MIND diet Archives - Health Tips From The Professor

Can Processed Foods Cause Dementia?

November 11, 2025 by Dr. Steve Chaney

A Holistic Approach For Preventing Dementia

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

You already know that processed foods are not your friend. In previous issues of “Health Tips From the Professor” I have covered the linkage between processed food consumption and obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, stroke, and premature death.

I have also covered the linkage between processed food consumption and mood, particularly anxiety and depression.

If you want to read some of those articles, just go to https://chaneyhealth.com/healthtips/ and put processed foods in the search box.

But what if they also affect cognition? What if they increase your risk of dementia?

Of all the diseases associated with aging, dementia is perhaps the scariest. What use is it to reach your “golden years” if you can’t recognize friends and family, you lose your precious memories, and you cannot perform the most basic functions for yourself.

That’s why I found the study (H Li et al, Neurology, 99(10)e1056-e1066, 2022) I am discussing today so interesting. It looks at the association of ultraprocessed food consumption and dementia.

I realized that “ultraprocessed food” is not a familiar term for most of you. So, before I discuss the article, I will describe how scientists define ultraprocessed food.

What Are Ultraprocessed Foods?

Before I proceed with describing the findings of this study, I should probably contrast the common definition of processed foods with the current scientific definition of ultraprocessed foods.

The scientific community has recently developed something called “The NOVA food classification system” to describe the various levels of food processing.

The NOVA system categorizes foods into four groups according to the extent of processing they have undergone:

#1: Unprocessed or minimally processed foods.

This category includes foods like fruit, vegetables, milk, and meat.

#2: Processed culinary ingredients.

This category includes foods you might find in restaurants or prepare yourself to which things like sugar, vegetable oils, butter, or cream were added in the preparation.

#3: Processed foods.

This category includes foods like canned vegetables, freshly made breads, and cheeses.

#4: Ultraprocessed foods.

This category includes foods like soft drinks, chips, packaged snacks, most breakfast cereals, chicken nuggets & fish sticks, fast food burgers, hot dogs, and other processed meats.

The actual list is much longer, but you get the idea. What we call processed foods; scientists call ultraprocessed foods. Since the term “ultraprocessed foods” has not yet entered the popular vocabulary, I will use the term “processed foods” in describing the results of this study because it is more understandable to the average reader.

How Was This Study Done?

The authors used information from the UK Biobank Study. The UK Biobank Study enrolled 500,000 people from England, Scotland, and Wales between 2006-2010 and has followed them continuously until the present. The participants were aged 40-69 on enrollment. The UK Biobank study collects health, lifestyle, environmental, and biological data from participants and makes the data available for studies such as this one.

This study included 72,083 participants from the UK Biobank study who:

Were 55 years or older on enrollment.

Were free from dementia on enrollment.

Had completed at least two 24-hour dietary assessments during the study.

The participants were followed for an average of 10 years.

Newly diagnosed cases of dementia were obtained through electronic linkages to hospital and mortality records (Yes, Big Brother is watching, especially in countries like England).

Ultraprocessed food intake (defined as described above) was determined from the 24-hour dietary recalls. Participants were divided into quartiles (4 groups) based on the amount of ultraprocessed foods in their diet.

The study measured the association between ultraprocessed food consumption and dementia. The data were statistically corrected for other lifestyle factors that affect cognition, such as age, sex, family history, and obesity.

As I said above, since the term “ultraprocessed foods” has not yet entered the popular vocabulary, I will use the term “processed foods” in describing the results of this study because it is more understandable to the average reader.

Can Processed Foods Cause Dementia?

The results were striking:

For every 10% increase in calories from processed foods, the risk of:

Dementia from all causes increased by 25%.

Alzheimer’s disease increased by 14%.

Vascular dementia (dementia caused by a blood clot or brain bleed) increased by 29%.

When they compared those in the highest quartile of processed food consumption with those in the lowest quartile:

The risk of dementia from all causes increased by 51%.

The only good news from the study was that replacing 10% calories from processed food with an equal proportion of unprocessed or minimally processed foods decreased the risk of dementia by 19%.

