A couple of years ago, dear friends of ours took us for lunch at the beautiful La Encarnacion hotel in the Mar Menor region of Spain. Since that first magical visit we have returned several times, on our last visit we spent two nights in one of the hotels beautiful period rooms.
The Hotel and Balneario La Encarnacion, are the most historic hotel and restaurant in Los Alcazares. The construction dates back to a period when the affluent middle classes visited the seaside to enjoy the therapeutic benefits of bathing in the warm, salt waters of the Mar Menor and Hotel La Encarnacion was built right on the beach in a very privileged position, with The Balneario stretching out to the sea on stilts, ensuring bathers a modicum of decency as they entered the waters.
When I first went to the hotel I felt like I was stepping back into a completely different era, the hotel is a throwback in time. This listed building has retained all of it's original features, a pretty courtyard, two restaurants, the old gallery from the thermal baths and beautiful rooms decorated in an appropriate period style.
The Balneario is the last remaining building of its type and is a unique dining experience, we felt almost as though we were on board a ship.
Menu del noches at the Balneario consisted of a choice of fresh fish, we opted for grilled sardines.
So, here's where I am going to start talking less hotel/restaurant and more 'food.' The Spaniards diet of lots of fresh fish, olive oil, salads and fruit is consistently shown in studies to protect both the brain and heart. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, iodine and vitamin D, all compounds linked to brain health. Yet many of us Brits rarely eat fish? Recent studies concluded that fish eaters had a memory centre in the temporal lobe of the brain that was 14 per cent larger than in those who don't eat fish.
Pregnant and nursing mothers with sufficient omega-3 have children with higher IQs and eating at least one portion of fish a week can delay the onset of Alzheimer's by ten years, and as fish is the food richest in Vitamin D, studies found that high levels of Vitamin D in the diet are thought to almost halve the risk of dementia.
These findings are really worth taking into consideration! Scientists have proven that poor diets may adversely affect mental health in all stages of life from fetal development through to old age.
Our typical, modern, Western diet, full of processed food, choc full of additives and preservatives, when consumed by a mother, can hinder the development of a baby's brain while still in the womb. This same diet can also lead to depression and contribute towards dementia and Parkinson's.
The old adage: 'Sound body - Sound mind' has always been construed to mean that only a healthy body can produce or sustain a healthy mind and dates back to Roman times. Nowadays, we play fast and loose with our diets and rather than feeding our children at least one portion of fish a week, we are plying them with ready-meals.
As a child I had fish at least once a week, normally this would be in the form of kippers or sardines on toast as both were very economical. Tinned sardines are still one of my favourite lunches, placed on hot buttered toast, they're delicious and packed with nutrients.
I hope that the information I've given you regarding the benefits of eating fish will encourage you to eat it more regularly and I shall endeavour to share fish recipes with you in forthcoming posts.
'When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless and intelligence cannot be applied.'
- Herophilus.
Love Donna xxxxx
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