What you eat during menopause can help protect your brain, sharpen your mind, and support long-term cognitive health.  In this article, we’ll break down what to reduce, include more of, and how to build a brain-friendly diet that works with your body, not against it, during this transformative phase of life. 

As we age, preserving brain health is more than just a good idea — it becomes essential.   We might already prioritize exercise, nutrition, and sleep, but are we giving our brains the proper nutrients to thrive for years down the line?  With growing scientific validation, polyphenols are emerging as a powerful group of plant compounds with the ability to help the brain stay sharp, resilient, and balanced.    

Have you ever noticed a subtle shake in your hands, feet, fingers, or toes?   It's easy to blame it on stress or fatigue — but sometimes, these tremors can be an early sign of something more serious.  Though, Parkinson's is the most prevalent neurological condition involving tremors.  In this article, we'll dive into PD and explore the impact nutrition may have on slowing its progression and reducing the severity of tremors.  

The more nights of sleeplessness you accumulate, the greater the strain on your cognitive ability to think, remember, and regulate emotions.  Read on to learn more about chronic sleep deprivation, the underlying sleep disorders that may be to blame, and its lasting impact on cognitive health.  

Have you ever had a moment when you blanked on a name?  Or maybe you forgot where you put an important document?  Staying cognitively sharp, especially as we age, can be a cause for concern, but rest assured there are steps you can take to help support your brain health.  In fact, specific nutrients, like magnesium, can help keep your brain and memory strong. 

This month, we explored the incredible benefits of yoga for your brain, from stress relief to an uplifted mood, and even sounder nights of sleep.  While this practice is undeniably powerful for enhancing cognitive wellness, it often raises questions: Which yoga style is best for brain health? How do you get started and stay consistent? And how can yoga become a lasting part of your daily routine?  To help answer these questions, today, we’re joined by Celest P., a certified physiotherapist and expert yoga instructor specializing in neuro-focused practices, to share her expert insights on how to embrace yoga as a key part of your brain health routine.  Celest is also the founder of AnatoMove, a brain-based yoga application that is featured in our January Special Offer.  AnatoMove offers classes tailored for all age groups, with options ranging from brief sessions to in-depth practices.  With her deep understanding of the mind-body connection, Celest explores how targeted yoga styles and specific poses can profoundly impact brain health.  Her expertise brings valuable insights into incorporating yoga as a scientifically backed tool for enhancing cognitive function.   1. Starting Your Practice: Small Steps to Big Benefits  Trying something new can feel a little nerve-wracking—it’s unfamiliar and can seem daunting at first.  But starting small can make all the difference.  You don’t have to dive in with an hour of yoga a day; instead, take small, manageable steps to help your brain adjust to this new practice.  Not only will this make the process less intimidating, but learning something new also helps build your cognitive reserve, keeping your brain flexible and adaptable over time.1  Practical tips for getting started:  Start with the Basics: Begin with foundational poses like Child’s Pose, Downward Dog, and Cat-Cow.  Focus on mastering proper alignment and getting comfortable and familiar with your body before advancing to more complex poses. Set Time Blocks: Block out a specific time each day or week to practice.  Treat it as an important appointment with yourself.  Create a Dedicated Space: Choose a quiet, uncluttered space to make your practice more enjoyable.  This helps eliminate distractions, fosters consistency, and transforms your practice into a peaceful, focused ritual.  "I always think of the inspirational words by Les Brown, "You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great". It's so easy when you are new to something to judge yourself for not being good enough, but you should be so proud of yourself for being brave and trying out a new skill. The brain loves novelty so stepping into something new is what keeps our brains young." - Celest P. 2. Finding the Right Yoga Style for You  Once you've covered the basics and started to feel more comfortable with your yoga practice, it’s time to explore the different styles of yoga to find the one that suits you best.  Each style offers unique benefits, whether you're looking for relaxation, strength, flexibility, or mindfulness.  In our previous article, we covered the foundational aspects of yoga, and now, you can start experimenting with various styles to see which resonates with you and aligns with your brain health goals.   1. Stress Relief  Restorative Yoga: This slow-paced style focuses on deep relaxation, gentle poses, and long-held postures that encourage relaxation and stress reduction.  It's perfect for unwinding and calming the nervous system.  Yin Yoga: Similar to restorative yoga, yin involves holding passive poses for extended periods to deeply stretch connective tissues and promote relaxation.  