The authors hypothesized that the increase in dementia caused by processed foods could be due to:

Displacement from the diet of whole, unprocessed foods that have been shown to decrease dementia risk.

The high sodium content of processed foods can cause hypertension, which decreases cerebral blood flow and has been shown to increase the risk of dementia.

Diets high in processed foods promote systemic inflammation, which accelerates neurodegeneration and increases the risk of dementia.

Processed foods contain food additives and molecules formed during processing which have been shown to have negative effects on cognition and memory.

The authors concluded, “[Our study shows]…higher consumption of ultraprocessed foods was associated with higher risk of dementia, and substituting unprocessed or minimally processed foods for ultraprocessed foods was associated with a lower risk of dementia.”

What Does This Study Mean For You?

You already know that a diet high in processed foods:

Is associated with obesity.

- Increases your risk of:

- Diabetes

- Heart Disease

- Cancer

- High Blood Pressure

- Stroke

- Premature death

Can increase your risk of anxiety and depression.

Their effect on dementia is just one more reason to do away with processed foods and replace them with whole, unprocessed foods.

But that is a tall order for most Americans who get 55% of their calories from processed foods. It is difficult to make wholesale changes in your diet, so I will leave you a bit of good news.

The authors reported that even minor improvements in diet could have beneficial effects. For example:

Replacing as little as 50 grams of processed food with 50 grams of unprocessed foods (equivalent to half an apple, a serving of corn, or a bowl of bran cereal) decreases your risk of dementia by 3%.

That may not seem like much. But what if you make that change in month one? Then in month 2 replace another 50 grams of processed food with unprocessed food and keep repeating that process month after month. At the end of a year:

You would have decreased your risk of dementia by 36%.

You may have lost weight without going on a restrictive weight loss diet.

You would have significantly decreased your risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and several other diseases.

You might even be calmer and happier.

A Holistic Approach For Preventing Dementia

Of course, for best results you want to do more than just avoid processed foods. A holistic approach is best.

Eat a healthy diet.

- As the study suggested, replace processed foods with whole, unprocessed fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, legumes, and low-fat dairy.

- Red meats and unprocessed foods high in saturated fat are better than highly processed foods, but they are not optimal.

- As for specific diets, the Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND diets are backed by clinical studies showing that they slow cognitive decline and reduce dementia risk.

Get plenty of omega-3 fatty acids.

- Some of those omega-3s can come from fatty, cold-water fish, but most people will need an omega-3 supplement providing 500-1,000 mg of EPA and DHA.

- Some studies claim DHA works best. Others report that EPA works best. I would recommend a supplement that provides both.

Exercise regularly.

- Exercise improves blood flow to the brain, and that is a good thing.

Control your weight.

- Obesity increases chronic inflammation and the risk of dementia.

- You don’t need to become ‘twiggy”. Even small decreases in body weight help slow cognitive decline.

Socialize with friends and family.

- Scientists don’t know how this works, but it does.

- This requires physical interactions. Facebook friends don’t count.

Exercise your mind.

- This can be things like crossword puzzles, sudoku, or new projects that require creativity.

- Learn new things. It could be a new language, new dance step, or new skill.

The Bottom Line

You already knew that diets high in processed foods increase your risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and several other diseases. And diets high in processed foods may leave you feeling anxious and depressed.

A recent study added to the bad news about processed foods. It looked at the association of processed foods and dementia. It found that:

Diets high in processed foods increase the risk of dementia by as much as 51%.

The only good news from the study was that replacing 10% calories from processed food with an equal proportion of unprocessed or minimally processed foods decreased the risk of dementia by 19%.

For more details about the study, what it means for you, and a holistic approach for brain health read the article above.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

____________________________________________________________________________

My posts and “Health Tips From the Professor” articles carefully avoid claims about any brand of supplement or manufacturer of supplements. However, I am often asked by representatives of supplement companies if they can share them with their customers.

My answer is, “Yes, as long as you share only the article without any additions or alterations. In particular, you should avoid adding any mention of your company or your company’s products. If you were to do that, you could be making what the FTC and FDA consider a “misleading health claim” that could result in legal action against you and the company you represent.

