By: Coralis Alsina, RD, LND
Nutritionist and President of the Medical Nutrition Center
Neuronutrition is an innovative concept aimed at treating brain-related diseases, with
scientists in this field observing and exploring the anti-inflammatory, antineoplastic and
neuroprotective effects of foods and certain eating patterns.
Recently, the preventive and therapeutic aspects of the Mediterranean-Dash
Intervention Diet for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) in neurodegenerative
diseases have been highlighted, with a primary focus on Alzheimer’s disease. Therefore, it's
essential to know what the evidence reveals about its components and effectiveness.
Eating Patterns vs. Specific Foods
- Because patients benefit from interactions among nutrients from the same dish, the
evidence-reported practice does not promote the cognitive effect of a single food, with
an emphasis always on eating patterns. Based on this principle, the therapeutic potential
of the food structure offered by the MIND diet has been recognized as a hybrid
between the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and Mediterranean
diets – both of which offer multifaceted clinical effectiveness.
- The mechanisms of neuronutrition are based on the relationships between oxidative
stress, inflammation and premature brain aging, and specifically, important structures
such as telomeres (Flanagan et al., 2020). Accelerated telomere shortening has been
associated with shorter life expectancies and the development of chronic diseases.
Likewise, neuroinflammation contributes to the presence of amyloidosis, neuron death,
the thinning of the cerebral cortex, loss of brain volume, and cerebrovascular diseases
and heart attacks. The nutrients in the MIND diet inhibit the formation of
pro-inflammatory cytokines, and exert a protective effect as a result of the connection
between the microbiota – the gut and brain, known as gut-brain axis. In addition, the
role of nutrition in maintaining and optimizing the brain’s metabolic activity as a
mechanism of neurodegenerative prevention has also been proposed.
- A meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies that included a total of 13,733 participants
found high effectiveness among the group most adherent to the Mediterranean diet and
telomeric length (Canudas et al., 2020). The reported age range of the participants was
20 to 65, and the authors analyzed data from well-designed studies, such as the Nurse’s
Health Study, the PREDIMED-Navarra study, and the National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey (NHANES), among others. A prospective study led by the Rush
University Medical Center in Chicago found that the MIND diet reduced the incidence
of Alzheimer’s disease by up to 54% in participants with greater adherence (Morris et
al., 2015). The research lasted four (4) years, and included 923 participants between the
ages of 58 and 98. As with all therapies, adherence to this eating pattern has proven to
be a key factor in the therapeutic effectiveness of the MIND diet.
Components of the MIND Diet
- The nutritional analysis of the foods promoted by the MIND diet shows that they
provide polyphenols, fatty acids, Omega-3s, vitamins and antioxidants. The MIND diet
is plant based, and like the Mediterranean diet, promotes the consumption of fish and
olive oil. It also recommends reducing foods that are high in saturated fat, and favors a
repertoire of intact foods such as legumes and whole grains. And although the DASH
diet aligns with the Mediterranean diet, it emphasizes sodium control.
| Foods Allowed
in Abundance |
Foods Allowed
in Moderate Amounts |
Foods
to Avoid |
|
• Fish – one (1) serving/per
week |
• Animal Protein:
◦ Poultry – two (2)
servings/per week |
• Red Meat and Derivatives |
|
• Whole Grains – three (3)
servings/per day
|
• Wine – one (1) serving/per
day
|
• Pastries |
|
• Leafy Green Vegetables – six
(6) servings/per week
|
|
• Cheese |
|
• Nuts – five (5) servings/per
week
|
|
• Butter/Margarine |
|
• Legumes – three (3) servings/per week
|
|
• Fried Foods |
|
• Berries – two (2) servings/per
week
|
|
|
|
• Olive Oil
|
|
|
Who benefits from the MIND Diet?
- Although degenerative signs and changes are more evident in the elderly, it has been
observed that gradual cognitive decline begins after the age of 30.
- Although the MIND diet is a non-invasive and safe food therapy, it may be
contraindicated when taking warfarin (Coumadin®).
- Caution must be exercised for patients with hyperkalemia, certain allergies, specific
intolerances to permitted foods, and certain gastrointestinal conditions that
temporarily exclude foods high in fiber, such as leafy greens, grains and nuts.
- Because patients may have doubts about how to incorporate the principles of the
MIND diet into their daily eating routines, a professional licensed in nutrition and
dietetics can be an ally in designing and customizing this eating pattern.
- Patients may need recipes and/or structured menus to help them establish their diet
prescription.
- The MIND nutritional protocol allows us to combine the best of two diets into one,
and as health professionals, we must remain vigilant concerning clinical effectiveness in
our evidence-based practices.
References:
- Canudas, S., Becerra-Tomas, N., Hernandez-Alonso, P., Galie, S., Leung, C., Crous-Bou, M.,
De Vivo, I., Gao, Y., Gu, Y., Meinila, J., Milte, C., Garcia-Calzon, S., Marti, A., Boccardi, V.,
Ventura-Marra, M., & Salas-Salvado, J. (2020). Mediterranean Diet and Telomere Length:
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. In Advances in Nutrition (Vol. 11, Issue 6, pp.
1544–1554). Oxford University Press.https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmaa079
- Flanagan, E., Lamport, D., Brennan, L., Burnet, P., Calabrese, V., Cunnane, S. C., de Wilde,
M. C., Dye, L., Farrimond, J. A., Emerson Lombardo, N., Hartmann, T., Hartung, T.,
Kalliomäki, M., Kuhnle, G. G., La Fata, G., Sala-Vila, A., Samieri, C., Smith, A. D., Spencer, J.
P. E., … Vauzour, D. (2020). Nutrition and the ageing brain: Moving towards clinical
applications. In Ageing Research Reviews (Vol. 62). Elsevier Ireland Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2020.101079
- Morris, M. C., Tangney, C. C., Wang, Y., Sacks, F. M., Bennett, D. A., & Aggarwal, N. T. (2015).
MIND diet associated with reduced incidence of Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s and
Dementia, 11(9), 1007–1014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2014.11.009
- What Do We Know About Diet and Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease? | National
Institute on Aging. (n.d.). National Institute on Aging;
https://www.facebook.com/NIHAging/. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-do-we-know-about-diet-and-prevention-alzheime
rs-disease
