"Preserving Brain Health: The Impact of Mediterranean and MIND Diets on Aging"

A study suggests that following the Mediterranean diet, along with other healthy lifestyle factors such as not smoking, minimal alcohol consumption, and regular exercise, can help maintain cognitive function in old age, even in individuals showing signs of dementia. The diet's balance and ability to keep individuals full for longer, along with its abundance of brain-protecting antioxidants from fruits and vegetables, are believed to contribute to this effect. The study, based on data from the Rush Memory and Aging Project, found that a higher healthy lifestyle score was associated with better cognitive functioning close to death, even in individuals with signs of Alzheimer's in their brains.