September is World Alzheimer's Month, and I'm here for it all month.
Why? Because brain health is one of my favorite topics. Your brain controls everything: your thoughts, your body, your emotions, your personality. It's what makes you you.
Yet we rarely give it the attention it deserves. You can't see it. You usually can't feel it. And it works on autopilot until something goes wrong. Then the fear creeps in: "Am I losing my mind?"
If you're in midlife, especially as a woman, that fear may feel close to home. Hormonal shifts, chronic stress, poor sleep, lack of exercise and a nutrient-poor diet all take a toll on how clearly we think. Brain fog, trouble concentrating and forgetfulness are not normal signs of aging. Will they happen now and then? Of course they will. But they should not be our baseline.
We wouldn't dream of driving our car without gas or oil, yet we often push our brains to the limit without giving them the fuel and maintenance they need. Your brain performs literal miracles 24/7. It deserves the utmost care, love and respect.
As a Registered Nurse and Certified Dementia Practitioner, I've worked in dementia care, hospice, rehabilitation and long-term care. I've seen what happens when the brain breaks down. It's heartbreaking. My passion for brain health started with fear and turned into a mission.
Almost two-thirds of the 7.4 million Americans living with Alzheimer's are women, and a woman's lifetime risk at age 45 is 1 in 5. More than two-thirds of adults over 40 worry about it. Yet only 9% say they know a lot about how to protect their brain. That gap is exactly why I do this work.
But here's the good news:
✨ You have more control than you think.
Research shows that cognitive decline begins 20 to 30 years before symptoms appear. That means your 40s, 50s and 60s are the perfect time to start being proactive.
In fact, the 2024 Lancet Commission on dementia found that about 45% of dementia cases could be delayed or prevented by addressing 14 risk factors we can change, and the biggest payoff comes from acting in midlife. Add to that the 80% of chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease that are tied to how we live, and that's not just inspiring. It's empowering.
Neuroscientist and brain health expert Dr. Lisa Mosconi reminds us that less than 1% of Alzheimer's cases are due to genes alone. For the other 99%, the biggest risk factor is how we live. Hormones, nutrition, sleep, stress, toxins and movement all shape the future of our brains.
Dr. Mosconi leads the Weill Cornell Women's Brain Initiative, the first Alzheimer's Prevention Clinic focused on women's health. But not everyone has access to clinics like this.
And here's what the newest research tells us. In 2025 the U.S. POINTER study, the largest lifestyle trial of its kind in the United States, followed more than 2,000 adults for two years. Everyone who improved their habits saw benefits, but the group that had structure, accountability and support improved the most. Information helps. Guidance is what makes it stick.
That's where people like me, nurses, health coaches and educators, step in. My job is to guide you, support you and make it easier to take care of your brain, your body and your future.
Let's start now. Here are the 10 most powerful ways to support your brain (and your body, because it's all connected).
Top 10 Brain Health Activities
1. The MIND diet
Leafy greens daily
Other vegetables daily
Berries 5 times a week
Nuts most days
Extra virgin olive oil as your main fat
Beans several times a week
Salmon 1 to 2 times a week
Lean poultry
Whole grains
Limit red meat, butter, cheese, fried food and sweets
2. Exercise, both aerobic and non-aerobic: steps and strength
3. 7+ hours of quality sleep and good sleep hygiene
4. Stress reduction, meditation and box breathing
5. Socialization, connection and feeling valued
6. Gut health and the gut-brain connection
7. Mouth health and oral care
8. Detoxification: saunas, hot/cold therapy, heavy metals, gut cleanses
9. Intentional brain training, games and hobbies
10. BHRT, NAD+, vitamins, supplements, nootropics and adaptogens
Stay tuned as we dive deeper into each of these areas of wellness.
Let's age like a pro, together.
Be well,
Christine
Sources
Alzheimer's Association, 2026 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures
Livingston G. et al., Dementia prevention, intervention and care: 2024 report of the Lancet standing Commission
Baker L.D. et al., Structured vs Self-Guided Multidomain Lifestyle Interventions for Global Cognitive Function: The US POINTER Randomized Clinical Trial, JAMA, 2025
