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Your Brain Called. It Wants a Prevention Plan.

Alright, let’s talk about the pink elephant in the MRI: women and Alzheimer’s.


Why Women’s Brains Keep Getting Dragged Into This Conversation


The Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement (WAM) lays it out clearly: almost two-thirds of Americans living with Alzheimer’s are women. A woman in her 60s faces a 1-in-5 lifetime chance of developing Alzheimer’s, and women also shoulder most of the caregiving. None of that is “normal aging.” It’s a public health problem with a gendered impact.


And north of the border? It’s not much different. According to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, about 61.8 % of Canadians living with dementia are women. As of 2025, that’s roughly 770,000 people nationwide - a number expected to hit nearly a million within the next decade.


A recent Canadian study (Son et al., J Prev Alzheimers Dis., 2024) found that over half of women’s dementia risk may be linked to modifiable factors - the same culprits identified globally: inactivity, hypertension, hearing loss, obesity, and poor sleep. So, while the stats are grim, the takeaway is powerful. Much of this is preventable.


WAM also reminds us that Alzheimer’s pathology often starts 20 to 30 years before diagnosis. Translation: the “prevention window” opens in midlife, not after the first forgotten birthday.


Now for the “what do we do about it” part. She2.0 is a content curator, not a clinic, so this is education, not medical advice. Bring your health-care pro into the loop for anything you act on.


What The Best Evidence Says You Can Actually Do


1) Tame your blood pressure


High blood pressure trashes small blood vessels in the brain. In SPRINT-MIND, treating hypertension more intensively reduced the rate of mild cognitive impairment and the combined outcome of MCI or probable dementia. Earlier and better control appears to help.


2) Fix the hearing you’ve been pretending is “fine”


Hearing loss is no longer “just annoying.” It’s on the dementia risk list, and in the ACHIEVE randomized trial, a hearing-aid-based intervention slowed cognitive decline in higher-risk older adults compared with health-education control. Get your hearing tested, then use the devices you’re prescribed.


3) Move your body like your brain depends on it


Observational research consistently links physical activity to lower dementia risk, and newer analyses continue to show benefit across the lifespan. No, we don’t have a single magic workout, but regular, sustained activity is associated with slower cognitive decline. Start where you are and build.


4) Eat for your neurons, not Instagram


Two eating patterns show the most evidence: Mediterranean and MIND. In large cohorts, higher adherence to either is associated with lower dementia or Alzheimer’s risk. The randomized MIND trial didn’t show a clear cognitive benefit over three years, so manage expectations: food is a long game, not a three-month cleanse.


5) Sleep like it’s your job


In the Whitehall II cohort, sleeping six hours or less in midlife was linked with higher dementia risk decades later. Aim for roughly seven hours, consistently. If you can’t, talk to your clinician about what’s getting in the way.


6) Mind the “new” risk factors: vision and LDL cholesterol


The 2024 Lancet Commission update added untreated vision loss and high LDL cholesterol to its list of modifiable dementia risks, nudging the share of potentially preventable cases to about 45 percent. Book the eye exam. Know your lipids. Treat what’s treatable. Remember – when estrogen declines, cholesterol is known to take a hike – upwards.


7) Don’t ignore the basics we’ve known for years


The (now 14-item) modifiable risk list includes education/cognitive engagement, hearing loss, hypertension, smoking, obesity, depression, physical inactivity, diabetes, high alcohol intake, traumatic brain injury, air pollution, social isolation, plus the newcomers above. The World Health Organization’s risk-reduction guideline echoes these themes. Pick several you can realistically tackle and keep going.


About those numbers you keep seeing


WAM’s topline stats match current national reporting: roughly two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s are women, and the estimated U.S. count in 2025 is about 7.2 million people 65 and older, rising steeply with age. Again, this is not inevitable. It’s a signal to start earlier. Alzheimer’s Association


The Midlife Prevention Cheat Sheet


  • Know your numbers: blood pressure, A1C, LDL, BMI, waist circumference. Treat abnormalities early. PubMed+1

  • Get your senses checked: hearing and vision. Then actually use the aids or corrective lenses. The Lancet+1

  • Move most days: cardio plus strength. Your brain likes both. JAMA Network

  • Mediterranean or MIND-leaning plate: plants, fish, olive oil, nuts, berries, leafy greens. Be boringly consistent. BioMed Central+1

  • Sleep ~7 hours, guard your sleep routine like your PIN. Nature

  • Quit smoking, keep alcohol moderate, and protect your head. Your brain is not a contact sport. World Health Organization

  • Stay connected and keep learning: social and cognitive engagement matter. Book clubs count. So do classes that scare you a little. PubMed


The Final Word (and if you know me - you know I always have to have it!)


Here’s the truth none of us loves hearing. There’s no miracle supplement or “hack” that cancels Alzheimer’s. What we have are unsexy, evidence-backed habits that build brain reserve over decades. Women bear more of the burden. Women also run households, careers, families, and entire communities. You know how to lead. Lead here too.


Bring this list to your next appointment. Ask your clinician about your blood pressure target, lipid plan, sleep issues, and screening for hearing and vision. If anyone tries to sell you a miracle powder that “reverses plaques in 30 days,” smile politely and walk away. We’re interested in what works, not what trends.



Sources we trust


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Sometimes being overly positive isn't helpful

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