Prioritize lifestyle, environment, and medical health, as these factors are as important as genetics for the vast majority of people in preventing conditions like Alzheimer’s and building cognitive reserve.
Start taking preemptive and preventive action for brain health in your 30s, 40s, and 50s, because Alzheimer’s disease begins decades before symptoms appear, offering an opportunity for early intervention.
Incorporate brain health into your overall health routine and make daily choices that nurture and support your brain, rather than waiting until a specific age to start caring for it.
Think of your brain like a muscle that can be made stronger by exercising it, feeding it, and taking care of it properly, which will lead to better performance.
Adopt a Mediterranean-style diet, as brain scans show it can make a 50-year-old’s brain look at least five years younger and prevent brain shrinkage compared to a Western diet.
Focus on a plant-centric, diverse diet emphasizing vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, unrefined vegetable oils (like extra virgin olive oil and flax oil), and fish, with meat and dairy products considered occasional treats.
Consume diets that are minimally processed, focus on whole foods, and include lots of different colors, as these principles are consistently associated with good health and longevity.
Exercise regularly, as it is crucial for reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, depression, anxiety, and a number of other conditions that can impact and affect the brain.
Maintain physical fitness in midlife, as studies show that being physically active and fit during this period is strongly correlated with better brain health later in life, reducing the risk of dementia by 30% for women.
For women, especially from perimenopause onward, aim for low to moderate intensity exercise, as this level seems to work best for bodies and brains, yielding maximum gains compared to very high intensity.
Be consistent with taking care of your brain throughout your life, as a healthy midlife is the best predictor of future health, and sustained discipline yields lifelong benefits.
Find physical activities that you genuinely enjoy and that are the best you can do, rather than feeling guilty about not performing like others or exercising out of duty.
Incorporate simple, less stressful movements into your day, such as taking the stairs or walking a bit faster than just strolling, as these are good enough and beneficial for your brain.
Be proud of doing ’enough’ to take care of yourself and your body, even if you can’t push yourself harder, rather than feeling bad or having unrealistic expectations.