A stroke is a medical emergency and a life-altering event. Chances are that you probably know someone who has been affected by one, the most common of which is an ischemic stroke. This type of stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is either reduced or blocked. That prevents the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to brain tissue. As a result, brain cells begin to die in minutes. Another type of stroke is a hemorrhagic stroke, which happens when a blood vessel in the brain leaks or bursts, causing bleeding in the brain. Blood increases pressure on brain cells, causing damage. 

That was a lot of information to begin an article, but there is some light at the end of that seemingly dark tunnel. Nearly 80% of strokes are preventable, and cardiologists suggest several things you can do to reduce the risk of stroke. Stroke risk is something that builds over time through various factors like lifestyle habits, blood pressure, and underlying health conditions. Consider the following four things to help reduce your risk of stroke. 

Control Your Cholesterol

If you have higher levels of “bad” low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, you have a higher risk of fatty deposits building up in your arteries. Plaque narrows the arteries that lead to the brain, which can lead to a blood clot that causes an ischemic stroke. By lowering LDL cholesterol levels, you can help slow or reverse plaque buildup in the arteries. Ideally, keep your LDL below 100 mg/dL. For those at higher risk or who have previously had a stroke, new guidelines suggest keeping LDL levels below 70 mg/dL. 

Simple lifestyle changes can help you keep cholesterol levels down. Eating a heart-healthy diet, limiting your sodium intake, and focusing on healthy fats are great first steps. Avoid ultra-processed foods at all costs! Additionally, watch out for condiments and dressings, which can contain trans and saturated fats, excess sodium, and preservatives. Cut back on full-fat dairy and meat, as those are two sources of saturated fats, which contribute to high levels of LDL cholesterol.

Eat A Heart-Healthy Diet

According to dietitians, the Mediterranean diet has proven to significantly reduce the risk of stroke. This diet emphasizes the consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats (olive oil, nuts, and seeds), and lean proteins, especially fish and poultry. It also calls for you to limit your intake of sugar, processed foods, and red meat. One study followed women who adhered to the Mediterranean diet for over two decades. The results indicated that those who followed it more closely had a 25% lower risk of stroke. 

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is also a heart-healthy eating pattern. It emphasizes potassium-rich foods and a lower intake of high-sodium foods. According to one study, those who followed the DASH diet significantly reduced systolic blood pressure by up to 4.6 mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure by up to 1.1. mmHg. Another study found that individuals with high risk of heart disease who followed either the Mediterranean diet or DASH diet had a lower risk of total stroke or ischemic stroke. 

Manage Your Blood Pressure

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is the single most important and controllable risk factor for stroke. High blood pressure weakens and damages arteries throughout the body, which increases the likelihood of them rupturing or becoming clogged. You could aim for a target blood pressure of less than 130/80 mmHg to reduce your risk of stroke and other cardiovascular events, such as heart attack. 

Even though high blood pressure is something you can easily control, only 1 in 4 adults with hypertension has it under control. You can easily manage blood pressure through lifestyle changes. Regular exercises, following a low-sodium diet, proper sleep, and stress management techniques can help lower blood pressure. Know your numbers and check your blood pressure at home. Click here to learn how to properly check your blood pressure. 

Exercise Regularly

Movement is one of the easiest, most accessible, and free things you can do to lower your risk of stroke. Physical activity encourages blood vessel health by lowering blood pressure and raising high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good” cholesterol. It also helps you maintain a healthy weight and control blood sugar, all of which are essential to lowering your risk of stroke. According to research, people who are active have a 34% lower risk of hemorrhagic stroke and 21% lower risk of ischemic stroke. Ideally, aim to get 30 minutes of moderate-intense aerobic activity per day, which equates to 150 minutes of total exercise per week.

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The MIND diet is essentially a way of eating to optimize brain health as you age. It combines the Mediterranean diet and DASH diet, creating a dietary plan that focuses on nutrients for the brain. This article details the MIND diet for beginners, highlighting the key components and how you can follow it. 

What Is The MIND Diet?

MIND stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. The risk of dementia and overall brain decline increases with age, but the MIND diet aims to help reduce the risk or prevent cognitive decline. The reason that the MIND diet fuses the Mediterranean and DASH diets is because researchers believe them to be the healthiest diets today. According to research, both diets have demonstrated an ability to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of several diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. 

The reason behind developing the MIND diet was to help improve brain function and reduce dementia risk. While developing this diet, researchers took note of which foods from the Mediterranean and DASH diets had proven to benefit the brain. Fruit intake, for example, helps to improve brain function, with a lot of evidence supporting the consumption of berries. The MIND diet doesn’t just place an emphasis on fruit; rather, it encourages the consumption of vegetables, nuts, heart-healthy oils, whole grains, fish, beans, and a little wine for optimal brain health. 

