To start the MIND diet safely when starting slowly, check with your clinician first and then change one habit at a time. Add a daily salad, swap butter for olive oil, or snack on nuts instead of pastries. The MIND diet (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) combines Mediterranean and DASH eating patterns to target brain aging. Rush University Medical Center reports it was developed by nutritional epidemiologist Martha Clare Morris and colleagues for brain protection.
Medical information disclaimer: This article is for general educational purposes only and does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a physician or other qualified health professional about symptoms, medications, tests, or treatment decisions.
Table of Contents
- What do you eat more of?
- What do you limit?
- What does the evidence show?
- How do you start slowly and stay safe?
What do you eat more of?
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health lists practical targets of leafy greens 6 or more servings per week, another vegetable daily, berries 2 or more times per week, and nuts 5 or more times per week in Harvard's MIND diet review. The same review lists whole grains 3 or more times daily, fish 1 or more times weekly, poultry twice weekly, and beans 3 to 4 times weekly.
Make those targets concrete at the store and table. Buy spinach, kale, blueberries, walnuts, brown rice, lentils, salmon, and chicken breast. Use olive oil as the main added fat.
What do you limit?
Harvard's review also sets limits for butter and margarine, cheese, fried and fast food, and pastries and sweets. Keep butter and margarine under about 1 tablespoon per day, cheese and fried or fast food under 1 serving per week each, and pastries and sweets under 5 servings per week.
Trade one item at a time rather than cutting everything at once. Try olive oil on vegetables, fruit with unsalted nuts for dessert, and baked poultry instead of fried meat.
What does the evidence show?
In the original Rush observational cohort, strict followers had about 53 percent lower Alzheimer's incidence and moderate followers about 35 percent lower, as reported by Rush in the 2015 Rush announcement. Moderate MIND adherence was linked to benefit where moderate Mediterranean and DASH adherence were not.
A later test was less encouraging. MDedge Neurology, reporting on the 2023 NEJM trial by Barnes and colleagues, found no significant cognition difference between calorie-reduced MIND and calorie-reduced control diets in 604 adults ages 65 to 84 over 3 years, as described in MDedge Neurology's report on the trial. Both groups improved slightly.
How do you start slowly and stay safe?
Rush dietitians describe MIND as flexible guidelines rather than strict rules, favoring one small swap at a time, according to Rush dietitian guidance. Pick the easiest change for your kitchen and repeat it until it feels routine.
The National Institute on Aging and WebMD advise older adults to check with a clinician before starting, especially with excess weight, blood-sugar or blood-pressure drugs, or chronic illness. Wine is optional, so skip the daily glass if you do not drink.
- Add one leafy-green serving each day for a week
- Cook with olive oil instead of butter for a week
- Replace one sweet or fried snack with nuts or berries
- Add one fish meal and one bean meal each week
