MIND Diet combines several elements of 2 other popular nutrition plans that have been proven to benefit heart health: the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) and the Mediterranean Diet. The term MIND stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay.
Experts have been saying for years that what you eat can affect your heart health 1 . Today, there is growing evidence that the same is true for our brains.
A new study by scientists at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago demonstrates a diet plan they developed – suitably called the MIND diet – can reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease by as much as 53%.2 3
Even people who did not stick to the diet impeccably but followed it “reasonably well” decreased their risk of Alzheimer’s by about 1/3.
Diet seems to be just one of “numerous factors which play into who gets the disease. Genetics and some other factors like education, exercise, and smoking also play a role. However, the MIND diet assisted slow the rate of cognitive decline and protect against Alzheimer’s disease regardless of some other risk factors.
The research, published in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia, observed more than 900 individuals between the ages of 58 – 98 that filled out food questionnaires and go through repeated neurological testing 4 . The study found that contributors whose diets most closely followed the MIND diet recommendations had a cognitive function level the equivalent of an individual 7. 5 years younger.
This diet breaks its references down into 5 unhealthy food categories to avoid and 10 brain-healthy food categories a person should consume.
The MIND diet also varies from other eating plans in a few crucial ways and proved more effective than either of them at decreasing the risk of Alzheimer’s.
What’s on the MIND Diet Menu?
The MIND diet put emphasis on ten brain-healthy foods included in both the DASH and Mediterranean diets:
- Vegetables
- Leafy greens
- Berries
- Nuts
- Beans
- Poultry
- Fish
- Whole grains
- Olive oil
- Wine
In the meantime, it limits consumption of butter, margarine, red meat, cheese, sweets, and pastries, and fast or fried food.
All of those make for an ideal balance, claims Kate Patton, R.D., a dietician from the Cleveland Clinic 5 . The great combination of the brain- and heart-healthy omega 3s, lean protein, fiber, and antioxidants, as well as low levels of trans and saturated fat and added sugar, reduces inflammation to help reduce your risk of dementia. Actually, a 2015 review published in Nature submits that inflammation can initiate and accelerate the development of Alzheimer’s 6 .
You have got the freedom to consume pretty much whatever you want – moderately. The guidelines are really loose, offering you lots of wiggle room to consume the food you like. And, if you still fudge the rules every now and then – it is not the end of the world. The research that observed the impact of this diet found that even individuals who did not follow the diet entirely still decreased their risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 35%.
What to Eat
Every day: Eat at least 3 servings of whole grains, vegetable and a leafy salad, and 1 glass of wine (that is not a typo). Olive oil should be your primary cooking fat.
Every other day Consume a ½ cup of beans.
On most days: Snack on a handful of nuts.
At least 2 times weekly: Serve up poultry and ½ serving of berries.
What to Avoid
Cheese, butter, margarine, fast, and fried food: Cap intake at 1 serving weekly.
Red meat: Consume fewer than 4 servings weekly.
Pastries and sweets: Aim to eat fewer than 5 servings weekly.
Rankings
MIND Diet is the easiest diet to Follow for 2016. 38 diets were calculated by experts. This diet is ranked #1 in Easiest Diets to Follow.
Conclusion:
The MIND diet does not promise to help you drop 15 pounds in 2 weeks or eliminate toxins from your body; instead, it is supposed to drastically decrease your risk of Alzheimer’s disease – and potentially aid you to lose weight.
In the latest research from the Rush University Medical Center, experts found that the MIND diet, a hybrid of the DASH and Mediterranean diets, cut person’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease by around 53%.
U.S. News & World Report just ranked MIND diet easiest to follow in the U.S. – great news since the research found that the longer persons stuck with this diet – the greater their benefits.