653: A neurologist's honest take on Alzheimer's blood tests | Richard Isaacson, MD

"There is no one magic test for brain health,” says Richard Isaacson, MD.    Isaacson is a Harvard-trained neurologist who directs the Precision Prevention Program at Atria Health and Research Institute and founded the world's first Alzheimer's Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medicine/NewYork-Presbyterian. A leader in precision-medicine approaches to Alzheimer's risk reduction, he has served as principal investigator for multiple research initiatives focused on individualized care. He recently led an NIH-funded clinical trial showing that a free online tool (RetainYourBrain.com) reduced Alzheimer's risk by 16% in six months, and is working to democratize brain health testing through an at-home, lower-cost blood biomarker test (AlzLabs.org). Show notes: 00:00 - What we don’t know about Alzheimer’s 04:49 - Where to start with Alzheimer’s risk 06:55 - Lifestyle first: optimizing what you can control 10:39 - Using wearables & health tech for brain health 16:19 – Why there's no perfect blood test for the brain 29:06 - Cutting through the information noise 31:10 - Steps to take when symptoms appear 35:37 - Is it actually memory loss? 38:54 - The future of Alzheimer’s testing Referenced in the episode:  Free cognitive risk & assessment tools: retainyourbrain.com Free information about blood biomarkers: ind.org/bloodtest   Free information about home testing: alzlabs.org We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"You shouldn't be spending more than five minutes in there at a time,” says Trisha Pasricha, MD, MPH. A graduate of Harvard College, Pasricha earned her medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and a Master of Public Health from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Her training includes an internal medicine residency at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and gastroenterology and motility fellowships at Massachusetts General Hospital. Currently, Pasricha is an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of the Institute for Gut-Brain Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, an NIH-funded research laboratory at the forefront of gut-brain science. Her book, You've Been Pooping All Wrong, is out now.  00:00 - What actually makes a bowel movement healthy 07:55 - The Bristol Stool Chart explained 10:50 - The case for bidets 14:49 - What hemorrhoids actually are 17:44 - The smartphone-hemorrhoid study 20:33 - Fiber timing & psyllium husk 24:03 - The rise in early-onset colorectal cancer 27:43 - Microbiome testing 30:03 - The future of gut health 32:33 - Why we can't poop when traveling 35:40 - How much gas is actually normal 38:01 - Runners with the runs 41:10 - How to overhaul your gut in 30 days Referenced in the episode:  For more about Pasricha, visit her website: https://www.trishapasricha.com/  Buy Pasricha’s book here: https://a.co/d/0gZZImBR  Smartphone usage on the toilet study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12407481/  We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Almost all of the interventions that make us happier work because they make us feel more connected and more loved,’ says Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D. Lyubomirsky is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the bestselling author of The How of Happiness and The Myths of Happiness—and her latest, How to Feel Loved (Harper Collins, 2026), paired with a mainstage TED talk. A Harvard and Stanford-trained scientist whose research has been featured in the New York Times, on podcasts, and in documentaries worldwide, she is one of the world's leading experts on the science of happiness 00:00 - What connects every happiness practice 03:24 - Why you should talk to strangers 04:41 - Kindness changes your DNA 08:32 - Money, power, & fame are overrated 10:36 - The case for reaching out to old friends 13:49 - Why 70% don't feel loved enough 17:03 - The walls we walk around with 18:52 - The radical curiosity mindset 23:55 - How to really listen  28:19 - AI as a companion 31:05 - The relationship SEAsaw 39:00 - When introverts act extroverted 43:40 - The conversation to have tomorrow Referenced in the episode:  For more about Lyubomirsky & her research, visit her website: https://sonjalyubomirsky.com/  Buy her new book: https://a.co/d/04sCyQSj  Listen to her mainstage TED talk: https://youtu.be/pdRWeK9f02w?si=1vV8cwwsSHeCMZ3y  For more about Nicholas Epley’s research & upcoming book, visit his website: https://www.nicholasepley.com/ We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Placebo effects are real and mind-body effects are real, and there's a fairly large scientific literature on these things,” says Joshua W. Brown, Ph.D. Brown is a professor of Psychological and Brain Science at Indiana University, where he directs the Cognitive Control Lab. He also co-founded the Global Medical Research Institute With decades of experience in computational neuroscience and over 79 peer-reviewed publications, he brings the same rigorous scientific methodology to extraordinary claims of healing that he applies to understanding the brain. 