We talked about the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet. Now what if we combined the two diets together?…Voila! The MIND diet is born! However, there is a catch (there’s always a catch, right?!). The MIND diet takes specific pieces of each diet rather than just slapping the two together and calling it a new diet. Confused? Let’s dive into the details which will hopefully make more sense.
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What exactly is the MIND diet?
MIND stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. Yea that’s too long to say multiple times…so we’ll just stick with its acronym, the MIND diet. Unlike the Mediterranean diet and DASH diets alone, the combination of the two focuses on reducing the development of dementia as we age by improving brain function. In some individuals, the MIND diet has been shown to slow the progression or onset of a specific type of dementia called Alzheimer’s disease.
What’s interesting and unique about this diet is that it focuses on eating more of a specific food, not necessarily specific food groups. While the Mediterranean and DASH diets look at increasing overall fruit and vegetable intake in general, the MIND diet suggests focusing on certain foods such as berries and dark leafy greens in addition to the other food groups that the Mediterranean and DASH diets recommend.
Berries contain an antioxidant called anthocyanins. Antioxidants help reduce oxidative stress which can further reduce chronic inflammation in the body that leads to conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and of course, Alzheimer’s Disease. Blueberries specifically have been shown to be the most potent in anthocyanins to help reduce dementia.
Green leafy vegetables not only provide lots of fiber but also phylloquinone (Vitamin K1), lutein, and folate which have been shown in preliminary studies to slow cognitive decline. These nutrients are only found and produced by plants such as spinach, kale, and collard greens.
Now that we have a better understanding of the health benefits from the MIND diet, what and how much should we consume? Use the table below to guide you or give me a call to schedule an appointment at (720) 722-3438 where I can give you personalized advice on how to incorporate the MIND diet.
| Daily | Limit |
Berries (2-3 servings per week) Green leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, spring mix salad (6-7 servings per week) Other non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, etc (at least 1 serving per day) Unsalted nuts such as walnuts, almonds, pecans, and/or pistachios (at least 1 handful per day) Whole grains such as 100% whole wheat breads & pastas, quinoa, and brown rice (at least 3 servings per day) Lean proteins such as chicken, turkey, fish, nuts, and soup beans Olive oil (2-3 Tbsp per day) | Sodium – no more than 2300 mg per day or lower at 1500mg per day Alcohol – no more than 1 drink per day (choose red wine if you do drink) Red meat (beef and pork) – no more than 1-2 meals per week Foods high in saturated fat such as butter, coconut oil, cheese, sour cream, and whole milk (less than once per week) Added sugar such as cakes, cookies, doughnuts (no more than 2-3 times per week) |
Is the MIND diet right for me?
If dementia or Alzheimer’s disease runs in your family, then I highly recommend following this diet. While more studies need to be conducted to really understand the positive impacts the MIND diet has on improving cognitive decline, some studies have shown a reduction in risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease by as much as 53% (whoa!) in those who followed the diet strictly. That’s huge! Even those who didn’t follow the diet as closely still reduced their risk by 35%. Sounds good to me!
But wait…there’s more! While not the main outcome with the MIND diet, there are still many aspects similar to both the Mediterranean and DASH diets that can still help with improving blood sugar, reducing risk for heart disease, and promoting weight loss.
What makes this diet sustainable long-term?
The good news is that like the Mediterranean and DASH diets which are sustainable long-term, so is the MIND diet. However, if you feel like following the MIND diet is too difficult, don’t quit. Like I mentioned earlier, research has shown that following the diet as close as you realistically can will still provide positive benefits for your health.
It’s also important to remember that there is no such thing as a perfect diet. We often get so caught up in our diet culture striving to have the perfect diet. Just do the best that you can and you will still reap the benefits!
How can I get started right now?
If you don’t consume a lot of plants already, start by adding in 1 cup of green leafy veggies per day. You can spread this out at each meal. Add some spinach to your eggs while it cooks. Add some feta cheese and sliced cherry tomatoes for more flavor. At lunch and dinner, try adding chopped spinach or kale leaves to your favorite soup.
If you want to try getting more berries in, blend up a fruit smoothie using frozen berries with a little bit of plain Greek yogurt or peanut butter. You can also add fresh berries to hot or cold cereal in the morning such as this Earl Grey + Blueberry Overnight Oats recipe.
Want a personalized approach to start the MIND diet? Schedule an appointment with me by calling (720) 722-3438.