Midday: A gut-boosting lunch
Fried and ultra-processed foods can have a detrimental effect on our gut microbiome, and poor gut health has been linked to the neurodegeneration that can trigger Alzheimer’s. So I focus on whole foods, building my lunch around proteins, healthy fats and lots of colourful vegetables.
I eat SMASH fish three times a week – salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and herring – for their omega-3 fats, as well as fermented foods like kimchi, soups with beans and pulses, olive oil and herbs, all of which boost the good bacteria in your gut.
I don’t have a sweet tooth and never snack between meals to prevent my glucose levels from spiking, which puts the brain under stress. But at lunchtime, I will have a small piece of 70 per cent dark chocolate, as the flavonoids (a type of antioxidant) have been linked to improved cognitive function. I’ll also have a tiny espresso some time before 3pm. If that’s not available then I will have green tea or matcha tea. They all contain antioxidants which fight inflammation in the brain as well as the body.
4pm-7pm: Exercise for the body and brain
I will do some kind of physical activity – either yoga, pilates, or lifting weights – at least four times a week. Movement creates BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor), a protein which helps with learning, memory, mood regulation and cognitive flexibility. It also strengthens your neurons, which relay the electrical signals in our brains.
Making sure you keep learning new skills is vital, so I recently started a new South American dance class. I think I’m the oldest person there, so at first I was embarrassed and out of my depth, but now I love it. The dancing, coordination, learning new steps are all building cognitive reserve and resilience, to fight ageing, stress and disease.
7pm-8.30pm: Family dinner
I’m not a big drinker but I do enjoy a glass of champagne on my birthday, at Christmas, or for family celebrations. I think life is about balance – I aim to nourish my brain well most of the time, but I also believe that celebration and connection are good for your health too.
Interestingly, when you compare risk factors for dementia, social isolation can raise risk by anywhere from 5 to 60 per cent depending on the study, so I really value seeing friends and staying socially engaged to keep my brain healthy. If I can’t see anyone in person, I’ll make sure I schedule phone calls into my evening.
While they say we should eat no later than 6pm because it disrupts your gut health, I do eat late because the family all get home at different times and we like to eat together at the end of the day. My husband and I will often cook together when he gets home at 7pm.