For more detail about FTC regulations for health claims, see this link.

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/health-products-compliance-guidance

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About The Author

Dr. Chaney has a BS in Chemistry from Duke University and a PhD in Biochemistry from UCLA. He is Professor Emeritus from the University of North Carolina where he taught biochemistry and nutrition to medical and dental students for 40 years.

Dr. Chaney won numerous teaching awards at UNC, including the Academy of Educators “Excellence in Teaching Lifetime Achievement Award”.

Dr Chaney also ran an active cancer research program at UNC and published over 100 scientific articles and reviews in peer-reviewed scientific journals. In addition, he authored two chapters on nutrition in one of the leading biochemistry text books for medical students.

Since retiring from the University of North Carolina, he has been writing a weekly health blog called “Health Tips From the Professor”. He has also written two best-selling books, “Slaying the Food Myths” and “Slaying the Supplement Myths”. And most recently he has created an online lifestyle change course, “Create Your Personal Health Zone”. For more information visit https://chaneyhealth.com.

For the past 53 years Dr. Chaney and his wife Suzanne have been helping people improve their health holistically through a combination of good diet, exercise, weight control and appropriate supplementation.

Which Diets Are Best In 2022?

February 8, 2022 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Which Diet Should You Choose?

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

Many of you started 2022 with goals of losing weight and/or improving your health. In many cases, that involved choosing a new diet. That was only a month ago, but it probably feels like an eternity.

For many of you the “bloom” has gone off the new diet you started so enthusiastically in January.

Perhaps the diet isn’t working as well as advertised…

Perhaps the diet is too restrictive. You are finding it hard to stick with…

Perhaps you are always hungry or constantly fighting food cravings…

Perhaps you are starting to wonder whether there is a better diet than the one you chose in January…

Perhaps you are wondering whether the diet you chose is the wrong one for you…

If you are rethinking your diet, you might want to know which diets the experts recommend. Unfortunately, that’s not as easy as it sounds. The diet world has become just as divided as the political world.

Fortunately, you have an impartial resource. Each year US News & World Report invites a panel of experts with different points of view to evaluate popular diets. They then combine the input from all the experts into rankings of the diets in various categories.

If you are still searching for your ideal diet, I will summarize the US News & World Report’s “Best Diets In 2022”. For the full report, click on this link.

How Was This Report Created?

US News & World Report recruited panel of 27 nationally recognized experts in diet, nutrition, obesity, food psychology, diabetes, and heart disease to review the 40 most popular diets. The panel is not the same each year. Some experts are rotated off the panel, and others are added. The experts rate each diet in seven categories:

How easy it is to follow.

Its ability to produce short-term weight loss.

Its ability to produce long-term weight loss.

its nutritional completeness.

Its safety.

Its potential for preventing and managing diabetes.

Its potential for preventing and managing heart disease.

They converted the experts’ ratings to scores 5 (highest) to 1 (lowest). They then used these scores to construct nine sets of Best Diets rankings:

Best Diets Overall combines panelists’ ratings in all seven categories. However, all categories were not equally weighted. Short-term and long-term weight loss were combined, with long-term ratings getting twice the weight. Why? A diet’s true test is whether it can be sustained for years. And safety was double counted because no diet should be dangerous.

Best Commercial Diets uses the same approach to rank 15 structured diet programs that require a participation fee or promote the use of branded food or nutritional products.

Best Weight-Loss Diets was generated by combining short-term and long-term weight-loss ratings, weighting both equally. Some dieters want to drop pounds fast, while others, looking years ahead, are aiming for slow and steady. Equal weighting accepts both goals as worthy.

Best Diabetes Diets is based on averaged diabetes ratings.

Best Heart-Healthy Diets uses averaged heart-health ratings.

Best Diets for Healthy Eating combines nutritional completeness and safety ratings, giving twice the weight to safety. A healthy diet should provide sufficient calories and not fall seriously short on important nutrients or entire food groups.

Easiest Diets to Follow represents panelists’ averaged judgments about each diet’s taste appeal, ease of initial adjustment, ability to keep dieters from feeling hungry and imposition of special requirements.

