Barbie Boules on how what we eat (and drink - or not drink) helps us optimise our brain health

My guest this time is Barbie Boules - a registered dietitian and certified health coach with over 22 years of experience.  Her goal is to help her clients achieve optimal wellness without the pseudoscience and unsustainable rules of faddy dieting.     She tells us about her holistic approach to wellbeing and aging well, emphasizing nourishing foods, quality sleep, daily movement, managing stress and prioritizing self-care. We talk about what foods and nutrients we need to prioritize in order to age well - with a particular focus on dementia and Alzheimer’s disease (something that both our mothers have in common)...did you know women are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s as men are?   We also cover the impact of alcohol on our brain health, why women (especially in midlife) can find alcohol more challenging to metabolize and why we might want to reassess our relationship with the booze if we aim to age well.    Barbie has recommended some great books to read if you’re interested in learning about the links between nutrition and brain health, namely:  Eat to Beat Depression and Anxiety by Dr Drew Ramsey (https://drewramseymd.com/books-publications/eat-to-beat-depression-and-anxiety) Brain Food by Dr Lisa Mosconi (https://www.lisamosconi.com/brainfood - we also touch on Dr Mosconi’s excellent new book The XX Brain) This is Your Brain on Food by Dr Uma Naidoo (https://book.umanaidoomd.com/)  and The MIND Diet by Maggie Moon (https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-MIND-Diet/Maggie-Moon/9781612436074)  … all of which are going onto my teetering to-read pile!   You can find Barbie and her brilliant down to earth advice (and some yummy recipes) on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_cognition_dietitian/ and at www.barbieboules.com    Don't forget to follow us over on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/middlingalong_podcast/ or find out more/listen to past episodes/subscribe to the newsletter at https://middlingalong.com   It would mean so much if you’d subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcasts to share the love! You can also find me at www.managingthemenopause.com where we offer coaching and workplace training.