The Surprising Brain Benefits of Eggs

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Today’s Health Upgrade

• Trending up: eggs

• Study of the week

• Exercise you might have forgotten

• Recipe of the week

Trending Up: Eggs

A new study found that eating at least one egg per week (or more) is associated with a 47 percent reduction in the risk of developing Alzheimer’s.

That’s because eggs — especially the yolk — are packed with nutrients your brain loves, particularly choline, omega-3 fatty acids, and lutein.

Study of the Week: The Fork In The Road

If you’ve ever thought, “It’s too late to get healthy,” a new study shows that you could be one decision away from completely changing your health.

Research suggests that exercise can reverse the normal effects of aging, even if you don’t start until your 70s. 

The study put people down two separate paths: one group followed an exercise program while the other continued their normal habits and behaviors. Just 12 months later, it looked like one group found the fountain of youth while the other pressed fast-forward on life.

The non-exercise group saw decreased aerobic endurance, strength, and mobility, while the exercise group reversed the trend and showed significant improvements in all three categories. 

The participants trained three times per week with workouts that included strength training, flexibility and balance, and aerobic conditioning. 

If you need a place to start, try Monday’s workout of the week (or search the Pump Club site for any of the weekly workouts we share). 

Exercise You Might Have Forgotten

We’ve gone through hundreds of hours of unseen footage from Pumping Iron and sharing clips in The Pump app, but we had to share this one with all of you. It features Arnold doing an incredible shoulder exercise that no one does anymore. Once you try it, you’ll make it a regular part of your workout. (Remember to follow Arnold’s Pump Club for more tips, videos, and advice.)

Instagram post by @schwarzenegger

Recipe of the Week: Lunch Is Solved

For so many people, lunch is a trouble spot in their day of eating. But as we mentioned yesterday, some (fiber-filled) bread can improve your health, keep you fuller, and help your hunger. 

Enter the panini. This spin on the classic sandwich will satisfy you while filling you up with more than 30 grams of protein. 

Ingredients

• 2 slices sprouted grain and seed bread (or any bread with more than 4 grams of fiber per slice)

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast

• 1 slice beefsteak tomato

• ¼ avocado, in 4 thin slices

• 4 fresh basil leaves

• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

• ½ tsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus ½ tbsp. for cooking the chicken

• 1 tsp. sea salt

• 1 tsp. pepper

• ½ tsp. garlic powder

• ½ tsp. butter (optional)

Instructions

1. Rinse, dry, and butterfly (split it horizontally, but not all the way through) the chicken breast. Season each side with ½ tsp. of sea salt, ½ tsp. pepper and ½ tsp. garlic powder.

2. On a cast iron skillet or non-stick sauté pan, add ½ tbsp. of olive oil. Cook the chicken on medium heat for about 5 minutes per side. Remove from heat when it’s cooked through. Slice the chicken at an angle to make the slices a better fit for a sandwich.

3. While the chicken is cooking, add the Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, and ½ tsp. of olive oil. Mix it all up.

4. Assemble the sandwich. On one side of each slice of bread, spread the butter. On the non-butter side, spread the mustard mixture. Layer the avocado slices, then the tomato, then the chicken slices, and finally, the basil leaves. Top with the other slice of bread.

5. Place the sandwich on a grill pan and firmly press to get those lovely grill marks. An informal, not-professional technique is to place a heavy plate or another pan on top. Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side.

Macros per serving:

• 390 calories

• 14g fat

• 32g carbs

• 34g protein

Give it a try, and let us know what you think!

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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger​

Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell