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022418-adv-oz

The Rapid City Journal - 2/24/2018

My dad had a stroke last year that affected his left side. He's doing pretty well at physical therapy, but he can't cook for himself right now, so I'm helping out. Is there anything specific I should know about what his diet should be? - Shannon L., Brooklyn, New York

Your timing is excellent. A new study presented at the American Stroke Association'sInternational Stroke Conference focused on how a version of the Mediterranean Diet helps people avoid post-stroke cognitive decline. (Stroke survivors are twice as likely as the general population to experience cognitive decline.)

The researchers evaluated the effectiveness of the MIND Diet - that's the Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay. The diet study was tested by Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, and it's the Mediterranean Diet on, well, we'll go ahead and say it: steroids. The nutrients emphasized in the MIND Diet are folate, vitamin E, omega-3 fatty acids, carotenoids and flavonoids. That's because those nutrients, the researchers say, "are associated with slower rates of cognitive decline, while substances such as saturated and hydrogenated fats have been associated with dementia."

To follow the MIND Diet, make sure your dad:

Gets three servings of whole grains and a combo of green leafy vegetables and other colors every day, along with a glass of wine.

Snacks on nuts most days.

Has beans every other day.

Enjoys skinless poultry and berries at least twice a week.

Eats fish at least once a week. We recommend twice weekly with either salmon or sea trout.

And does not eat: Red meat, dairy, pastries, sweets, and fried or fast food.

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