<p>Dear APS Students, </p><p>Congratulations on your 2015 Golden Carrot Award and enthusiasm for fresh fruits, vegetables, and vegetarian entrées. Looking for a healthful snack outside of the lunch room? One of my favorite afternoon snacks is an apple with some nuts and seeds. This option is portable, and you can pick the ingredients up at any major grocery store. Plus, this quick pick-me-up is perfect to reach for in between classes or to use as fuel before a big test or exam. </p><p>Enjoy! </p><p>Dr. Neil Cooper Chief of Radiology at Kaiser Permanente of Georgia</p><p>Brain-Boosting Trail Mix for APS Students From Dr. Cooper </p><p>Ingredients: </p><p>Handful of Nuts and Seeds (try walnuts, almonds, or pumpkin seeds) Dried Chickpeas Raisins </p><p>Directions: </p><p>In a small snack baggie place a handful of a mixture of walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds and some dried chickpeas. Add some raisins. Throw this with an apple in your backpack and you’ll have a brain-boosting, heart-healthy snack to carry you from lunch to dinner. </p><p>###</p><p>Fun Health Facts</p><p>Apples are packed with fiber and a variety of vitamins and minerals to promote brain power, steady energy levels, and keep hunger at bay. One medium apple provides more than 4 grams of fiber and 8 milligrams of vitamin C, two nutrients that team up to support strong immune function, helping your body combat seasonal colds— a must-have for perfect attendance. </p><p>Legumes, nuts, and seeds offer fiber and B vitamins along with protein, calcium, and vitamin E. Studies show a daily dose of 15 milligrams of vitamin E, the equivalent to a small handful of nuts and seeds, helps delay the early onset of Alzheimer’s disease later in life. Recent studies show a diet rich in fruit and vegetables helps boost brain size, which is good news for students deciding what to grab for an afternoon study snack. </p><p>Raisins are rich in B vitamins, iron, and potassium, a nutrient that helps maintain healthy blood pressure, letting your heart focus on more important tasks—like delivering energy to your muscles to score a touchdown or make the winning save at the soccer game. </p>