00:00 - A neuroscientist's brain tumor diagnosis 07:29 - Prayer with expectation 10:43 - The biology of belief 12:13 - Inside the Global Medical Research Institute 17:14 - Even known placebos still work 20:27 - The science of miracles  24:10 - Conversion disorders & the mind-body line 32:02 - The brain is a prediction machine 38:02 - How chronic stress writes itself into the body 41:18 - Why "just believe" doesn't work 43:22 - Healing happens in community 47:16 - When neuroscience met the Dalai Lama 50:26 - The morning practice that grounds his day Referenced in the episode:  To learn more about Brown, visit his website: https://joshbrownneuro.com/  Buy Brown’s book here: https://a.co/d/07qL3LKj  To learn more Brown’s research, or to report your own miracle, visit the Global Medical Research Institute website: https://www.globalmri.org/ We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"What we don't know CAN really hurt us, " says Florence Comite, M.D.  Comite is a Yale University School of Medicine and National Institutes of Medicine trained physician-scientist, endocrinologist, and the leading voice in the field of precision medicine and healthy longevity. She was founder of the first global women only health center at Yale three decades ago and is founder of the Comite Center for Precision Medicine & Healthy Longevity in 2005, in New York, with satellite offices in Palo Alto and Miami Beach. Her new book, Invincible: Defy Your Genetic Destiny to Live Better, Longer, was published by Little, Brown Spark in April 2026.  Catch this week’s episode of mindbodygreen podcast, created in sponsorship with Toyota. For vehicles designed for all that life has to offer, check out the 2026 RAV4, Sienna, Highlander, and Grand Highlander. Hop in, turn on the episode, and enjoy every mile.  00:00 - Aging starts in your thirties 01:55 - The decline of testosterone 07:29 - How genetics dictate aging 10:08 - Increasing testosterone  12:30 - Hormone therapy 17:59 - A DHEA story 20:37 - Metabolic markers 26:11 - Using a continuous glucose monitor 33:13 - Heart medication & testing 36:06 - Personalized medicine & prevention 39:56 - The Alzheimer's spectrum 42:38 - Genetic variables & testing 49:00 - The trouble with AI in medicine For more about Comite, visit her website: https://florencecomite.com/  Buy her book here: https://a.co/d/0cnOvaH8  We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"I want people to start thinking of walking as a physiological necessity, not simply as a form of exercise,” explains Courtney Conley, D.C. Conley is a renowned foot and gait specialist, chiropractic physician, and founder of Gait Happens and Total Health Solutions clinic and Total Health Performance gym in Lakewood, She is a founding member of the Healthy Foot Alliance and coauthor of Walk, a new book about the power of walking. 0:00 - Walking is fundamental 03:34 - Debunking 10,000 steps 05:37 - The power of a microwalk 08:15 - Steps vs heart rate 09:46 - Weighted vests & step counters 13:26 - Walking to reset the nervous system 16:07 - The 15-minute post-meal walk 19:53 - How walking unlocks teenagers  22:41 - Why uneven terrain matters  26:55 - The mechanics of good walking  32:15 - Calluses are good for you 34:00 - Conley’s favorite footwear 37:08 - Why you should lift barefoot Referenced in the episode:  Find Conley at her website: ⁠https://www.drcourtneyconley.com/⁠  Buy her book here: ⁠https://a.co/d/0eEvaiGi⁠ Study on how brisk walking reduces cancer risk (2025): ⁠https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12885-025-14258-x⁠  Study on how 5,000 steps a day reduces depression (2024): ⁠https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2828073⁠  We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on ⁠YouTube⁠! