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It's an old saying that you are what you eat. A Harvard study now backs that up, showing that those who embrace a Mediterranean diet may ward off their genetic risk of developing Alzheimer's.
Before you hit the grocery store shelves, review your credit card strategy to ensure you're earning the most back on your spending while experimenting with a new diet.
A mediterranean diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, red meat (consumed in small amounts), cheese, fish and poultry (in moderate doses), and olive oil.
A study published by researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard found that people with the highest genetic risk of Alzheimer's were able to slow their cognitive decline -- and experienced a greater reduction in dementia risk than those with lower genetic risk -- by sticking to a clean diet.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Alzheimer's affected an estimated 6.7 million older Americans in 2023. That number is expected to double by 2060. The disease is highly heritable, with genetics accounting for up to 80% of the risk.
The researchers analyzed data from 4,215 women (average age 57 at baseline) from 1989 to 2023, and cross-analyzed their findings with similar data from 1,490 men from 1993 to 2023. The cohort consisted of well-educated participants of European descent. Researchers acknowledged the need for more research involving diverse populations.
They found that participants who ate a Mediterranean diet developed protective effects against the gene apolipoprotein E, or APOE, which is one of the strongest genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's. Those who carry one variant of APOE4 have a three- to fourfold higher risk of developing the disease, while those with two copies of the APOE4 variant face a 12-fold increased risk compared to those without it.
The diet proved most effective in the high-risk group with two copies of the APOE4 gene variant, suggesting that clean eating may help wean off genetic risk.
"These findings suggest that dietary strategies, specifically the Mediterranean diet, could help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and stave off dementia by broadly influencing key metabolic pathways," Yuxi Liu, a study author, research fellow in the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Broad Institute, told "The Harvard Gazette."
"This recommendation applies broadly, but it may be even more important for individuals at a higher genetic risk, such as those carrying two copies of the APOE4 genetic variant."
Restructuring your diet doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. Credit cards with grocery and dining benefits can help you earn points and cash back, cutting down on long-term costs. A clean bill of health, medically and financially, is a marathon, not a race.
Here are some of our favorite credit cards for groceries and dining: