Dementia Prevention: My Personal Playbook
The fear of dementia changes how you think about longevity.
Living longer only sounds appealing if your brain comes with you.
Without that, the equation flips.
You’re not trying to extend life anymore.
You’re trying to avoid a long decline.
That’s what makes dementia different from other conditions.
It doesn’t show up suddenly.
It builds slowly.
And by the time symptoms appear, the underlying damage has often been developing for decades.
That’s the part that matters.
Because if dementia develops over decades:
👉 prevention has to start decades earlier
This is how I think about it—and the framework I use to reduce my own risk.
Start With the Right Model: Dementia Is Not Random
There’s a common belief that dementia is:
Genetic
Inevitable
Largely out of your control
That’s outdated.
While genetics play a role (especially APOE variants), a large portion of dementia risk is driven by modifiable factors:
Metabolic health
Inflammation
Vascular health
Sleep
Lifestyle
This is why you’ll sometimes hear Alzheimer’s referred to as:
👉 “Type 3 diabetes”
It’s not a perfect label—but it points to something important:
👉 glucose regulation and insulin resistance play a major role in brain health
That’s where the strategy begins.
The Core Principle
Protect the Brain by Protecting the System
The brain doesn’t operate in isolation.
It depends on:
Blood flow
Glucose regulation
Oxygen delivery
Inflammation control
Hormonal balance
So instead of asking:
👉 “What improves brain function?”
The better question is:
👉 “What protects the systems that support the brain?”
That leads to a much more actionable approach.
1. Metabolic Health: The Highest-Leverage Intervention
If there’s one place to focus, it’s here.
Insulin resistance is one of the strongest modifiable risk factors for cognitive decline.
Why it matters:
Impairs glucose delivery to the brain
Increases inflammation
Accelerates neurodegeneration
Damages blood vessels (including in the brain)
This is the foundation of the entire strategy.
What I track
A1C (Quarterly)
Goal: well below pre-diabetic range
Ideally ~5.0–5.3
Not “normal.”
👉 Optimal.
Because waiting until pre-diabetes:
👉 means you’re already on the path
Fasting Insulin (Often Overlooked)
A1C can look normal while insulin is elevated.
That’s early dysfunction.
I want:
👉 low, stable fasting insulin
CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor)
Used periodically to:
Identify glucose spikes
Understand food response
Improve metabolic flexibility
This is where behavior actually changes.
Seeing a spike:
👉 is very different than being told about it
What I Do
Prioritize whole, minimally processed foods
Eat protein and fiber first to blunt glucose spikes
Walk after meals
Strength train regularly (muscle improves glucose disposal)
No extreme diets.
Just targeted decisions based on data.
2. Inflammation: The Silent Driver
Chronic inflammation is strongly linked to:
Cognitive decline
Neurodegenerative disease
Accelerated aging
The problem:
It’s invisible.
No symptoms.
No obvious signal.
Until it compounds over time.
What I Track
CRP (C-reactive protein)
Goal: <1.0 mg/L
Ideally closer to 0.5
IL-6 (when needed)
More detailed inflammatory signal
If these are elevated:
👉 something is off
That could be:
Diet
Visceral fat
Poor sleep
Chronic stress
What I Do
Maintain low visceral fat (one of the biggest drivers of inflammation)
Prioritize sleep (huge impact on inflammatory pathways)
Limit ultra-processed foods
Train consistently
Again—no hacks.
Just removing sources of chronic stress on the system.
3. Key Brain-Related Biomarkers (Where Precision Matters)
This is where the strategy becomes more specific.
Vitamin D
Low levels are associated with:
Cognitive decline
Increased dementia risk
Target:
👉 ~40–60 ng/mL
Not deficient. Not excessive.
Just optimal.
Homocysteine
Often overlooked—and one of the more important markers.
Elevated homocysteine:
Damages blood vessels
Impairs brain function
Strongly linked to dementia risk
Target:
👉 <10 µmol/L (ideally closer to 7–8)
If elevated:
B vitamins (B6, B12, folate)
Dietary adjustments
This is highly actionable.
Omega-3 Index (DHA Focus)
DHA is critical for:
Brain structure
Neuronal signaling
Cognitive resilience
Target:
👉 ~8–12% Omega-3 index
Low levels:
👉 are common—and correctable
4. Vascular Health = Brain Health
This is one of the most underappreciated connections.
What damages your heart:
👉 damages your brain
Poor vascular health leads to:
Reduced blood flow
Microvascular damage
Increased dementia risk
That means:
Everything in the heart disease playbook:
👉 applies here
ApoB control
Blood pressure management
Exercise
Body composition
You’re not running two strategies.
👉 You’re running one system
5. Exercise: Non-Negotiable for Brain Function
Exercise isn’t just about fitness.
It directly impacts:
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)
Neuroplasticity
Blood flow to the brain
Insulin sensitivity
This is one of the highest ROI interventions available.
What I Do
Strength training
Cardio (including higher intensity work)
~5 days per week
The goal:
👉 maintain capacity over time
Not just for performance.
For:
cognitive resilience
long-term independence
6. Sleep: The Brain’s Repair System
Sleep is where:
toxins are cleared from the brain
memory is consolidated
recovery happens
Poor sleep is strongly associated with:
cognitive decline
Alzheimer’s risk
impaired brain function
This is not optional.
What I Aim For
👉 7–8 hours of high-quality sleep
And more importantly:
👉 consistency
Because sleep debt:
👉 compounds over time
7. Alcohol, Smoking, and the Obvious Tradeoffs
These don’t require a complicated framework.
Smoking: eliminate
Alcohol: minimize
I’ve landed at:
👉 ~1 drink per month
Not out of restriction.
Because the tradeoffs are clear:
Worse sleep
Increased inflammation
Negative impact on brain health
The Bigger Framework:
Why → How → What
This is how I structure the entire approach.
Why
Reduce the risk of:
cognitive decline
dementia
loss of independence
How
Improve metabolic health
Reduce inflammation
Protect vascular system
Maintain physical and cognitive capacity
What
Track A1C, insulin, CRP, homocysteine, Omega-3
Use CGM strategically
Exercise consistently
Prioritize sleep
Maintain low visceral fat
There’s no single intervention that prevents dementia.
No supplement.
No shortcut.
It’s a system.
And that system is built on:
👉 small, consistent decisions over decades
That’s the part people underestimate.
Not the complexity.
👉 The time horizon
Dementia doesn’t start when symptoms appear.
It starts years—often decades—earlier.
At Longevity Health, we focus on identifying risk early and building a personalized strategy that protects your brain long before decline begins.
Because the goal isn’t just living longer.
👉 It’s staying sharp, capable, and independent for as long as possible.
Book a consult to build your brain health strategy.