The Fitness-Dementia Connection: Plus Crab Salad Recipe

By Kay MacInnis, Registered Dietitian with Providence Health

 

Can’t wait for spring and summer schedules to get in place. Love having the longer afternoons to get that yard work in or that long walk in helps with burning calories and getting the activity into a healthy lifestyle. Getting and being fit is important to decrease many risk factors for health issues. The more we know the more we learn…especially about our brain health. In a long term study of 200 middle aged women who were highly fit only 5% developed dementia. So what does this mean for us?

There is a link that exercise may play a role in prevention of dementia. So be sure to get 30 minutes of cardio exercise most days and weight training at least 2 days a week if you can.

Remember to add steps where you can and increase your health and wellness footprint.

Try eating a “lighter” option to help with those healthy lifestyle habits. This salad is easy to put together and makes for a quick meal if you put together before you head out for that walk or working in the yard. You could easily substitute with fresh, local shrimp.

Firecracker Crab Salad

Ingredients:

• ¾ pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced celery
• 2 tbsp. thinly sliced green onions
• ¼ c light mayonnaise
• 1tbsp white wine vinegar
• ½ tsp hot sauce
• ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. white pepper
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 2/3 c diced seeded tomato

Preparation:

Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl, tossing gently. Combine mayonnaise and next 6 ingredients; stir well. Add to crabmeat mixture, tossing to coat. Cover and chill 2 hours; gently stir in tomato. Serve with crackers on lettuce-lined plates.

Nutrition Information: 113 calories, 2.5 gms fat, 74 mg chol, 6.6 gm carbohydrate, 15.6 gm protein, 437 mg sodium

Recipe Source: The Complete Cooking Light Cookbook

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This is another in a weekly series of healthy recipes from Kay MacInnis, registered dietitian at Providence Health in Columbia, S.C.

Kay promotes health and wellness, helping cardiac and diabetes patients eat their way to healthier lives. She works in consultation with the trained chefs at Providence, combining her nutrition knowledge with their food prep know-how to create delicious, healthy dishes for patients and the public. She also conducts a number of health and wellness events for the public, including the monthly Providence Cooks! classes.