Sept 5, 2025: Alzheimer’s prevention? Really?

Welcome to this week’s edition of Boost Brain Health, sharing two healthy habits and one lesson.  

Two Brain Health Habits

Eat the rainbow. Most of us don’t eat enough fruit and vegetables, which are full of anti-oxidants; so they’re good for overall health as well as our brain health.

A rough rule of thumb is to remember to eat the colors of the rainbow. Half our plate can be filled with colorful fruits and vegetables, one quarter whole grains and one quarter protein.

Remember plant proteins. For those of us brought up on meat and two veg, it’s easy to fall into familiar habits. But plants have proteins too, so your plate doesn’t need to include meat or fish to get your daily fix.

A cup of cooked red lentils contains 18 grams of protein and a cup of black beans will give you 15 grams of protein.

One Lesson

A short history of Alzheimer’s prevention. Alzheimer’s, the most common cause of dementia, was first described in 1906 by Dr Alois Alzheimer. For decades, doctors could diagnose the condition but had little idea how to prevent it. Families were told memory loss was just an unavoidable part of aging.

By the 1970s and ’80s, scientists began to look for possible risk factors. Early research suggested a genetic link in some families, but lifestyle was rarely considered. Prevention wasn’t really part of the conversation.

That started to change in the 1990s. Large population studies showed that people with heart-healthy habits — such as exercising, eating balanced diets, and keeping blood pressure under control —were less likely to develop dementia later in life. Researchers began to talk about “what’s good for the heart is good for the brain”.

In the 2000s, studies highlighted the importance of mental activity and social engagement. Learning new skills, staying socially connected, and keeping the brain active seemed to help build cognitive reserve, giving the brain more resilience against damage.

More recently, the focus has expanded to a combination of lifestyle factors. The FINGER study from Finland, published in 2015, showed that a program combining healthy eating, exercise, brain training, and managing medical conditions significantly reduced cognitive decline in older adults. This was a turning point, proving that prevention strategies can make a measurable difference.

Then, just a couple of months ago, more data was published from the US POINTER study, confirming that lifestyle matters.

Today, Alzheimer’s prevention is seen as a lifelong process. While there’s no guaranteed way to avoid the disease, evidence suggests we can lower the risk by looking after our overall health — through regular physical activity, balanced nutrition, quality sleep, stress management, and staying mentally and socially active.

In short: prevention is no longer wishful thinking. It’s about making everyday choices that protect both body and brain.

One Quote

“I have a photographic memory but once in a while I forget to take off the lens cap.”

Milton Berle