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| | | One in nine people 65 years old and older in the United States have Alzheimer's disease, the leading cause of dementia. (ICYMI: The term "dementia" refers to a particular group of symptoms, while Alzheimer's disease is a neurological disease that causes dementia.) | | The exact cause of Alzheimer's isn't fully understood, and there's no surefire way to prevent it. However, decades of research have revealed that certain lifestyle habits can increase your risk of developing the disease. Your diet is one such factor. Below, Kirsten Seele, a registered dietitian at Healthline, explains how the foods you eat can affect your cognitive health. | | | | | | | Hope this helps!
Ginger Wojcik
Newsletter Editor, Healthline |  | | Written by Ginger Wojcik
January 30, 2025 • 4 min read | | | | | |  | | | | Q: | How does your diet affect your risk of dementia and Alzheimer's? | | | A: | My grandmother passed away at an early age from dementia (she also dealt with other chronic health conditions) when I was in my teens. Her health journey is part of what inspired me to become a registered dietitian, and it also made me passionate about dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Through my research, I had to face the reality, like many of my patients and clients have to, that there is no quick fix or magic pill. There's no one "superfood" that will help me, my loved ones, or my patients or clients prevent dementia or Alzheimer's.
However, there are dietary changes that can be made to help slow cognitive decline and benefit brain health. In addition to the well-known Mediterranean diet, there's the similar yet different MIND diet.
The MIND (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) diet combines the Mediterranean and DASH diets to create a dietary pattern that focuses specifically on brain health. The key difference with the MIND diet is the emphasis on being mindful of salt intake in order to regulate blood pressure. Similarities between the diets include: - increasing fruit and veggie intake
- focusing on whole grains rather than refined grains
- minimizing red meats, sweets, and other saturated fats
- eating healthy fats like olive oils, nuts, and fatty fish
The traditional Western diet probably isn't doing us any favors when it comes to keeping our brains healthy. This eating pattern tends to be higher in saturated fats like butter, red meats, and cheeses and higher in added sugar, which may increase oxidative stress and inflammation within the body. At the same time, it tends to fall short on foods that help fight against this oxidative stress — i.e., fruits, vegetables, and fatty fish.
As I mentioned, there is not one single "superfood" that will help us prevent dementia. However, these dietary habits could reduce your risk: - Eat more fruits high in certain antioxidants, such as berries. (We often hear about blueberries, but any berries will do!)
- Eat other plant-based anti-inflammatory foods, like leafy greens, legumes, and nuts.
We want to focus on an overall healthy nutrition pattern over our lifetime. So remember, a few treats here or there are OK! And don't underestimate the power of exercise, good sleep, staying socially active, and learning new things to keep your brain healthy too! | | | | | Kirsten Seele, Registered Dietitian | | | Want to learn more about food, diets, cooking, or some other nutrition subject? Let us know at nutritionedition@healthline.com and we'll look into it for you! (Heads up, we may use your response in an upcoming newsletter.) | | | | | Sponsored by | |  | | | | | | | |  | | Fay | | Need help meal planning, changing your diet, or improving your relationship with food in 2025? Consider working with a registered dietitian (RD) from Fay! Get 1:1 virtual or in-person counseling from nutrition experts who specialize in diabetes, weight loss, high cholesterol, and over 30 other areas. Fay accepts over 700 insurance plans, so you can pay little to no money out of pocket for each session. Get started and easily book a consultation with an RD who meets your needs today! | | | | Every product we recommend has gone through either Healthline's or Optum Store's vetting processes. If you buy through links on this page, we may receive a small commission or other tangible benefit. Healthline has sole editorial control over this newsletter. Potential uses for the products listed here are not health claims made by the manufacturers. Healthline and Optum Store are owned by RVO Health. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | What we're digesting | | ❌ The 9 most common food allergies. You may be more likely to outgrow certain allergies than others. | | 😋 A beginner's guide to eating gluten-free. Plus, a sample meal plan! | | 🏋️ At-home boot camp workouts. Give these eight exercises a try the next time you want to break a sweat! | | 😣 15 natural ways to reduce migraine symptoms. Make sure to see a doctor if your symptoms are severe or frequent or interfere with your daily life. | | | Thanks for reading, everyone! If you live — or care for someone — with Alzheimer's, joining a support group can be a powerful way to cope with the effects of the disease. You can also subscribe to our Caregiving for Alzheimer's newsletter for more expert guidance. | | | Until next time, |  | Take care of yourself, and we'll see
you again soon! | | | | |  | | This edition was powered by | | olive oil. | | | | |
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