Tonight, April 25th is Oscar night here in the U.S. and if you
plan on having an Oscar party, make sure to have plenty of
popcorn.

Popcorn?
Yes, popcorn.
Believe it or not, popcorn is a healthy treat.
Again, that’s not a misprint, popcorn, like lean beef and egg yolks
can actually improve your health.

Popcorn if mistreated with tons of butter and salt can certainly
affect your health and not in a good way, but serve it with a smidgen of
olive or coconut oil and some spices and herbs and you have
a recipe for an anti-brain aging or a stroke-preventing snack.

And to get you started on your journey towards a youthful brain
and stroke prevention, here are 2 recipes using the movie night
super snack aka Popcorn.

Recipe No. 1-
Sweet and Crunchy Popcorn!
To keep Dementia and Memory Loss at bay!
The Ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp.ground cinnamon
8 cups of freshly popped popcorn
1 cups of nuts, (almonds, walnuts, cashews and pistachios)
2 Tbs. sugar (optional)
1 cup of dried fruit, (raisins, cranberries, chopped apricots)
1 cups of seeds, (sunflower, pumpkin and sesame)
1 cup of dark chocolate chips or carob chips (optional)
salt to taste
To make: In a large bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon.
Add the remaining ingredients; toss until combined.
makes 8 cups.

And now, here’s some info on how popcorn and some of the other
ingredients help you prevent brain aging.
a) Popcorn-
Popcorn is a whole grain, a type of grain that can boost your
focus, concentration and memory by 20%, plus lower your
odds of getting Alzheimer’s by 33%. Whole grains are absorbed
slowly, so they produce smaller, more well-controlled changes in
the blood sugar than white flour products do. That helps your brain
function at its peak and prevents the erratic blood sugar surges
that can damage brain cells.
b) Nuts- Yes, they’re a high fat food, a good fat that slows down
the aging of your brain and helps protect its cells from the minor
damage that can morph into Alzheimer’s disease, lowering your
odds of getting it by 65%.
Also healthy: Natural peanut butter.
c) Dried Fruit-
Another food that must be eaten in moderation, but
a Tbs. or two a day is all you need to improve your thinking
ability. Dried fruit contains boron, a mineral that stimulates
electrical activity in the front half of the brain, improving
alertness and long term memory by 15%.

And now, here’s the second recipe for preventing strokes.

Recipe No. 2-
Spiced Popcorn!
Prevent strokes by eating more popcorn.

The Ingredients:
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. pepper (red and black)
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
10 cups of air-popped popcorn
Cooking spray, (olive oil brand)
sea salt (optional)
To make:
In a small bowl, mix the spices together. Place
the freshly made popcorn in a large bowl, spray
the cooking spray on it, and then toss the spices in,
stir and toss the popcorn with a large spoon or spatula.
Enough for 5 or 6 servings.

Again, here’s some info on how popcorn and some of the
other ingredients help you stay stroke-free.
a) Popcorn-
This whole grain is far from a junk food, it’s a powerhouse
health food that slashes your risk of stroke by 45%.
Popcorn is rich in antioxidants like magnesium, fiber and
vitamin E- nutrients that help prevent plaque buildup in the arteries
and block the formation of blood clots.
b) Spices-
Need a low-cost remedy to keep your arteries free of plaque
and inflammation? Start using the above mentioned spices
in soups, stews, egg dishes, salads, stir-fries, popcorn or mix up
a bunch and make your own brand of tea. Spices steady your
triglyceride levels and cut your risk of stroke in half, by preventing
them from spiking and making blood more likely to clot.

And lastly, 2 more non-food tips to help you prevent both stroke
and brain-aging.
c) Sleep-
You don’t need another lecture on the importance of sleeping
6 to 8 hours, but it bears repeating, doing so can keep arteries
healthy and free of damaging inflammation. The arteries that lead
to the heart and the brain.
d) Move It-
You know the rest. Dancing, cleaning the walls in your home,
gardening or Tai Chi all count as movement and if you want to
prevent the above mentioned health issues, take up one of these
activities, or find one you enjoy and do it for 20 to 30 mins. a day.

Sources:
* UCLA Researchers
* Penn State University
* David Katz, M.D.
* Daniel Amen, M.D. and Author

That’s it, 2 recipes using America’s favorite movie snack food.
And lastly, look for our new and (2nd site) over at Etsy.com.
once there type healthmatrxs, in the search bar.
Look for more recipes to help you live your best and healthiest life ever.