Mediterranean Diet Might Help Stave Off Dementia

Eating fish, chicken, olive oil and other foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids while staying away from meats and dairy -- the so-called Mediterranean diet -- may help older adults keep their memory and thinking skills sharp, a large new U.S. study suggests. Using data from participants enrolled in a nationwide study on stroke, the researchers gleaned diet information from more than 17,000 white and black men and women whose average age was 64. The participants also took tests that measured their memory and thinking (cognitive) skills. During the four years of the study, 7 percent of the individuals developed problems with these skills, the researchers reported. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_136344.html