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The awareness of how lifestyle, diet, and exercise affect us is mind-blowing.” Dr. Giovanni Campanile and Dr. Sandra Cammarata are the founders of CorAeon, the only functional medicine practice founded and led by a husband-and-wife team. Campanile is a Harvard-trained functional cardiologist, Associate Professor of Medicine at Rutgers, New Jersey Medical School, and former cardiologist for the President of the United States, George H.W. Bush. Cammarata is a Tufts-trained functional psychiatrist with 36 years of experience and multiple Castle Connolly Top Doctor honors. Together, they treat cardiovascular health and mental well-being as one inseparable system. They are co-authors of The Sicilian Secret Diet Plan and hosts of the podcast The Rest is Health. 00:00 - The mind-body approach to heart health 03:01 - How relationships predict lifespan 05:18 - The Monday morning heart attack 09:13 - Where healthy people get tripped up 13:02 - Visceral fat & body composition testing 15:28 - Biomarkers beyond cholesterol 23:25 - The problem with a zero CAC score 25:09 - Medications for heart disease risk 28:22 - When stress is the real driver 31:46 - EXO Mind & magnetic brain stimulation 35:34 - The problems with traditional cardiology 41:00 - The benefits of sauna therapy 44:46 - The hidden epidemic: insulin resistance 47:57 - The future of heart health Referenced in the episode:  Harvard longevity study: https://www.adultdevelopmentstudy.org/  This podcast is sponsored by CorAeon, the only functional medicine practice created by a functional cardiologist and functional psychiatrist team for a true mind-body approach. Learn more at coraeon.com.  We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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“Every single lifestyle choice we make can either drive inflammation up or drive it down.” Cynthia Thurlow, NP, is a perimenopause and menopause expert, nutrition educator, and nurse practitioner with nearly 20 years of experience in the ER and clinical cardiology. Now, she works to help women live vibrant and healthy lives. Her new book, the Menopause Gut, comes out on April 28.  This podcast was created in partnership with CocoaVia. Their 500 mg Cocoa Flavanols Capsules and Powder include the most studied and clinically proven extract in the market—at levels shown to support cardiovascular health.* Use code MBG2026 for 20% at cocoavia.com. Valid on all products: Single, bulk, or subscription of CocoaVia excluding stick packs. New customers only. 00:00 - Why women chronically undereat protein  03:19 - Fiber: the missing link in gut health 09:00 - Healthy fats & targeted nutrients 13:08 - The importance of healthy blood flow 17:52 - 5 metabolic markers you need to track 21:47 - The Boston Heart test 26:19 - The genetic aspect of cholesterol 28:50 - Advancements in cardio testing 33:25 - AI in medicine 35:17 - Hormones, inflammation, & your diet 39:42 - Discussing her new book You can find Thurlow at her website: https://www.cynthiathurlow.com/  And get her new book, The Menopause Gut, here: https://a.co/d/01BKJHc8  We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: [email protected]. *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“It should be possible to maintain stable cognitive function into your eighth and ninth decades. But we don't really internalize that. We expect decline, and because we expect decline, we're less likely to engage in those things.” Dr. Tommy Wood is a neuroscientist, Associate Professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, and author of The Stimulated Mind. With degrees from Cambridge and Oxford, he has published more than 100 scientific papers and lectured worldwide on brain health, metabolism, and human performance. He also serves as a performance consultant to world-class athletes, including Olympians and Formula 1 drivers, and co-founded the British Society for Lifestyle Medicine. 00:00 - What we know about brain biomarkers 03:59 - Dementia risk is modifiable 06:29 - Why you should get your steps in 08:52 - The effect of exercise on the hippocampus 15:05 - Muscle is a brain organ 20:42 - Give your brain the fuel it needs 25:12 - Creatine & brain health 27:22 - The convenience crisis 29:54 - The importance of making mistakes 31:30 - How to stimulate your brain enough 33:31 - Social connection = medicine 35:45 - Tommy’s dream study 38:12 - The optimization trap Referenced in the episode:  Buy Tommy’s book here: https://a.co/d/0aUGHI9s  Find Tommy on his website: https://www.drtommywood.com/  The Pointer Study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2837046 The Lancet Study: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(24)01296-0/abstract  London Cab Driver Study: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.070039597 We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices