Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : September 23, 2021 11:50 AM IST
MIND diet requires limiting intake of unhealthy foods.
MIND diet stands for the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay diet. It is a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diets and focuses on the intake of plant-based foods and limiting consumption of animal products and foods high in saturated fat. This diet was formulated prevent dementia and slow cognitive decline that can happen with age. Several studies have suggested that MIND diet is associated with reduce risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Another study from Rush University Medical Center also encourages older adults to follow MIND diet.
As people age, the brain tissue sometimes develops abnormal clumps of proteins, known as plaques and tangles. These protein deposits are the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, and usually interfere with thinking and problem-solving skills. Researchers at Rush University Medical Center found that following MIND diet can benefit older adults even when they develop these protein deposits.
In the study, participants who followed the MIND diet moderately did not have cognition problems later in life, the researchers described in a paper published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
"Some have the ability to maintain cognitive function despite the accumulation of these pathologies in the brain, and our study suggests that the MIND diet is associated with better cognitive functions independently of brain pathologies related to Alzheimer's disease," noted Klodian Dhana, MD, PhD, lead author of the paper and an assistant professor in the Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine in the Department of Internal Medicine at Rush Medical College.
According to the Rush University researchers, to benefit from the MIND diet, a person should:
They suggest limiting butter to less than 1 1/2 teaspoons a day and eating less than a serving a week of sweets and pastries, whole fat cheese, and fried or fast food.
In the study, the researchers calculated the MIND diet scores for 569 participants based on the frequency of their intake for the healthy and unhealthy food groups. A higher MIND diet score was found to be associated with better memory and thinking skills independently of Alzheimer's disease pathology and other common age-related brain pathologies.
According to Dhana, MIND diet appears to have a protective capacity and may contribute to cognitive resilience in the elderly.
Simple diet and lifestyle changes may help to slow cognitive decline with aging, and contribute to brain health, he added.
Not just it benefits cognitive health but following MIND diet is also positively associated with many other diseases including diabetes, Parkinson's disease, hypertension, digestive issues and even cancer.
A study from the Centre for Brain Health and the Division of Neurology in the UBC Faculty of Medicine revealed a strong association between the MIND diet and later onset of Parkinson's disease (PD).
MIND diet includes whole grains, fruits and vegetables that can help improve blood sugar levels and reduce the overall incidence of type 2 diabetes, according to experts.
