There's now a new diet which may help prevent Alzheimer's - and it includes a glass of wine a day (that doesn't mean a pint glass!). Follow the diet, and your risk of Alzheimer's may be lowered by up to 53 per cent.

The study was done at Rush University Medical Center, Chicago and it's called the MIND diet (MIND being an acronym for for Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay).

It's a hybrid of the Mediterranean and the DASH diets, both previously looked into for their effects on brain health. But luckily, it's much easier to do.

Even better news: even if you only follow it some of the time, say researchers, your risk of Alzheimer's may be lowered.

Dr Laura Phipps of Alzheimer’s Research UK, says, 'While age has the biggest influence on our likelihood of developing Alzheimer’s, research is showing that lifestyle factors may also play a role in our risk. The old saying "what is good for your heart is good for your head" seems to hold true, as maintaining good cardiovascular health through a balanced diet, regular exercise and not smoking has been shown to help keep the brain healthy too.

'While a healthy balanced diet, including aspects of a typical Mediterranean diet such as fresh vegetables, whole grains and fish, has been linked to a lower risk of dementia it’s often difficult to drill down to the particular aspect of diet, if there is one, that may be most beneficial. At the moment, it’s best to adopt a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables and to avoid too many unhealthy treats.'

So what should you eat/drink on the MIND diet?

At least 3 servings of wholegrains every day

A salad plus one other vegetable every day (including green leafy veg)

A glass of wine

Snack on nuts

Eat beans a few times a week

Eat chicken at least twice a week

Eat fish at least once a week

Eat berries (especially strawberries or blueberries) twice a week

Severely limit red meat, butter, cheese, sweets, fried and fast food.

Alzheimer’s Research UK is the UK’s leading dementia research charity and offers free information about dementia, its causes, symptoms and treatment.