“The idea that
your risk for Alzheimer’s is tied to diabetes may seem inconceivable at
first. But it makes sense when you
consider the relationships shared between these two ailments. Diabetes is characterized by elevated blood
sugar. And elevated blood sugar is toxic
to brain cells.”
--David Perlmutter, MD, author of The Grain Brain
 |
| Heirloom tomatoes from my local farmer's market |
I love
tomatoes in the summertime. When tomatoes show
up at the local farmers markets, it makes my heart sing! There is nothing is better on a summer day than a sliced
tomato with fresh mozzarella, basil and a drizzle of fig-infused vinegar!
If you read
Wellness Wednesdays, then you know about the connection between high blood
sugar and Alzheimer’s. Starting with my
first book, Healthy Living with Diabetes: One Small Step at a Time (www.ourlittlebooks.com), raising
awareness about the connection between diabetes and Alzheimer’s has been part of the
mission of the Growing Healthy Kids organization.
With the growing
incidence of diabetes and prediabetes in the U.S., it is surprising to me that more health
care professionals are not actively involved in educating their patients with
diabetes about this connection and doing everything in their power to teach their patients how to control and reverse diabetes. Eat less sugar and wheat; they feed an inflammation that affects the health of our brains. Eat more tomatoes, squash, and broccoli. Food matters!
Below is a recipe I adapted from The Grain Brain Cookbook by Dr. Perlmutter. Enjoy!
GROWING
HEALTHY KIDS: Our Recipe Collection
Roasted
Tomatoes
Ingredients:
- · 4 large ripe but firm tomatoes
- · 8 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- · 2 Tablespoons almond flour
- · 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh basil
- · 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- · Pink Himalayan sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Cut each tomato in half crosswise.
- Combine cheese and basil in small bowl.
- Spoon equal portions of the mixture on the cut side of each tomato half.
- Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper.
- Place tomatoes, cut-side up, on a baking sheet.
- Bake about 10 minutes. If desired, place under broiler until top is bubbling.
Serve
immediately.
In gratitude,
Nancy Heinrich
Founder,
Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.
