Mediterranean diet promotes brain health

A recent study of 2,000 people, aged 65 and over who were free of dementia and Alzheimer's disease, found that they were likely to favor a "Mediterranean" diet. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables, as well as omega-3 fatty acids promotes heart health, and what's good for the heart is good for the brain.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Dr. Nikolaos Scarmeas of Columbia University in New York says that those who favored a Mediterranean diet regularly were found to be 38 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease over a period of four years. The findings were published online in the journal Archives of Neurology. The diet is characterized by eating more salad dressing, nuts, tomatoes, fish, poultry, cruciferous vegetables, fruits, and dark and green leafy vegetables. Foods to avoid are red meat, organ meat, butter and high-fat dairy products.

"Our findings provide support for further exploration of food combination-based dietary behavior for the prevention of this important public health problem," Scarmeas says. A Mediterranean-style diet has already been linked to improved cardiovascular health. The latest findings add credibility to a growing body of published medical literature that this diet prevents Alzheimer's disease. Dr. David Knopman of the Mayo Clinic questioned whether the study validated previous analyses by Scarmeas' group. Knopman said that the current study used the same data set in the same population. "What's really needed are more instances of validation in independent populations," he says.

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