Feed Your Brain: The MIND Diet with Laura Morris, CPT and Jennifer Ventrelle, MS, RDN, CPT
Week of April 4, 2026
Presentation 1: The MIND Diet — Origins, Science, and Brain-Protective Nutrition
Core question: Why choose the MIND diet?
• Overview of dementia and the aging brain
• Background on research related to brain-protective nutrients and foods
• How the MIND diet was developed
• What makes the MIND diet different from other dietary pattern
Bridge to Presentation 2: If dietary patterns matter, which foods matter most?
Presentation 2: Food as Neuro-Protective or Inflammatory — A Deep Dive into the MIND Diet Foods
Core question: What is food actually doing to the brain?
• Reframing food beyond “good vs. bad”: food as signals and messages
• MIND diet foods to prioritize
• MIND diet foods to limit
• The role of enjoyment, culture, and satisfaction—why pleasure and sustainability matter for brain health
Bridge to Presentation 3: Knowledge is powerful, but how do we turn it into action?
Presentation 3: Making the MIND Diet Work for You — Behavior Change, Tools, and Real Life
Core question: How do you make lasting, sustainable dietary changes?
• Practical, science-backed tools using the SMART framework
• Self-monitoring
• Meal planning strategies
• Action planning and reflection
• Trust, support, and accountability
Bridge to Presentation 4: Food matters—but it’s only one pillar of brain health.
Presentation 4: The Bigger Picture — A Multi-Domain Approach to Brain Health
Core question: How does the MIND diet fit into lifelong brain resilience?
• The multi-domain brain health framework
• The U.S. POINTER study as a model for a brain-healthy “recipe”
• Exercise
• Sleep
• Cognitive and social engagement
• Managing health conditions
• Long-term mindset and sustainability
Conclusion: Bringing it all together—how food and lifestyle work together to support brain health across the lifespan.
Laura Morris, CPT is a professionally trained chef, certified personal trainer, and certified nutrition consultant with a deep commitment to brain-healthy living. She is the co-author of two books on nutrition and dementia prevention—Diet for the MIND and The Official MIND Diet—written with Dr. Martha Clare Morris and Jennifer Ventrelle. Laura specializes in translating cutting-edge research into real-life strategies that support cognitive health through food and movement. Through workshops, culinary demos, and her signature MIND diet programs, Laura partners with individuals, organizations, and healthcare systems to deliver evidence-based, engaging education that makes brain-healthy eating both approachable and enjoyable. She also leads professional programming for clinicians and caregivers seeking to integrate MIND diet principles into their care models.
Jennifer Ventrelle, MS, RDN, CPT, is a registered dietitian, certified personal trainer, and co-author of The Official MIND Diet. With more than 23 years of experience in clinical nutrition, fitness, and mindfulness-based lifestyle interventions, she specializes in reducing dementia risk and supporting long-term well-being through the MIND diet and sustainable behavior change. She is a trained mindfulness meditation teacher through the UC San Diego Center for Mindfulness and integrates Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) into her work to support emotional resilience and lasting habits. As an Assistant Professor at Rush University Medical Center, Jennifer designs and leads behavioral intervention trials, including the U.S. POINTER Study—the largest lifestyle intervention trial in the U.S. demonstrating that lifestyle changes can improve cognitive function in older adults at risk of cognitive decline. She is also Co-Founder of The Official MIND Diet, LLC, partnering with individuals, organizations, and health systems to scale evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle programs. Jennifer is passionate about helping people build a peaceful relationship with food and discover the power of small, meaningful lifestyle changes to support lifelong health.