Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and the Daily Habits That Support Brain Health
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Dementia is one of the most devastating health challenges a family can face—but a family history or genetic risk factor does not mean your future is already decided.
In this deeply personal episode, Dr. Kevin Schultz honors his father, Duane, following his seven-year journey with dementia. Drawing from that experience, Dr. Kevin explores what current research reveals about Alzheimer’s disease, cognitive decline and the daily choices that may help protect the brain throughout life.
Research suggests that addressing modifiable risk factors across life could delay or prevent a substantial portion of dementia cases. There are no guarantees, but there are meaningful ways to improve your odds—and it is never too early or too late to begin.
What Is the Difference Between Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease?
Dementia is an umbrella term for a decline in memory, reasoning or other cognitive abilities that becomes serious enough to interfere with everyday life. It is not one specific disease.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia, accounting for an estimated 60% to 80% of cases. Other causes include vascular dementia, Lewy body dementia and frontotemporal dementia. These conditions can produce overlapping symptoms, but they do not all have the same underlying disease process.
Brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s may begin many years before symptoms become obvious. This makes midlife—and even early adulthood—an important time to build habits that support long-term brain health.
Can Dementia Be Prevented
There is currently no guaranteed method for preventing dementia. Some people develop cognitive disease despite living healthy lives, while others with several risk factors never receive a diagnosis.
However, prevention is not an all-or-nothing proposition. A person may be able to reduce risk, delay the onset of symptoms or preserve independence for longer by improving their overall health.
The major modifiable risk factors identified by the Lancet Commission include:
High blood pressure
High LDL cholesterol in midlife
Diabetes
Obesity
Smoking
Excessive alcohol consumption
Untreated hearing loss
Untreated vision loss
Depression
Social isolation
Traumatic brain injury
Air pollution exposure
Limited access to education or lifelong cognitive stimulation
Many of these factors overlap. Improving metabolic and cardiovascular health, for example, may simultaneously support blood vessels, blood sugar regulation, mobility and brain function.
Does the APOE4 Gene Mean You Will Develop Alzheimer’s?
The APOE gene helps transport fats and cholesterol throughout the body. One version, known as APOE ε4 or APOE4, is the strongest common genetic risk factor associated with late-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
Having APOE4 can increase your risk, especially if you inherit two copies. But it is not a diagnosis—and it does not determine your destiny. Some people who carry APOE4 never develop Alzheimer’s, while many people who develop the disease do not carry the gene. The National Institute on Aging emphasizes that inheriting APOE4 increases risk but does not guarantee disease.
This is where the science of epigenetics becomes so important and hopeful.
Epigenetics & The Science of Gene Expression
Epigenetics refers to how your environment and lifestyle can influence how your genes are expressed, without changing your DNA itself. You can think of DNA as the body’s hardware and epigenetics as the software that helps regulate how those instructions are used.
Factors like nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress, smoking, alcohol use, and environmental exposures may all play a role in these gene-regulating processes. While research is still evolving, scientists believe these influences may interact with genetic risk in meaningful ways.
You cannot choose your genes, but you can influence many of the conditions your brain lives in every day. Supporting cardiovascular health, staying physically active, sleeping well, managing stress, and staying socially and mentally engaged all contribute to a healthier brain environment.
The key message is this: genetics may load the gun, but lifestyle and environment help control if the trigger ever fires.
Alzheimer’s & “Type 3 Diabetes”
Some researchers and health educators use the phrase “type 3 diabetes” to describe connections among Alzheimer’s disease, impaired insulin signaling and changes in how the brain uses glucose.
Though type 3 diabetes is not an officially recognized medical diagnosis, the metabolic connection is still important.
Diabetes and poor blood sugar control are associated with greater dementia risk, while high blood pressure can damage blood vessels and reduce healthy blood flow to the brain. The CDC itself includes managing diabetes and blood pressure among its recommended strategies for reducing dementia risk.
The practical takeaway is not that every carbohydrate causes Alzheimer’s. It is that long-term metabolic health matters to brain health.
Other Conditions That May Look Like Dementia
Memory problems and confusion do not always mean a person has Alzheimer’s disease. Cognitive symptoms can sometimes be caused or worsened by treatable conditions, including:
Medication side effects or interactions
Vitamin B12 deficiency
Thyroid dysfunction
Depression and other mental-health conditions
Sleep disorders
Infections or delirium
Kidney or liver dysfunction
Alcohol or substance use
Head injury, tumors or other structural problems
Hearing or vision impairment
A sudden change in cognition—especially confusion that develops over hours or days—requires prompt medical evaluation. Gradual memory loss should also be assessed rather than assumed to be a normal part of aging.
Medication reviews can be particularly important for older adults taking multiple prescriptions. Many medications include side effects that can affect cognition and be mistaken for Alzheimer’s symptoms.
Medications should never be stopped abruptly without guidance from your doctor, of course, but keeping a close eye on these prescriptions along with your symptoms is very important.
10 Ways to Support Brain Health and Reduce Dementia Risk
1. Protect your metabolic health
Work with a qualified healthcare professional to monitor blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and other relevant markers. Nutrition, activity, sleep, stress management and prescribed treatments can all play appropriate roles.
2. Build meals around minimally processed foods
Prioritize vegetables, berries, legumes when tolerated, nuts, seeds, quality proteins, fish and extra-virgin olive oil. Mediterranean and MIND-style dietary patterns have been associated with healthier cognitive aging.
Reducing sugary drinks, refined carbohydrates and heavily processed foods may also support blood sugar regulation, cardiovascular health, and weight management.
