Women's Health May 30, 2026 0 Comments

Unlock the Surprising Power of Self-Advocacy: The Brain Health Game-Changer You’ve Been Overlooking

Ever wondered if your brain is quietly plotting against you? Well, if you’ve got one—spoiler alert—you’re at risk for Alzheimer’s. Yeah, it’s a tough pill to swallow. But hear me out: Maria Shriver recently dropped some serious knowledge at the Women’s Health Lab, and it’s as enlightening as it is unsettling. Her story is deeply personal—her dad, Sargent Shriver, a powerhouse behind major US initiatives, faced the brutal reality of this disease. What hit me hard was when Maria said the brain, which once masterminded all those incredible things, suddenly faltered on the simple: “What’s a fork?” It’s a stark reminder that Alzheimer’s doesn’t discriminate, but here’s a twist—women seem to bear the brunt more, and science is scrambling to crack that mystery. Yet, amid the uncertainty, Maria’s message is clear: prevention is possible, stigma needs smashing, and the power to protect our minds starts now. Intrigued? Let’s dive into what you can actually do to take charge of your brain health today. LEARN MORE

6 min read

If you have a brain, you are at risk for Alzheimer’s, Maria Shriver pointed out recently on stage at the Women’s Health Lab. It’s an unsettling thing to hear, but her message is one of hope—so stay with her.

Maria is no stranger when it comes to the disease; her father, Sargent Shriver, was diagnosed with the degenerative brain condition in 2003 before his death in 2011. Throughout his life, Sargent was a politician, diplomat, and activist, behind major United States initiatives like the Peace Corps, Job Corps, and Upward Bound. “The idea that this brain had come up with all of these things and now couldn’t decide what a fork was, or who I was, was extraordinary to me,” she says.

At the time, there were way more questions about Alzheimer’s than there were answers—and Shriver asked all of them. “I approached it like a journalist,” she remembers. She was first lady of California then, so she connected with families impacted by Alzheimer’s throughout her state to learn more about how it affected them. One thing she noticed early on was that it seemed like the disease affected women more than men. Doctors told her it didn’t. Naturally, she also wondered: Is there anything we can do to prevent this from happening to more people? Once again, doctors told her no.

Decades later, after asking more questions, stepping into an advocacy role, and founding the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement at Cleveland Clinic, Shriver’s hunch has been confirmed: two thirds of the people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s are women. It does affect us more, though scientists can’t explain it quite yet.

A very recent study in Biology of Sex Differences analyzed data from over 17,000 adults and found that known risk factors of Alzheimer’s, particularly ones related to heart and metabolic health, had even higher negative associations with cognition compared to those same factors in men.

“Women are now at the center of this disease, and we don’t know why,” she says. Still, just knowing this fact is a huge step and should drive the conversations we have about brain health. We know that a woman’s brain goes through many major moments throughout her life, like puberty, postpartum for those that have children, and menopause. “It’s an ongoing, living, breathing organism, like a chia pet,” Maria says. (All the more reason to start thinking about your brain health early and often, she adds.)

There are in fact plenty of things you can do to reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia. “We know that half of the cases are preventable,” Shriver says. Per research from the Alzheimer’s association’s POINTER study, physical exercise, cognitive exercise, nutrition, and whole-body health monitoring have an important impact on brain health. Plus, one of the top medical journals, The Lancet, is constantly updating its list of modifiable risk factors for dementia. As of now, the 14 confirmed factors add up to a 45 percent cumulative risk reduction. “That’s an empowering place to be, as opposed to a powerless place,” Shriver says.

Here’s what you can do, right now, to start advocating for—and taking care of—your brain.

Talk about brain health with your friends and family.

Seven million people in the United States are living with Alzheimer’s, but it’s still not talked about enough, says Shriver, who’s also a paid partner for Eli Lilly & Company. It’s a very worthwhile conversation to have, though. Opening up a dialogue can help reduce the stigma surrounding the disease, lead people to get timely help, and encourage everyone to be proactive about their brain health. You don’t need to overthink it—this is all about spreading awareness. Try sharing one fact you learned in this article, for example, or asking about what people do to take care of their brains.

Stigma in particular is something that everyone can help push back against, which will lead to better outcomes. “Stigma is real when it comes to talking about Alzheimer’s disease, and I believe that we all need to work together in order to eradicate it,” says Jen Oleksiw, group vice president and U.S. neuroscience and global commercial innovation officer of Eli Lilly and Company. “You don’t need to wait until you’re 70 to start asking questions.”

Set up a conversation with your doctor.

In a perfect world, hopefully soon, brain health check-ups will be as common and regular as something like a mammogram, Oleksiw says. “Just like you’re doing an annual exam every year, we expect that during those annual wellness visits that you’re saying, ‘Hey, I care about my body, but I also care about my brain,’” she says.

Particularly if you’re 55 years old and up, you should plan to talk about your brain health with your doctor. That said, it’s never too early to start discussing it, Oleksiw adds.

Ask your doctor for more information on your own personal risk factors associated with developing dementia and Alzheimer’s. There are tests they can perform—ranging from cognitive assessments to blood workups—that can give you more insight into what’s going on in your noggin. It may seem scary, but the sooner you act, the more options you have, so it’s worth it.

Do brain-friendly activities.

Sleep, exercise, avoiding alcohol and smoking, learning new things, and maintaining social connection are also important to keep your brain operating at top-capacity. You don’t need to make a bunch of changes at once, either. Start with committing to going on a 30-minute walk each day—or buy a book of brain teasers. You can even plan a standing weekly lunch date with your best friend. It all helps.

Shriver is very regimented about her sleep; she’s in bed by ten and up by five in order to hit her goal of seven to eight hours of sleep per night. At 70, she also exercises everyday, opting for weights four times per week and sprinkling in cardio. “I mix it up,” she says.

Keep fear in check.

It may feel daunting to confront brain health head-on, but in this case it’s critical to push past your fears, Shriver and Oleksiw agree. “You’re scared of all kinds of stuff and then you have to do it,” Shriver says.

Whether it’s asking for a promotion, changing jobs, making changes in your personal, romantic, or family life, there are so many things that might seem scary at first, but Shriver says she’s always opted to just take action. “That’s a frankly easier route than just sitting there terrified about everything,” she says. Plus, in the case of Alzheimer’s and brain health, taking action sooner can have a real impact on the outcome.

And, know that you’re not on your own—scientists are working every day on improving outcomes for people with Alzheimer’s.

So much more research is getting done in this area than when she first started looking into it, Shriver says: “It’s been a sea change in the last just two, three, four years. There’s a huge interest now in Alzheimer’s because it’s one of the only diseases that people feel we haven’t made progress in.”

As a member of one of the major political families in United States history, the Kennedy family, Shriver also reminds people that this is a political issue too; it’s important to vote for representatives who talk about brain health, caregivers, and Alzheimer’s research, she says.

For Eli Lilly’s part, the company has been investing in this kind of research for 35 years. Right now, the focus is awareness, spreading the word about risk factors and early detection, and reducing the stigma, but the company is also constantly improving diagnostic tests and medications. “It’s really about looking at changing the course of humanity,” Shriver says.

Shriver likens all the progress to her most famous family member’s moonshot. “This is that big frontier,” she says. “What about the brain moonshot?”

Olivia Luppino is an associate editor at Women’s Health. She spends most of her time interviewing expert sources about the latest fitness trends, nutrition tips, and practical advice for living a healthier life. Olivia previously wrote for New York Magazine’s The Cut, PS (formerly POPSUGAR), and Salon, where she also did on-camera interviews with celebrity guests. She recently ran the New York City Marathon.