Let’s talk about something that can feel incredibly heavy: Alzheimer’s disease.

If you’ve watched a parent, grandparent, or someone you love experience cognitive decline, you know how heartbreaking it can be. I grew up with three grandparents who had Alzheimer’s, and my experience with them shaped the way I think about aging, health, and the importance of taking care of ourselves.

There is grief in watching someone you love change. There is grief in losing pieces of a relationship while that person is still physically present. And there is a whole other layer of emotion when you’re watching your family navigate caregiving, complicated relationships, and the realities of a disease that affects everyone around it.

But here’s what I want us to talk about: We can acknowledge how difficult Alzheimer’s is without giving up on the things we can do to support our brain health.

That was one of my favorite parts of my conversation with Rachel Daugherty, founder of Booty and Brains. Rachel brings humor, honesty, and a refreshing lack of perfectionism to conversations about Alzheimer’s, fitness, and healthy aging.

She understands that life can be hard. Sometimes we’re caring for aging parents, raising children, building careers, and trying to keep ourselves together in the middle of it all.

And somewhere in that chaos, we’re supposed to find time to exercise, eat well, sleep enough, and somehow take care of our future selves.

I get it.

That’s why this conversation matters. Because improving your brain health doesn’t have to begin with an extreme fitness program, an expensive gym membership, or a complete overhaul of your life.

It can start with one small movement, one better meal, or one walk outside.

And those small habits matter.

1. Can Exercise Help Reduce the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease?

One of the most important things we discussed was the connection between exercise and brain health.

Most of us already know that exercise is good for us. We know we should move more, build strength, and take care of our bodies. But understanding that exercise is beneficial and actually making it part of our lives are two very different things.

So let’s talk about why it matters.

Physical activity supports cardiovascular health, metabolic health, mood, sleep, and several aspects of cognitive function. Research also suggests that regular physical activity may help reduce the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.

Exercise is not a guarantee against Alzheimer’s disease. Genetics, age, medical history, and other factors can influence a person’s risk. But we do have opportunities to support our long-term health through the choices we make today.

And that brings me to a question I ask all the time: If we know movement matters, why aren’t we doing it?

Sometimes the answer is that we’re exhausted.

Sometimes we’re intimidated by the gym.

Sometimes we have convinced ourselves that exercise only counts if we’re sweating through an hour-long workout in matching leggings.

And sometimes, moving our bodies feels frightening because of past injuries, pain, or years of believing we’re simply not athletic people.

Rachel and I talked about breaking down that barrier to entry. We don’t need to start with perfection. We need to start with something achievable.

Maybe that means walking around the block. Maybe it means doing a few wall push-ups while your coffee brews. Maybe it means getting up from your desk more frequently throughout the day.

You don’t need to become a completely different person overnight.

You need to start building habits that support the person you want to be five, ten, or twenty years from now.

2. Strength Training for Women: Why Building Muscle Matters After 40

I am a huge believer in strength training, particularly as we move through midlife and beyond.

Building and maintaining muscle supports mobility, physical function, balance, and metabolic health. These things become increasingly important as we age.

Think about the everyday movements you probably don’t give a second thought to right now.

Getting out of a chair.

Climbing stairs.

Carrying groceries.

Getting down on the floor and standing back up again.

Walking through an airport with your luggage.

Those movements are part of your independence. And maintaining the strength to perform them can make a meaningful difference in your quality of life.

Rachel made a point during our conversation that I absolutely loved: We don’t have to wait until we’re older to start caring about our future mobility.

We need to build that foundation now.

I often think about physical health as something we are investing in for the long term. The strength you develop today can help support your ability to remain active and independent in the future.

And ladies, this is not about chasing a particular body shape or trying to look a certain way.

It’s about what your body can do.

It’s about having the strength to participate in your life rather than constantly worrying about what your body might not be able to handle.

It’s about building a legacy of health.

You don’t have to start in the gym

If the idea of strength training makes you uncomfortable, let’s make it simpler.

• Try wall push-ups instead of traditional push-ups on the floor.
• Practice standing up from a sturdy chair and sitting back down with control.
• Use light weights for simple exercises appropriate for your ability.
• Take the stairs when it’s safe and practical.
• Add short movement breaks to your workday.

Start at a level that feels manageable. If you have an injury, significant pain, balance concerns, or a medical condition that affects exercise, ask a qualified healthcare professional about the safest way to begin.

The goal isn’t to prove how hard you can push yourself.

The goal is to build consistency.

And if you can do a few wall push-ups today, then build on that tomorrow, you are already creating a different relationship with movement.

That is progress.

