MIND diet may slow cognitive decline among older people

Eating a group of specific foods known as the MIND diet may slow cognitive decline among older adults, according to researchers at Rush University Medical Center.

The MIND diet was designed by combining research looking at the best aspects of diet research in dementia. It includes green leafy vegetables, berries, beans, nuts, olive oil, fish and poultry and avoids red meats and processed food. Researchers looked at participant's normal diet and scored them by how closely they matched the MIND diet. They found that those who matched the ideal diet the best had less cognitive decline than those who matched it the worst.

The study published online in Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association, showed that older people who rigorously followed the MIND diet showed an equivalent of being 7.5 years younger cognitively than those who did not follow the diet as closely. Read more here.