Happy & Healthy with Amy

Alzheimer’s Prevention: What You Can Do Before Symptoms Start

• Amy Lang

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0:00 | 37:23

If Alzheimer’s runs in your family, you may find yourself wondering: Is this going to happen to me?

You may worry about losing your memory, your independence, or your ability to make your own decisions. And every forgotten name or misplaced pair of glasses can suddenly feel a little more loaded.

But here’s what I want you to know: your genes are not your destiny.

We now know that the brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s can begin 10, 20, or even 30 years before noticeable symptoms appear. And while that may sound scary at first, there’s another way to look at it: that long runway may give us an important window for Alzheimer’s prevention.

In this episode, I’m breaking down what prevention actually means in real life. We’ll talk about preclinical Alzheimer’s, amyloid and tau, the prevention trials testing whether treating earlier can protect cognitive function, and a finding involving people in their 50s and early 60s that I found particularly encouraging.

Because the goal isn’t simply to avoid an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

It’s to stay sharp, curious, independent, and fully engaged in your life for as long as possible.

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

  • 00:00 — What Alzheimer’s prevention really means in real life. It’s about more than keeping a blood test negative. It’s about protecting your memory, independence, judgment, relationships, and ability to live life on your terms.
  • 03:47 — Myth #1: “Alzheimer’s runs in my family, so I’m probably going to get it.” Learn why family history and APOE4 can affect risk without determining your future.
  • 06:11 — Myth #2: Alzheimer’s is a disease of old age. The symptoms may appear later in life, but Alzheimer’s-related brain changes can begin 10, 20, or even 30 years earlier.
  • 07:18 — What “preclinical Alzheimer’s” actually means. You can have Alzheimer’s-related biological changes while still thinking normally, working, driving, and managing everyday life.
  • 09:03 — Amyloid vs. tau: the wildfire analogy. Amyloid may act more like kindling, while the spread of tau appears to track more closely with brain-cell loss and cognitive decline.
  • 13:33 — Are we treating Alzheimer’s too late? Learn what the AHEAD and TRAILBLAZER-ALZ prevention trials are testing in people who are still cognitively normal.
  • 15:42 — The midlife finding I found especially encouraging. Researchers stopped screening 55- to 64-year-olds for one major prevention trial because so many weren't reaching the required p-tau217 blood-test cutoff.
  • 18:07 — Why “earlier treatment” doesn't automatically mean “better choice.” Anti-amyloid drugs can have serious risks, which means preventing or delaying the need for treatment remains an important goal.
  • 20:14 — Prevention vs. cure vs. reversal. These words aren't interchangeable. Learn what each would actually mean for Alzheimer's disease—and where medicine stands today.
  • 27:00 — Why I want us to aim higher than “not getting dementia.” Meet the “superagers” and consider a new goal: building a brain that stays sharp, curious, resilient, and engaged as you age.

Alzheimer’s prevention doesn’t have to begin with a brain scan, blood test, or prescription. For most healthy people, it can begin much earlier—with the daily choices that support a stronger, more resilient brain.

So instead of asking only, How do I avoid dementia?, let’s aim higher: How do I give myself the best possible chance of staying cognitively strong as I age?

Listen to the full episode, subscribe to Happy & Healthy with Amy, and download my free RESTORED Protocol to learn the eight essential protective factors you can start working on now.

Episode about ARIA and anti-amyloid treatment risks:
https://youtu.be/sjof-a6ow6M

Anti-Amyloid Treatment Checklist:
https://www.amylangcoaching.com/treatmentchecklist

National Institute on Aging:
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/alzheimers-caregiving

Alzheimer’s Association:
https://www.alz.org/help-support/caregiving

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