2. Flexibility   Hatha Yoga: A gentle style that involves holding poses for a longer period to build flexibility, strength, and balance at a slower pace.  Vinyasa Yoga: While more dynamic, vinyasa incorporates fluid movements from one pose to another, improving overall flexibility, especially in the hips, spine, and hamstrings.  3. Mental Focus  Kundalini Yoga: This style combines movement, meditation, breath work, and chanting to awaken your energy and enhance mental clarity.  It's ideal for focusing the mind and clearing mental fog.  Power Yoga: A faster-paced, physically demanding style that promotes mental focus by challenging your body and encouraging mindfulness in movement.  4. Better Sleep  Yin Yoga: Besides improving flexibility, yin yoga’s emphasis on long-held poses can calm the body and mind, promoting a more restful sleep.  Restorative Yoga: Especially beneficial before bedtime, restorative yoga's calming nature helps signal your body to wind down and prepare for sleep.  "If you have tried yoga in the past and you didn't think it was the right fit for you, please don't give up. All styles are different and often you just need to find the right teacher who's style you resonate with to fall in love with the practice." - Celest P. 3. Integrating Yoga into Your Daily Routine  Now that you're comfortable with your yoga practice, you've discovered which style resonates with you and how much time you can dedicate, it's time to make yoga a staple in your daily routine.  Consistency is key—by integrating yoga into your everyday life, you'll start to experience the long-term benefits for your brain and overall wellness.   Strategies for making yoga an everyday habit:  Linking Yoga with Existing Habits: Pair yoga with a habit you already do every day.  For example, add a short yoga session after your morning coffee or after work to unwind.  The more frequently you link an activity with an existing routine, the more automatic the behavior becomes, thanks to neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to rewire itself with repeated behaviors.2 Set Realistic Expectations: It’s important to be patient with yourself.  Yoga is a journey, and there will be days when you may not feel like practicing.   Having realistic goals—such as practicing three times a week—can prevent burnout and frustration.  Setting Reminders and Planning Ahead: Setting reminders or scheduling yoga sessions helps reduce decision fatigue.  It strengthens the brain's prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for planning and decision-making.  Regularly planning ahead helps create consistency in your neural pathways, making it easier to form habits.2  Celebrating Small Wins to Build Consistency: Each time you complete a session, no matter how short, celebrate it!  When you celebrate small successes, your brain releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward.  This dopamine release strengthens neural pathways associated with the behavior, making it more likely you'll continue practicing yoga.  Positive reinforcement also enhances the brain's reward system, which drives motivation to keep going.3   Like with most things' consistency is key to see changes. Oftentimes it's normal before something like yoga to feel super unmotivated and the desire to swerve the practice might be strong. In moments like this I always promise myself to only do 1 minute and then reassess how I feel. If I am still not in the mood I stop! But more often than not, that first minute puts me on the right track and my desire is then to keep going.  As you age, it’s natural for your body and practice to evolve.  Yoga, like any other habit, can adapt to meet your changing needs and abilities.  Your practice may look different over time, but the benefits for your brain health remain powerful.  Whether you choose to explore gentler styles, modify poses, or adjust the duration of your sessions, the key is consistency and finding what works for you at every stage of life.  Yoga is a lifelong practice that, when tailored to your needs, can continue to boost your brain health.  No matter where you are in your journey, you can always adapt and grow stronger, both in body and mind.  "The great thing about yoga is that it is one of the most sustainable activities to do as we age. This is because there are so many ways to do it. From strong balance poses to chair yoga, there really is something for everyone. One of the best things we can do to stay pain free and well is to keep moving.  And yoga offers a way to do that no matter what." - Celest P.  RELEVATE: Our core product for lasting brain health, featuring advanced nutrition based on the Mediterranean and MIND diets, scientifically proven to nourish your brain and keep it performing at its best. Each jar provides a 30-day supply.  Learn more and order by visiting here.   To learn more about brain-based yoga, follow Celest’s journey by visiting here.   References 1. Acharyya, A. Yoga for Dementia Care: A Review. Preventive Medicine: Research & Reviews 1, 254–259 (2024).  2. Wyatt, Z. The Neuroscience of Habit Formation. Neurology and Neuroscience 5, (2024).  3. Wickens, J. R., Horvitz, J. C., Costa, R. M. & Killcross, S. Dopaminergic Mechanisms in Actions and Habits. The Journal of Neuroscience 27, 8181 (2007).

