"Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food." Hippocrates Hippocrates' Philosophy: Hippocrates believed that a healthy diet and lifestyle played a crucial role in maintaining good health and preventing disease. His writings emphasized the importance of nutrition in both promoting and maintaining health. The team at TNYMB are all wellness warriors and we are happy to share with you heart healthy foods. We don’t pay the price of good health, we enjoy the benefits.” Today I want to talk about the benefits of wild cold water Salmon. Omega-3s. What exactly ARE Omega-3s? They are polyunsaturated fatty acids that have been shown to benefit humans in myriad ways. Heart health, brain development, lowering blood clotting levels, lowering blood pressure, preventing infections, hindering the development of Alzheimer’s disease, reducing inflammation, and improving eye health are among the many values of Omega-3s. Today, let’s talk about how Omega-3s benefit the heart. These lipids have been proven to lower LDL cholesterol (that’s the bad kind of cholesterol), and triglyceride amounts. Your body takes away any calories it doesn’t use immediately and changes them into triglycerides. These triglycerides are stored in fat cells and then released later when your body needs more energy. However, if you are regularly eating more calories than you need, you probably have more triglycerides than you need, too! That puts you at risk of arteriosclerosis, which is when the body’s arteries harden or thicken. This can lead to stroke or heart disease when those pathways for blood become too narrow to let blood move freely. It is best, of course, to avoid the problem of too many triglycerides through exercise, smart eating, and staying at a healthy weight. In ANY case, however, Omega-3s can NOT be made by the human body so they must be found in other ways. Through medication is one way, but Omega-3’s can also be found in food, specifically fish and seafood, although there are some sources from plants, also. Let’s take a look at this yummy recipe that combines salmon (an animal-based source of Omega-3s) and walnuts (a plant-based source). It is quick, it is easy, AND it is good for you and it tastes great. Recipe Walnut Crusted Salmon Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 12 minutes (Gardenuity, 2021) Serves: 4 Ingredients 1 pound salmon filet 1/3 cup chopped unsalted walnuts 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon maple syrup 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary 1/2 teaspoon grated or minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/8 teaspoon cayenne Salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it with cooking spray. Place the salmon fillet(s) onto the prepared baking sheet, skin side down. In a small bowl combine the Dijon, maple syrup, rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper. Spread the mixture over the top of the salmon. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts evenly on top and gently press them down so they stick. Bake the salmon on the middle rack of the oven for 8-12 minutes or until the thickest part flakes easily with a fork. Serve with lemon wedges if desired. Nutrition CALORIES: 301KCAL PROTEIN: 25G CARBOHYDRATES: 3G FIBER: 1G SUGAR: 1G SODIUM: 434MG CHOLESTEROL: 62MG FAT: 21G SATURATED FAT: 4G POLYUNSATURATED FAT: 14G Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
