Boost Brain Health: Diets That Protect Both Heart and Mind

September 6, 2024

Discover how heart-healthy diets like the Mediterranean and MIND diets can enhance brain health, reduce dementia risk, and support cognitive function through simple dietary changes and lifestyle habits.

For years, people have separated “brain foods” from “body foods.” But Dr. Jonathan Graff-Radford, a neurologist at Mayo Clinic and co-author of a book on Alzheimer’s, says what’s good for your body, especially your heart, is also good for your brain health and can help combat dementia.

“The heart and brain have similar blood vessel structures,” Dr. Graff-Radford explains. When brain blood vessels narrow or get sick, brain cells can die. Tiny strokes can also starve brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients. Most people don’t notice these strokes, but over time, they can cause enough damage to lead to memory and thinking problems linked to cognitive decline and dementia.

Exercise, stress management, getting enough sleep, and staying socially connected all play a role in keeping your brain and blood vessels healthy. Your diet and eating for brain health are also crucial.

Scientists aren’t sure exactly how different dietary patterns help or hurt the brain. But they think one way might be through blood vessel health. By protecting the blood vessels that feed the brain, certain eating habits, like a brain-healthy diet, may help keep brain cells well-fed and prevent stroke and cognitive decline.

Diets backed by research

Scientists have thoroughly studied two eating approaches for brain protection and as the best diet for white matter disease and neurological problems.

The Mediterranean diet for brain health
People who eat a Mediterranean diet seem less likely to get dementia than those with less healthy eating habits. Studies also suggest that following this diet may slow down cognitive decline in older adults.

Like the Mayo Clinic Diet, the Mediterranean way of eating focuses on minimally processed whole foods such as veggies, fruits, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Fatty fish and olive oil are the main sources of omega-3 fatty acids.

The MIND Diet
Scientists created the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diet to combine the heart-healthy benefits of two eating approaches:

The Mediterranean diet.
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet.

Like the Mediterranean diet, the MIND diet emphasizes plant-based foods such as leafy green vegetables, nuts, and berries. It also highlights fish and olive oil while limiting saturated fat, sugar, red and processed meat, and fried foods. Following the MIND diet guidelines may help with weight loss and protect cognitive function and brain health.

How to eat for a healthier brain

To get the brain benefits of the Mediterranean and MIND diets, try these steps:

Switch from highly processed foods to minimally processed ones.

Recent research has linked diets high in ultra-processed foods to faster cognitive decline. A new study suggests that swapping even a small amount of ultra-processed foods for minimally processed options may lower your dementia and Alzheimer’s disease risk.

To make this change, you could:

Eat a veggie omelet for breakfast instead of a toaster pastry.
Munch on an apple or some nuts rather than chips.
Make a lunch bowl with whole grains, beans and vegetables instead of a ham sandwich.
Choose a baked potato as a side dish instead of fries.

Eat fish twice weekly

Fish is a key part of the Mediterranean diet. Research indicates that people with the APOE gene, which increases Alzheimer’s risk, may have fewer brain changes linked to the disease if they eat seafood often. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish may help reduce inflammation and protect grey matter.

Some worry that mercury in fish harms the brain or cancels out its benefits. However, studies show the opposite. In one study, researchers collected diet information from 286 older adults over several years. After each person died, their brains were examined for signs of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Those who ate seafood at least once a week were less likely to show signs of brain disease and had better semantic memory and perceptual speed.

According to a recent analysis, eating fish weekly protects the brain and seems to lower the risk of several other health issues, such as cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Eat a handful of nuts or seeds daily.

Nuts and seeds are important in healthy Mediterranean and MIND diets. They’re rich in ALA, a plant-based fat similar to the healthy fats in fish. They also contain polyphenols, antioxidant compounds that appear to protect cells from damage by free radicals.

A study tracking the diets and cognitive abilities of 16,010 women aged 70 and older found that those who ate nuts at least five times a week were less likely to experience cognitive decline than those who ate nuts less often. Nuts are a key component of the MIND diet score.

Use olive oil instead of other fats

Olive oil is another staple of the Mediterranean diet. Unlike butter, margarine and some other cooking oils, olive oil is high in healthy monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs). These fats help improve cholesterol levels and play a crucial role in protecting the brain. A study that followed people’s diets and health outcomes for 28 years found that consuming 7 grams of olive oil daily – about half a tablespoon – was linked to a lower risk of dying from dementia and white matter hyperintensities.

Eat plant-based foods rich in fiber often

Complement your meals with vegetables, fruits, and legumes. These foods provide health-boosting fiber and contain plant nutrients that shield cells throughout your body, including your brain, from harm. A plant-based diet can be a great option for brain health. Try to include these alongside the foods mentioned earlier to round out your diet and MIND diet recipes.

Source:

Alisa Bowman (September 5, 2024). The best foods for reducing dementia risk. https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/healthy-aging/the-best-foods-for-reducing-dementia-risk/. Accessed September 6, 2024