes #saladrecipe #recipe #brainhealth #nutrition #healthylunch #healthydinner #plantbasedrecipes
