Anti inflammatory foods Part 5, guide lines of Mind Diet

According to science, chronic inflammations are among the main causes of aging and connected illnesses such as arthritis, rheumatism, cancer, auto immune diseases and Alzheimer, as we have explained in the previous posts. Diet can be really helpful to soothe or remove inflammations. In particular, the researchers of Rush University Medical Center in Chicago have recently created a diet, called Mind diet, that has shown anti-inflammatory properties and has been demonstrated to be able to improve brain functionalities, to reduce cognitive decline connected with aging and to protect from the risk of developing Alzheimer disease (Morris et al, Alzheimer’s Dement, 2015). This diet doesn’t have rigid rules but recommends the minimum number of portions per week of anti inflammatory and protective foods and a maximum number of portions of inflammatory and risky foods. In the last post we have seen some indications of the Mind diet, today we will see other guide lines developed by the scientists of Chicago. According to this research, extra virgin olive oil should be used as a main dressing while a good choice for a healthy lifestyle should include 3 portions per day of whole grain cereals such as whole grain rice, whole grain bread and pasta, quinoa or oatmeal. At least once a week another good and healthy habit is represented by eating fish, especially the fish rich in omega 3 such as salmon, mackerel and sardine, then, 4 times a week you should include in your diet legumes and twice a week some poultry such as chicken or turkey. And what about wine? The researchers of Chicago recommend no more than a glass of red or white wine per day, but only if there isn’t the risk to become alcohol addicted. The research doesn’t make any difference between white and red wine, however, according to other scientific studies, red wine contains resveratrol that has a protective effect on the brain (Vingtdeux, BMC Neurosci, 2008). Another drink that the Chicago’s researchers don’t take into account is the green tea, that, on the contrary, other studies have shown to be anti inflammatory thanks to its active substance, the epigallocatechin gallate (Cascella et al, Infect Agent Cancer, 2017 or also Noguchi-Shinohara et al, PLoS One, 2014). For this reason, a couple of cups a day of green tea are very useful to counteract inflammations and the cognitive decline. Finally, turmeric is a spice that is not included in the Mind diet but you should consider because it has a powerful anti inflammatory effect (Goel et al, Cancer Letters, 2001 or also Jurenka et al, ALtern Med Rev, 2009). For what concerns the foods that should be avoided or at least limited, these are butter and margarine, that should be eaten less than 1 tablespoon per day, cheeses, less than once a week, no more than 3 portions of red meat, less than once a week fried foods. Finally, according to the researchers, the sweets such as candy, ice creams, donuts, snacks and biscuits can be eaten but no more than 4 times a week. And what about lifestyle and physical activity? Also here we have some good habits to take into account in order to fight inflammations, we’ll speak about this topic in the next post!