Over the holidays, while most people were curled up with festive movies, I was curled up with books on brain health. (Light reading, I know!) But I’ve been so drawn to understanding how our choices — especially around food and lifestyle — shape our long-term cognitive health.
Maybe it’s because I’m in my late 40s.
Maybe it’s because I’m raising a daughter on my own and want to be fully present and vibrant for as long as I can.
Or maybe it’s because losing both of my parents too early changed the way I look at aging — and the role we get to play in shaping our health future.
But the deeper I dove into the research, the more one thing became clear:
We have far more control over our brain health than we’ve ever been told. I recently shared the daily habits I personally rely on to support brain health after 40.
Up to 80% of dementias can be prevented through diet and lifestyle. Our daily habits matter — not just for energy and weight, but for memory, mood, clarity, and long-term cognitive protection.
In fact, the research shows that every small, intentional change we make — whether it’s improving our sleep, eating more plants, supporting our gut, or managing stress — plays a meaningful role in protecting our cognition, our memory, and our energy for years to come.
And one of the most powerful tools we have?
A plant-based diet.
Not perfection. Not restriction. Just more colour. More nutrients. More foods your brain loves.
🌿 Why Brain Health Matters More Than Ever for Women 45+
As women, our brain health begins shifting long before we feel the effects. Hormonal changes during peri-menopause and menopause influence our memory, mood, focus, sleep, metabolic health and inflammation.
Women are also statistically two times more likely to develop dementia than men. While more research is still needed to understand why, it is believed to be linked to hormone shifts, inflammation, and metabolic changes that happen in midlife.
And here is the part that really struck me as a health coach…
Your dementia “path” is laid down 20–30 years before symptoms appear.
But — and this is important — that path is modifiable.
Improving your health by even 20% can begin reversing your long-term cognitive risk. In turn proving why your habits in your 40s, 50s, and 60s matter so much. The earlier we start nurturing our brain, the better.
(Hint! If you want to know how you’re doing right now in the area of brain health, keep reading and be sure to do our Best You Brain Health Quiz at the end of this blog!)
The deeper I went into the science this season, the more I realized just how profoundly our small, daily habits shape the health of our brain decades from now. These evidence-based insights highlight just how much influence our daily habits truly have:
Research suggests that up to 80% of dementias may be influenced by diet and lifestyle factors. Everything from the foods we eat to how well we sleep is directly connected to long-term brain resilience.
Insulin resistance in your 50s is strongly linked to cognitive decline later in life.
This means blood sugar balance isn’t only about weight — it’s one of the most important things you can do for your brain.
Your gut microbiome plays a major role in dementia risk.
When the gut is in dysbiosis (imbalanced), inflammation increases, and so does the risk of cognitive decline. Supporting gut health is supporting brain health. If brain fog has been creeping in, I wrote more about the gut-brain connection here.
A brisk walk every day can reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s by up to 40%.
Movement improves blood flow to the brain, supports mood, and enhances memory.
Eating just one cup of leafy greens a day measurably improves cognitive aging.
Plant diversity — especially greens — has a remarkable impact on brain function over time.
Fatty liver is now recognized as a potential pre-marker for dementia.
And after the holidays, many people are unknowingly dealing with elevated liver enzymes. Improving liver health is an act of prevention.
Women are more susceptible to dementia than men.
Emerging research links this to hormonal shifts, inflammation, and metabolic health — all things we can influence with daily habits.
🌿 The Science: How Plant-Based Eating Supports Brain Health
When we talk about a “plant-based diet,” we’re referring to foods that are naturally rich in antioxidants, fibre, polyphenols, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. These nutrients reduce inflammation, improve blood flow, support neurotransmitter production, and slow cognitive aging. This includes foods from plants like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes, while reducing or eliminating animal products.
Here is what the research shows:
- Plants reduce inflammation — a major driver of cognitive decline.
Chronic inflammation is linked to memory loss and dementia. Colourful plant foods act like little firefighters, calming inflammation in the brain.
- Plants stabilize blood sugar — critical for long-term brain health.
Insulin resistance in your 50s dramatically increases dementia risk. Plant foods such as beans, whole grains, and vegetables help keep insulin levels steady, protecting your brain.
- Plants feed a diverse gut microbiome.
The gut–brain axis is real. A healthy gut supports better mood, memory, and reduced inflammation.
- Leafy greens slow cognitive aging.
Just 1 cup of greens a day (spinach, kale, arugula) has been shown to slow the rate of cognitive decline.
- Plants support hormone balance.
Certain plant compounds support estrogen pathways, which can influence memory and mood during peri-menopause and menopause.
This isn’t necessarily about giving up all animal products. It’s about adding more plants to your plate, more often. Even small changes make a difference.
