Mediterranean–DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay

MIND diet is catching a lot of attention as risks of dementia loom for family members

By Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH

This piece was written with the assistance of Alter AI. Here’s a full, granular summary of the MIND Diet (Mediterranean–DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) — its composition, scoring system, and what the research has found regarding brain aging and dementia outcomes. This is the diet most strongly linked to cognitive protection across both epidemiologic and randomized studies as of 2024–2025.

- Developed at Rush University (Martha Clare Morris et al.) in 2015.
- Combines two proven cardiometabolic dietary templates:
1. Mediterranean Diet (EVOO, fish, produce, wine) — vascular and antioxidant focus.
2. DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) — blood‑pressure control, low sodium, low refined carbohydrates.
- Goal: create an easy‑to‑score, neuro‑protective pattern emphasizing nutrients shown to protect neurons (vitamin E, polyphenols, n‑3 fatty acids, folate) and minimizing foods promoting oxidative stress or insulin resistance.