Q. I’m enjoying creating and maintaining a Longevity Lifestyle. Wish I’d done it sooner but it is what it is . . . The other day I heard about the “MIND” diet. Mediterranean something or other. Is this something I should be doing?

A. Recently and seemingly all at once, several sources are issuing recommendations similar to the nutritional components outlined in Longevity Lifestyle Matters. The MIND diet is said to have been developed by researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. Reportedly it combines elements of two other popular nutrition plans designed to benefit heart health: the Mediterranean diet and the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet. The acronym MIND stands for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. The goal is to help people reduce the risk of developing dementia, especially Alzheimer’s disease. The MIND diet does contains some nutritional recommendations similar to Longevity Lifestyle Matters. For example:

  • Green leafy vegetables and cruciferous veggies such as broccoli
  • Beans and natural grains and seeds as part of your food intake
  • Nuts several times a week
  • Berries on a regular basis
  • Olive oil over other types of oils and fats

It also recommends restricting one’s intake of:

  • Red meat
  • Butter and stick margarine
  • Cheeses
  • Pastries and other sugary sweets
  • Fried foods

I certainly have no problem with these recommendations. Just remember that a Longevity Lifestyle is not a diet. It is a way to live for the rest of your life and includes components far more encompassing than just nutrition.