Best Plant-Based Diets uses the same approach as Best Diets Overall to rank 12 plans that emphasize minimally processed foods from plants.

Best Fast Weight-Loss Diets is based on short-term weight-loss ratings.

Which Diets Are Best In 2022?

Are you ready? If this were an awards program I would be saying “Envelop please” and would open the envelop slowly to build suspense.

However, I am not going to do that. Here are the top 5 and bottom 5 diets in each category (If you would like to see where your favorite diet ranked, click on this link). [Note: I excluded commercial diets from this review.]

Best Diets Overall

The Top 5:

#1: Mediterranean Diet. The Mediterranean diet has been ranked #1 for 5 consecutive years.

#2: DASH Diet (This diet was designed to keep blood pressure under control, but you can also think of it as an Americanized version of the Mediterranean diet.)

#3: Flexitarian Diet (A flexible semi-vegetarian diet).

#4: MIND Diet (This diet is a combination of Mediterranean and DASH but is specifically designed to reduce cognitive decline as we age.)

#5: The TLC Diet (This diet was designed by the NIH to promote heart health.)

The Bottom 5:

#36: Whole 30 Diet (A whole food, restrictive diet, designed for a 30-day jump start to weight loss. It was not designed for long-term use).

#37: Modified Keto Diet (A slightly less restrictive version of the Keto Diet).

#38: Keto Diet (A high protein, high fat, very low carb diet designed to achieve ketosis).

#39: Dukan Diet (High protein, low carb, low fat diet).

#40: GAPS Diet (A diet designed to improve gut health).

Best Weight-Loss Diets

The Top 5:

#1: Flexitarian Diet

#2: Volumetrics Diet (A diet based on the caloric density of foods).

#3: Vegan Diet (A diet that only allows plant foods).

#4: Mayo Clinic Diet (A diet designed to establish lifelong healthy eating habits).

#5: Ornish Diet (A whole food, semi-vegetarian diet designed to promote heart health).

The Bottom 5:

#36: Fertility Diet (A diet designed to improve fertility, but the experts were skeptical that it would increase your chances of becoming pregnant)

#37: Whole 30 Diet

#38: Alkaline Diet (A diet designed to make your blood more alkaline, but the experts were skeptical about that claim)

#39: AIP Diet (A diet designed for people with autoimmune diseases)

#40: GAPS Diet

Best Diabetes Diets

The Top 5:

#1: Mediterranean Diet

#2: Flexitarian Diet

#3: Vegan Diet

#4: Mayo Clinic Diet

#5: DASH Diet

The Bottom 5:

#36: Alkaline Diet

#37: Dukan Diet

#38: GAPS Diet

#39: Sirtfood Diet (a very low calorie, fad diet that emphasizes plant foods rich in sirtuins)

#40: Whole 30 Diet

Best Heart-Healthy Diets

The Top 5:

#1: Mediterranean Diet

#2: Ornish Diet

#3: DASH Diet

#4: Flexitarian Diet

#5: TLC Diet

#6: Vegan Diet

The Bottom 5:

#36: Keto Diet

#37: AIP Diet

#38: Whole 30 Diet

#39: Modified Keto Diet

#40: Dukan Diet

Best Diets for Healthy Eating

The Top 5:

#1: Mediterranean Diet

#2: DASH Diet

#3: Flexitarian Diet

#4: MIND Diet

#5: TLC Diet

The Bottom 5:

#36: Raw Food Diet

#37: Atkins Diet

#38: Dukan Diet

#39: Modified Keto Diet

#40: Keto Diet

Easiest Diets to Follow

The Top 5:

#1: Mediterranean Diet

#2: Flexitarian Diet

#3: Fertility Diet

#4: MIND Diet

#5: DASH Diet

The Bottom 5:

#36: Modified Keto Diet

#37: Keto Diet

#38: Whole 30 Diet

#39: GAPS Diet

#40: Raw Foods Diet

Best Fast Weight-Loss Diets

The Top 5 (Excluding Commercial Diets):

#1: Atkins Diet

#2: Biggest Loser Diet

#3: Keto Diet

#4: Raw Food Diet

#5: Vegan Diet

The Bottom 5

#36: Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Diet

#37: The Fertility Diet

#38: AIP Diet

#39: Alkaline Diet

#40: Gaps Diet

Which Diets Are Best For Rapid Weight Loss?

