Diet discovered that can ‘slow ageing process and lower dementia risk’ – The Mirror
People using the MIND diet can help slow the ageing process and lower your dementia risk, a new study has found.
The MIND diet was designed to target the health of the brain as it ages and with an emphasis on tackling dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It focuses on foods that can boost brain health and is a combination of the Mediterranean diet, which is well known for its health benefits, and the DASH diet.
A Mediterranean diet means eating food that are as natural as possible while also limiting unhealthy fats and red meat, while the target of the DASH diet is to lower high blood pressure by encouraging people to eat foods with less salt.
And a new study has found a link between following the MIND diet and slowing the pace of ageing while also lowering the risk of developing dementia. The research was carried out by analyzing data from the Framingham Heart Study, which is a long-term analysis of heart disease in Massachusetts.
The study from 1991 until 2008 examined diet and blood while neurocognitive tests were carried out with participants over this period. New research published in the Annals of Neurology, concluded: “Findings suggest that slower pace of aging mediates part of the relationship of healthy diet with reduced dementia risk.
“Monitoring pace of aging may inform dementia prevention. However, a large fraction of the diet-dementia association remains unexplained and may reflect direct connections between diet and brain aging that do not overlap other organ systems. Investigation of brain-specific mechanisms in well-designed mediation studies is warranted.”
MIND diet guidelines include:
- 3+ servings a day of whole grains
- 1+ servings a day of vegetables (other than green leafy)
- 6+ servings a week of green leafy vegetables
- 5+ servings a week of nuts
- 4+ meals a week of beans2+ servings a week of berries
- 2+ meals a week of poultry1+ meals a week of fish
- Mainly olive oil if added fat is used
- Reduction in foods which are higher in saturated and/or trans fat
- Limitation of alcohol and sugar-containing foods and drinks
Dementia is a group of related symptoms associated with ongoing decline of brain functioning. There are many different causes and many types. The NHS says: “It’s normal for your memory to be affected by stress, tiredness, certain illnesses and medicines. But if you’re becoming increasingly forgetful, particularly if you’re over the age of 65, it’s a good idea to talk to a GP about the early signs of dementia.”
Research shows there are more than 944,000 people in the UK who have dementia. One in 11 people over the age of 65 have dementia in the UK and the number of people with dementia is increasing because people are living longer. It is estimated that by 2030, the number of people with dementia in the UK will be more than one million.
The British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) states that the MIND diet contains foods rich in certain vitamins, carotenoids and flavonoids that are believed to protect the brain by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. It states: “Researchers found a 53% lower rate of Alzheimer’s disease for those with the highest MIND scores and 35% lower rate in those with moderate scores compared with those with the lowest scores.”
