Want another reason to eat healthier? There are food choices that can be made daily to help lower the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
The MIND Diet capitalizes on eating foods from these 10 categories:
Green leafy vegetables (like spinach and salad greens): At least six servings per week
Other vegetables: At least one a day
Nuts: Five servings per week
Berries: Two or more servings per week
Beans: At least three servings per week
Whole grains: Three or more servings a day
Fish: Once a week
Poultry (like chicken or turkey): Two times a week
Olive oil: Use it as your main cooking oil.
Wine: One glass of red wine per day
The MIND Diet also advocates limiting items from the following groups:
Red meat: Less than four servings per week
Butter and margarine: Less than a tablespoon daily
Cheese: Less than one serving a week
Pastries and sweets: Less than five servings a week
Fried or fast food: Less than one serving a week
Research has shown that those who strictly stuck to the MIND diet lowered their risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 54% but it’s also worth noting that those who followed the diet only part of the time still cut their risk of Alzheimer’s by about 35%.
If you are interested in learning more about the MIND Diet an excellent resource to check out is The MIND Diet: A Scientific Approach to Enhancing Brain Function and Helping Prevent Alzheimer's and Dementia by Maggie Moon. It is available on Amazon and can also be found in Barnes and Noble.
Written by Alexandra Strobel, Dietetic Intern