MIND Diet Plan

What is a MIND Diet Plan Template?

The MIND diet plan template is a resource designed to simplify the MIND diet, otherwise known as the Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND diet). Adapted from both the Mediterranean and Dash diets, which have been shown to reduce risks and onset of diseases, the MIND diet is an intervention used by health practitioners, such as registered dieticians and general practitioners, for reducing cognitive decline and brain protection (Harvard, 2022; Higuera, 2022). 

Though the MIND diet pulls food items from the DASH and Mediterranean diets, it is the only one of the three that specifically targets brain functioning. The diet prioritizes a mostly plant-based diet, focusing on dark, leafy greens and berries with a range of vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and carotenoids known to reduce oxidative stress and brain inflammation (Harvard, 2022). This helps reduce the risks and symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and other conditions related to cognitive decline among older adults (Colino, 2023).  

In research, individuals experiencing forms of dementia have shown low adherence to diets like the MIND diet as a result of cognitive decline. The MIND diet plan template seeks to enhance adherence by providing a user-friendly, comprehensive framework. In providing the recommendations and a 7-day customizable template, this resource allows individuals and health practitioners to develop an effective diet intervention to mitigate the experiences of cognitive decline. 

How Does it Work?

The template provides a list of food items alongside their daily and weekly intakes, which health practitioners and individuals can implement to form a diet plan in the personalized template section. Here are some steps to guide you: 

Step 1: Access the Template 

You can obtain our template here or download a printable copy as a reference using the link below:

Step 2: Patient Consultation

Schedule an appointment with your patient to discuss the MIND diet and complete relevant measurements such as cognitive screening, weight, and blood pressure. It would also be beneficial to discuss the patient’s needs and preferences regarding food and beverage items within this consultation. 

Step 3: Developing a Plan

After the initial consultation discussion, patients and health practitioners may collaboratively construct a meal plan in the fillable 7-day section. In doing this, patients and practitioners can ensure that the patient's needs are met while closely adhering to the MIND diet recommendations. 

Step 4: Ongoing Monitoring and Support 

Once patients have begun implementing the MIND diet in their lifestyle, practitioners should seek to facilitate ongoing monitoring and support by scheduling future consultations. These consultations may involve completing annual cognitive tests such as Alzheimer’s disease screenings and discussions about any patient concerns or changes. This can help inform new health plans, track health status, and update existing meal plans as a more proactive approach to cognitive decline and overall health status. 

When Would You Use This Template?

Our MIND diet plan template is most typically used by health practitioners, such as registered dieticians and general practitioners, seeking to reduce the risks and effects of cognitive decline experienced by older adult patients. The following are a few scenarios in which this template may be used: 

Daily Care Plans

 For patients experiencing dementia-related diseases, like Alzheimer’s disease, healthcare providers may use this template within a broader care plan. This may provide structure for patients and reduce brain inflammation which may reduce risks of further cognitive decline. 

Implementing the MIND Diet

For individuals seeking to adjust nutrition for a primary prevention approach to cognitive decline, this template is an effective approach to dietary management that may reduce brain-related risks. 

Increased Adherence

The template breaks down the MIND diet into simpler, manageable steps to increase adherence to the diet plan. This is particularly beneficial for older adults in the initial phases of cognitive decline, who may require more structure to inform habits. 

Primary Prevention Plans

Primary health care providers such as general practitioners may incorporate this template as part of their patient’s primary prevention plan, particularly for older adults at risk of cognitive decline. 

This template provides a comprehensive framework that simplifies the MIND diet into transferable steps. By following this template, health practitioners and patients can collaborate to reduce oxidative stress and brain inflammation and gain further health benefits to protect brain health. 

What Do the Results Mean?

When following the MIND diet plan template, individual results may vary according to several influencing factors. This may include genetics, stage of cognitive decline, and current health status. Here are some typical experiences and how they may affect an individual: 

• Increased Lifespan: By following the MIND diet plan template, individuals are likely to consume more antioxidants and essential nutrients, which can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. This can alleviate chronic inflammation and reduce risks of all-cause mortality.
• Reduced Risks of Alzheimer’s Disease: The MIND diet focuses on consuming foods and beverages that have been shown to enhance brain health and cognition. Using our template may be a primary prevention strategy to reduce the risks of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia-related diseases.
• Reduced Risks of Parkinson’s Disease: Following this framework can reduce the risks of motor impairments such as spinal rigidity, tremors, and gait abnormalities associated with Parkinson’s disease. 
• Reduced Risks of Chronic Illness: The MIND diet has been adapted from the DASH and Mediterranean diets, aiming to reduce chronic inflammation and the onset of chronic illnesses. As a result, the MIND diet may also reduce the development of chronic illnesses like cardiovascular disease and diabetes. 

Adhering to the MIND diet plan and beginning your journey to enhancing brain health can begin here. By accessing our Free MIND diet plan template, you gain a user-friendly resource to manage your health. 

Research & Evidence

The MIND diet is a dietary management strategy that seeks to prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and other effects of cognitive decline (Higuera, 2022). This approach was introduced by Dr Martha Clare Morris and colleagues in 2015, who developed the diet based on the Mediterranean and DASH diets. 

The Mediterranean and DASH diets are renowned for being dietary strategies to reduce chronic inflammation and subsequently reduce the onset of chronic illnesses like cardiovascular disease (Harvard, 2022). The food recommendations from these diets have also been shown to enhance brain health and preserve cognition, leading to the formation of the MIND diet (Pearson & Bunford, 2023). Though similar, the MIND diet focuses on consuming plant-based foods - particularly berries and leafy green - and reducing animal products and saturated fats (Higuera, 2022). 

Foods in the MIND diet contain vitamins, flavonoids, antioxidants, and carotenoids, which reduce oxidative stress and brain inflammation and enhance heart health (Harvard, 2022). Empirical research has observed that patients adhering to the diet have a 53% reduction of Alzheimer’s disease rate and have higher cognitive functioning than those with low adherence (Harvard, 2022).

Using our template can improve adherence to the diet, as it simplifies the process into manageable steps and allows individuals to plan their meals for the week. This provides structure regarding dietary management, essential for individuals in the early stages of cognitive decline experiencing difficulties in maintaining dietary habits. 

References

Barrow Neurological Institute (n.d.). The MIND Diet. Barrow Neurological Institute. https://www.barrowneuro.org/wp-content/uploads/MIND_Diet_Flyer_1-22.pdf

Colino, S. (2023). What Is The MIND Diet? ForbesHealth. https://www.forbes.com/health/body/what-is-the-mind-diet/

Harvard (2022). Diet Review: MIND Diet. The Nutrition Source. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/mind-diet/

Higuera, V. (2022). The MIND Diet for Alzheimer’s Prevention. Everyday Health. https://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-and-nutrition/diet/mind-diet-can-this-diet-plan-help-reverse-alzheimers-disease/

Pearson, K., & Bunford, M. (2023). The MIND Diet: A Detailed Guide for Beginners. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mind-diet