Growing evidence in research has shown that dietary intake can reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). While the Mediterranean Diet and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) Diet have both been shown to reduce the risk of cognitive impairment, The Mind Diet is the most effective overall. In the MIND trial, which followed 923 participants over the course of 10 years, a 53% reduction in the risk of developing AD was shown. So how does it work? Well its actually fairly simple. The diet is rich in vitamin E and DHA, as well as vitamins C, D, and B vitamins. Use this simple chart and start making changes in your overall diet. Change 1 or 2 things at a time, then work on the next few.
Tips for making easy changes:
- Have a green salad and one other vegetable a day
- Include nuts for one snack a day
- Add fish once a week, even as easy as tuna on a salad or sandwich
- If fresh berries are out of season, frozen is just as good and can be used in oatmeal or smoothies. Strawberries and blueberries have been shown to decrease neuron loss and improve memory!
- Rinse canned beans before use, and throw them into a soup or salad.
- Step down from whole or 2% milk to skim or 1%. The only difference between them is the higher fat and saturated fat content.
- Look at desserts as a special occasion, rather than an every day treat.
- Of course, keep moving!
Estelle L. Benoit, RDN, LDN
Today’s Dietitian Sept 2015