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I’m always on the lookout for news articles that I believe will be of interest to my blog readers. Recently, something that’s showing up over and over again is news about the MIND diet.
When we hear the word “diet” we think of weight loss. But this diet is meant to help keep our brains healthy as we age.
First, you need to know that I’m not one to jump onto the latest fad diet. But after researching the MIND diet, I truly believe it’s something worth considering. I started following the MIND diet about 3 weeks ago. Today I’ll share more information about this eating plan, as well as my experience with it.
What is the MIND diet?
This eating plan is based on a combination of two popular diets that demonstrate benefits to the cardiovascular system: the DASH Diet and the Mediterranean Diet. However, the MIND diet focusses on aspects of these diets that researchers believe are especially beneficial to brain health.
The diet identifies 10 food categories that are encouraged and 5 categories that are discouraged. These are the general principles, and you can find a lot more details by searching online. Or, if you want complete information all in one resource, I suggest a book called, Diet For The Mind.
These foods are encouraged:
- At least 3 servings of whole-grain each day
- Green leafy vegetables at least 6 times a week
- Other vegetables at least once a day
- Berries at least 3 times a week
- Fish at least once a week
- Poultry at least twice a week
- Beans more than 3 times a week
- Nuts at least 5 times a week
- Mostly olive oil for cooking
- One glass of wine per day
These foods are discouraged:
- Red meat (less than 4 servings per week)
- Butter or margarine (less than one tablespoon per week)
- Whole fat cheese (less than 1 serving per week)
- Fried/fast foods (less than 1 serving per week)
- Pastries or sweets (less than 5 servings per week)
What is the research behind the MIND diet?
First published in 2015, the MIND diet was developed by Dr. Martha Clare Morris, a nutritional epidemiologist at Rush University Medical Center. Dr. Morris and her colleagues studied the eating habits of people over several years.
This research led to the determination that the MIND diet has the potential to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by as much as 53% for people who closely follow the diet. Even those who only moderately adhere to the diet show a potential 35% reduction in the disease. (ScienceDaily.com)
Is the MIND diet easy to follow?
There’s a lot of flexibility within each food category on the plan, so in that sense, it’s easy to follow. It could be more difficult for people whose current diet is heavy in red meat, butter, or other foods that are discouraged.
Another aspect of the diet that some people find difficult is the fact that while the plan offers general guidelines, it isn’t structured as to menu plans. You need to figure out your own menus and recipes.
If this is a challenge for you, I recommend a book called The Mind Diet Cookbook. It offers over 130 easy recipes as well as helpful meal planning advice.
I’ll admit that I haven’t followed the diet perfectly over the past 3 weeks. But, that’s part of the beauty of the MIND diet. There’s enough leeway in food choices over a week that you don’t feel like a failure if you go off the plan now and then.
Will I lose weight on the MIND diet?
The MIND diet isn’t designed for weight loss. The plan is based on servings per week of specific types of foods; it doesn’t involve calorie counting. That being said, you might see some weight loss if your normal eating pattern involves a lot of high-calorie foods.
My weight has remained stable over the three weeks since I started the diet. However, I know my overall health will benefit if I lose some weight, so I’m looking at ways to cut back on calories while still following the plan.
What’s my overall impression?
More research will determine if indeed the MIND diet can help prevent or halt Alzheimer’s disease. A randomized trial is currently in progress through Rush University Medical Center that should provide more concrete information by the year 2021.
I’m so hopeful that this eating plan will finally help put an end to the tragedy of Alzheimer’s disease. But even if it turns out that the impact of the MIND diet on Alzheimer’s disease isn’t as significant as we wish, it remains an effective diet for overall good health. Plus, I don’t see where it would cause any harm.
As with any diet plan, I encourage people to check it out with their physician if they have significant health issues. I plan to continue the MIND diet as a proactive step to protect my health for the future.
Have you tried the MIND diet? What are your impressions?
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