What We Can Do for Our Brains: Practical Ways to Cultivate Healthy, Agile Minds & Also Reduce the Risk of Dementia

By Heidi Mitchell | October 1, 2026
Dr. Roger Walsh What We Can Do for Our Brains Practical Ways to Cultivate Healthy Minds Reduce the Risk of Dementia

In this outstandingly useful and timely conversation, Dr. Roger Walsh (more often the co-host of the Deep Transformation podcast) is our expert guest, sharing his passion for brain health and his knowledge about what we can do to keep our brains active, high-functioning, and well. With a Ph.D. in neuroscience and several awards for brain research, Roger was also on the first research team to discover the older brain’s neuroplasticity, and he has been excited about the possibilities and developmental implications of this ever since. Whether we’re talking about the body’s physical capabilities or the brain’s cognitive ones, Roger explains that a lot of what we thought was “normal” aging is actually “disuse atrophy”—in other words, use it or lose it—and beyond that, cultivate it and enhance it! Roger would like to write a book on all the helpful information he has learned about brain health, but with people he cares for beginning to acknowledge they are wrestling with cognitive decline, he decided it’s time to get this information out now.

After establishing the brain’s inherent potential for growth, Roger dives into the practicalities—outlining actions we can take that research shows will make a significant difference in either enhancing our cognitive functioning, increasing our longevity, reducing the risk of dementia, supporting a life of physical and mental well-being, or all of the above. From the startlingly beneficial effects of green tea to the harmful effects of plastics, pesticides, and wildfire smoke, Roger covers all the bases: exercise and diet, supplements and sleep, environmental risks and medical interventions, friendships and nature, meditation and service—in a way that feels inspiring and doable. This is brain health for everyone in a comprehensive nutshell, presented with Roger’s signature clarity, astuteness, warmth, and humor. Listen and reap the benefits. Recorded September 3, 2026.

The information about brain care in this dialogue is not meant to constitute personal medical advice for any individual. Rather, it is information that listeners can take to their personal physician to discuss and assess with the physician.

“If you’ve got to pick one thing, exercise is probably the best thing we’ve got for maintaining the brain and the body.”

❤️​ Our podcast is a labor of love funded solely by co-hosts Roger and John; these podcast episodes are not monetized. If you appreciate the value we bring, please help us keep these meaningful conversations alive.

Support us on Patreon
Buy Roger and John A Coffee

Topics & Time Stamps

  • Introducing Roger Walsh, an MD with a PhD in neuroscience, several awards for brain research, author & professor emeritus of psychiatry, philosophy & anthropology (00:35)
  • What we thought of as normal aging is actually “disuse atrophy” (02:10)
  • What’s good for the body is good for the brain (05:37)
  • Changing our cultural stereotype of aging (08:36)
  • What affects us most: lifestyle choices + the genes we are born with (09:26)
  • Neuroplasticity is the context our potential swims in (10:34)
  • Care & maintenance of the brain falls into 5 major categories (11:42)
  • Meditation’s significant benefits are both physical & mental (14:07)
  • Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes: first comes exercise (16:18)
  • For depression, exercise is both prophylactic & about as effective as antidepressants (19:29)
  • Initiating new habits is the hardest part (21:24)
  • The importance of friendships (24:17)
  • The effects of our continuously fragmented attention (26:22)
  • Sleep clears toxins—including plaques & tangles that can cause Alzheimer’s (29:02)
  • The bad effects of light pollution (30:32)
  • Purpose, service & contribution: people who serve live longer, happier, healthier lives (31:52)
  • Being in nature cleanses psychic toxins: we are biophilic (38:19)
  • Fluid intake has immediate as well as long-term benefits (47:55)
  • Following the 3 main principles of diet (50:07)
  • Environmental risks: we live in a chemical soup (54:11)
  • Inhaling wildfire smoke particles moves them right into our brains (58:18)
  • The overwhelming amount of plastic everywhere—including in our brains (1:00:18)
  • Pesticides should be banned (1:03:27)
  • Coffee, alcohol & the enormous benefits of green tea (1:04:21)
  • Supplements: lithium, magnesium L-threonate & fish oils (1:07:23)
  • Get regular medical work-ups! And correct any hearing loss or visual loss (1:15:48)
  • Vaccinations have a significant benefit in reducing the risk of dementia (1:17:01)
  • Olfactory enrichment can increase our olfactory capabilities but also enhance cognitive function (1:17:43)
  • Poverty: reducing inequality is more important than ever (1:19:33)
  • Roger’s motivation for getting this information out now (1:23:47)

Resources & References

Dr. Roger Walsh Brain Health Cultivating Healthy Minds Reducing the Risk of Dementia

Roger Walsh, MD, Ph.D., is a professor emeritus of psychiatry, philosophy, and anthropology at the University of California, who has researched topics such as brain development, meditation, and psychological well-being. His books include Essential Spirituality: The Seven Central Practices and The World of Shamanism, 2nd Edition, and his research and writings have received over twenty national and international awards. Roger is co-host of the podcast Deep Transformation: Self-Society-Spirit with listeners in over 190 countries, www.deeptransformation.io. His more curious careers include having been a circus acrobat, and having had an extremely brief and unsuccessful career as a standup comedian. For more information see www.drrogerwalsh.com.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Besides his passion for getting the invaluable conversations on the Deep Transformation Podcast out to the world, co-host John Dupuy is also dedicated to encouraging the use of brainwave entrainment technology for its transformative effects. John has been working personally and professionally with brainwave entrainment technology since 2004, and in 2010, he co-founded iAwake Technologies to help create high quality soundtracks using this technology, which supports the healing of emotional/shadow issues, deepens meditation, mental focus, creativity, and flow states, and enhances a daily integral transformative practice.

To experience the effects for yourself, you can download a free sample of the Stealing Flow Warm-up track here, for a 25-minute, full-spectrum, whole-brain workout. We hope you enjoy it!

Posted in Aging, Brain Health, Longevity, Neuroscience, Transformative Practice and tagged , , ,