3. Small Daily Workouts: Why You Don’t Need an Hour at the Gym

One of my favorite takeaways from this episode was Rachel’s approach to making fitness accessible.

She isn’t telling people they need to overhaul their entire lives. She’s showing them how to incorporate movement into the lives they already have.

And honestly, I think that’s where many of us need to begin.

We have a tendency to make wellness unnecessarily complicated.

We think we need the perfect workout schedule, the perfect diet, the perfect equipment, and the perfect amount of motivation before we can get started.

Meanwhile, we’re sitting at a desk for hours, telling ourselves we’ll exercise when life calms down.

Let me tell you something: Life may not calm down.

There will always be another email, another meeting, another family responsibility, or another reason to put yourself last.

So what if we stopped waiting for the perfect circumstances?

What if fitness became something we practiced throughout the day instead of something we only did when we had our workout clothes on?

Rachel shared how she will find opportunities to do push-ups or other movements while waiting for something. She isn’t waiting for a formal workout session to give herself permission to move.

I love that.

You can do wall push-ups during a break. You can take a short walk after lunch. You can stand up and move between meetings. You can practice balance exercises while waiting for something, provided you’re in a safe environment.

These activities may seem small, but they can help you build a more active routine and reduce prolonged periods of sitting.

And perhaps just as importantly, they help you begin to identify as someone who takes care of their body.

You don’t have to earn that identity.

You build it through repetition.

Try this simple movement routine

If you’re looking for an easy place to start, try incorporating these opportunities into your day:

• Morning: Take a short walk or do a few gentle movements to get your body going.
• Midmorning: Take a movement break and try a few wall push-ups.
• After lunch: Walk for 10–20 minutes if your schedule and physical ability allow.
• Afternoon: Get up from your desk and move between tasks.
• Evening: Take a walk outside or enjoy a gentle movement routine that helps you transition out of work mode.

You can adjust this routine to fit your circumstances. You don’t have to complete every item, and you don’t need to turn your day into a rigid checklist.

The point is to find opportunities to move more consistently.

Small habits become more powerful when we can sustain them.

4. Brain Health and Blood Sugar: Why Muscle and Metabolic Health Matter

Another important part of our conversation was the relationship between metabolic health and brain health.

You may have heard Alzheimer’s disease referred to as “type 3 diabetes.” This is an informal term used in some scientific discussions to describe aspects of the relationship between insulin signaling, glucose metabolism, and Alzheimer’s disease. It is not an official medical diagnosis.

What we do know is that metabolic health matters.

Conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Supporting healthy blood sugar, maintaining physical activity, and following a balanced eating pattern are important parts of overall health.

This is another reason I believe we need to look at wellness as a connected system rather than a collection of unrelated goals.

We’re not just exercising to burn calories.

We’re not just eating well to change the number on a scale.

We’re supporting our ability to move, think, function, and participate in our lives.

Rachel shared something I think many of us can relate to: For years, she approached food through the lens of restriction. She wondered why she struggled with cravings and felt like she couldn’t control her eating.

Her perspective shifted when she began focusing on giving her body the nourishment it needed.

Instead of concentrating entirely on what she should eliminate, she started thinking about what she could add.

More protein.

More fiber.

More whole foods.

More balanced meals.

I love this shift because it takes us away from the idea that wellness must involve punishment.

Start by improving one meal

You don’t need to redesign your entire diet this week.

Start with breakfast.

Consider including a source of protein, fiber-rich foods, and other nutrient-dense ingredients that help you feel satisfied and energized.

Depending on your preferences, that might mean eggs with whole-grain toast, Greek yogurt with berries and nuts, or oatmeal paired with a protein source.

From there, look at your other meals and identify one manageable improvement.

The goal is to develop a sustainable eating pattern that supports your overall health.

And remember, no single food or meal will determine your brain health. What matters is the bigger picture of your habits over time.

5. Get Outside: The Overlooked Connection Between Sunshine, Sleep, and Brain Health

Here’s another habit that sounds almost too simple to be important: Get outside.

Rachel and I discussed how easy it is to spend most of our days indoors, moving from the house to the car, from the car to the office, and from the office back home.

We sit in front of screens, scroll through our phones, answer emails, and wonder why we’re tired but somehow unable to switch off at night.

Our environment and daily routines can influence our sleep-wake cycle, also known as our circadian rhythm.

Getting natural daylight during the day, maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, and reducing bright light exposure late at night can help support healthy sleep patterns.

And sleep matters for both physical and cognitive health.

Rachel shared a fascinating personal experience about living through a hurricane that left her without electricity for a period of time. Despite the stress of the situation, she noticed that she slept exceptionally well without the usual artificial lights and screens.

That experience prompted her to think differently about the relationship between light, sleep, and her daily habits.