There are 3 take-home lessons from the rapid weight loss category:

1) If you are looking for rapid weight loss, any whole food restrictive diet will do. The top 5 diets are very different. For example, the keto and vegan diets are polar opposites, yet they both are in the top 5 for rapid weight loss.

The Atkins and keto diets are meat heavy, low carb diets. They restrict fruits, some vegetables, grains, and most legumes.

The Biggest Loser diet relies on restrictive meal plan and exercise programs.

The restrictions of the raw food diet are obvious.

The vegan diet is a very low-fat diet that eliminates meat, dairy, eggs, and animal fats.

I did not include commercial diets that rated high on this list, but they are all restrictive in one way or another.

2) We should ask what happens when we get tired of restrictive diets and add back some of your favorite foods.

If you lose weight on a vegan diet and add back some of your favorite foods, you might end up with a semi-vegetarian diet. This is a healthy diet that can help you maintain your weight loss.

If you lose weight on the Atkins or keto diets and add back some of your favorite foods, you end up with the typical American diet – one that is high in both fat and carbs. This is not a recipe for long-term success.

3) Don’t pay too much attention to the bottom 5 diets. None of them were designed with weight loss in mind.

Which Diet Should You Choose?

With rapid weight loss out of the way, let’s get back to the question, “Which Diet Should You Choose?” My recommendations are:

1) Choose a diet that fits your needs. That is one of the things I like best about the US News & World Report ratings. The diets are categorized. If your main concern is diabetes, choose one of the top diets in that category. If your main concern is heart health… You get the point.

2) Choose diets that are healthy and associated with long term weight loss. If that is your goal, you will notice that primarily plant-based diets top these lists. Meat-based, low carb diets like Atkins and keto are near the bottom of the lists.

3) Choose diets that are easy to follow. The less-restrictive primarily plant-based diets top this list – diets like Mediterranean, DASH, MIND, and flexitarian.

4) Choose diets that fit your lifestyle and dietary preferences. For example, if you don’t like fish and olive oil, you will probably do much better with the DASH or flexitarian diet than with the Mediterranean diet.

5) In case you were wondering, intermittent fasting ranked 26-30 and the Paleo diet ranked 26-33 on most of the list – not the worst diets, but a long way from the best. If you have a favorite diet I didn’t mention, check the US News website to find where it is ranked.

6) Finally, focus on what you have to gain, rather than on foods you have to give up.

On the minus side, none of the diets include sodas, junk foods, and highly processed foods. These foods should go on your “No-No” list. Sweets should be occasional treats and only as part of a healthy meal. Meat, especially red meat, should become a garnish rather than a main course.

On the plus side, primarily plant-based diets offer a cornucopia of delicious plant foods you probably didn’t even know existed. Plus, for any of the top-rated plant-based diets, there are websites and books full of mouth-watering recipes. Be adventurous.

The Bottom Line

For many of you the “bloom” has gone off the new diet you started so enthusiastically in January. If you are rethinking your diet, you might want to know which diets the experts recommend. Unfortunately, that’s not as easy as it sounds. The diet world has become just as divided as the political world.

There are probably two questions at the top of your list.

#1: Which diets are best for rapid weight loss? Here are some general principles:

If you are looking for rapid weight loss, any whole food restrictive diet will do.

We should ask what happens when we get tired of restrictive diets and add back some of our favorite foods.

Long term weight loss is possible if you transition to a healthy diet after you have lost the weight.

#2: Which diet should you choose? Here the principles are:

Choose a diet that fits your needs.

Choose diets that are healthy and associated with long term weight loss.

Choose diets that are easy to follow.

Choose diets that fit your lifestyle and dietary preferences.

Finally, focus on what you have to gain, rather than on foods you have to give up.

