In older people, following the MIND diet can slow Alzheimer's disease and cognitive decline. This emerges from a recent study in which the authors looked at age-relatedneurodegenerative diseasesconcerned. The latter are most often associated with pathological changes in the brain, including an unusual accumulation of protein deposits. Additionally, the new study results show that regular consumption of certain cognition-boosting foods can help improve brain health.
How effective can the MIND diet counteract Alzheimer's?
Aging takes a toll not only on the body, but also on the mind. For example, the tissue of aging human brains sometimes develops abnormal protein clumps that are the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. This is the most common form of dementia, affecting about 1 in 9 adults over the age of 65. The study authors found that older people can benefit from a special nutritional plan called the MIND diet. This is also possible if they develop the protein deposits known as amyloid plaques and tangles (neurofibrillary tangles). Plaques and tangles are a pathology in the brain that accumulates between nerve cells. Typically, this neurodegenerative process impairs thinking and problem-solving skills. The MIND diet is the brainchild of the late Martha Clare Morris, who was a nutritional epidemiologist. It is a mix of Mediterranean and DASH diet for high blood pressure. Previous research studies have also found that the MIND diet may reduce a person's risk of developing Alzheimer's dementia.
The MIND diet emphasizes consumption of green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, berries, legumes, fish, nuts, and whole grains while limiting consumption of butter, cheese, and red meat. Now a study has shown that participants who followed such a diet plan moderately later in life did not experience cognitive problems like their peers. Such a diet is associated with better cognitive function, independent of brain pathologies associated with Alzheimer's disease. An average of values from the start of the study until the death of some participants was used in the analysis to limit measurement error. In this way, the MIND diet appeared to slow Alzheimer's through a protective capacity and contribute to cognitive resilience in older people. According to the study authors, changing your diet can affect cognition and dementia risk, for better or for worse.This studyAbove all, shows that there are simple and practical ways to support brain health as we age.
