Mediterranean diet sharpens your memory

Not that we're suggesting you need it but no harm in getting even better at remembering which level you parked on or where you last saw your cell phone... 

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  The Mediterranean diet will keep you on track both heart- and memory wise. What the diet is, is a modern version of the traditional dietary patterns of the people in southern Italy, Crete, and much of the rest of Greece. Eating this way means eating a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, legumes, seafood, yoghurt, olive oil and small amounts of wine. According to Eve Adamson, co-author of the book “The Mediterranean Diet”, the food should be eaten in season and locally grown and the portions should be small. One easy Mediterranean recipe is the Greek salad, above: Cut and mix lettuce, tomatoes, green peppers, red onions, Kalamata olives, and Feta cheese and drizzle balsamic vinegar on top and enjoy with a small glass of wine.

• Erika Olsson, a nutritionist and doctoral candidate at Uppsala University, has studied the effects of the so-called Mediterranean diet on people and found that it sharpens your memory. Men who were 70 years old or older and followed this diet ran a 70% lower risk of being affected by cognitive disorders.

• “It was clear that the stricter the men followed the diet, the greater protection they got,” Olsson said in an interview with Dagens Nyheter. “We also saw a decreased tendency towards dementia (among these men).” In the study, 560 men aged 70 were asked questions about their dietary habits. They were divided into three groups according to their responses: Low-fat diet, Mediterranean diet, or high protein/low carbohydrate diet. Twelve years later, at age 82, it was clear that the risk for cognitive disorders were 70% less in the group where the men consumed a diet inspired by the Mediterranean.

• What makes this particular diet so healthy? Scientists believe it has to do with the fact that it includes a lot of vegetables and healthy fats. This diet is also said to protect against cardiovascular diseases. Every year close to 20 000 Swedes suffer from dementia. Many more suffer from so-called cognitive disorders, which means problems with memory and difficulties understanding instructions.