What If Fourteen Risk Factors Explained Nearly Half of All Dementia, and You Could Change Every One?

Most people assume dementia is genetic, but the latest research tells a different story. In this episode of The Habit Healers Podcast, I walk you through the 2024 Lancet Commission’s findings that 45% of dementia cases worldwide are linked to 14 modifiable risk factors, and what that actually means for the choices you make every day.I’m Dr. Laurie Marbas, a board-certified lifestyle medicine physician, and I want you to hear this clearly: the window where these changes matter most is midlife, often years or decades before symptoms show up. The same habits that lower your LDL cholesterol, stabilize your blood sugar, and protect your heart are also building a brain that resists Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline. Hearing loss and high LDL are now tied as the two largest individual risk factors for dementia, and most people have never had a conversation about either one through the lens of brain health.In this episode, you will learn how to translate the science into a real plan, including the seven daily habits with the strongest evidence and the medical appointments worth booking now.What you will learn:* How exercise, a Mediterranean and plant-forward diet, and quality sleep protect against cognitive decline and Alzheimer’s disease* Why hearing loss is one of the largest modifiable risk factors for dementia and what to ask your audiologist* How LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, and A1c connect to long-term brain health* The role of social connection, stress management, and depression treatment in dementia prevention* Why midlife is the most important window for brain health and where to start this weekDr. Marbas Substack Article: https://drlauriemarbas.substack.com/p/what-if-fourteen-risk-factors-explainedA Big Thank You To Our Sponsors:If you want the best supplement to help you on your plant-based journey, you have to try Complement: https://lovecomplement.com/?aff=62 Get full access to The Habit Healers at drlauriemarbas.substack.com/subscribe