DR GINNI MANSBERG is a general practitioner, TV host and a resident GP on Channel 7’s Sunrise and The Morning Show. She is the author of the bestselling The M Word: How to thrive in menopause. Her latest book Save Your Brain provides evidence-based advice and strategies you can implement to protect your brain as you age.

What inspired you to write this book?

As I watched the Royal commission into aged care and then the elderly locked away in nursing homes in the pandemic, all I could think of is – nobody would choose dementia. What a terrible way to end your days! Despite myriad strides forward in managing everything from cancer to heart disease, we have made close to zero progress in reversing dementia – even when it is in its earliest stages. Prevention is the ball game.

Discovering that not only is there so much you can do to prevent and delay the onset of dementia 930% is preventable!!), but the biggest dividends also come from the changes you make in midlife – 40-65. Who knew that?? This book was screaming to be written.

How does your book differ from other books on brain health?

I focus on people in midlife who have great brains (albeit a bit foggy post COVID or in perimenopause!!) Because now is the time to act to save your brain. I interviewed 22 world renowned experts in brain health and drew on over 700 studies to ensure the advice was evidence based and accurate – not just my opinion.

I tend to have an easy-going, relatable and even humorous style. I encourage people to take the small steps they can in a super busy time of their lives. From expert led tips to preserving your sleep to selecting a diet to working out what to drink, to wrangling your mental health into line. You don’t need to do all of them. Just pick the ones you can manage and engage with them.

I also have a connection to midlife women through my books, The M Word, and The New Teen Age and the subsequent podcast on Mama Mia network, Help I Have a teenager! I have an entire chapter on hormones and the brain to decode menopause brain fog and explain why dementia affects four times as many women as men.

What are some of the key strategies you recommend for preventing cognitive decline as you age?

There is no elixir of youth for the brain in the health food aisle of the supermarket or online. There are no expensive supplements or brain games that will work wonders. It comes down to basic good health with a big dose of common sense.

But, here are some things that will work;

• Keeping your blood pressure to a lower target (LESS than 120 on the top number) reduces your risk of cognitive impairment by 19%
• Depression is a brain shrinking disease. That’s right! If you get depressed and don’t get it treated, you up your risk of dementia. We know that antidepressant medication is not just a symptom reliever but also what we call a neuroregenerative. It helps grow more brain cells, specifically in the critical hippocampus.
• There is no BEST diet to prevent dementia. From Mediterranean, plant based even keto diets. You can pick your favourite and stick to it!
• Stay in the workforce – even if it’s in a volunteer capacity. Keeping your body in a routine and your mind busy is great for your brain.
• Stay connected. Isolation is dreadful for brain health. Catch up with friends and family – in person ideally. But just making eye contact and chatting with people at the shops is great food for your brain.

What are some common misconceptions about cognitive decline that you address in your book?

Lots of people spend a fortune on supplements for brain health. Save your money. There’s insufficient evidence to back any of them. But that doesn’t mean dementia is inevitable and you’ll get it ‘when your number’s up.’ Up to a third of dementias can be prevented altogether and there are simple ways to delay the onset.

How does your gut health impact your brain?

We don’t know for sure. It’s still theoretical at this stage. But scientists now believe that a bad diet leads to a change in the microbiota, which then leads to inflammation – which is bad for our brains.

What’s the role of nutrition in cognitive function and what are some of the best foods for maintaining brain health?

Eating healthy foods means our body can benefit from ingredients including antioxidants, vitamins, polyphenols and other nutrients. And some of these nutrients also have a critical role in brain function, immune system function. The gut microbiome feeds off your food, too and we think that might be how your diet influences your brain health.

Lifestyle is one of the biggest contributors to cognitive decline. What are the biggest threats to our brain and why?

We still don’t know but insufficient sleep, a poor diet, excessive high kilojoule foods with low nutritional value, depression, excess alcohol and smoking can all contribute to depression. Plus your lifestyle contributes to chronic diseases like high blood pressure, obesity diabetes, strokes and high cholesterol, all of which have been independently linked to cognitive decline.

What are some of the key benefits readers can gain from this book?

When it comes to dementia, don’t bank on a cure. It’s still not looking great. It’s all about prevention. The good news is that by taking evasive action in midlife yields great results. I really believe that implementing just some of the strategies outlined in this book now could just save your brain, before it’s too late.