Although there are similarities among all three diets, the Mind diet is the only one that encourages the consumption of foods that have been found to promote cognitive health.

Foods like leafy greens, berries, and salmon have been linked to improved cognition. Therefore, these healthy foods are staples in the MIND diet.

But not everyone on a diet is looking to lose weight. Different diets can achieve different results.

And if you’re hoping to improve your brain health and prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease, you may consider trying the MIND diet, which has been linked with slower cognitive decline.

Alzheimer’s disease — a progressive and devastating neurodegenerative disease causing memory loss and confusion — affects 5.8 million Americans and is the most common form of dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

It’s the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, with 1 in every 3 seniors dying with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia.

Although there is no research linking the MIND diet with reversing Alzheimer’s, there’s plenty of evidence supporting the connection between this dietary approach and preventing the disease.

Mind (an acronym that stands for the Mediterranean-DASH intervention for neurodegenerative delay) is a “hybrid of the Mediterranean diet and DASH diet, and research suggests it may reduce the risk of developing dementia or slow the decline in brain health.

The good news is you can reverse dementia and cognitive decline. To do that, Should You Try the Mind Diet to Preserve Your Brain’s



you must control your insulin and balance your blood sugar levels, which will allow you to overcome diabesity and balance your mood, help your focus, help boost your energy level, and prevent all of the age-related brain diseases including Alzheimer’s.

Balance your blood sugar with a whole-foods, low-glycemic diet. You can achieve this by taking out the bad stuff (refined carbs, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, processed foods, dairy, and inflammatory, omega-6 rich oils such as vegetable and seed oils) and putting in the good stuff (healthy fats like avocados, walnuts, almonds and cashews, grass-fed meats, pastured chicken and eggs, olive and coconut oil).



Eat healthy fats that make your brain happy. These include omega 3 fats in wild fatty fish, as well as coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil, avocados, whole eggs, nuts, and seeds.

Exercise daily. Even a 30-minute walk can help. More active readers might want to incorporate high-intensity interval training or weight lifting.

Studies show physical activity can prevent and even slow down the progression of cognitive decline and brain diseases like dementia.

Supplement wisely.

At the very least, take a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement, an omega 3 fat supplement, extra B6, B12, and folate, as well as vitamin D3.

And, a good probiotic will enhance the brain-gut relationship. You can find all of these and other supplements in my store.

Check your thyroid and sex hormone levels. If they are out of balance, you will want to treat them.

Detox from mercury or other heavy metals, if you have high levels, by doing a medically supervised detox program.





Control stress levels. Chronic stress takes a toll on your body and brain. Relaxation isn’t a luxury if you want to prevent or reverse dementia.

Whether that involves deep breathing, meditation, or yoga, find something that helps you calm down. Many patients find my UltraCalm CD helps them relax and reduce stress and anxiety.

Get 8 hours of sleep every night. Studies show poor sleep becomes a risk factor for cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease. Aim for at least 8 hours of quality sleep every night.

A Mind Diet Food List With the Best and Worst Foods

To help improve your cognition, you’ll need to reach for and avoid the following foods:

Green, leafy vegetables: Aim for six or more servings per week. This includes kale, spinach, cooked greens and salads.

All other vegetables: Try to eat another vegetable in addition to the green leafy vegetables at least once a day. It is best to choose non-starchy vegetables because they have a lot of nutrients with a low number of calories.

Berries:

Eat berries at leasttwice a week. Although the published research only includes strawberries, you should also consume other berries like blueberries,

raspberries and blackberries for their antioxidant benefits (5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source).

Nuts:

Try to get five servings of nuts or more each week. The creators of the MIND diet

don’t specify what kind of nuts to consume, but it is probably best to vary the type of nuts you eat to obtain a variety of nutrients.

Olive oil:

Use olive oil as your main cooking oil. Check out this article for information about the safety of cooking with olive oil.

Whole grains: Aim for at least three servings daily. Choose whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta and 100% whole-wheat bread.

Fish:

Eat fish at least once a week. It is best to choose fatty fish like salmon, sardines, trout, tuna and mackerel for their high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids.

Beans:

Include beans in at least four meals every week. This includes all beans, lentils and soybeans.

Poultry: Try to eat chicken or turkey at least twice a week. Note that fried chicken is not encouraged on the MIND diet.

Wine: Aim for no more than one glass daily. Both red and white wine may benefit the brain. However, much research has focused on the red wine compound resveratrol, which may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease (7 Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source).