For more details on the diet that is best for you, read the article above.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Can Your Diet Cause You To Lose Your Mind?

January 11, 2022 by Dr. Steve Chaney

What Is A Mind-Healthy Lifestyle?

Author: Dr. Stephen Chaney

Most of us look forward to our golden years – that mystical time when we will be free from the workday pressures and have more time to spend with friends and family doing the things we love.

But cognitive decline can cast a dark cloud over those expectations.

By the age of 65, 11% of adults suffer from some degree of cognitive impairment.

And by the age of 80 the percentage of adults suffering from cognitive impairment has increased to 26-30%, depending on which study you cite.

The results of cognitive decline can be devastating.

First you start to lose the cherished memories of a lifetime.

Then comes confusion and an inability to perform basic tasks and participate in your favorite activities.

Eventually you may reach a stage where you no longer recognize the ones you love.

In short, cognitive decline can rob you of everything that makes you you.

The causes of cognitive decline are complex, but recent studies have pointed to the role of chronic inflammation in cognitive decline. If that is true, it is a good news – bad news situation.

The bad news is:

- Some increase in chronic inflammation appears to be an inevitable consequence of aging.

- Chronic inflammation can be caused by certain diseases that are beyond our control.

- Chronic inflammation can be triggered by viral or bacterial infections.

The good news is that chronic inflammation is also controlled by your diet and lifestyle. For example, as I said above, chronic inflammation is often triggered by a viral infection, but whether the inflammation is mild or severe is strongly influenced by diet and lifestyle.

In this issue of “Health Tips From the Professor” I share a study (S Charisis et al, Neurology, In Press, November 10, 2021) showing that diets high in inflammatory foods increase the risk of dementia. Then, I answer 3 important questions.

Can your diet cause you to lose your mind?

What is a mind-healthy diet?

What is a mind-healthy lifestyle?

How Was This Study Done?

The data for this study were taken from the first three years of the Hellenic Longitudinal Investigation of Aging and Diet (HELIAD), a study designed to look at the effect of diet on dementia and other neuropsychiatric conditions in the Greek population.

There were 1059 participants (40% male, average age = 75 at the beginning of the study) in this study. At the beginning of the study the participants completed a food frequency questionnaire administered by a trained dietitian. The foods were broken down into individual nutrients using the USDA Food Composition tables adapted for foods in the Greek diet.

The diet of each participant was then rated on a 15-point scale ranging from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory based on something called the Diet Inflammation Index (DII).

Simply put, the DII is a validated assessment tool based on the effect of food nutrients on 6 inflammatory biomarkers found in the blood (IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and CRP). Nutrients that decrease these markers are considered anti-inflammatory. Nutrients that increase these inflammatory biomarkers are considered pro-inflammatory.

For example, anti-inflammatory nutrients include:

Carotenoids and flavonoids (found in fruits and vegetables).
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (found in cold-water fish, walnuts, flaxseeds, and chia seeds).
Monounsaturated fatty acids (found in olive, avocado, and peanut oils).
Fiber (found in minimally processed plant foods).
Antioxidants, most B vitamins, and vitamin D.
Magnesium and zinc.
Garlic, onions, most herbs & spices.

Pro-inflammatory nutrients include:

Refined carbohydrates.
Cholesterol.
Total fat.
Saturated fats.
Trans fats.

The participants were followed for 3 years, and all new diagnoses of dementia were recorded. The diagnoses were confirmed by a panel of neurologists and neuropsychologists.

Can Your Diet Cause You To Lose Your Mind?

As described above, the diet of each participant in the study was rated on a 15-point DII (Diet Inflammatory Index) scale ranging from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory. The association of the DII score of the participant’s diets with the onset of dementia was evaluated in two ways.

Each one-point increase from an anti-inflammatory diet to a pro-inflammatory diet was associated with a 21% increase in the risk for dementia.

In other words, even small changes in your diet can have a significant impact on your risk of developing dementia.

The investigators then divided the participants into three equal-sized groups based on the DII score of their diets.

The group with the highest DII scores were 3 times more likely to develop dementia than the group with the lowest DII scores.

