Article content continued

“We’re getting increasingly solid evidence that individuals who eat a Mediterranean-style diet, for example, are more protected when it comes to cognitive decline,” she explains. Results of long-term studies indicate that people following that type of diet, whether in Europe or North America, lower their risk of developing dementia by as much as 36%.

“The numbers apply across the entire continuum, from mild cognitive impairment to full dementia,” Dr. Greenwood says. “But the first thing to make clear with that is a Mediterranean-style diet does not mean eating Greek and Italian food every night. The more important aspect of their diet is that it is rich in whole grains, fruit, vegetables and fish. Any cuisine based on those principles would have a similar effect.”

This basic, common-sense approach is one that far too many people ignore. Dr. Greenwood says her biggest concern is that people have become so fearful about the food they’re eating that they want to find the magic bullet.

“I always cringe when I read the next article about the super food of the day. Some people feel if they don’t eat kale, their diet isn’t a healthy one. But the reality is all cruciferous vegetables – including broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage or bok choy – offer similar benefits. You should have the freedom to explore the foods you like and not have to worry about whether you have put the optimal vegetables on your plate every night.”

Supplements won’t do the job either, since brain health is much more than taking a single nutrient, she points out. “When people run off to pick up supplements, that tells me the quality of their diet may not be that good,”she says. A folate supplement, for example, won’t provide the combination of nutrients that fruit and vegetables would.”