Dementia risk reduction: how can you protect your future brain health?

Dementia is something many of us worry about as we get older. But while age is one of the biggest risk factors, dementia is not an inevitable part of ageing. Increasing evidence shows that there are things we can do throughout our lives to support brain health and reduce our risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

At Dr Indra Functional Medicine, we believe that looking at the health of the whole person is important when considering long-term brain health. This means looking beyond memory and cognition and considering factors such as metabolic health, cardiovascular health, nutrition, sleep, movement, stress and social connection.

In fact, the World Health Organization estimates that a significant proportion of dementia risk may be attributable to factors that can potentially be modified. Its updated 2026 guidance highlights the importance of addressing lifestyle, metabolic and cardiovascular health, hearing, depression, social engagement and other factors throughout life.

Why is metabolic health important for the brain?

One of the areas we often talk about at Dr Indra is metabolic health – and there is an important connection between the health of our metabolism and the health of our brain.

Blood sugar regulation is particularly relevant. Persistently elevated blood glucose and insulin resistance can contribute to inflammation and changes in blood vessel health, which can affect the brain over time. Diabetes and high blood pressure are both recognised risk factors for dementia.

This doesn’t mean that having high blood sugar or diabetes means someone will develop dementia. Rather, it highlights why looking after metabolic health can be an important part of reducing overall risk.

Our food choices can therefore play a role. A diet based around whole, minimally processed foods, plenty of vegetables and fibre, healthy fats and good sources of protein can support metabolic and cardiovascular health.

What can you do to reduce your risk of dementia?

There isn’t one magic food, supplement or lifestyle change that can prevent dementia. Instead, risk reduction is about looking at the bigger picture and making changes that support your health over the long term.

Some of the most important areas to consider include:

• Keep physically active – regular movement supports cardiovascular, metabolic and brain health.
• Look after your blood pressure – hypertension can damage blood vessels supplying the brain.
• Support healthy blood sugar levels – managing insulin resistance and diabetes is important for long-term health.
• Look after your cholesterol – particularly LDL cholesterol, which is increasingly recognised as an important modifiable risk factor.
• Eat a nutrient-dense diet – prioritise vegetables, fibre, protein, healthy fats and minimally processed foods.
• Don’t smoke – smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and dementia.
• Keep alcohol within recommended limits – excessive alcohol consumption can damage the brain and increase dementia risk.
• Stay socially connected – maintaining relationships and engaging with your community can support cognitive and emotional wellbeing.
• Keep your brain active – learning, reading, hobbies and mentally stimulating activities can all help keep the brain engaged.
• Look after your hearing and vision – untreated sensory loss is associated with increased dementia risk.
• Prioritise sleep – good-quality sleep is an important part of overall brain health.
• Manage stress – chronic stress can affect many of the systems involved in long-term health.

These factors don’t work in isolation. Improving one area can often have positive effects elsewhere. For example, becoming more physically active can support blood pressure, blood sugar, weight, sleep and mood at the same time.

It’s never too early – or too late – to think about brain health

One of the important messages around dementia risk reduction is that it isn’t something we should only think about when we’re older.

Dementia develops over many years, and some risk factors can have their greatest influence during midlife. This means that the decisions we make in our 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s can potentially contribute to our brain health later in life.

Equally, it’s never too late to make positive changes. Improving physical activity, nutrition, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, sleep and social connection can support health at any stage of life.

What about inflammation?

Inflammation is another area worth considering. Chronic, low-grade inflammation is associated with many long-term health conditions, and metabolic dysfunction can contribute to inflammatory processes in the body.

This is one reason why looking at the underlying drivers of health – rather than focusing on one symptom in isolation – can be valuable.

For example, someone experiencing poor sleep, increasing weight, high blood pressure, blood sugar fluctuations and low energy may benefit from looking at these issues as interconnected rather than as a series of unrelated problems.

This is very much in keeping with a functional medicine approach: understanding the individual, identifying the factors that may be contributing to poor health and creating a personalised plan to address them.

Don’t forget your mouth and your brain

Oral health is another area that is sometimes overlooked when we think about dementia risk.

The mouth is an important part of the body’s overall ecosystem, and oral health is connected with inflammation and metabolic health. This doesn’t mean that poor oral health directly causes dementia, but it is another reason why looking after your teeth and gums should be part of your overall health strategy.

Regular dental care, good oral hygiene and addressing gum disease are simple steps that can contribute to better overall health.

Think about prevention as an investment in your future

There is no guaranteed way to prevent dementia, and some risk factors – including age and genetics – cannot be changed.

However, this doesn’t mean we are powerless.

The evidence increasingly points towards a whole-person approach to risk reduction: supporting cardiovascular and metabolic health, staying active, eating well, maintaining social and cognitive engagement, looking after hearing and vision, avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol, and addressing health conditions early.

Rather than looking for one intervention that will protect the brain, it may be more helpful to think about building a lifestyle that consistently supports it.

Small changes, made consistently over many years, can add up.

Your brain is part of your whole-body health

At Dr Indra Functional Medicine, we believe that prevention starts with understanding your individual health picture.

Your blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, nutrition, sleep, stress, movement and gut health don’t exist in separate boxes. They are interconnected systems, and supporting one can often have a positive impact on others.

If you’re concerned about your future brain health, you don’t need to wait until you have a problem to start taking action. Looking after your metabolic, cardiovascular and overall health today is an investment in your future wellbeing.

Your brain is part of your body – so looking after your brain starts with looking after the whole you.