Diet for mind
For the brain to work without failures, it needs to be supported, including special nutrition. To preserve the youth of the brain and prevent the development of Alzheimer’s disease, a special MIND diet was developed, which translates as a diet for the mind. MIND is a combination of two world-famous diets, the DASH diet and the Mediterranean diet. This diet has two positive effects: firstly, adhering to it, its risk of developing Alzheimer’s decreases by 53%, and secondly, since the diet is low-calorie, weight is reduced.
So, what is the essence of this diet? Firstly, the main condition of the MIND diet is a reduction in caloric intake. Doctors recommend arranging a fasting day once a week, with calories of less than 500 kcal. Secondly, keep the water balance: you need to drink up to 2 liters of fluid per day, since a water shortage disrupts the intake of important substances in the brain for its work.
Diet implies the division of products into groups: 10 useful groups and 5 harmful.
10 healthy brain foods
1. Green leafy vegetables (lettuce, chard, cabbage, onions, parsley, sorrel, spinach, dill, artichoke, cilantro, basil) – daily
2. Other vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, beets, peppers, eggplant, carrots, celery, etc.) – daily.
3. Nuts – daily.
4. Berries (especially blueberries and strawberries) – 2-3 times a week.
5. Legumes (beans, peas, soybeans, beans) – 5-7 times a week.
6. Products from whole grains (rye and wheat bread, cereals – oat, buckwheat, pearl barley, rice – brown or brown rice, etc.) – daily.
7. Sea fish – 2-3 times a week.
8. Poultry meat (chicken, turkey) – 2-3 times a week.
9. Olive oil – daily
10. Red grape wine – daily or 2-3 times a week.
5 foods that you need to refuse: butter, margarine and spreads, red meat, fried foods and fast food, cheese, pastries and sweets.
Sample menu for a week of MIND diet
Monday
Breakfast: porridge from oatmeal, yogurt with fresh blueberries, green tea with lemon.
Lunch: vegetable and bean soup, chicken steam cutlets, leafy vegetable salad with olive oil, dried fruit compote.
Dinner: boiled buckwheat with zucchini caviar, green apple, berry fruit drink.
Tuesday
Breakfast: millet porridge with raisins, whole grain bread with honey, tea with lemon.
Lunch: fish soup, boiled white meat of turkey, cabbage and carrot salad seasoned with lemon juice and olive oil, apple compote.
Dinner: cottage cheese with herbs, sprinkled with sesame seeds, orange, berry jelly.
Wednesday
Breakfast: whole grain bread with feta, herbal tea with honey.
Lunch: soup with cereals and vegetables, stewed cabbage, fish fillet baked with tomatoes, stewed prunes.
Dinner: stewed beans with garlic and walnuts, green tea with honey and lemon.
Thursday
Breakfast: wheat porridge with fresh berries, whole grain bread with honey, tea with lemon.
Lunch: cabbage soup, fresh beetroot salad, brown rice, chicken goulash, pear compote.
Dinner: broccoli with olive oil, a handful of hazelnuts, a glass of red wine / a decoction of herbs.
Friday
Breakfast: oatmeal with dried apricots and sunflower seeds, bread, tangerine, tea.
Lunch: chicken broth with crackers, Chinese cabbage salad with herbs, olive oil and lemon juice, cherry compote.
Dinner: kefir with fresh raspberries, whole grain bread, a handful of nuts.
Saturday
Breakfast: porridge “Friendship” with flax seeds, bread with honey, apple, tea with lemon.
Lunch: kefir beetroot, boiled buckwheat, iceberg salad with lemon and olive oil, pear compote.
Dinner: stewed zucchini with carrots and tomatoes, nuts, cranberry jelly.
Sunday
Breakfast: whole grain bread with chickpeas hummus, tea with honey and lemon.
Lunch: soup with beans, green pea, spinach and feta salad, blackcurrant compote.
Dinner: cottage cheese casserole with fresh (frozen) strawberries, bread with honey, a glass of red wine / decoction of herbs with honey.
