Mediterranean diet may reduce risk of Alzheimer’s

by Patty Marsters

pattym@lwsb.com

Researchers say a Mediterranean- style diet can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.

According to “Mediterranean Diet, Alzheimer’s Disease Biomarkers and Brain Atrophy in Old Age,” published May 5, participants who closely adhered to a diet high in unsaturated fats, fish, fruits and vegetables and low in dairy and red meat performed better on cognitive tests and showed less brain-volume shrinkage and protein biomarkers associated with memory loss and dementia.

A Mediterranean-style diet typically includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, bread and other grains, potatoes, beans, nuts and seeds. Olive oil is used as a primary fat source, and dairy products, eggs, fish and poultry are to be kept to low to moderate amounts.

This study isn’t the first to suggest a healthier diet is linked to brain health, but it does corroborate the findings of a study published last year that claimed a 45-50 percent reduction in the risk of having impaired cognitive function for those who followed the diet.

Perhaps the two most important ingredients, according to researchers, are fish and olive oil. In a study by the Division of Epidemiology and Clinical Applications at the National Eye Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, it was noted that eating fish twice a week slowed cognitive decline.

And the Alzheimer’s Center at Temple University has discovered that the compounds in the fat of extra-virgin olive oil can flush out proteins that delay the communication channels between brain cells.

Research recommends eating more fish and using olive oil.