Shield Your Brain: LovingKindness in Action for Brain Health
Today is Yom Kippur, the holiest day for Jewish people. We offer blessings to all who honor this sacred day.
Today is also World Gratitude Day! Gratitude is a beautiful practice. It has been associated with improved mood and emotional well-being. So, before you read any further, I invite you to pause.
What are five things for which you are grateful today? Take a moment. Name them. Feel them. Share them with someone.
And today is World Alzheimer's Day!
Three meaningful opportunities to reflect, practice gratitude, and care for ourselves and one another.
Today, I want to focus on brain health.
Why Brain Health Matters to All of Us
Our brains are extraordinary. They influence our bodies, emotions, relationships and our ability to live life vibrantly.
There are many things that can cause the brain to change.
Alzheimer's is one of them. It is a disease that affects millions of people, as well as their families, friends, and caregivers.
In 2026, approximately 1 in 9 Americans age 65 and older is living with clinical Alzheimer's dementia.
That is a lot of people. And it means that most of us will either know someone living with the disease or find ourselves supporting someone who does.
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What is Alzheimer's Disease?
Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease - meaning over time, the brain cells and their connections become damaged.
Alzheimer's is the most common cause of dementia – memory loss. And dementia is NOT a normal part of aging.
There are two important parts of Alzheimer’s Disease:
A build of Amyloid plaques between nerve cells, which disrupts communication and contributes to processes associated with inflammation and brain damage.
A build of neurofibrillary tangles which are proteins that build up inside nerve cells, contributing to cell death.
How does Alzheimer's Show Up?
Alzheimer's affects everyone differently. Symptoms can develop gradually, and not everyone experiences the same changes. Some common challenges may include:
Memory and Thinking
Forgetting conversations, appointments, or where things have been placed.
Difficulty with problem-solving, planning, or completing several steps in a task.
Trouble finding words, reading, writing, or spelling.
Becoming confused about the day, season, or when it is time to leave for an appointment.
Everyday Activities and Safety
Difficulty using familiar devices, such as a telephone or remote control.
Changes in spatial awareness, including judging distances in the parking lot (leading to dents on bumpers) or navigating familiar places.
Changes in walking or gait.
Increased difficulty with personal care, dressing appropriately for the weather, or maintaining self-care routines.
Changes in judgment that may affect finances, safety, or making decisions consistent with lifelong values.
Emotions, Relationships, and Behavior
Increased anxiety, irritability, sadness, suspicion, or fear.
Withdrawing from social activities and becoming less engaged with people.
Difficulty transitioning from one activity to another.
Many people living with Alzheimer's experience anosognosia, a neurological condition in which a person has limited awareness of their illness or how it affects them. This is different from simply refusing to acknowledge a diagnosis.
And here's something important for families and caregivers:
People living with Alzheimer's can have good days and difficult days – affecting clarity, communication, energy and more. A challenging day does not necessarily mean that the disease is progressing. Changes in health, stress, fatigue, and the environment can all influence how someone functions.
This is where compassion and creativity matter.
There Is Hope—and Progress
While there is currently no cure for Alzheimer's disease, there are reasons for hope.
New treatments are available.
Blood testing to check for the disease is advancing. This can lead to earlier detection and intervention.
Support is available for families. Alzheimer's and dementia care coaches, educators, and support professionals can help families:
Learn more about the disease.
Develop safety plans.
Find approaches to support the person living with Alzheimer's.
Prepare for difficult conversations.
Connect with resources and community support.
Early evaluation and support can help individuals and families plan, make informed decisions, and access appropriate care.
How Can We Help Protect Our Brains?
There are things we can do to support brain health and potentially reduce our risk of dementia, just as we do with heart health. Research increasingly points to connections between brain health and cardiovascular health. What is good for your heart can often be good for your brain, too.
This brings me to one of my favorite mnemonics.
SHIELD: Shield Your Brain
Let's think about six ways we can practice LovingKindness toward our brains.
S — Sleep: Give Your Brain Time to Rest
Aim for 7–9 hours of sleep each night.
What can you do tonight?
Establish a regular sleep schedule.
Create a relaxing bedtime routine.
Talk with your healthcare provider if you regularly struggle with sleep.