Yoga has long been celebrated for its physical benefits, but did you know that it’s also a powerhouse for your brain?  Across the globe, people of all ages and experience levels are turning to yoga—not only for its ability to increase flexibility and strength but also for its remarkable impact on mental well-being.

In 2024, the brain health space saw incredible momentum, with cutting-edge research and discoveries shaping the future of cognitive health, Alzheimer’s prevention, and dementia care.   Breakthroughs in cognitive health research have paved the way not only for new drugs, but also (and importantly) for innovative prevention strategies and more effective diagnosis methods.  It’s been an inspiring time as science continues to unlock more doors into the mysteries of brain aging.    Keep reading to explore four groundbreaking studies that made headlines this past year.  Plus, find practical takeaways from each study to support and motivate you in your own brain health journey.  1. Detecting Alzheimer’s from a blood sample: Alzheimer’s detection through blood biomarker test shows 90% accuracy for cognitive decline.​1​​ The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) is one of the largest and most prestigious events dedicated to the latest research on dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.  This year, a cutting-edge study took center stage, focusing on identifying Alzheimer’s disease through blood biomarkers.  The study introduced a novel blood test, which measures the ratio of two types of amyloid beta and the proportion of tau (made up of a specific form of tau called p-tau217).  Elevated levels of amyloid beta in blood are often associated with amyloid plaque buildup in the brain, which is a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease.  Similarly, elevated tau can form tangles inside brain cells, leading to further disruption in brain function.  The test was found to be 88-90% accurate in detecting Alzheimer's, providing a potential breakthrough in diagnosing the disease earlier and more reliably.  Why is this important?  Most current Alzheimer's diagnostic tests require expensive procedures, such as PET scans for brain imaging or samples of cerebrospinal fluid, which is an invasive procedure that also cannot be performed in a primary care physician's office.  This is problematic, as many individuals who first notice signs of brain aging typically visit their primary care physician for initial evaluations.   The new blood test is changing this by paving the way for Alzheimer’s detection that could potentially be used in a primary care setting, making it more accessible and affordable.  Early diagnosis is crucial, as it allows for proper strategies and treatments to be implemented to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s, ultimately providing patients with the best possible chance for better management of their condition.  Potentially more important is the future use of blood tests like these to assess a person’s risk of Alzheimer’s:  Think of how the blood test A1C is used for diabetes prevention, and now imagine how empowered people would be with an “A1C”-like blood test that helps people prevent Alzheimer’s.  We experienced big steps forward for this in 2024.  If you really want to dig deep, read this research article by NeuroReserve medical advisor Jeffrey Cummings MD, ScD on the many ways future blood tests can be used for Alzheimer’s and dementia prevention (click here).  2. Proper blood sugar regulation is a key contributor of the neuroprotective power of the Mediterranean diet.​2​ It's well established that the health of our body is deeply interconnected with the health of our brain.  A study from the DIRECT PLUS MRI trial—one of the largest and longest MRI studies to date—highlights factors that help slow brain atrophy, which is the age-related loss of neurons and brain tissue (brain shrinkage) that happens as people age or accelerates, which can cause dementia.  Participants who adopted a Mediterranean diet or a green-Mediterranean diet (emphasizing certain polyphenol-rich foods like green tea) experienced slower brain aging and preserved brain volume.  How much?  A 50% reduction in the rate of brain shrinkage.  However, the DIRECT PLUS MRI team wasn’t finished with that.  They then set-out in this study to determine what the critical contributors to this result could be.  They found that these benefits were closely linked to improved blood sugar control, including improvements in insulin resistance and fasting glucose levels.  By managing blood sugar levels, these diets proved to not only support overall health but also help maintain a "younger" brain age, offering a promising approach to long-term brain health and resilience against cognitive decline.  