Can Someone Eat Their Way to a Better Memory?
With the growing rates of Alzheimer’s and Dementia, the MIND diet was created to attempt to curb these trends with healthy, clean eating coupled with exercise. ‘In 2015, Dr. Martha Clare Morris and colleagues at Rush University Medical Center and the Harvard Chan School of Public Health published two papers introducing the MIND diet.’ The below list is a general collection of the MIND diet basics, and by NO means is it exhaustive. The evidence of the effectiveness of this diet has been very promising, not to mention the added heart benefits it comes with.
| Eat at Least 3 Servings per Day | While Grains (The less processed the better) | Brown Rice | Fiber / Vit E / Antioxidants |
| serving size: 1/2 cup | Black Rice | ||
| Steal Cut Oats | |||
| Quinoa | |||
| Eat Every Day | Green Leafy Vegetables (Raw or Steamed) | Spinach | Antioxidants / Folate / Vit C |
| serving size: 1 cup raw, 1/2 cooked | Broccoli | ||
| Kale | |||
| Mustard Greens | |||
| Collard Greens | |||
| Romaine | |||
| Colored Vegetables (Taste the Rainbow…no, not that one) | Beets | Antioxidants | |
| serving size: 1/2 cup | Radishes | ||
| Tomatoes | |||
| Carrots | |||
| Bell Peppers | |||
| Butternut Squash | |||
| Cauliflower | |||
| Pumpkin | |||
| Nuts | Walnuts | Essential Fats / Phytonutrients | |
| serving size: 1 ounce | Almonds | ||
| Cashews | |||
| Eat at Least Every Other Day | Beans / Legumes | Black Beans | Antioxidants / Fiber |
| serving size: 1/2 cup | Pinto Beans | ||
| Chickpeas aka Garbanzo Beans | |||
| Lentils | |||
| Navy Beans | |||
| Peas (Yep, its a legume) | |||
| Soybeans | |||
| Eat at Least Twice per Week | Berries (Fresh or Frozen okay) | Blackberries | Antioxidants |
| serving size: 1/2 cup | Raspberries | ||
| Strawberries | |||
| Blueberries | |||
| Acai Berries | |||
| Poultry (Not Fried) | Chicken | Lean Protein Source / Vit B12 | |
| serving size: 3-5 ounces | Turkey | ||
| Eat at Least Once per Week | Fish (Not Fried) | Salmon | Omega-3 Fats / Vit B12 |
| serving size: 3-5 ounces | Trout | ||
| Tuna | |||
| Mackerel | |||
| Cod | |||
| Halibut | |||
| LIMIT | |||
| No More than 1 Tablespoon a Day | Margarine / Butter | Try Olive Oil Instead | Supplies Heart/Brain Healthy Fats and Antioxidants (causes less inflammation) |
| Less than 5 Times per Week | Pastries / Sweets | ||
| Less than 4 servings per Week | Red Meat (Beef, Lamb, Pork) | ||
| No More than Once per Week | Cheese / Fried Food / Fast Food |
At first glance, this diet can seem intense. After all, ONE SERVING OF CHEESE?!?!?!?! But hey, its my brain so I’ll find something a bit healthier to snack on. For instance, this dynamite hummus recipe that my entire family fell in love with.
This diet will be a huge life change for many, and it will take time to adapt if you decide to try it on for size. Always remember: PROGRESS, not perfection.
So here’s to your brain’s health and a long life of memories.
Any other diets of health topics you’d be interested in reading about? Just let me know in the comments below!
Until next time, stay cozy my friends.
