Lifestyle Factors Affecting Brain Health and Cognitive Decline
By Naturopath, Sam Botica
If you want to be someone who "still has all their marbles" and not someone who’s “gone a bit doolally”... it’s worth giving some thought to your brain health now.
A decline in your cognitive health (brain function) doesn’t suddenly appear out of nowhere. It’s some something that develops over years, and even decades.
The good news is that protecting your brain health is also something you can develop over years and decades!
In this article, I'm sharing some of the key lifestyle factors that can impact brain health, and what you can actually do about them, so you can enjoy healthy brain function well into your later years.
Infections and Alzheimer’s Risk: The HSV-1 Connection
One of the more fascinating areas of research in recent years is the link between infections and Alzheimer’s disease.
Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), the virus responsible for cold sores, is incredibly common. Most adults carry it. For most people, it lies dormant and you wont see the sores. However, research has shown that HSV-1 can reside in the brain, and when reactivated repeatedly, may contribute to neuroinflammation and amyloid plaque formation.
Several longitudinal and population-based studies have found that:
Individuals with HSV-1 infection have a significantly increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Some studies suggest the risk may be up to two times higher in certain populations.
Antiviral treatment in people with severe or recurrent HSV infections has been associated with a reduced incidence of dementia in large cohort studies.
For example:
A large Taiwanese population study found that individuals with HSV infection had a markedly higher risk of dementia, while those treated with antiviral medications had a substantially reduced risk.
More recent analyses have continued to support the idea that herpes virus reactivation may be a modifiable risk factor in susceptible individuals.
This does not mean HSV causes Alzheimer’s on its own. Dementia is multifactorial. But chronic viral activation may contribute to ongoing low-grade brain inflammation that then contributes to Alzheimers in some people.
From a naturopathic perspective, I work with individuals to support their immune system defence and resilience, reducing viral reactivation as one part of a broader brain health strategy. Herbal antivirals, immune-supportive nutrients and lifestyle modifications can all play a role, but of course, individual assessment is important before starting any long-term supplement protocol.
Blood Pressure, Pulse Pressure and Brain Protection
High blood pressure is not just a heart issue.
If your blood pressure is high, this is also affecting brain tissue.
When blood pressure is elevated, particularly when pulse pressure is widened, the delicate blood vessels in the brain are exposed to increased stress. If there is aortic stiffness (inflexibility in the aorta) the large arteries are less able to buffer those pressure waves. Instead of being absorbed, they are transmitted upward toward the brain.
Over time this can:
Damage small cerebral vessels
Increase blood–brain barrier permeability
Cause neuroinflammation
Contribute to white matter changes and vascular cognitive impairment
Research consistently shows that midlife hypertension significantly increases the risk of later-life cognitive decline and dementia. Even “high normal” blood pressure in midlife can have longer-term consequences.
If you are experiencing:
Increased blood pressure
Widened pulse pressure
Ongoing stress-related cardiovascular changes
It is worth addressing these issues early. Brain tissue is far less protected when vascular health is compromised.
Inflammation is the Common Thread
There’s a theme running through all of this and that's inflammation.
If someone has had years of:
Physical inactivity
Social isolation
Ongoing high stress levels
Poor diet
Not enough restorative sleep
These all contribute to systemic inflammation, including inflammation in the brain.
Chronic stress, in particular, drives elevated cortisol levels which can impair function of the hippocampus, the region of the brain responsible for memory consolidation. Poor sleep further compounds this, because it is in deep sleep that the glymphatic system clears metabolic waste from the brain, including beta-amyloid proteins.
Long-term sleep deprivation has been shown to increase amyloid accumulation. In other words, not sleeping well for years on end is not benign.
Other Lifestyle Factors to Take Note of
Hearing Loss and Dementia Risk
One of the strongest modifiable risk factors for dementia identified in large reviews, including the Lancet Commission reports, is untreated hearing loss.
Midlife hearing impairment is associated with significantly increased dementia risk. The proposed mechanisms include:
Reduced cognitive stimulation
Increased cognitive load
Social withdrawal and isolation
Accelerated brain atrophy in auditory processing region
The encouraging part? Hearing aids and early intervention may reduce this risk.
If you’ve been putting off a hearing test, this is your nudge.
Insulin Resistance and Brain Health
Insulin resistance is increasingly referred to in some research circles as a contributor to “type 3 diabetes” in relation to Alzheimer’s disease.
The brain relies on efficient glucose metabolism. Chronic insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome are associated with:
Increased amyloid deposition - abnormal, misfolded proteins (amyloid fibrils) in organs and tissues
Tau pathology which can lead to the formation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and nerve cell death
Reduced cerebral glucose utilisation (how effectively the brain uses glucose)
Higher risk of cognitive decline
Even in non-diabetic individuals, impaired metabolic health in midlife increases dementia risk later on.
I work with people to proactively improve insulin sensitivity by supporting them to include these in their routines:
Regular daily movement - even a 20 minute walk after dinner
Resistance or weight training
Eating more whole-food, fibre-rich foods
Blood sugar stabilisation with regular meals including protein
Anti-inflammatory foods and herbal support
These small changes can add up to significantly reduce long-term risks of cognitive decline.
It’s Never Too Early. It’s Never Too Late.
If you want to be someone who still has all their marbles decades from now, this is not about perfection. It's not about bio-hacking or expensive supplement protocols. It is about gaining momentum with simple, effective changes.
No matter what your lifestyle looks like today, making just one healthy choice a habitual routine can completely change your trajectory.
It might be:
Walking daily
Going to bed 30 minutes earlier and having a nighttime routine that supports quality sleep
Getting your blood pressure checked and if needed, using natural medicines to support healthy BP
Addressing recurrent HSV flare-ups with herbal anti-virals
Improving metabolic health
Booking a hearing assessment to rule out or address that risk
Reducing ultra-processed foods without reducing your enjoyment of food
Building more consistent and meaningful social connections
Brain health optimisation is a process.
But the process will never begin unless you start.
Start small. Make it doable. Make it worthwhile.
If you’re unsure where to begin, come in and see me, Sam Botica, naturopath at Perth Natural Medical Clinic. A personalised plan can help you address the drivers that matter most for your health trajectory - whether that’s inflammation, viral load, cardiovascular health, metabolic balance or stress resilience.
Your future self - still thoughtful and switched-on - thank you.
Book an appointment online here or call our team on 08 9328 9233.