In other words, a major change in your diet can have a major effect on your risk of developing dementia.

The authors concluded, “In the present study, higher DII scores (indicating greater pro-inflammatory diet potential) were associated with an increased risk for incident dementia [newly diagnosed dementia]. These findings may avail the development of primary dementia strategies through tailored and precise dietary interventions.”

What Is A Mind-Healthy Diet?

This and other studies show that an anti-inflammatory diet is good for the mind. It helps protect us from cognitive decline and dementia. But what does an anti-inflammatory diet look like?

One hint comes from analyzing the diets of participants in this study:

Those with the lowest DII scores (most-anti-inflammatory diets) consumed 20 servings of fruit, 19 servings of vegetables, 4 servings of beans or other legumes, and 11 servings of coffee or tea each week. That’s almost 3 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables every day!

Those with the highest DII scores (most pro-inflammatory diets) consumed only half as many fruits, vegetables, and legumes.

In short, a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and legumes is a good start.

I have described anti-inflammatory diets in more detail in a previous issue of “Health Tips From the Professor.” Let me summarize that article briefly.

Anti-inflammatory foods include:

Colorful fruits and vegetables.
Whole grains.
Beans and other legumes.
Nuts, olive oil, avocados, and other sources of monounsaturated fats.
Fatty fish and other sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
Herbs and spices.

Pro-inflammatory foods include:

Refined carbohydrates, sodas, and sugary foods.
Foods high in saturated fats including fatty and processed meats, butter, and high fat dairy products.
Foods high in trans fats.
French fries, fried chicken, and other fried foods.
Foods you are allergic or sensitive food. For example, gluten containing foods are pro-inflammatory only if you are sensitive to gluten.

If your goal is to reduce chronic inflammation and keep your mind sharp as a tack as you age, you should eat more anti-inflammatory foods and less pro-inflammatory foods.

Of course, we don’t just eat random foods, we follow dietary patterns. It should be apparent from what I have covered above that whole food, primarily plant-based diets are anti-inflammatory. This is true for diets ranging from vegan through semi-vegetarian, to the Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND diets.

All these diets are anti-inflammatory and likely protect the brain from cognitive decline. However, the best evidence for brain protection is for the Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND diets.

The Mediterranean and DASH diets have been shown to prevent cognitive decline in multiple studies.

The MIND diet is a combination the Mediterranean and DASH diets that was specifically designed to prevent cognitive decline. It has been shown to cut the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in half.

What Is A Mind-Healthy Lifestyle?

Diet is just one aspect of a holistic approach for reducing cognitive decline as we age. Other important factors include:

Reduce excess body weight.

Exercise regularly.

Get adequate sleep.

Reduce and/or manage stress.

Eliminate smoking and reduce alcohol consumption.

Socialize with friends and family who support you. Numerous studies have shown that a strong support network reduces dementia risk in the elderly.

Keep your brain active. Work crossword puzzles. Learn new things. An active brain is forced to lay down new neural pathways.

The Bottom Line

Recent studies have suggested that chronic inflammation increases the risk of cognitive decline and dementia as we age. Some causes of chronic inflammation are beyond our control, but others, such as diet, we can control.

Recently, a precise scoring system called the Diet Inflammatory Index (DII) has been developed. This scoring system allows studies to look at the correlation between the inflammatory potential of the diet and cognitive decline.

A recent study enrolled 1,000 participants with an average age of 75 in a 3-year study to determine the impact of diet on cognitive decline. The association of the DII score of the participant’s diets with the onset of dementia was evaluated in two ways.

Each one-point increase from an anti-inflammatory diet to a pro-inflammatory diet was associated with a 21% increase in the risk for dementia.

In other words, even small changes in your diet can have a significant impact on your risk of developing dementia.

The investigators then divided the participants into three equal-sized groups based on the DII score of their diets.

The group with the highest DII scores were 3 times more likely to develop dementia than the group with the lowest DII scores.

In other words, a major change in your diet can have a major effect on your risk of developing dementia.

For more details and a description of mind-healthy diets and a mind-healthy lifestyle read the article above.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.