The 10 Foods That The MIND Diet Encourages

• Green leafy vegetables: Aim for six or more servings of leafy greens like kale, spinach, cooked collards, cabbage, and salads per week. 
• Other vegetables: Try to eat other vegetables with your leafy greens at least once per day. Researchers note that non-starchy vegetables are better because they provide more nutrients and fewer calories. 
• Nuts: Although the creators of the MIND diet don’t specify which nuts to consume, they suggest that you consume five to six servings of nuts per week. Try to vary your intake of nuts, such as cashews, almonds, walnuts, and pecans. 
• Beans: Include beans in your meals at least four times per week, from lentils and black beans to kidney beans and chickpeas.
• Berries: Eat at least two servings of berries per week. You can choose from blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries, all of which exhibit antioxidant activity. 
• Olive oil: Try to prioritize olive oil as your primary cooking oil and ditch vegetable, soybean, or canola oils. Olive oil has been proven to improve heart health, and you can click here for more information. 
• Poultry: Although you don’t have to eat poultry, you can eat it twice per week on the MIND diet. If you do eat poultry, avoid the factory farmed poultry options and opt for organic varieties. 
• Whole grains: Choose from oats, quinoa, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, barley, and more at least three times per day! These provide essential nutrients that optimize brain health. 
• Wine: Don’t chug-a-lug a bottle of wine every night! Instead, one small glass of red or white wine daily may have positive cognitive benefits. 
• Fish: Wild caught fish, not farmed fish, is rich in a variety of nutrients, especially omega-3 fatty acids. Aim to consume fish like tuna, salmon, trout, sardines, or mackerel at least once per week. 

Foods To Limit On The MIND Diet

• Cheese: Although you can consume cheese during the MIND diet, health experts don’t encourage the consumption of cheese more than one time per week. 
• Pastries and sweets: This category includes processed snacks, packaged desserts, ice cream, cookies, brownies, cakes, donuts, candy, and more. Try to avoid these at all costs, but once or twice a week will not completely derail your diet. 
• Butter and margarine: Do not consume more than one tablespoon (14 grams) of butter or margarine per day. It is better to use olive oil as your primary cooking oil. 
• Red meat: Do not consume more than three servings of red meat per week. This category includes pork, lamb, and all beef, or products made from these meats. 
• Fried food: Please avoid fried foods while following the MIND diet, especially if the fried food is from restaurants. 

The reason that you should limit your consumption of the above foods is because they contain saturated or trans fats. According to research studies, trans fats increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease. Partially hydrogenated oils contain a lot of trans fats, and they were banned by the FDA in 2020. They still exist in certain fried foods, but in much lower quantities. 

The Takeaway

Following the MIND diet may lead to numerous health benefits, including a reduction in oxidative stress and inflammation. Oxidative stress and inflammation contribute to the onset of many chronic diseases, and inflammation is detrimental to your brain. The MIND diet may also reduce harmful beta-amyloid proteins, which are potentially harmful to the brain. These proteins exist naturally in the body, but they can accumulate and form plaques in the brain, which can disrupt communication between brain cells.

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There may not be a magic pill to save you from cognitive decline, but there are definitely foods you can eat to help nourish the brain. Eating for your brain is just as important as eating for your gut. You can support your body by what you put on your plate! The brain may be the most important organ in the body, and if you want to keep it sharp as you age, make a nutritional effort now. 

According to several research studies, brain foods are the same ones that work to protect the heart and blood vessels. Two of the most studied diets in regards to brain health include the DASH diet and the Mediterranean diet. In addition to improving heart health, both diets have exhibited an ability to reduce the risk of dementia and cognitive decline. While these diets focus on diverse nutritional intake, there is no single diet that is best for the brain. The goal has to be to incorporate myriad foods that nourish both short- and long-term brain function.

If you want to keep your brain functioning like a well-oiled machine, avoid excess intake of processed foods, added sugars, and lots of red meat. Instead, focus on the following foods for your noggin. 

Walnuts

The fact that walnuts are shaped like little brains must count for something! Walnuts provide polyunsaturated fats and phytochemicals that help to benefit the brain. They contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is an essential omega-3 fatty acid. Several studies found that diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids decrease a person’s risk of heart disease and cognitive decline. A 2012 study found that walnuts improve working memory, cognitive flexibility, and processing speed. 

Leafy Greens

It’s always a good idea to include more leafy greens in your diet. Several studies found that increasing the consumption of watercress, kale, spinach, chard, and other leafy greens slowed cognitive decline in older people. Leafy greens contain folate, which works to reduce homocysteine levels, Homocysteine is an amino acid that has been linked to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease and brain atrophy. Additionally, some leafy greens contain glucosinolates, which encourage optimal brain function.

Berries

Berries, especially blueberries, are some of the best sources of flavonoid antioxidants. These work to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. Some of these antioxidants include catechin, quercetin, caffeic acid, and anthocyanin. According to a 2014 review, the antioxidant compounds in berries work to improve communication between brain cells. The same compounds may also increase plasticity, which helps brain cells form new connections. This contributes to better learning and memory. Lastly, berries help to delay the onset of neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive decline.

