11/08/2018 / By Ellaine Castillo
Most people think that growing old means forgetting more things. However, there are cases wherein this indicates the onset of more sinister diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia. For an average American, the risk of developing these diseases stands at a whopping 45 percent once they reach 85 years old. This highlights the importance of taking precautionary steps that could delay cognitive decline. One of the most important factors that can be controlled to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia is diet.
Countless studies have highlighted the importance of nutrition on maintaining healthy brain function. In fact, a study led by researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles and Buck Institute for Research on Aging showed that eating brain foods reverses memory loss in 9 out of 10 patients suffering from dementia, a result which has never been achieved through medication. With this relationship between cognitive function and nutrition in mind, many researchers sought to develop a diet plan that prevents neurodegenerative disorders.
Among all the diets that have been studied so far, the MIND diet, which stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay, is deemed to be the best for improving brain health. As the name implies, this is a hybrid of the Mediterranean and the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diets. However, unlike the other two, the MIND diet focuses on improving brain function and not maintaining heart health. People who strictly followed this diet reduced their risk of Alzheimer’s by 52 percent. To enjoy these benefits, the following brain foods should be eaten as part of the MIND diet:
By strictly adhering to the MIND diet, you can effectively prevent or delay the onset of neurodegenerative diseases so you won’t have to worry about them as you age. (Related: Have you heard of the MIND diet? Learn how to boost your mental health with this new healthy eating plan.)
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Tagged Under: beans, berries, brain foods, cognition, cognitive decline, dieting, fish, food as medicine, Green leafy vegetables, healthy eating, memory, mental health, MIND diet, natural cures, neurodegenerative diseases, nuts, olive oil, seeds, vegetables, whole grains