November 1st is my mom’s birthday.
My mom, Judy, would have been 84 years old, but Alzheimer’s chipped away at her brain, body, and essence in her 60’s and took her life in her 70’s.
I used to fear getting Alzheimer’s after witnessing my mother’s dreadful decline.
She went from telling repetitive stories and forgetting certain words to completely losing her ability to speak. She went from losing her car keys on a daily basis to getting lost driving to her local pharmacy.
Within 3 years of entering a memory clinic, she couldn’t walk, talk, or feed herself, and just stared when she wasn’t sleeping. As you can imagine, it was really hard to see her live this way.
Ironically, my mother also feared Alzheimer’s because her mother, my grandmother, had dementia—likely Alzheimer's—that led to her early death at 62. Additionally, I carry one copy of the ApoE4 gene, which doubles my risk of late-onset Alzheimer’s, affecting about 25% of people.
You may be thinking, “Well, no one in my family has had Alzheimer’s, so I’m not at risk.” Actually, about half of those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s do NOT have an ApoE4 gene. So, anyone with a brain is at risk for getting Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s is the most common type of dementia and also one of the most feared diseases. Despite billions spent on research, Alzheimer's drugs only provide temporary relief, slowing cognitive decline but failing to halt brain cell damage.
But I’m not here to leave you scared. Let’s replace fear with hope and action.
In honor of Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and my mother’s birthday, this edition is for those who want to reduce their risks of getting Alzheimer’s. New research from the Lancet Commission suggests that 45% of Alzheimer’s and other dementia cases can be prevented or at least delayed by adopting brain healthy behaviors.
Your daily choices—what you eat, how much you move, the air you breathe, social interactions, and learning—can have a direct impact on whether you end up with Alzheimer’s or the onset age of symptoms.
Control what you can control.
I began learning and practicing Alzheimer’s prevention habits about 18 years ago when my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
It’s never too early to start Alzheimer’s prevention habits. In fact, researchers now believe that Alzheimer’s starts to develop in the brain decades before clinical symptoms of memory loss and cognitive decline are noticeable.
Driven to promote prevention, I became an Alzheimer’s Prevention Advocate, serving on the Alzheimer’s Association Illinois Chapter Research Committee and leading a blue zones-style initiative in Chicago’s western suburbs to educate the community on lifestyle choices that reduce modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer’s and other chronic diseases.
Recently, I took another big step to reduce my own chances of developing Alzheimer’s by enrolling as a patient with The Women's Alzheimer's Movement (WAM) Prevention and Research Center at Cleveland Clinic. This clinic in Las Vegas is for women and gender-diverse individuals aged 30-60 with a family history or genetic predisposition to Alzheimer’s.
Like other WAM patients, I received cognitive and personalized risk assessments, along with preventive guidance, which I’m now applying to refine my lifestyle prevention regimen.
Furthermore, what’s good for the brain is good for the heart, so these healthy lifestyle behaviors can help prevent heart disease as well.
Here are insights, lifestyle habits, and resources I've gathered over the years and from my recent WAM visit to help protect and improve your brain (and heart) health.
Reflect on your health status and risks to identify your personalized risk reduction priorities and motivation for change.
Do any of the 14 modifiable risk factors (accountable for 45% of global dementia cases) apply to you: smoking, physical inactivity, depression, obesity, hypertension, hearing impairment, diabetes, low social contact, traumatic brain injury, excessive alcohol consumption, air pollution, untreated vision loss, less education, and high LDL cholesterol?
Do you have a family history of Alzheimer’s, other dementias, or heart disease?
Are you feeling as good as you could? Would you like to feel better and optimize your lifespan and healthspan (living in good health, with quality of life and the ability to live actively)?
Refine daily lifestyle choices to reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer’s and other dementias while optimizing your overall health.
Eat well. What you eat matters for brain (and heart) health. Limit ultra-processed, deep-fried, and sugary food and drinks that offer minimal nutrients and lots of harm. Limit processed red meat, hydrogenated oils, and cheese. Instead, eat more whole plant foods rich in nutrients. I aim for 30 different plants (vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, herbs, etc.) and Asian mushrooms each week, and daily staples like leafy greens, berries, turmeric (with pepper and extra virgin olive oil), cinnamon, and green tea—all organic when possible. Having a lifestyle mentality is more sustainable than “being on a diet.”
Exercise or move regularly. Exercise is a powerful tool for brain health. The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity. Resistance training 2-3 times per week (with weights, bands, or body weight) has many benefits including lowering risk of type 2 diabetes. Regular movement throughout the day is healthier than exercising for one hour followed by prolonged sitting.
Sleep well. Quality sleep facilitates memory consolidation in deep sleep stages. It also allows for the removal of toxins/waste products and supports neuroplasticity (brain growth) and hormonal regulation. Experts recommend 7-8 hours of high quality sleep nightly. Practice healthy sleep hygiene habits. Consider a sleep study assessment for potential Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) if you experience loud snoring, gasping/choking during sleep, or morning fatigue or headaches.
Learn new things. While formal education is brain protective, continue to challenge yourself by learning new things regularly — the more difficult, the better. If your crossword puzzles or other learning activities get too easy, switch it up. Consider learning an instrument or new language, or play brain games from an app supported by science, brainHQ.
Manage stress and mental wellness. A little bit of stress can be motivating, but prolonged stress can cause a decline in heart and brain health, including memory. Revisit my strategies and resources for building mental toughness.
Get social. Isolation and loneliness can lead to depression, which increases risk for Alzheimer’s. If time is limited, find ways to integrate social activity with exercise or learning. I spend much of my free time playing tennis and pickleball with friends and my husband. Integrating social engagement with other healthy behaviors maximizes the benefits.
Have a purpose. A purpose-driven life often correlates with a positive mindset, enhancing overall mental health. People with a strong sense of purpose are more likely to adopt healthier lifestyle habits. Explore your purpose with these steps.
Reignite your Alzheimer’s prevention education and motivation with some of my favorite resources:
Free WAM Brain Health Webinar Series and Resources on Alzheimer’s Prevention, Sleep, Gut Health, Menopause, and more. Watch the videos and scroll down for more resources.
Brain health habits from various organizations:
Alzheimer’s Association’s 10 Healthy Habits for Your Brain
HFC’s 5 Brain Health Habits
12 Habits from the Blue Zones
Some of my go-to books on the prevention of Alzheimer’s and other chronic diseases:
Dr. Sanjay Gupta's Keep Sharp: Build a Better Brain at Any Age
Jean Carper's 101 Ways to Avoid Alzheimer’s and Dementia
Dr. Casey Means’s Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health
Taking preventive steps now to live a longer, healthier life is worth it. Your older self will be grateful.
To your brain health,
