Food for thought: nutrition and brain health

Sheila Hautbois, PA-C, is a physician assistant with a master’s in public health who is also a certified health education specialist and a certified lifestyle educator. A lifestyle medicine specialist, Sheila provides personalized health coaching and patient education with the goal of preventing, treating and reversing chronic disease.

Sheila is part of the Inova 360° Concierge Medicine team, offering a high-level, personal service approach to healthcare with a focus on better total health. 

Stephanie Roberts, MPH, RDN, CHC, is a registered dietitian. She leverages her public health background to support clients with culturally relevant and evidence-based nutrition education. Stephanie’s goal is to support each of her client’s individualized journeys by creating obtainable goals and celebrating success along the way.

Stephanie is part of the Inova Well team, where she takes a whole-human approach to wellness.

The brain is the command center for our nervous system, enabling thoughts, emotions, memory and movement. Because the brain relies on a variety of nutrients to maintain its structure and function, good nutrition is key for brain health. It becomes even more important to focus on optimizing our nutrition as we age, since the risk of dementia and progressive decline of cognitive abilities increases over time.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia for adults and affects almost 7 million Americans. Other conditions, such as stroke, Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis can also cause dementia. You may be wondering if there is a superfood or “magic bullet” to prevent cognitive decline and dementia. In fact, there is a range of food that is good for the brain – and also foods that are bad for the brain. Studies show that brain health is optimized by following an eating pattern that regularly includes brain-healthy (called “neuroprotective”) foods while limiting or avoiding brain-harming foods.

Foods to limit or avoid include:

• Refined (highly processed) grains – white bread and pasta, for example
• Sugary drinks
• Fried foods
• Sources of saturated fat, e.g., fatty cuts of meat (beef, pork, lamb), processed meats (bacon, sausage, hot dogs), whole milk, ice cream, cheese, coconut oil, chocolate, and butter

Brain-healthy foods are prominent in the Mediterranean diet and the MIND diet (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay). Both eating patterns are plant-based and centered on minimally processed, whole foods. Both diets may reduce inflammation while helping maintain, or even improve, cognitive function.

The Mediterranean diet refers to a way of eating that focuses on traditional foods eaten in countries that surround the Mediterranean Sea. Evidence supports positive health effects associated with adopting the Mediterranean diet, ranging from better heart health to reduced risk of certain cancers.

For brain health specifically, evidence suggests that following the Mediterranean dietary pattern is associated with improved cognitive function, decreased risk of cognitive impairment, and decreased risk of dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes:

• Multiple servings a day of fruits and vegetables (fresh or frozen)
• Daily serving of whole grains, beans or lentils, nuts or seeds, and spices
• Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) instead of butter or other, more saturated fats
• Fish two to three times per week, especially fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids (SMASH: salmon, mackerel, anchovy, sardines, herring)
• Moderation in eggs, cheese, poultry and yogurt (daily to weekly)
• Little or no red meat
• Little or no sweets such as candies, pastries and sugary drinks
• Daily physical activity
• Regular hydration with water throughout the day

The MIND diet, introduced in 2015 by Martha Clare Morris, ScD, and a team of researchers, is a hybrid of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). Researchers found that healthy, dementia-free adults who followed the MIND diet most closely reduced their risk of Alzheimer’s by 53% after just four-and-a-half years.

The MIND diet prioritizes the following foods:

Daily:

• Leafy greens (one or more servings)
• Other vegetables (one or more servings)
• Whole grains (two to three servings)
• Olive oil (use as your primary fat)

Weekly:

• Berries (two servings)
• Nuts (five servings)
• Fish (one to two servings, omega-3 rich)
• Lean poultry (two servings)
• Beans (three servings)

Looking for ideas to help you translate these guidelines into delicious meals and snacks? Check out the Cleveland Clinic’s Mediterranean diet resources or the official MIND diet recipe bank.

Your Inova 360° Concierge Medicine healthcare team is ready to discuss brain health and other nutrition topics with you. To schedule an appointment with Sheila Hautbois for guidance and support with optimizing your lifestyle, please contact your Inova 360° Concierge Medicine physician. To schedule a session with Inova Well registered dietitian Stephanie Roberts to discuss personalized nutrition goals and meal planning, call 571-472-1440.

If you’re interested in learning more about how you can benefit from a personalized approach to your health by becoming a member, contact Inova 360 Concierge Medicine.