Rest is not a luxury. It is part of caring for ourselves.
H — Handle Stress: Find Your Center
Stress is part of being human. Chronic, unmanaged stress, however, can affect our physical and emotional well-being. Learning to handles stress can include:
Prayer and meditation.
Spending time in nature.
Deep breathing.
Talking with a trusted friend.
We don't need to eliminate every stressful moment. We can learn ways to respond to stress with greater awareness and compassion.
I — Interact: Stay Connected
Human beings are wired for connection. Spending time in our Circles of Love with friends and family is critical. Being part of communities is important too – regardless of whether they are spiritual, creative (like a chorus or art guild), nonprofit or other.
Did you know that our social connections in our 50s can help predict our health outcomes as we age? Also, some doctors in Europe concerned with patients’ physical health are writing prescriptions for social activities – like volunteering.
So,
Pick up the phone - rather than text.
Invite someone for coffee.
Join a group.
Volunteer.
Attend a worship service - if you are seeking a spiritual community, check out the BeLoved Community regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey.
Call someone who may be lonely.
Get connected!
E — Exercise: Move Your Body
Regular physical activity supports brain and heart health.
Some studies have shown that exercising for about 30 minutes 4 times a week for just 6 months can improve our brain health for years!
Ideally, we’d get approximately 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week.
This can include:
walking,
dancing,
gardening,
housework and more.
You don't have to become an athlete. Start where you are. Your brain and your body will thank you.
L — Learn: Keep Your Brain Engaged
Our brains are constantly changing. Learning new things challenges us to build and strengthen connections.
Try something new:
Learn a language.
Make music.
Read a book.
Try a new recipe.
Remember the power of wonder and curiosity!
You don't have to master something. Enjoy the process of learning, discovering, and growing.
D — Diet: Nourish Your Brain
What we eat influences our overall health, including heart and brain health.
Try to include:
Fruits and vegetables.
Whole grains.
Beans and legumes.
Fish and chicken - rather than red meat or pork.
Nuts and seeds.
Healthy fats, such as olive oil.
Eating patterns such as the Mediterranean and MIND diets have been studied in relation to cognitive health.
Small, consistent choices matter.
Brain Health Is LovingKindness in Action
As we reflect on Yom Kippur, gratitude, and World Alzheimer's Day, perhaps we can see the connections.
Caring for our brains is not simply about avoiding disease.
It is about honoring the lives we have been given.
It is about caring for ourselves so that we can continue to connect, serve, learn, laugh, and love.
It is about supporting those living with Alzheimer's with dignity, patience, and compassion.
And it is about recognizing that we are not meant to do this alone.
So, here's my invitation to you:
Choose ONE action from SHIELD and put it into practice this week.
Take a walk. Call a friend. Get to bed a little earlier. Try a new recipe. Schedule a conversation with your healthcare provider about your blood pressure or brain health.
And then invite someone else to join you.
Because LovingKindness is not just something we believe.
LovingKindness is love in action.
And caring for our brains—and one another—is a beautiful way to put that love into practice.
Learn More and Find Support
The Alzheimer's Association offers free resources for people living with Alzheimer's, families, and caregivers, including:
A 24/7 Helpline: 800-272-3900
Educational webinars.
Caregiving guides.
Information about diagnosis, treatment, and support.
Resources for planning and navigating dementia care.
Let's keep learning. Let's keep caring. And let's keep putting LovingKindness into action - especially for people affected by Alzheiner's.
Sources and further reading: 2026 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures, Alzheimer's Association.
And Let's Pray
Oh Divine Love - Source of All Life
thank you for the gift of life and
for the gift of our bodies that are sooo miraculous and
the opportunity to make choices - especially to practice LovingKindness for ourselves, others, and all of creation.
Please fill researches with wisdom, creativity and synergy that they may find a cure for this - and all - diseases.
Please give each of us the gift of self-control, fortitude and perseverance, that we may continuously increase our actions that will shield our brains and hearts.
May we grow more intimately and in Your love and be transformed to share it more abundantly.
In your many holy names and images we hope and pray and trust. Amen. Ameen. Ashay and so it is.
PS - Spread the word. Please forward this to someone who could benefit from this informaion!
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