Of course, there are many factors that affect sleep, and we can’t attribute a single experience to one cause. But the broader lesson is worth considering.

Sometimes the habits we dismiss as insignificant are worth paying attention to.

You don’t necessarily need another complicated wellness strategy.

You might need a walk outside in the morning, a more consistent bedtime, or a break from your phone before sleep.

Try taking a short walk outdoors during the day. Let yourself notice the trees, the sounds around you, and the environment beyond your screen.

Walking outside can combine physical activity, exposure to natural daylight, and an opportunity to step away from daily stress.

It is a simple habit with several potential benefits.

And no, you don’t have to make it a two-hour nature retreat.

Start with what you can do today.

6. It’s Never Too Late to Start Taking Care of Your Brain

One of the most meaningful parts of this conversation was recognizing that healthy aging isn’t about perfection.

It’s about what we do with the opportunities we have.

Maybe you spent years believing that exercise wasn’t for you.

Maybe you’ve struggled with restrictive diets or an all-or-nothing approach to wellness.

Maybe you’ve experienced injuries, surgeries, caregiving responsibilities, or periods of life when taking care of yourself simply wasn’t your priority.

I understand that life doesn’t always go according to plan.

I’ve had my own unexpected health setbacks, and I’ve learned that returning to movement doesn’t always look like returning to the athlete you once were.

Sometimes progress means being able to walk comfortably again.

Sometimes it means rebuilding strength after surgery.

Sometimes it means recognizing that your body needs a different approach than it did ten or twenty years ago.

That doesn’t make your efforts less meaningful.

It makes them relevant to the life you’re living now.

We cannot control every aspect of aging, and no lifestyle habit can guarantee that we will never experience Alzheimer’s disease or another health condition.

But we can make choices that support our health and give ourselves opportunities to remain as strong, active, and independent as possible.

We can build muscle.

We can work on balance.

We can move throughout the day.

We can nourish our bodies.

We can prioritize sleep and spend more time outside.

And we can stop telling ourselves that if we can’t do everything, there is no point in doing anything.

Because there is a point.

There is a point in every walk, every manageable workout, every nourishing meal, and every decision to take better care of yourself.

Progress over perfection isn’t just a catchy phrase. It’s a practical way to approach lifelong health.

7. Three Simple Ways to Start Supporting Your Brain Health Today

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by everything we’ve discussed, I want you to leave with three practical takeaways from my conversation with Rachel.

First: Find a way to move every day

You don’t have to begin with an intense workout. Start with walking, wall push-ups, chair stands, or another activity suited to your ability.

Build consistency before worrying about intensity.

Second: Nourish your body instead of constantly restricting it

Focus on balanced meals with adequate protein, fiber, and nutrient-dense foods. Start with one meal and build from there.

You don’t need to be perfect. You need an approach you can sustain.

Third: Make time for daylight and better sleep habits

Spend some time outdoors during the day, develop a consistent sleep routine, and consider limiting screen exposure close to bedtime.

These changes don’t need to be complicated to be worthwhile.

And here’s the most important part: Don’t try to do all three perfectly tomorrow.

Choose one.

Practice it.

Then build on it.

If you have concerns about memory changes, cognitive decline, or your personal risk of Alzheimer’s disease, talk with a qualified healthcare professional. Lifestyle habits can support overall health, but they are not a substitute for appropriate medical evaluation or care.

Your Future Health Is Worth the Small Steps You Take Today

My conversation with Rachel reminded me why I love these discussions so much.

We can talk about difficult subjects without losing our sense of humor. We can acknowledge the reality of aging without deciding that decline is the only story available to us. And we can encourage people to take action without making wellness feel like another impossible standard they have to meet.

You don’t need to become a fitness influencer.

You don’t need to lift the heaviest weights in the gym.

You don’t need to eat perfectly, buy every supplement, or transform your life in a week.

You need to start somewhere.

Maybe today that means taking the stairs. Maybe it means going for a walk after dinner. Maybe it means doing a few wall push-ups while you wait for your coffee.

Whatever it looks like, remember that your health is worth the effort.

And if you’re caring for aging parents, raising children, leading a business, or managing a life that feels like it has too many moving parts, please hear this: Taking care of yourself is not selfish. It is part of how you build the strength and resilience to keep showing up for the people and things you love.

You deserve to be part of your own wellness plan.

You deserve to feel strong in your body.

And you deserve to build a future that gives you as many opportunities as possible to live fully, confidently, and independently.

That’s what I want for you.

That’s what we talk about on Don’t F*kn Shrink.

Because we’re not here to play small with our lives, our health, or our futures.

We’re here to show up big.