Why is this important?  This research is a vital reminder of how our overall health profoundly impacts our brain health.  It highlights that simple, low-cost additions to our routine—like Mediterranean nutrition and incorporating polyphenol-rich foods—can deliver significant benefits.  The findings also emphasize the importance of managing conditions like type 2 diabetes, obesity, and hypertension, which are directly linked to brain health outcomes.  By taking proactive steps to improve overall health, we can protect our brain against age-related decline, making this research a practical and hopeful guide for lifelong cognitive well-being.  These two groundbreaking studies show remarkable strides in how we identify early signs of brain health decline and how to counter them.  They offer deeper insight into how various aspects of our overall health are intricately linked to the well-being of our brain.  And with this new understanding, we can take appropriate steps to maintain a youthful brain.  Building on this foundation, the next two research highlights from 2024 we'll discuss focus on prevention—particularly through intensive diet, nutrition, and lifestyle changes.  These areas are at the heart of NeuroReserve's approach, emphasizing how daily, consistent changes can lead to significant improvements in brain function and longevity.  Proven habits can make all the difference when it comes to keeping your brain healthy, and there’s so much to learn from the Blue Zones—regions where people routinely live healthy, vibrant lives well into their 100s.  Through the end of December, explore our Blue Zones Eating Pack, a curated collection of tools designed to help you embrace their brain-healthy habits.  Start your path to better brain health this new year and see how small, sustainable changes can lead to lasting benefits.  You'll receive The Blue Zones American Kitchen cookbook by Dan Buettner, the Blue Zones pioneer, you’ll get 100 recipes to help you live to 100, with beautiful photography, plus, a limited signed bookplate.  The pack also includes an organic, low-caffeine green tea sourced from Japan—a simple, daily addition that can make a big impact on your health.  Plus, you’ll get 2 bottles of RELEVATE, our brain health supplement inspired by the Mediterranean diet (a cornerstone of Blue Zones eating) to help fill in any nutritional gaps where your diet may fall short.  Learn more and order it here, before it’s gone.   3. Intense changes make a difference:  Lifestyle interventions, including proper diet, exercise, stress reduction, and community support, help mitigate early Alzheimer's symptoms.​3​​ You might remember our review of the updated Lancet Commissions report for 2024, which highlighted 14 modifiable risk factors that together could reduce Alzheimer’s disease risk by nearly 50%.  All those risk factors may seem overwhelming, but if we break them down into ones we really want to improve, then we’ll have the beginning of a powerful and health-changing journey.  The evidence?  This new study reveals that tackling multiple risk factors at once is effective in reducing signs of Alzheimer’s disease progression.  Participants in this study, all diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or early-stage dementia, followed a lifestyle intervention that included:  Eating a minimally processed diet rich in whole foods,  Engaging in moderate exercise, like walking and strength training,  Managing stress with meditation and breathing exercises, and   Joining support groups that align with your values or goals  After 20 weeks, the group that followed the intervention routine showed a significant improvement in a key Alzheimer’s biomarker (the plasma Aβ42/40 ratio (see the first research highlight of this article)).  These improvements also translated to better cognitive and functional outcomes for the lifestyle intervention group.  Why is this important?  These findings are a powerful reminder that improving your brain health involves evaluating your overall lifestyle and daily habits.  Your brain health is not “set in stone,” and if you are serious about it and want to make big changes, then it can make a difference.  Remember, achieving the best results requires effort in multiple areas.  And the good news is that even if you’re experiencing signs of cognitive decline or even Alzheimer’s, your daily actions can STILL make a real difference.  You have the ability to slow progression and support your brain health for the future.  4. Showing impact controlled through twins:  The Mediterranean and MIND diets boosted memory and cognitive abilities in twin females during midlife.​4​​ At NeuroReserve, we emphasize that it’s never too early or too late to begin your brain health journey.  