A diet that can help stroke survivors

Q: 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? —

A: Your timing is excellent. A new study presented at the American Stroke Association’s International 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.

Q: I was planning a surfin’ safari out to Southern California, but I heard that the water is polluted with bad bacteria, and that’s bad news for surfers. In fact, the water might not be safe here either. Are my surfing days over? —

A: Here’s the deal: To determine if the water is safe for surfing (or splashing), the first thing you need to do is look for the posted bacteria level warnings at whatever beach you are on, especially after a rain. You also can go to the website Surfrider.org to check the bacterial level of ocean water in the U.S. and Caribbean! The Blue Water Task Force’s volunteer, water-quality monitoring program on that site is awesome, Dude. (Parents should check it out before taking young kids to the beach; also smart for anyone who is immune-compromised or elderly.)

Also check out the info generated by a 29-year-old Hawaiian surfer named Cliff Kapono, who also happens to be a biochemist at the University of California, San Diego. He heads up the Surfer Biome Project, which checks for antibiotic-resistant organisms by swabbing saliva and collecting fecal samples from surfers around the world. You can track his findings through cliffkapono.com.

Next, what we think you are referring to, Mickey, was a recent British study in the journal Environment International, which found that surfers (and frequent ocean swimmers) had about three times more of an antibioticresistant strain of E.coli bacteria in their system than the average beachgoer. (Researchers believe surfers ingest close to 6 ounces of seawater every outing, far more than casual waders or swimmers.) The study also found that about 9 percent of surfers tested were colonized by bacteria that are resistant to treatment with the antibiotic cefotaxime, while only 3 percent of average beachgoers were. This may be significant for the health of individual surfers as well as the general public, since it may increase the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

So, stay tuned to the resources that are tracking ocean water quality, support local and national efforts to control pollution (especially runoff from agribusinesses that give their livestock 60 percent of antibiotics used in the U.S.), and try not to swallow too much water if you fall off your board or get hit by a big wave.

Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen at youdocsdaily@sharecare.com.