Brain Function | Jen's Perspective Blog

On March 26th each year, National Spinach Day reminds us of the health benefits packed into this leafy green vegetable. Not only are there so many delicious ways that you can enjoy spinach, but it is also incredibly good for you!

An annual plant, spinach grows natively in central and southwestern Asia. Thought to have originated in ancient Persia, Arab traders carried spinach into India and then later introduced into ancient China. There it was known as “Persian vegetable.” The earliest available record of the spinach plant was found in Chinese, saying that the spinach plant was introduced into China via Nepal.

Spinach Recipes (Superfoods Cookbook)#NationalSpinachDay — Spinach Recipes (Superfoods Cookbook)

365 Delicious Spinach Recipes: Unlocking Appetizing Recipes in The Best Spinach Cookbook#NationalSpinachDay — Spinach Recipes (Superfoods Cookbook)

During her reign as queen of France, Catherine de Medici enjoyed spinach so much, it was served at every meal. To this day, dishes made with spinach are known as “Florentine” reflecting Catherine’s birth in Florence.

Spinach is:

eaten raw or cooked and is available fresh, frozen or canned.
one of the best sources of iron.
an excellent source of calcium, folic acid, fiber, protein, calcium and vitamins A, C and K.
loaded with cancer-fighting antioxidants
believed to help improve cardiovascular and gastrointestinal health.

Types of spinach:

Savoy: dark green color with curly leaves; usually sold in fresh bunches.
Flat or Smooth Leaf: broad, smooth leaves; mostly grown for canned and frozen spinach as well as soups, baby food and processed foods.
Semi-savoy: a hybrid variety with crinkly leaves: is sold fresh and processed.

Following China, the United States produces the world’s second-largest crop of spinach.
California, Arizona, and New Jersey are the top spinach-producing states in the United States.

HOW TO OBSERVE #NationalSpinachDay

Many of us enjoy spinach that celebrating is easy! Shake up your vegetable routine and mix up your greens. Experiment with some spinach.

Fresh spinach salad
Spinach pizza
Spinach dip
Cream spinach
Spinach lasagna
Add spinach to scrambled eggs

You can also plant some spinach in your spring garden. Not only will you reap the benefits of a lush green salad, but spinach doesn’t require much space.

Spinach grows in pots on a sunny balcony or in a small garden space.
Use fertile soil.
Plant in cool weather.
Keep moisture levels consistent.
Harvest and enjoy!
You can plant again in the fall. Double the bounty!

Share your favorite ways to add spinach to your meals. Use #NationalSpinachDay to post on social media.

Del Monte Canned Fresh Cut Leaf Spinach, 13.5 Ounce (Pack of 12)#NationalSpinachDay — Del Monte Canned Fresh Cut Leaf Spinach, 13.5 Ounce (Pack of 12)

Augason Farms Dehydrated Spinach Flakes 8 oz No. 10 Can#NationalSpinachDay — Del Monte Canned Fresh Cut Leaf Spinach, 13.5 Ounce (Pack of 12)

National Brain Injury Awareness Month in March alerts us to the causes and aims to eliminate the stigma surrounding brain injuries.

When it comes to brain injuries, not a single injury or person is the same. The month is dedicated to improving awareness of brain injuries. Providing quality support for people with brain injuries and understanding their needs will improve their outcomes for the future. Changing the world’s perspective to understand how brain injuries work is a difficult task.

While anyone can suffer from a brain injury, it’s important to remember that everyone is a person first. They are not their injury. Each person has hopes and dreams, and they are not their injury. Each injury affects a person differently. How we support the person and treat the injury will require understanding and patience.

I suffered a burst brain aneurysm stroke in 2013. I am in the extremely lucky category. After months of recovery I was able to swallow correctly and regain a lot of function. In 2015 I developed a spinal cyst from the aneurysm. Even after spinal surgery I have not regained my ability to stand and walk. While I am competent to handle my affairs I am in the 17% who can do so. A field of vision defect effects the ability to do something as simple as read a sentence, accout number or even price tags.

I am grateful everyday that I have had no further complications and look forward to my future. It’s the main reason I started this blog. I had no idea before this that women like me are so likely experience this. I hope this inspires more to be aware of the risks and inspire those who go through it that it does not have to be the end of an active and fulfilling life.

Prevention

Learning the signs of a concussion and when to seek medical attention can mean the difference between mild and severe injuries. Repeat injuries require additional attention.

Two types of brain injuries are traumatic and non-traumatic. Traumatic brain injuries occur due to motor vehicle accidents, sports or recreational injuries, domestic violence, falls, and other external forces. Causes of Non-traumatic brain injuries begin internally due to disease, poisoning, a hereditary condition, lack of oxygen, stroke, or other internal medical condition.

According to the Department of Defense, one of the keys to recognizing a concussion and getting immediate treatment is identifying these symptoms:

H – headaches or vomiting
E – ears ringing
A – amnesia, altered consciousness, or loss of consciousness
D – double vision and/or dizziness
S – something is wrong, or not quite right

HOW TO OBSERVE #BrainInjuryAwarenessMonth #ChangeYourMind

Learn more about supporting those with brain injuries, prevention, and more. Visit www.biausa.org to learn more. Use #BrainInjuryAwarenessMonth and #ChangeYourMind to share on social media.