In the United States, about 1 in 10 people are living with diabetes, and 1 in 9 people report experiencing cognitive decline (feeling that confusion or memory loss is happening more often). While these stats might be alarming, the good news is that there are steps we can take to improve both our cognitive health and our diabetes. Even better—there's surprisingly quite a bit of overlap in the recommendations for protecting your noggin and improving your blood sugar levels. The MIND diet, which is tailored to prevent and slow down cognitive decline, is essentially a blend of the ultra-healthy Mediterranean and DASH diets, with a special focus on brain-boosting foods, like berries, leafy greens, and healthy fats from nuts and fish. Similarly, the Mediterranean diet is often recommended for people with diabetes because it's high in nutrients, like fiber, which play an important role in stabilizing blood sugar levels.
In this plan, we include plenty of foods to boost your brain health while keeping in mind strategies to improve diabetes by focusing on high-fiber whole grains, moderate and consistent carbohydrate intake at each meal plus plenty of protein to stabilize blood sugar levels and keep you satiated. Because weight loss plays a role in improving blood sugars, we set this plan at 1,500 calories per day plus included modifications for 1,200 and 2,000 calories a day, depending on your needs.
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Daily Totals: 1,515 calories, 91g protein, 78g fat, 131g carbohydrate, 30g fiber, 1,647mg sodium
To make it 1,200 calories: Change A.M. snack to 1 kiwi and omit kefir at P.M. snack
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 30 unsalted dry-roasted almonds to P.M. snack, plus add 1 serving Guacamole Chopped Salad to dinner.
Daily Totals: 1,514 calories, 92g protein, 75g fat, 127g carbohydrate, 30g fiber, 1,387mg sodium
To make it 1,200 calories: Omit walnuts at breakfast and omit edamame at A.M. snack.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to the apple at breakfast, increase to 1 cup edamame in pods at A.M. snack, and add 1/4 cup unsalted roasted pumpkin seeds to P.M. snack.
Daily Totals: 1,499 calories, 70g protein, 77g fat, 144g carbohydrate, 37g fiber, 1,257mg sodium
To make it 1,200 calories: Omit kefir at A.M. snack and apple at lunch, and change P.M. snack to 1 plum.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 15 dried walnut halves to A.M. snack, add 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to the apple at lunch, and add 1 serving Pineapple & Avocado Salad to dinner.
Daily Totals: 1,475 calories, 85g protein, 68g fat, 143g carbohydrate, 38g fiber, 1,350mg sodium
To make it 1,200 calories: Change A.M. snack to 1 kiwi and omit quinoa at dinner.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 cup low-fat plain kefir to breakfast, add 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to the apple at lunch, and add 1 serving Cucumber & Avocado Salad to dinner.
Meal-Prep Tip: Reserve 2 servings Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowls to have for lunch on Days 6 and 7.
Daily Totals: 1,507 calories, 84g protein, 92g fat, 102g carbohydrate, 30g fiber, 1,545mg sodium
To make it 1,200 calories: Omit walnuts at breakfast, change A.M. snack to 1 plum, and change P.M. snack to 3/4 cup sliced cucumber.
To make it 2,000 calories: Increase to 30 almonds and add 1 large pear at A.M. snack, plus add 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to the apple at lunch.
Daily Totals: 1,499 calories, 72g protein, 89g fat, 121g carbohydrate, 30g fiber, 1,204mg sodium
To make it 1,200 calories: Omit walnuts at breakfast and change A.M. snack to 1 kiwi.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 20 unsalted dry-roasted almonds to A.M. snack, increase to 1 cup edamame in pods at P.M. snack, plus add 1 serving Guacamole Chopped Salad to dinner.
Daily Totals: 1,524 calories, 77g protein, 89g fat, 113g carbohydrate, 29g fiber, 1,929mg sodium
To make it 1,200 calories: Change A.M. snack to 1/3 cup raspberries, and omit the salad at dinner.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds to A.M. snack, add 1/2 cup edamame in pods to P.M. snack, plus add 1/2 avocado, sliced, to the salad at dinner.
