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A healthy diet may help your brain stay health as well

An article in the globe and mail discussed a study that was recently conduct to evaluate the success of both diet and exercise in warding off Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Previous studies have investigated how a heart-health diet such and the Mediterranean diet – rich in fruit, vegetables, nuts, beans and olive oil - helps to lower cholesterol, blood pressure and reduces the risk of dying from heart disease.

This current study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has found that this same type of diet can help keep the brain healthy as well. 1188 elderly adults (average age 77), without dementia, were followed in the study. The participants were divided into four exercise groups: no exercise, 1.3 hrs of vigorous exercise/wk, 2.4 hrs of moderate exercise/wk or 4 hrs of light exercise/wk .