How to reverse your risk for dementia

A study in Neurology looked at three years’ worth of data on 1,059 folks around age 71; 40 percent were male. Those who averaged 20 servings of fruit, 19 of vegetables, four of legumes and 11 of coffee or tea each week were the least likely to develop dementia. Those who only ate an average of nine servings of fruit, 10 of vegetables, two of legumes and nine of coffee or tea a week were three times more likely to develop cognition woes.

So, there’s your food equation for brain health: Go to www.nia.nih.gov and search for “serving and portion sizes” to figure out what makes a serving of those brain-friendly foods. Then plot out daily meal plans. Great recipes for everything from Chickpea, Chestnut & Kale Soup to Cucumber, Orange & Mint Salad and Blueberry Rhubarb Pie are in Dr. Mike’s book “What to Eat When Cookbook.”

Mind your mindfulness — you don’t want to get it wrong!

What’s the secret training technique that connects Michael Jordan, all of the Golden State Warriors, Derek Jeter, Novak Djokovic and Barry Trotz, the coach of the NHL’S 2018 Washington Capitals (they won the Stanley Cup)? Mindfulness.

That form of meditation allows for moment-by-moment awareness without distracting or negative attachment.

The reason mindfulness — whether practiced in a quiet, darkened room or racing down the basketball court — is so powerful is that it allows keen observation without the distraction that comes from derailing, emotional responses. You focus. See. (Act without reacting.) Move on.

But most folks don’t accomplish that when they do mindful meditation, according to a new study in Clinical Psychology Review. It seems in actual practice, people substitute passive acceptance for mindful engagement — which is truly the heart of the practice. Just ignoring stuff isn’t the point. The point is to fully see it — even examine or question it — and then let it drift away so that you have both understanding and acceptance, without frustration, anger, stress.

When you learn to do that, you gain the many health benefits of mindfulness: calming of the stress response, decreased reactivity, increased empathy, sharper focus and enhanced working memory, less conflict with both your near and dear, and at work — and, apparently, enhanced athletic ability!

For info on technique, visit Clevelandclinic.org; search for “Mindfulness: 17 Simple Ways to Ease Stress.”

Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@sharecare.com.