12 Things to Eat Every Week to Lower Your Risk for Alzheimer’s

Three glasses of champagne every week is enough to keep Alzheimer's and dementia at bay, research says. A study out of the University of Reading revealed that a compound in the grapes used to make champagne can help "increase spatial memory, improve cognitive function and promote learning and memory retention."

Every day, eat green leafy vegetables and one other kind of veggie. Sound hard? Think salads, with a mix of lettuce, baby spinach or kale, carrots, bell peppers, and cauliflower or broccoli. Done!

High in healthy fats, nuts are not only good for your brain, but your heart and waistline, too. So snack on a handful on most days.

Study after study has proven the brain benefits of blueberries. These little blue blobs of goodness are known to keep your memory sharp and delay cognitive disorders.

Eat beans every other day. That's easy in the wintertime with soups and chili! Plus, they are a super-cheap source of protein. The canned variety are fine.

Eat poultry at least twice a week. But stay away from processed meats like cold cuts. Those can raise your cancer risk.

Considered a "good fat," olive oil is a monounsaturated fat that can prevent inflammation in the body. Look for cold-pressed, good quality olive oil to reap all of its benefits.

Eat fish at least once a week. Salmon is especially good for brains and hearts.

A pinch of dark chocolate cocoa powder in your morning coffee can do more good for you than you think. Studies show this semi-sweet treat can help aide memory retention, control blood pressure, and insulin resistance.

You can have a glass of wine every day!

Try to eat berries at least twice a week. Sprinkle them on your cereal or enjoy them with a little yogurt for snack. (Sprinkle nuts on top and you have a healthy sundae!)

No, eclairs aren't part of the MIND diet (sadly). Sweets and pastries belong to the types of foods you need to restrict to a serving a week to stave off dementia. Other foods to limit include: cheese (once a week); fried or fast food (once a week); and butter (to one tablespoon a day).