3. Eat sources of omega-3 fats
Fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, trout and mackerel provide EPA and DHA, which contribute to normal cell-membrane and brain function.
Supplements are not automatically necessary for everyone, but may help fill the gaps where a diet is lacking. Product quality, dosage, health conditions and medication interactions should be considered with an appropriate professional.
4. Move consistently
Physical activity supports cardiovascular health, insulin sensitivity, mobility and blood flow to the brain. The CDC recommends that adults work toward at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week.
Walking is an accessible place to begin. Resistance training can provide additional benefits by preserving strength, muscle and independence.
5. Address visceral fat without obsessing over weight
Visceral fat is stored around the internal organs and is associated with insulin resistance, inflammation and cardiovascular risk.
Waist circumference can serve as a simple screening measurement, but it cannot directly diagnose visceral fat or determine an individual’s dementia risk. Body composition, muscle mass, blood pressure, laboratory markers and overall fitness provide important context.
6. Protect sleep and recovery
Sleep supports memory consolidation, metabolic health and the brain’s waste-clearance processes. Most adults should aim for a consistent schedule that allows approximately seven to nine hours of sleep.
Helpful habits include:
Keeping the bedroom cool, quiet and dark
Reducing bright light and screens before bed
Limiting late caffeine and alcohol
Seeking evaluation for snoring, sleep apnea or persistent fatigue
7. Check your hearing and vision
Untreated hearing loss is one of the most important modifiable dementia risk factors. Hearing difficulty can increase cognitive effort and make people more likely to withdraw from conversation and social activity.
Schedule appropriate hearing and vision examinations, use corrective devices when recommended and protect your ears from excessive noise.
8. Avoid smoking and limit alcohol
Smoking damages blood vessels and increases the risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease and dementia. Excessive alcohol use can also contribute to high blood pressure, brain injury and cognitive decline.
If quitting feels overwhelming, seek structured support rather than relying on willpower alone.
9. Keep learning and stay connected
Learning a skill, playing music, reading, creating art, volunteering or participating in a faith community can combine cognitive stimulation with meaningful connection.
Social interaction is not merely entertainment. It exercises communication, attention, emotional regulation and memory while helping protect against loneliness and isolation.
10. Give your habits a meaningful purpose
Information only becomes useful when it turns into consistent action.
Write down why protecting your brain matters to you. It may be maintaining independence, remaining present for your family or continuing to contribute to your community. Then choose one or two realistic actions instead of trying to transform your entire life overnight.
A short walk after dinner, a hearing appointment or a more consistent bedtime may not feel dramatic. Repeated over years, small actions can become a powerful investment in the future.
Brain Health Is About Improving Your Odds
A healthy lifestyle cannot guarantee that someone will never develop dementia. It should never be used to blame people who develop Alzheimer’s or to suggest they failed to take care of themselves.
But uncertainty does not equal helplessness.
The habits that support the heart, metabolism, muscles and emotional well-being also tend to support the brain. Begin with what you can control, seek professional evaluation when symptoms appear and allow consistency—not perfection—to guide the process.
Something is always better than nothing. Make health your hobby, one decision at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dementia & Alzheimer’s
Can dementia be prevented?
Not every case can be prevented. However, research suggests that addressing modifiable risk factors throughout life could potentially delay or prevent a substantial portion of dementia cases at the population level.
What is the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease?
Dementia is a broad term describing cognitive decline that interferes with daily life. Alzheimer’s is a specific disease and the most common cause of dementia.
Does dementia run in families?
Family history can increase risk, but most dementia is not caused by a single inherited gene. Age, cardiovascular health, metabolic health, environmental exposures and lifestyle factors also contribute.
What does having the APOE4 gene mean?
APOE4 is associated with a higher risk of late-onset Alzheimer’s, but it does not mean a person will definitely develop the disease. Testing should be considered carefully because the result cannot predict an individual’s future with certainty.
Why is Alzheimer’s called type 3 diabetes?
The informal phrase refers to research connecting Alzheimer’s with impaired insulin signaling and glucose metabolism in the brain. It is not an officially recognized diagnosis, and Alzheimer’s has many contributing causes.
Can medications cause dementia-like symptoms?
Some medications and medication combinations can contribute to confusion, drowsiness or memory problems, particularly in older adults. A clinician or pharmacist can perform a medication review, but prescriptions should not be stopped without professional guidance.
What vitamin deficiencies can resemble dementia?
Vitamin B12 deficiency is a well-recognized possible contributor to cognitive symptoms. A medical evaluation may also investigate thyroid function, infections, sleep disorders and other potential causes.
What foods may support brain health?
Vegetables, berries, nuts, seeds, fish, legumes, quality proteins and extra-virgin olive oil can be included in a brain-supportive dietary pattern. Minimizing heavily processed foods and excess added sugar may also support metabolic and cardiovascular health.
Does exercise reduce dementia risk?
Regular physical activity is associated with better cardiovascular and cognitive health and a lower risk of dementia. A combination of aerobic activity, walking and resistance training can provide broad benefits.
Can hearing loss increase dementia risk?
Yes. Untreated hearing loss is an important modifiable risk factor. Hearing evaluations and appropriate hearing devices may help people remain cognitively and socially engaged.
When should someone seek help for memory loss?
Seek evaluation when memory or thinking changes interfere with work, relationships, safety or everyday responsibilities. Sudden confusion requires urgent medical assessment.
Resources
Educational disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes and does not diagnose, treat or prevent disease. Consult a qualified healthcare professional about cognitive symptoms, genetic testing, supplements and medication decisions.
