Eat smarter

Head to the Med

‘There’s some promising evidence that suggests a heart-healthy Mediterranean-style diet could cut your risk of developing problems with memory and thinking,’ says Dr Emer Macsweeney of Re:cognition Health, which offers clinical trials on dementia. The diet is balanced with an emphasis on fruit, vegetables, legumes and fish, with limited consumption of meat, sugar and saturated fat. However, there may be other factors at play, including the lifestyles of those who eat this way. ‘But, for most of us, following a Med-style diet is a good way to ensure a healthier heart, which is good for your brain,’ says Dr Macsweeney.

Try the MIND way of eating

This diet, developed to help improve brain function, combines the Mediterranean diet and the blood pressure-lowering DASH diet. It’s packed with vitamin E, which may protect against plaques in the brain; omega 3, which could improve brain cells’ ability to communicate; and vitamin B, to help prevent memory loss.

Base your meals on these to give your brain the nutrients it needs:

Green leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale Other veg, such as red peppers, squash, carrots and broccoli Nuts Berries Beans, lentils and soybeans Wholegrains Seafood Poultry Olive oil – in fact, studies have suggested that the antioxidant found in olive oil could reduce plaque formation that is characteristic of Alzheimer’s.