Coffee

Yes, coffee made the list, and it’s not because of the caffeine that jolts you awake. Coffee contains a neuroprotective compound known as phenylindane, which forms naturally during the roasting process. It’s this antioxidant that gives coffee the signature bitterness. A 2014 study found that coffee consumption reduced the risk of cognitive decline, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. Another 2015 study found that one cup of coffee per day over a three-and-a-half year period reduce the rate of cognitive impairment. Caffeine may help people solidify new memories. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University asked people to memorize images one day. One group then took a placebo and the other group took a 200 milligram caffeine tablet. The caffeine group was able to successfully identify the images the following day.

Cacao

There is strong evidence that suggests the flavonoids in cacao powder and cacao nibs benefit the memory and learning regions of the brain. Several studies confirmed that these flavonoids helped reduce inflammatory markers and enhance cognitive performance. The primary flavonoid in cacao is epicatechin, which improves various aspects of cognition. In fact, several studies found that it may reduce the risk of stroke and Alzheimer’s disease in humans. 

Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are rich in a variety of nutrients, including zinc, iron, copper, and magnesium, which encourage brain health. Often times people with low iron levels experience brain function impairment. Consuming more iron can enhance alertness and mental processing. Additionally, the zinc and copper work to support healthy nerve signaling. Finally, magnesium plays a large role in the way the brain learns and memorizes information. 

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The ketogenic diet isn’t the only popular health trend at the moment. The DASH diet, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, is one of the highest rated diets for heart health and weight loss. It’s not a mere fad diet, unlike many popular diets like Whole-30 or the carnivore. During the DASH diet, you don’t have to eliminate food groups; rather, it’s about making manageable changes and nutritional advances. 

What Is The DASH Diet?

Like most diets, the DASH diet puts an emphasis on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and lean protein. These foods are rich in beneficial, heart-healthy nutrients like calcium, fiber, antioxidants, protein, and potassium. DASH discourages foods like full-fat dairy products, tropical oils, sweets, sugary beverages, fatty meats, and foods rich in saturated fats. Additionally, you have to limit your sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams (mg) per day. Lower sodium DASH diet eventually brings this number down to about 1,500 mg per day.

The DASH diet is meant for long-term maintenance. Nutritionists relate the it to the Mediterranean diet, and both of them are tied for the best overall diet. By balancing protein, carbohydrate, fat, and other nutrient intake, you can experience better heart health and weight loss. 

How Does DASH Work?

One of the primary things that people love about the DASH diet is that there are no drastic dietary changes that take place. People start out by making small changes that they can manage. This can be as simple as adding an additional fruit or vegetable to every meal, or snacking on unsalted almonds in place of processed chips. One of the primary goals, however, is to use herbs and spices in place of salt. 

When it comes to what people eat on this diet, the primary focus is on fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, lean protein, legumes, and nuts. Consuming less salt and increasing exercise are two elements of the diet that contribute to improved metabolic function and weight loss. One study monitored blood pressure levels of people who followed the DASH diet. When coupled with exercise and portion control, people experienced a reduction in blood pressure levels. They lowered blood pressure by 16 mmHg systolic and 9mmHg diastolic. If your blood pressure is considered high, you may want to consult your health care professional about how DASH can benefit your health and get you off blood pressure medication.

Whom Is DASH Good For?

This diet was specifically designed for people with high blood pressure. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and American Heart Association (AHA) both promote this diet. If blood pressure readings are higher than 130 mmHg for systolic blood pressure and higher than 80 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure, DASH may offer assistance with reducing levels. 

People who eat processed foods, sugary drinks, packaged snacks, excess red meat, fried foods, and refined grains can benefit from DASH. It’s a lower sodium diet, which is beneficial for people with high blood pressure, or those who are at risk for type 2 diabetes. Because the diet is rich in magnesium, calcium, fiber, and potassium, it’s possible to lower sodium levels in the body. Those are natural electrolytes that help the body release excess fluid that contributes to high blood pressure. People who are overweight are typically deficient in these nutrients, so DASH corrects these deficiencies to promote optimal health. 

The Average DASH Diet Eating Plan

• 6-8 servings of whole grains daily
• 6 or fewer servings of lean protein, or wild-caught fish
• 4-5 servings of fruit
• 4-5 servings of vegetables
• 2-3 servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy products
• 2-3 servings of healthy fats (avocado oil, nuts, olive oil, etc.)

Daily Nutritional Goals on DASH

• Total fat is less than 27% of calories
• Protein is less than 18% of calories
• Cholesterol is 150 mg or less per day
• Saturated fat is less than 6% of calories
• Fiber is 30 grams or more per day
• Carbohydrates are more than 55% of calories

When it comes to weight loss or weight management in relation to calories, you may need to adjust them for your health goals. The DASH plan provides information for diets that have 1,200, 1,400, 1,600, 1,800, 2,000, 2,600, or 3,100 calories per day. 

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