Women in midlife, in particular, experience significant cognitive changes during the perimenopause-to-menopause transition, making them more vulnerable to the risks of cognitive decline.  A recent study followed sets of identical and fraternal female twins in middle age and found that the sisters who adhered better to a Mediterranean or MIND diet experienced greater preservation of memory over a 10-year time span.  Also, an interesting finding:  This benefit could be attributed to the diet’s impact on gut health, specifically through the production of short-chain fatty acids from consuming fiber-rich foods like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.  These nutrients supported growth of beneficial gut bacteria, such as Ruminococcaceae UCG-010, while reducing less beneficial types like Dorea.  With the gut-brain axis playing a key role in cognitive health, it’s a clear reminder that what we eat matters—not just for our bodies, but for our minds as well.  Why is this important?  This type of research is crucial because it helps us truly understand the impact of Mediterreanean/MIND diets on brain health.  Every person is different, and by examining twins in this study, it minimized the impact of other variables, such as social and economic factors, that could confound the results of a dietary study.  Particularly important is that Mediterranean diet made a difference in identical twins, showing that a person’s genetic makeup is not their destiny.  Also, this study underscores the importance of women in midlife taking a proactive approach to maintaining brain health. Learn more about women's midlife brain health and prevention strategies in our article here.  This stage of life presents a key opportunity to take effective action.  Studies like this one are motivating, showing that starting a brain health routine at midlife is not only impactful but also achievable.  Understanding how dietary patterns like the Mediterranean and MIND diets influence health across multiple systems—such as the gut, which directly communicates with the brain—emphasizes the interconnected nature of our bodies, offering another layer of motivation to adopt brain-healthy habits  Wrapping it up for 2024  Here we highlighted blood tests not only for diagnostics but also as predictive tools, intensive multi-factored interventions, and twin studies to show the real effect of dietary differences, and these are just a few advancements in Alzheimer’s prevention research this past year.  Underlying much of this is nutrition, playing a vital role maintaining memory, thinking, and overall cognitive vitality.  Along with lifestyle practices like regular exercise and stress management, adopting a Mediterranean diet is a proven way to boost brain health.  To help you get started, we encourage you to explore our in-depth article on the Mediterranean diet, outlining the foundational principles of this brain-boosting approach to eating.  For inspiration, check out our Brain Table, featuring expertly curated recipes to make your journey both delicious and rewarding.  If you want to take a proactive step toward your brain health, consider RELEVATE, our brain health supplement designed to bridge the nutritional gap.  RELEVATE aligns with the Mediterranean and MIND diets by delivering 17 well-researched nutrients, including polyphenols, omega-3s, flavonoids, and more, in diet-achievable doses.  These nutrients support long-term brain health by enhancing memory, sharpening thinking, and improving overall brain function.  Take the first step toward a healthier brain and learn more about RELEVATE here.  We thank you for joining us on this journey in 2024, learning and growing together in support of brain health.  Each year, this community expands, and new opportunities for brain health come to light, making us even more excited for what 2025 holds for us all!   References ​​1. Ashton, N. J. et al. Diagnostic Accuracy of a Plasma Phosphorylated Tau 217 Immunoassay for Alzheimer Disease Pathology. JAMA Neurol 81, 255–263 (2024).  ​2. Pachter, D. et al. Glycemic control contributes to the neuroprotective effects of Mediterranean and green-Mediterranean diets on brain age: the DIRECT PLUS brain-magnetic resonance imaging randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr 120, 1029–1036 (2024).  ​3. Ornish, D. et al. Effects of intensive lifestyle changes on the progression of mild cognitive impairment or early dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease: a randomized, controlled clinical trial. Alzheimer’s Research and Therapy 16, 1–17 (2024).  ​4. McEvoy, C. T. et al. Diet patterns and cognitive performance in a UK Female Twin Registry (TwinsUK). Alzheimers Res Ther 16, 1–10 (2024). 

