Researchers looked at the eating patterns of over 900 retirees for over 10 years. Those who inadvertently followed a brain-healthy diet (they weren't explicitly told to eat certain foods) lowered their risk of Alzheimer's by 53 percent (if they followed the diet closely) and 35 percent (if they strayed from the diet a bit).
That brain-healthy diet we mentioned? It's called the MIND diet, and it's essentially a mix of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet (both of which fight cardiovascular conditions). The MIND diet promotes eating foods like leafy greens, vegetables, nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil, and wine, along with some less-healthy foods like red meat, butter, cheese, pastries and sweets, and fried or fast food in moderation.
Ready to eat your way to mental sharpness? A typical day on the MIND diet includes three servings of whole grains, a salad with vegetables, nuts, and a glass of wine. Beans, poultry, berries, and fish also enter the mix on a few-times-a-week basis. Though unhealthy foods aren't off limits, they're introduced in moderation, with less than 1 tablespoon of butter a day and other unhealthy foods once a week.
The researchers found the longer you follow a MIND-like diet, the greater your Alzheimer's prevention. So load up that plate with grains and veggies—your sharp-as-a-tack 85-year-old self will thank you.
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