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By Janet Tiberian, MA, MPH, CHES

July 17, 2025

Many of the medical elements of Alzheimer’s disease stay a mystery for researchers. Nonetheless, it’s increasingly obvious that lifestyle choices heavily influence our risk for this debilitating disease.  

With that in mind, researchers from Rush University Medical Center developed the MIND diet in 2015. The goal was to help link dietary components to brain health and prevent cognitive decline. MIND is an acronym for Mediterranean DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. It combines the Mediterranean and DASH diets. These are two very healthy eating styles. They help lower the risk for coronary artery disease, stroke, and heart attacks.

Rush researchers found that the MIND diet lowered the risk of Alzheimer’s among adults who rigorously followed it. The reduction was by as much as 53 percent. For those who moderately followed it, the risk was lowered by nearly 35 percent. This is according to a paper published online in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.  

A decade later, new research published this year in the journal Nature Medicine is reinforcing the Rush University findings.

What’s in the MIND Diet

The diet encourages eating vegetables, particularly green leafy ones. It also suggests consuming nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, olive oil, fish, and poultry regularly. However, it recommends limiting red meat, butter/margarine, cheese, sweets, and fried and fast foods.  

Researchers believe the combination of these dietary components provides a stronger reduction in dementia risk. This effect is more consistent than other healthy diets. Foods included in the diet are rich in vitamin E, folate, omega-3 fatty acids, carotenoids and flavanols. These are nutrients that have been shown to slow cognitive decline. The diet is light on saturated and hydrogenated fats, which tend to accelerate cognitive decline.

Am I Too Old to Begin Following the MIND Diet?  

Eating healthy throughout your life is associated with maintaining better brain function. But it’s never too late to begin the MIND diet.  

The participants in the MIND study were aged between 58 and 98. A healthy diet can greatly improve the chances of aging healthily for middle-aged adults. This is according to a study published in Nature Medicine. Researchers from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa (UH) conducted a study. The University of Southern California (USC) also conducted their MIND diet study. They found that it’s important for older adults to adopt and adhere to the MIND diet. This adherence helps prevent dementia. Their findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition.  

UH and USC researchers reviewed data from nearly 93,000 people. These individuals submitted dietary information to UH’s The Multiethnic Cohort. This is a large epidemiological study that began in the early 1990s. It follows more than 215,000 residents of Hawaii and Los Angeles aged 45 to 75. These participants are of Caucasian, Japanese American, Native Hawaiian, African American, and Latino ethnicities. Data from 21,000 participants was removed before the analysis because they developed Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia. The analysis showed participants with: 

• Adhering better to the MIND diet at the beginning of the study resulted in a lower risk of developing dementia. This reduction in risk was nine percent.
• African American, Latino or Caucasian ethnic backgrounds had the most significant risk reduction, which was 13 percent.  
• Participants who improved adherence to the MIND diet over 10 years had a 25 percent lower risk of dementia. This is since it was created. This is compared to participants whose adherence declined over the years. 

How Does the MIND Work?  

Following a Mediterranean diet can help you lower your risk for heart disease and some cancers. And the DASH diet is a go-to lifestyle remedy for high blood pressure. But neither are as effective for brain health as the MIND diet. Why?   
 
Rush University researchers claim the MIND diet is easier to follow than other healthy diets. They credit the daily consumption of foods such as fish, nuts, and berries. Eating leafy greens and olive oil also has brain boosting properties.    

Berries, especially strawberries and blueberries, are important for brain health. Eating strawberries and blueberries on a regular basis helps improve memory. Blueberries are considered potent. They increase blood flow to areas of the brain responsible for memory and attention. This is according to a study published in Neural Regeneration Research.    

Brain Health Tips  

Following the MIND diet is just one component of a brain healthy lifestyle. Make sure you also:  

Exercise. Regular physical activity helps improve blood flow to the brain, lower inflammation, control cortisol levels and increase brain volume. Be sure to talk to your doctor before beginning or change your workout routine.  

Stay socially connected. Relationships and social activities help you stay engaged with the world and ease loneliness, a risk of dementia.  

Manage depression and anxiety. Both conditions raise the risk of dementia.  

Become a life-long learner. Learning new information helps form new neural pathways in the brain.  

Maintain your hearing. Hearing loss accounts for eight percent of dementia cases. If necessary, a hearing aid may be a helpful tool to protect your brain health.    

Finally, work with your MDVIP-affiliated physician. They offer the MDVIP Wellness Program. It screens for components of a brain-healthy lifestyle. These components include exercise, nutrition, sleep, substance use, emotional health (including stress), blood pressure, and social connections. Doctors use results from these screenings to develop a personalized wellness program for you that can focus on brain health. Doctors also have more time to get to know you. Understanding your lifestyle may help them recognize early signs of cognitive decline.  

If you’re curious about your brain health, take MDVIP’s brain health quiz and peruse our brain health center. Share the results with your primary care physician. If they’re concerned, they may discuss the new Alzheimer’s test with you.  

If you’re looking for a primary care physician, consider partnering with an MDVIP-affiliated physician. Find an MDVIP affiliate near you »