Women are living longer than ever, with a life expectancy that surpasses men’s.  However, this longer life also comes with a higher risk for Alzheimer’s disease—2 out of 3 Alzheimer’s patients are women.​​​  There is a time when a woman’s brain becomes more vulnerable to damage, this is during the menopause transition.  Alzheimer's can start developing 10 to 20 years before symptoms appear in women, often during this midlife phase.​

  February is Heart Health Month, a month where hearts are at the forefront of everything, whether it’s thinking about and sharing love, or cardiovascular health and how to reduce risk and prevent cardiovascular disease.  You may wonder what’s considered “cardiovascular disease.”  It’s actually not a particular disease, but an umbrella term used to describe several diseases, including heart disease, heart attack, stroke, heart failure, arrhythmia, and heart valve problems.1  Thus, cardiovascular disease impacts millions of Americans.  In fact, according to the CDC, heart disease is the 1st and stroke is the 5th leading cause of death in the United States, and these are the two biggest components of cardiovascular disease that we’ll be focusing on here.2  And just in case you’re wondering, one of the biggest drivers and risk reduction tools for cardiovascular disease is a proper diet, with the Mediterranean diet being a top choice.3   Focus on Heart Disease: Are You at Risk?  Heart disease itself also encompasses several types of heart conditions, with coronary artery disease (or CAD) being the most common.  CAD involves the buildup of plaque inside the arteries which can reduce blood flow to the heart.  Plaque is formed when fatty substances, cholesterol, calcium, and a protein involved in blood clotting called fibrin are deposited in the walls of the arteries.  More complications including heart attack, heart failure, angina, or arrhythmias can occur when the heart doesn’t get enough blood flow.4  How do you know if you’re at risk?  There are several factors which can increase your risk of heart disease, including poor diet, inactivity, age, smoking, and not managing other health conditions.  In fact, in terms of poor diet, each additional serving of ultra-processed foods was associated with a 7% increased risk of incident cardiovascular disease.5  Among such other health conditions, a critical one to keep in check is metabolic syndrome, which is associated with a 50-60% increased risk of cardiovascular disease.6  Stroke Risk and Heart Health  A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is blocked or when a blood vessel bursts in the brain, leading to brain damage.  There are different types of strokes, with ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes being the major types of strokes.  Ischemic strokes are more common and occur when blood flow is blocked by either a blood clot or built-up plaque clogging an artery.  Hemorrhagic strokes occur when a blood vessel bursts and blood leaks into the brain, causing brain damage due to high pressure build up.  Transient ischemic attacks (or TIAs) are often referred to as “mini-strokes” and are a temporary attack similar to a stroke.  A TIA can signal risk of a future stroke and is accompanied by symptoms similar to that of a stroke including weakness, blurred vision, slurred speech, and vertigo.7  Strokes are related to heart health because the same plaque that builds up in the arteries throughout the body during CAD also builds up in the arteries in the brain, increasing risk of ischemic stroke.  The risk factors for stroke are also very similar to those of heart disease, including hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, and smoking.  Hypertension alone is associated with 54% of strokes worldwide, and studies have found each 10 mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure increases the risk of ischemic stroke by 28% and hemorrhagic stroke by 38%.8,9  Mediterranean Diet, a Gold Standard for Heart Health & Stroke Reduction:   The Mediterranean diet has been associated with reducing heart disease risk by nearly 33%.3  As a comparison, some of the best drugs for cardiovascular disease reduce risk by about 25%, less than if you decided to follow the Mediterranean diet.  More specifically, the Mediterranean diet has been linked to promoting health in many ways, including lowering blood pressure, improving insulin resistance, reducing inflammation, weight loss, fighting oxidative stress, improving lipid levels and more.10,11  Diet really is medicine!  How did we come to know this?  The Mediterranean diet may be well-known today for its many health benefits, but cardiovascular disease reduction was the original inspiration for the first research studies of how the Mediterranean diet affects health.  It began with Ancel Keys, a physiologist who first established the association between the Mediterranean diet and cardiovascular health in the late 1950s.  