We all want to be as mentally sharp as possible on a daily basis, and preserve our minds as we age.
Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are among the most dreaded diseases, but it now appears as though we can protect our brains with simple dietary choices.
For clues about how to eat for optimal brain functioning, we can look around the world for the places with the lowest rates of cognitive decline.
The lowest rates of Alzheimer’s in the world are in rural India.
Out of one hundred senior citizens in rural Ballabgarh India, only about three of them on average will develop Alzheimer’s disease within the next decade. That number jumps to about 19 out of one hundred senior citizens in rural Pennsylvania.
The people in rural India eat a diet that is low in meat and high in grains, beans, and vegetables.
That is consistent with the world’s Blue Zones — the longest-lived places around the world — where people eat a 95 percent plant-based diet rich in beans, greens, grains, and nuts.
Contrast that with the United States, where people eat over 220 pounds of meat — per person — each year. Americans get only about 12% of their calories from vegetables.
