Why 90% of Alzheimer's cases are preventable | Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai

ZOE Science & Nutrition

ZOE

Nutrition, Health & Fitness, Education, Science

4.6 • 4.9K Ratings

🗓️ 30 January 2025

⏱️ 65 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Dementia is one of the fastest-growing health crises in the developed world, with cases expected to double in the coming decades. But despite common misconceptions, cognitive decline isn’t inevitable. The latest research shows that lifestyle choices play a far greater role in brain health than genetics alone. In this episode, neurologists Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai share practical, science-backed strategies to help you protect your brain and reduce your risk of dementia. As co-directors of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda University, they’ve spent their careers studying how habits like diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management influence long-term cognitive health. 🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST 🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+ *Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system Follow ZOE on Instagram. Timecodes 00:00 Meet the brain doctors fighting dementia 01:04 Parents have dementia – are you doomed? 02:00 Can dementia be reversed? 02:25 Five lifestyle changes to prevent Alzheimer’s 06:07 What is dementia vs. Alzheimer’s? 08:50 Are your genes to blame? 12:49 Dementia starts 20+ years before diagnosis 14:10 Four biggest causes of Alzheimer’s 19:04 How to build brain reserve & stay sharp 22:50 Are dementia rates rising or falling? 25:30 How the brain declines over decades 29:00 This diet cuts Alzheimer’s risk by 53% 32:40 Three nutrients your brain can’t live without 38:15 The surprising link between LDL cholesterol & dementia 44:10 Leg workouts slash dementia risk by 35% 46:20 Why strength training is critical for brain health 50:36 How stress shrinks your brain 54:00 Sleep: The brain’s natural detox 📚Books by our ZOE Scientists The Food For Life Cookbook Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector Free resources from ZOE Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks Mentioned in today's episode Association of Lifestyle and Genetic Risk With Incidence of Dementia, 2019, published in JAMA Dementia statistics, published by Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) World Alzheimer Report 2015 - The Global Impact of Dementia, published by Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) Midlife serum cholesterol and increased risk of Alzheimer's and vascular dementia three decades later, 2009, published in Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here. Episode transcripts are available here.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Zoe, Science and Nutrition, where world-leading scientists explain how their research can improve your health.
0:07.0	Someone develops dementia every three seconds.
0:18.0	A devastating condition that gradually shrinks someone's world as their brain struggles to complete daily tasks and activities.
0:25.6	And the rate of new cases is growing. Dementia numbers are set to double every 20 years.
0:31.6	This incoming wave has the potential to destroy not only people's lives, but also healthcare systems around the world.
0:39.2	So what can we do about dementia? Isn't it simply unavoidable? A condition that's encoded into our DNA?
0:49.8	World leading neuroscientists, doctors Dean and Aisha Shurzai, are here to tell us that we can control the fate of our brains.
0:58.0	Using the latest groundbreaking science, they've developed a framework
1:01.0	that shows people how to defy their genes and outsmart dementia.
1:06.0	Dean and Aisha say that it's never too late to start taking care of your brain,
1:10.0	and the sooner you do it,
1:11.6	the better.
1:13.7	By the end of today's episode, you'll be able to adapt your lifestyle to support your brain
1:17.9	for years to come.
1:22.3	And if you're looking to live a longer, healthier life, you should eat food that actually
1:26.1	makes you feel good. Let me suggest you
1:29.0	check out Zoe's personalized nutrition program, because the food you eat isn't only making you
1:33.1	tired. It's making you sick. Did you know that 60% of our calories now come from ultra-processed foods?
1:40.3	They're cheap. They're often loaded with sugar and saturated fats. They can last on your shelf for years.
1:47.0	And they're engineered to keep you hooked. But every day, there's more evidence that links ultra-processed food with obesity, cancer, depression and many other diseases.
1:58.4	We live with a food system that's rigged against us. Zoe's personalised
2:02.7	nutrition program helps you break free. We point you towards the smartest food choices for you,
	...

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