There is much conflicting evidence about the value of brain training–solving crossword puzzles, playing Sudoku and more–in maintaining brain health and reducing memory loss. There is, however, a growing consensus among researchers and scientists that a balanced and healthy diet increase both heart and brain health, and can lower the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
In a 2015 study of 900 older adults between the ages of 58 to 98 years of age, participants agreed to adhere to a hybrid diet of two widely respected and practiced diets: the Mediterranean diet, which is thought to reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease, and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or DASH diet that is designed to reduce high blood pressure. The new diet regime was named the MIND diet (Mediterranean-Dash Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay).
The study reported that the hybrid MIND diet, when rigorously followed, reduced the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 53 percent. The MIND diet was shown to substantially slow cognitive decline. This diet consisted of foods such as green leafy vegetables, nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil and moderate drinking of red wine. Consumption of the following foods was very limited: red meat, fried foods, butter, margarine, cheese, pastries, sweets, and fast foods.
All three diets–Mediterranean, DASH and MIND–work to improve health and to reduce specific risk profiles. All share an emphasis on vegetables, whole grains, fruits and nuts. If interested in following one of these diets, please consult with your doctor first to see which one might be right for you.
A healthy, balanced diet is just one of the keys to a healthy brain. A combination of good nutrition, exercise, staying mentally and socially engaged and reducing stress are all important to maintaining brain health. In the largest study of its kind, the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability, researchers examined a combination of eating right, exercising and staying socially engaged. After two years, the participants who maintained a healthy diet and regularly exercised reduced their stress and vascular risk factors. They scored 25% higher on neurological tests, 83% better on executive memory and were 150% faster at mental processing than the control group.
There is no known prevention or cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but a healthy lifestyle grounded in a balanced nutritional diet may delay symptoms, possibly for several years. It is a gift you can give yourself.
To learn more, please check out the following:
Mediterranean Diet: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/mediterranean-diet/art-20047801
DASH Diet: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/dash-diet/art-20048456
MIND diet: https://alzheimersnewstoday.com/2015/08/11/study-shows-mind-diet-may-slow-cognitive-decline-among-aging-adults/
Alvarro Fernandez, Generations, Spring 2015 vol. 39, number 1
Morris et al., Alzheimer’s & Dementia, Mind Diet Associated with Reduced Incidence of Alzheimer’s Disease, Alzheimer’s & Dementia, September 2015: 1007–1014
Harvard Health Watch, August 2012 http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/harvard_womens_health_watch/2012/august
Fernado Gomez Pinilla, Nature Reviews Neuroscience, July 2008, vol 9: 568–578
Kivipeto et. al., Alzheimer’s & Dementia, Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability, November 9, 2013, vol 6: 657–65
Marcy Adelman, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in private practice, is co-founder of the non-profit organization Openhouse and was a leading member of the San Francisco LGBT Aging Policy Task Force.
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