Thoughtful Thursday

 

Food for thought.

 

Above: this Salade Nordique happens to be loaded with "brain-friendly" ingredients

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For years, even the most modest cafés and bistros in Paris have been (unwittingly) serving up brain-boosting salads. Who hasn’t sat down expecting to see at least one of these in the usual lineup - Salade Niçoise, Salade de Chèvre Chaud, Assiette de Crudités, Salade Lyonnaise, or fatty fish variations - on the menu. Each of these salad classics rely on fresh, minimally processed ingredients and a simple olive-oil-based dressing, the very core of Mediterranean-style eating long associated with better brain (and heart) health.

With cognitive decline soaring worldwide and the use of trendy "smart drugs" on the rise - though studies are now showing they might be riskier than believed as they appear to work at first but may backfire with long-term use (6 months or more) - many are trading in their meds/supplements for mindful (pun intended) meals. - BPJ

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What makes the above salad "brain-supportive": 

Smoked salmon (the "Nordic" element) - reduces neuroinflammation, improves blood flow to the brain, rich in omega-3 fatty acids which build and protect neuronal membranes. Linked to better memory and slower progression of cognitive issues

Avocado - provides monounsaturated fats and lutein to enhance cerebral blood flow, support neural efficiency and help combat oxidative stress

Poached egg - delivers high-quality complete protein, choline for vascular and neural support plus lutein and zeaxanthin to combat oxidative stress and promote healthy blood flow with zero added fats or oils 

Leafy greens / mixed raw veggies (base w/cucumber, beetroot, more) - packed with folate, vitamin K, lutein, and antioxidants

Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower etc. scattered generously) - supply magnesium, zinc, iron, vitamin E and key minerals and antioxidants that protect brain cells from damage

Fresh herbs and a light olive oil dressing - add anti-inflammatory polyphenols and healthy fats for better nutrient absorption

Bon Appétit!

Soups du jour

Soothing homemade soups and smooth veloutés ease le confinement.

Above: immune-boosting carrot ginger soup

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Recipes in April newsletter

Tai chi

Early morning Tai Chi in the Jardin des Plantes.

By a stretch

A yoga class on Place des Vosges.

Weighing in

 

 

Yesterday I happened to walk into my local butcher shop just as everyone was still reeling from the size of an American woman who'd bought a chicken.

Knowing I'm from the U.S. they asked if it’s true that obesity in America has become epidemic, and brought up something I’d heard years before from a small group of French doctors at The American Hospital of Paris: "In Paris, most hospitals don’t have scales to accommodate such proportions, so these patients get sent to a veterinary clinic outside the city, in Asnières, where livestock gets weighed."




In Paris, obesity (not to be confused with being surpoids, or overweight), while it exists, remains a visual rarity, as noted with surprise over and over by visitors from the U.S. When severe obesity is spotted ("Mais c'est pas possible!"), usually it's in areas that are magnets for tourists, and it is assumed that they definitely are not French.

 
Illustrations often depict French girls and women as stick thin, which of course is not the norm nor is it the desired norm. But fashion and beauty, synonymous with Paris, is a big part of French culture. Most café terrace chairs face the street like front-row seats to a runway so passersby can be seen, and appreciated. One has but to look up at the sky just about anywhere inside the city limits and no electrical or telephone lines are visible because, as a French architect friend explained, "It ruins the eye!” 

 


I used to wonder if Mireille Guiliano's best-selling “French Women Don’t Get Fat” shouldn’t have been titled, “French Women Won’t Get Fat.” When I was growing up my father, who never lost his sense of style (or French accent that could melt butter), used to admonish us to "take a little pride" in our appearance. Stepping out with a tousled mop (think Caroline de Maigret) or wearing the same "uniform" every day (think Steve Jobs) was fine, but packing on the kilos? Not so much. Obesity was associated with personal neglect and lower-income communities and, as recent studies show, still is today.

 
In France, so far, beauty remains firmly in the eye of each beholder. We won't be bullied into adjusting our tastes to suit PC outsiders. When it comes to obesity, health is one consideration yes, but for now, at least, the French still like to quote Fyodor Dostoevsky, "Beauty will save the world." - BPJ 

 

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Adapted from:

Eating French: Why French Women Won't Get Fat 
a.k.a. 

A French Paradox: The French Non Diet and The Art of Eating for Pleasure - Barbara Pasquet James

Special thanks:

Treize au Jardin

5 rue de Médicis 75006

 

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 Updates:

 

4/2020 - Covid-19

"According to the first number from a national record released by Le Monde, 83% of patients in intensive care in France are people overweight or obese, the most often suffering from high blood pressure or diabetes."

 

3/2021 - Covid-19

"CDC study finds that about 78% of people hospitalized for Covid were overweight or obese."

 CNBC NEWS

 

9/2021 - Covid-19 

"Children and teens gained weight at an alarming rate" in U.S. [since start of the pandemic] says CDC.

NPR