Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, by 70%, and is the number one most costly disease – “It’s not because it’s happening more often it’s because of bad lifestyle and medications that prolong life but don’t get rid of pathological processes that cause dementia so you have a whole lot of people living with this devastating disease.”
This week we speak to THE ultimate brain-powered couple! Neuroscientists Dr Dean and Ayesha Sherzai are a phenomenal pair, aside from the impressive list of credentials after both of their names, they have dedicated their lives to behavioural change models and brain health initiatives.
Co-director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda University, Dr Dean completed two fellowships at the National Institutes of Health, and UC San Diego. He also has 2 masters degrees in clinical research and epidemiology, an executive leadership degree from Harvard Business School, and a PhD in Healthcare Leadership.
And just when you thought that was already enough achievements for one person, in 2002, Dr Dean was asked by the World Bank to help lead their health delivery project in Afghanistan. While there, he was asked by President Karzai to become the Deputy Minister of Health and focused on bringing together all the stakeholders around the vision of rapid delivery of the basic package of health services and women’s empowerment. This process was deemed by LANCET as the most successful plan in any post-conflict county. This plan also helped empower more than 20,000 Afghan women by making them the only source of health care in the most remote of communities. In 2013, he helped create the Afghan Health Initiative in order to empower the Afghan diaspora with their own health. Currently, along with his wife Dr. Ayesha, they are leading the largest community-based brain health initiative in the world through their online work in Brain Health Revolution.
Dr. Ayesha, is also a neurologist and co-director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda University, where she leads the Lifestyle Program for the Prevention of Neurological Diseases. Is also a trained plant-based culinary artist.
She holds a master’s in advanced sciences from UCSD. Subsequent to completing her residency Dr. Ayesha completed a fellowship in vascular neurology from Columbia University, and is currently enrolled to finish a PhD in women’s leadership.
We think it’s safe to say that when it comes to brains, these pair know what they are talking about!
“There are good stresses and bad stresses. Bad stress is when you are involved in activities that are not driven by your purposes… you don’t have a runway that is yours. Whereas good stress is based around activities that do drive your purpose… our brains are made to be active, it craves to be pushed and challenged around it’s purpose…”
In this episode, we discuss lifestyle choices, nutrition, purpose, Alzheimers, dementia, food that fuel your brain, activities that fuel your brain, and the data to support it.
It truly is an amazing episode we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!
Lots of Love,
Dave & Steve x
To learn more about Dr’s Sherzai check out their website: https://teamsherzai.com/
And their latest book: The 30 Day Alzheimer’s Solutions
Our new book, The Veg Box is our now! 10 vegetables, 10 ways using only 10 ingredients or less. Plant-based healthy eating made super simple, less waste, better for you and the planet!
Produced by Sara Fawsitt and Sean Cahill
