Souped-Up Summer Snacking

Just because good things are in your salsa doesn't mean you're getting all the good out of it.

If you toss some avocado chunks into the spicy red stuff, you'll absorb 400 percent more lycopene from the tomatoes. Avocados give spinach salad a boost, too.

Salad on Steroids
Topping spinach salad with half a cup of sliced avocado What do you get in return? Healthier eyes, a stronger cardiovascular system, and possibly even protection from certain types of cancer.

Spinach, Avocado & Mango Salad
Makes 4 servings, 2 cups each

ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 20 minutes
EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

Dressing
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons hazelnut oil, almond oil or canola oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Salad
10 cups baby spinach leaves (about 8 ounces)
1 1/2 cups radicchio, torn into bite-size pieces
8-12 small red radishes (1 bunch), sliced
1 small ripe mango, sliced
1 medium avocado, sliced

1. To prepare dressing: Whisk juice, vinegar, oil, mustard, salt and pepper in a bowl.
2. To prepare salad: Just before serving, combine spinach, radicchio, radishes and mango in a large bowl. Add the dressing; toss to coat. Garnish each serving with avocado slices.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 210 calories; 14 g fat (2 g sat, 10 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrate; 3 g protein; 6 g fiber; 258 mg sodium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (70% daily value), Vitamin A (40% dv), Fiber (26% dv). 1 Carbohydrate Serving

References: Carotenoid absorption from salad and salsa by humans is enhanced by the addition of avocado or avocado oil. Unlu, N. Z., Bohn, T., Clinton, S. K., Schwartz, S. J., Journal of Nutrition 2005 Mar;135(3):431-436.

Avocado increases the bioavailability of carotenoids from test meals in humans. Unlu, Z. N., Schwartz, S. J., Clinton, S. K., International Food Technology (IFT) Annual Meeting, July 12-16, 2004.

Who's in your Mental Network?

Good friends can help keep you from losing your mind sometimes. Literally.

Case in point: Some people don't have much memory loss from Alzheimer's disease, even though their brains show physical signs of it. And the more good friends and close family they have, the less affected their memory seems to be. Coincidence?

Mental Immunity
Sometimes, the human brain can function fairly normally even when physical signs of a disease -- such as the brain "tangles" associated with Alzheimer's -- are present.

Researchers call this resilient power of the brain "neural reserve." Think of it as the brain's capacity to keep working even though it's physically injured. And it's not clear why, but having lots of close friends and family -- the kind you can call on for help or confide in about private matters -- appears to help shore up those neural reserves.

More on Your Mind
Other ways to bolster your neural reserves? Continue your education, play games (such as sudoku), and exercise regularly.

References: The effect of social networks on the relation between Alzheimer's disease pathology and level of cognitive function in old people: a longitudinal cohort study. Bennett, D. A., Schneider, J. A., Tang, Y., Arnold, S. E., Wilson, R. S., Lancet Neurology 2006 May;5(5):406-412.