Thank you for sharing this checklist! From a functional medicine perspective, protecting the brain from dementia requires a proactive approach that starts in the digestive system. By cooling systemic inflammation, balancing the gut microbiome, stabilizing blood sugar to prevent glycation, and restoring optimal nutrient absorption, you protect the blood-brain barrier and give the brain the clean, energy-rich environment it needs to thrive long-term.
Thank you, Inna. I completely agree that brain health is deeply connected to metabolic and inflammatory health, and the gut is an important part of that picture. Blood sugar stability, nutrient status, and systemic inflammation all influence the environment the brain is aging in. That's why prevention has to be proactive and whole-body, not just focused on the brain in isolation.
Really found your article interesting! All of the health relationships you address are covered by health insurance except hearing loss. As a person with hearing loss and depression, I appreciate your citations of both of these obstacles to cognitive health!
Thank you for sharing this, Shannon. Hearing loss is such an important and under-addressed piece of the cognitive health conversation, especially because the downstream effects often overlap with mood, isolation, and fatigue. I’m glad this helped connect those dots, and I agree, access and insurance coverage need to catch up with the evidence.
I really appreciated the checklist. It is a well structured approach to risk assessment and would be an excellent template to take to a GP or other medical appointment.
Thank you for sharing this checklist! From a functional medicine perspective, protecting the brain from dementia requires a proactive approach that starts in the digestive system. By cooling systemic inflammation, balancing the gut microbiome, stabilizing blood sugar to prevent glycation, and restoring optimal nutrient absorption, you protect the blood-brain barrier and give the brain the clean, energy-rich environment it needs to thrive long-term.
Thank you, Inna. I completely agree that brain health is deeply connected to metabolic and inflammatory health, and the gut is an important part of that picture. Blood sugar stability, nutrient status, and systemic inflammation all influence the environment the brain is aging in. That's why prevention has to be proactive and whole-body, not just focused on the brain in isolation.
Really found your article interesting! All of the health relationships you address are covered by health insurance except hearing loss. As a person with hearing loss and depression, I appreciate your citations of both of these obstacles to cognitive health!
Thank you for sharing this, Shannon. Hearing loss is such an important and under-addressed piece of the cognitive health conversation, especially because the downstream effects often overlap with mood, isolation, and fatigue. I’m glad this helped connect those dots, and I agree, access and insurance coverage need to catch up with the evidence.
Best wishes,
Sara
Very helpful checklist, thanks for providing
You're very welcome Otsenre.
I really appreciated the checklist. It is a well structured approach to risk assessment and would be an excellent template to take to a GP or other medical appointment.
I'm glad you liked the checklist David, feel free to take it to your next appointment.
Warmly,
Sara