Keys kickstarted research into the Mediterranean diet which has continued until today, including the recent PREDIMED clinical trial in Spain, which used the Mediterranean diet as a primary prevention tool for cardiovascular disease.12  (Later, PREDIMED also provided key evidence that the Mediterranean diet benefits cognitive health.13)   While the Mediterranean diet as a whole is recommended for heart health, there are certain foods and nutrients which are particularly beneficial to reduce cardiovascular risk:  Fish, like sardines and salmon, contain high amounts of omega-3’s, which support heart health by reducing cholesterol and other fatty substances in the blood and lowering blood pressure, which are believed to be brought about by reducing inflammation, fighting oxidation, and inhibiting coagulation.11  Olive oil is rich in unsaturated fats, which helps improve lipid levels, including increasing HDL, the “good” cholesterol, and regulating blood pressure.14  Fruits and vegetables are packed with micronutrients like vitamins, minerals, flavonoids (like kaempferol, quercetin), and carotenoids (like lutein and zeaxanthin), supporting heart health by fighting inflammation and serving as potent antioxidants.  In fact, there is a 4% relative risk reduction in cardiovascular disease with each serving of vegetables, along with a 7% relative risk reduction in cardiovascular disease with each daily increase in servings of fruit, a big motivation for “stacking-up” risk reducing foods.11  Whole grains, like oats and barley, are associated with a 21% reduction in cardiovascular disease events and are a major source of fiber in the diet.  Similar to other key Mediterranean diet foods, whole grains are thought to exert their effects by reducing inflammation and reactive oxidation, improving lipid profiles, and reducing blood pressure.11  Nuts reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease by about 40%, while legumes have been associated with an 11% risk reduction.  Nuts in particular are associated with improving vascular function, reducing blood pressure, and improving cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.11   Why Managing Heart Health is Important for Brain Health  Heart health and brain health are directly linked, and paying close attention to both during midlife can help you keep your heart and brain healthy as you age.  For example, the worsening of cardiovascular risk is associated with cognitive decline in midlife and an increased risk of dementia.  Midlife cardiovascular risk factors impacting dementia risk include hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and vascular stiffness/dysfunction.15,16   Coronary heart disease is associated with a 26% increased risk of dementia, and recent research suggests that a younger age of onset of coronary heart disease is associated with greater risk of dementia.17  Stroke is strongly linked to dementia as well.  In fact, one study found that 7 years following stroke, 37% of participants had mild cognitive impairment and 22% had dementia.18  Heart disease and stroke affect risk for vascular dementia, a type of dementia which is caused by brain damage resulting from decreased blood flow in the brain.  Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia (the first being Alzheimer’s disease), and the risk factors for vascular dementia happen to be the same as those for cardiovascular disease.16  In fact, vascular dementia can be caused by a stroke in some cases.  We’ll be delving deeper into vascular dementia later this month!  Mediterranean and DASH Diets = MIND Diet  Another dietary pattern like the Mediterranean diet is the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), which focuses more on reducing sodium intake and is also commonly recommended for heart health.  The combination of the DASH and Mediterranean diets, as well as a focus on foods and nutrients that have strong evidence for brain health benefits, creates the MIND diet.  The MIND diet mainly focuses on supporting brain health, but not surprisingly, it is also effective for heart health.  In fact, the MIND diet can help people who have already had a stroke and reduce cognitive decline after a stroke!19   Our nutritional supplement RELEVATE supplies 17 nutrients from the Mediterranean diet which have many benefits for both heart and brain health.  Specific nutrients in RELEVATE are particularly associated with stroke reduction, including vitamin D3, B vitamins, green tea catechins, and magnesium.20-23  Also, RELEVATE’s nutrients can help reduce chances of health conditions that may lead to cognitive decline down the road.   During February, Heart Health Month, it’s important to give extra consideration to our own and our loved ones’ heart health.  Every beat our heart pumps life to the rest of our body, it’s the core of our health.   Learn more about risk factors you can take control of to improve your brain and heart health by downloading our FREE E-Guide “6 Steps to Building Lasting Brain Power,” click here to download.   References What is Cardiovascular Disease. 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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/about.htm. Published 2023. Gaciong Z, Siński M, Lewandowski J. Blood pressure control and primary prevention of stroke: Summary of the recent clinical trial data and meta-analyses. Curr Hypertens Rep. 2013;15(6):559-574. doi:10.1007/s11906-013-0401-0 Blood pressure and your brain. Harvard Health Publishing, Harvard Medical School. https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/blood-pressure-and-your-brain. Published 2022. Fan H, Wang Y, Ren Z, et al. Mediterranean diet lowers all-cause and cardiovascular mortality for patients with metabolic syndrome. Diabetol Metab Syndr. 2023;15(1):1-16. doi:10.1186/s13098-023-01052-7 Widmer RJ, Flammer AJ, Lerman LO, Lerman A. The Mediterranean diet, its components, and cardiovascular disease. Am J Med. 2015;128(3):229-238. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2014.10.014 Estruch R, Ros E, Salas-Salvadó J, et al. 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