Improving Brain Health
Improving your brain health can reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive function and memory as you age. Below are clear, practical steps backed by current evidence.
1. Move: Regular Aerobic + Strength Exercise
● Aim for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity (e.g., brisk walking, cycling) or 75 minutes per week vigorous activity — or a mix. Add muscle-strengthening exercises ≥2 days/week. (Shorter amounts help; more gives extra benefit.)
● Why: Physical activity supports heart and brain health, lowers vascular risk, improves sleep and mood, and is linked with slower cognitive decline.
● Practical tips: Start with 10 to 20 minute walks twice daily if you’re sedentary. Build toward 30 minutes most days. Include stairs, resistance bands or body-weight exercises twice weekly.
2. Eat a brain-healthy diet — favor the MIND & plant-forward patterns
● What to follow: The MIND diet (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay) emphasizes: green leafy vegetables, other vegetables, berries, nuts, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil and beans; limits red meat, butter, cheese, pastries/sweets, and fried/fast food. A plant-based / Mediterranean style diet gives similar benefits.
● Why: Strong observational studies associate higher MIND/adherence with slower cognitive decline and lower dementia risk. Long-term adherence shows the most benefit.
● Practical tips:
○ Aim for ≥6 servings of vegetables/day (include leafy greens).
○ Eat fish 1 – 2 times/week.
○ Replace butter with olive oil; choose nuts and legumes for snacks and protein.
○ Limit sugary drinks, processed foods, and large amounts of red/processed meat.
○ Stay well hydrated: dehydration can worsen memory and attention.
3. Control vascular risk factors (very important)
● Targets to manage with your clinician:
○ High blood pressure (hypertension). Treat per guideline targets agreed with your doctor — controlling mid-life hypertension reduces dementia risk.
○ High cholesterol (hyperlipidemia). Assess and treat (statins when indicated).
○ Diabetes / insulin resistance. Keep blood glucose in target range.
○ Obesity. Aim for sustainable weight loss if overweight.
○ Smoking. Quitting lowers dementia risk — ask for counseling/medications to help.
● Why: Vascular risk factors in midlife raise the chance of later cognitive decline and dementia; treating them is one of the best prevention strategies.
4) Diagnose & treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)
● If you snore, wake gasping, are very sleepy, or a partner notes pauses in breathing — ask your clinician about OSA testing.
● Treatment (CPAP / positive airway pressure) can improve sleep and may slow cognitive decline in some people. Regular use is key.
5) Treat hearing loss early
● Screening: If you notice hearing difficulty (or family/partner notices), get a hearing test.
● Use hearing aids when recommended: Studies show hearing-aid use is associated with slower cognitive decline. Treating hearing loss reduces social isolation and cognitive load.
6) Avoid repeated head injuries / concussions
● Why: Traumatic brain injury and repeated concussions increase dementia risk. Preventive steps: seat belts, helmets for cycling/MTB/skiing, fall-proofing at home, workplace safety.
7) Sleep well — aim for consistent, adequate sleep
● Goal: 7–9 hours per night for most adults (individual needs vary). Prioritize regular sleep schedule, good sleep hygiene, and treat insomnia or OSA. Poor/short sleep is linked to cognitive decline.
8) Stay socially and mentally active
● Social connection: Maintain friendships, community groups, volunteering — social isolation is a risk factor.
● Intellectual activities with best evidence: lifelong education, learning new skills, structured cognitive training programs, reading, language learning, musical training, and mentally engaging hobbies. These activities are associated with higher cognitive reserve and lower risk of decline.
● Practice stress reduction: mindfulness, meditation, yoga, relaxation techniques.
● Mental health: Treat depression, anxiety, and mental health conditions promptly. Untreated depression and anxiety will reliably worsen attention, focus, and concentration.
9) Limit alcohol
● Recommendation: Avoid excessive alcohol. Many dementia guidelines identify heavy alcohol use as a modifiable risk factor; lower consumption is safer. Discuss personal limits with your clinician — less is better for brain health.
10) Supplements and Brain Health
Currently, no vitamin, mineral, or herbal supplement has strong, consistent evidence to prevent Alzheimer’s disease or reliably improve memory in otherwise healthy adults. The best prevention remains lifestyle and risk-factor control. Still, patients often ask about supplements. Here’s what research says:
● Vitamin B12 – Important for brain and nerve health. Deficiency can cause memory problems. Supplement only if your blood level is low.
● Vitamin D – Low levels are linked with worse cognition, but supplementing beyond correcting deficiency has not been proven to prevent dementia.
● Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil, DHA/EPA) – Best evidence comes from eating fish. Supplement trials show mixed results.
● Vitamin E – High-dose vitamin E was once studied for Alzheimer’s treatment, but high doses can increase bleeding risk. Not recommended for prevention.
● B-complex (B6, B9/folate, B12) – Helps lower homocysteine levels, but large trials show no clear prevention of dementia.
● Ginkgo biloba – Popular herbal remedy; most well-done studies show no consistent memory benefit.
● Turmeric/curcumin – Laboratory studies suggest antioxidant effects; human trials are very limited and inconsistent.
● Coconut oil / MCT oil – Widely marketed, but there is no strong clinical evidence of benefit for brain health.
● Brain boosting products (Prevagen, Neuriva, etc)- heavily advertised, but scientific studies do not show strong or consistent benefits for memory or Alzheimer’s
● Other herbs/supplements (resveratrol, coenzyme Q10, huperzine A, etc.) – Evidence is weak or conflicting; not recommended for routine use.
Bottom line for patients:
● Correct deficiencies (Vitamin B12, Vitamin D).
● Eat fish, nuts, fruits, and vegetables for natural nutrients.
● Avoid high doses of supplements unless prescribed.
11) Prescription Medications:
● Review medications with your clinician or pharmacist: avoid or minimize those that impair thinking (sedatives, anticholinergics, some bladder meds).
Quick daily checklist (actionable)
● Walk or exercise (≥30 minutes most days) + 2 strength sessions/week. World Health Organization
● Follow MIND/plant-forward meals — veggies, whole grains, fish, olive oil, berries, nuts. The Nutrition Source
● Take medicines for blood pressure/cholesterol/diabetes as prescribed; keep appointments. The Lancet
● Ask about hearing & sleep if you have symptoms; use hearing aids/CPAP if recommended. National Institutes of Health (NIH)+1
● Stay socially connected and do one mentally stimulating activity each day (reading, language app, puzzles, classes). Alzheimer’s Association+1
● Avoid heavy alcohol, smoking, and head injury risks.
Selected sources & further reading
● Livingston G, et al. Dementia prevention, intervention, and care (Lancet Commission 2020; updated 2024). The Lancet+1
● WHO and CDC physical activity recommendations. World Health Organization+1
● Rush University / MIND diet research & Harvard Nutrition Source review. Rush University System for Health+1
● NIH news on hearing aids and cognition; JAMA Otolaryngology study on hearing-aid use. National Institutes of Health (NIH)+1
● Systematic reviews on supplements and cognitive decline (vitamin D, omega-3, B vitamins). PMC+2PMC+2