By KATE MORROW, MS, RD, LDN, CDCES
Did you know food choices can preserve your brain function? Many diets claim to assist people in reaching specific health goals. MIND, which is short for Mediterranean- DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay, has been shown to keep our brains healthy. A 2015 study revealed that those following the MIND diet had brains 7.5 years younger (over an average of 4.7 years) than those with the lowest diet quality scores, even when considering other factors like exercise and education level. As the MIND diet is based on two diet patterns known for promoting heart health and blood pressure, choosing to follow this eating pattern has added benefits beyond preventing dementia. The foods listed below are loaded with vitamins and minerals, feeding our minds with the nutrients needed to work their best throughout our lives. Consider starting now with any of these recommendations to prevent mental decline.
Healthy items the MIND diet guidelines suggest:
- 3+ servings a day of whole grains
- 1+ servings a day of vegetables (other than green leafy)
- 6+ servings a week of green leafy vegetables
- 5+ servings a week of nuts
- 4+ meals a week of beans
- 2+ servings a week of berries
- 2+ meals a week of poultry
- 1+ meals a week of fish
- Mainly olive oil if added fat is used
The unhealthy items, which are higher in saturated and trans fat, include:
- Less than 5 servings a week of pastries and sweets
- Less than 4 servings a week of red meat (including beef, pork, lamb, and products made from these meats)
- Less than one serving a week of cheese and fried foods
- Less than 1 tablespoon a day of butter/stick margarine
https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/mind-diet/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4581900/
Morrow is a registered dietitian nutritionist at Cherokee Indian Hospital.
