Anti inflammatory foods Part 4, introduction to Mind Diet

Chronic inflammations and the methods to counteract them in order to stay younger and healthier for a longer period of time, as described in the previous posts, have been the subject of several scientific studies. While the Harvard Medical School has indicated the foods that should be favorited and other foods that should be limited, another research performed by the Rush University Medical Center of Chicago has drawn up a diet, called Mind Diet, that is considered to be able to fight free radicals and inflammations (Age ins’t the same for everybody, Eliana Liotta). This diet is based on the Mediterranean diet, known all over the world and appreciated thanks to its anti diabetic effect and its beneficial properties on mind (Salas-Salvado, Diabetes Care, 2011 and also Sofi et al, Am J CLin Nutr, 2010), and on the Dash diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), created some years ago to counteract high blood pressure (Saneei et al, Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, 2014). Mind diet has been studied in order to verify its effects on the brain and, in particular, on the risk of developing Alzheimer disease. The researchers have studied 960 persons from age 58 for 5 years and this diet has shown very promising results by improving the brain functionality, decreasing cognitive decline related to aging and protecting from the risk of Alzheimer (Morris et al, Alzheimers Dement, 2015). Mind diet isn’t a difficult diet to follow, it is elastic and indicates indeed just the minimum number of portions in a week for the most beneficial foods and a maximum number of portions per week for the most risky and inflammatory foods. The researchers of Chicago recommend to introduce at least 6 portions per week of green leafy vegetables such as cabbages, kale, spinach and salads. According to the research a good choice may be to eat at least once a day non starchy vegetables such as pumpkin, carrot and fennel. At least twice a week you should eat berries, such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries, and this point is new in respect of the Mediterranean diet that suggests to eat all kinds of fruit. Berries have been demonstrated indeed to be specific to reduce the cognitive decline in adults thanks to the polyphenols and their ability to protect from stress induced effects (Devore et al, Ann Neurol, 2012 but also Willis et al, Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care, 2009). The scientists recommend also up to 7 portions of nuts per week by choosing among walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts or peanuts. And the list doesn’t end there, don’t miss the next post about the last part of Mind diet.