Following this trendy diet can improve brain health later in life

The Mediterranean diet has a long-established relationship with reduced disease incidence and now, it may help save your brain from dementia.

In addition to decreasing one’s risk for developing certain forms of cancer and cardiovascular illness, a new study published in the journal, Neurology, posits that those who adhere to The Mediterranean diet dramatically improve their cognitive function into old age.

According to the authors, long-time subscribers of the regimen evidence an increased resistance toward the buildup of two proteins, (amyloid, and tau) associated with dementia. Over time these buildups form into plaques and tangles—causing memory loss and the gradual loss of motor functions. The various hallmarks that are predictive of neurodegenerative disease are often referred to as “mediotemporal atrophy.”

“To determine if following a Mediterranean-like diet (MeDi) relates to cognitive functions and in vivo biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), we analyzed cross-sectional data from the German Longitudinal Cognitive Impairment and Dementia Study,” the authors wrote in the new paper.

“Our findings corroborate the view of MeDi as a protective factor against memory decline and mediotemporal atrophy. Importantly, they suggest that these associations might be explained by a decrease of amyloidosis and tau-pathology. Longitudinal and dietary intervention studies should further examine this conjecture and its treatment implications.”

How the Mediterranean Diet and cognitive function are linked

The study sample was comprised of 169 cognitively normal adult participants and 343 participants who were at a higher risk for AD. Each had their language, memory and executive function skills tested alongside brain scan analysis.

Finally, the authors used food questionnaires to determine how closely respondents followed the Mediterranean diet.

Consistently, those who did not faithfully adhere to the regimen demonstrated increased amyloid and tau protein buildup in their spinal fluid. In fact, every point of higher compliance with the Mediterranean diet corresponded with one extra year less of brain aging.

The fish, legumes, whole grains, oil, and vegetables supported by Mediterranean cuisine appeared to cause reductions in oxidative damage, inflammation, and even excessive weight.

Many of the foods that the diet is composed of have been independently proven to improve mental health as well. Additionally, incidences of cancer are much lower in Mediterranean counties compared to the United States.

The diet is inspired by the foods that were commonly eaten by Italians and Greeks in the 1960s. As far as the basics are concerned: Limited intake of red meat, moderate intake of poultry, eggs, and cheese, no processed meat, refined grains, or oils, and no sugar-sweetened beverages. Subscribers can eat all the vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, potatoes, whole grains, bread, herbs, spices, fish, seafood, and extra virgin olive oil.

“The best way to reduce your risk of dementia is to adapt various aspects of your lifestyle, including eating certain foods, taking regular exercise, not smoking, and maintaining normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels. There is some evidence that eating a Mediterranean-style diet can reduce the risk of developing problems with memory and thinking, and getting some forms of dementia,” the Alzheimers Society reports.