🌿 The Gut–Brain Connection: Why Your Microbiome Matters
One of the most fascinating parts of brain-health research is how deeply connected the gut and brain really are.
A few key facts:
- 90% of serotonin (your feel-good hormone) is made in the gut
- The gut and brain communicate through the vagus nerve
- Dysbiosis (imbalanced gut bacteria) increases dementia risk
- Gut inflammation leads to brain inflammation
What does this all mean for you?
A healthier gut = a healthier brain.
This is why a plant-rich diet is one of the simplest ways to protect your long-term cognitive health. When we feed our gut microbiome a plant-based diet that is rich in color and diversity of flavours, it nurtures the gut to better supports your mood, memory, and brain function.
🌿 Nutrients & Foods That Boost Brain Health
Here are some of the most important foods to embrace for better cognition, memory, and mental clarity — especially for women 45+.
Omega-3 Sources (Plant-Based)
Why: Help reduce inflammation + support brain structure.
Examples: chia seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts, hemp seeds
Leafy Greens
Why: Slow cognitive decline + improve memory.
Examples: spinach, kale, arugula, chard
Berries
Why: Rich in antioxidants that protect memory.
Examples: blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries
Seeds for Hormones + Brain Support
Pumpkin, chia, flax, hemp — all support brain function and hormone health.
Vitamin D + B12
Crucial for mood, cognition, and nerve function. Especially important for women who are plant-forward.
Beans & Lentils
Support blood sugar balance, reduce inflammation, and help with weight management — all linked to long-term brain health.
🌿 Probiotic-Rich Foods for Gut + Brain Health
If you want to support your gut-brain axis, fermented foods are some of the most powerful additions to your diet. These foods introduce beneficial bacteria into the gut, which reduce inflammation, support serotonin production, improve digestion, enhance immune function, and help protect cognitive health.
Examples of probiotic-rich foods include:
- kimchi
- sauerkraut
- miso soup
- tempeh
- kefir (if it fits your diet)
- kombucha
- fermented vegetables
- pickled ginger
Finding foods that you enjoy is key. When we start to shift our thinking about food to support our gut health and brain, we start to eat in a more mindful, present way. Start by adding one gut-friendly food per day.
🌿 Lifestyle Habits That Matter Just as Much as Food
Nutrition is a powerful tool, but not the only one. Brain-health research consistently highlights these additional healthy habits:
- Sleep — Your brain does its repair and memory processing at night. We should aim for at least 7-9 hours of restful sleep every night.
- Movement — A brisk walk each day can reduce Alzheimer’s risk by up to 40%.
- Blood Sugar Balance — Stable blood sugar = lower inflammation = healthier brain. Insulin resistance before age 50 left untreated can be a pre-marker for cognitive health decline. Understanding what foods help keep this in check is important.
- Liver Health — High liver enzymes is an early warning sign for dementia.
- Stress + Mental Stimulation —learning, reading, mental challenge throughout life keeps the brain resilient.
Think of these habits as brain insurance. Small choices that compound over time. This is exactly the kind of sustainable habit-building we focus on inside the Best You Membership.
🌿 Simple Ways to Add More Plant-Based Foods Into Your Day
Making the decision to become plant-based doesn’t have to happen over-night. Gradually working more plants into your routine is key, so that this way of living is sustainable and allows for you to listen to your body and feel the benefits. This is not about restriction or being on a diet. Plant-based eating is an identity-shift in how you approach your food and your health.
Here are a few simple strategies to get started:
- Add a cup of leafy greens at lunch
- Make a “brain bowl” with greens + beans + seeds
- Add berries to smoothies or snacks
- Try Meal Think: decide dinner in the morning (link this to the morning routine blog)
- Try Thinking in Pairs: ingredients that work in multiple meals
- Add beans or lentils to weekly meals
- Choose two new vegetables each grocery trip
- Add fermented foods into your day
- Add seeds to salads, oatmeal, smoothies
Your brain is one of your greatest assets — and one of the most responsive to the choices you make each day. This isn’t about doing everything at once. It’s about doing something — consistently.
More plants.
More colour.
More fibre.
More movement.
More gut support.
More intention.
You have so much power to shape your health. And it’s never too late to start.
🧠 Curious How Your Brain Health Is Doing Right Now?
If reading about brain health sparked questions like:
• “How does this apply to me?”
• “Am I supporting my brain as well as I could be?”
• “Where should I focus first?”
You’re not alone.
I created The Best You Brain Health Quiz as a gentle, 2-minute check-in — not a test, and not a diagnosis — but a way to notice patterns and better understand what your brain may be asking for right now.
It’s designed specifically for women 45+ and looks at:
• mental clarity and focus
• mood and emotional steadiness
• sleep and restoration
• movement
• brain-supportive nutrition