The Brain Health Kitchen Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Discover the science-backed top foods that can support and protect your brain over decades. Join Dr. Annie Fenn and producer Jenny Shilling as they explore dietary strategies to enhance cognitive longevity and prevent neurodegenerative diseases.

• What does "neuroprotective" really mean?
• Berries support cognitive function through anthocyanins
• The role of inflammation
• The significance of leafy greens
• Diversity of vegetables and plant foods for microbiome health
• How fish and seafood provide crucial omega-3 fatty acids
• The benefits of healthy fats, particularly extra virgin olive oil
• Beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds
• Impact of coffee, tea
• Practical tips to start or improve your brain-healthy eating habits

• Book: The Brain Health Kitchen: Preventing Alzheimer’s Through Food by Annie Fenn, MD; Artisan Books 2023. 
• Brain Health Kitchen Website and Newsletter
• Brain Health Kitchen Pyramid
• Consumption of Olive Oil and Risk of Total and Cause-Specific Mortality Among U.S. Adults
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids
• Eating Fish May Protect the Brain From Air Pollution
• How to Grow Microgreens
• Brain Health Kitchen Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• The American Gut Project
• Is Your Coffee Habit Good For Your Brain?
• Coffee Brewing Dos and Don’ts
• Gut Microbiota & Diversity

• Website
• Instagram
• LinkedIn

Annie Fenn introduces her new podcast, The Brain Health Kitchen, which focuses on brain-healthy diet and practical tools for brain health.

Takeaways

• Brain-healthy diet
• Practical tools for brain health

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Brain Health Kitchen Podcast

Everyone wants a supplement for brain health—but most don’t do what they promise.

In this free preview of our first Ask Annie episode, Dr. Annie Fenn breaks down which supplements are actually backed by science, which ones are overhyped, and how to build a smarter, more personalized routine. The goal is not to take more. It’s to take the right things, in the right dose, for the right reason. If you'd like to listen to the full episode, come join our community as a paid subscriber at brainhealthkitchen.substack.com.

00:00 The problem with brain supplement hype

02:15 Food first—and why supplements come second

04:30 How to build a smarter supplement routine

06:00 The key labs to check before you start

09:30 Vitamin D: simple, but easy to get wrong

12:00 Omega-3s: the most important (and most messed up) supplement

14:00 B vitamins: the hidden deficiency that affects your brain

19:00 Magnesium: what actually works for sleep and the brain

30:30 Creatine: why everyone is suddenly talking about it

38:00 Flavonoids: the brain nutrients you should eat, not pill

41:30 What’s promising (but not proven yet)

49:30 Multivitamins: insurance policy or unnecessary?

51:50 NAD, peptides, and the longevity hype machine

56:00 When to take supplements (and what to take with food)

59:30 What Annie actually takes—and keeps simple

Brain Health Kitchen Substack
https://brainhealthkitchen.substack.com

Annie’s 2026 Brain Supplement Guide: need to link these

Annie’s Food Pyramid

NeuroReserve
Maker of Relevate and Revanta, brain-focused formulations designed to support cognitive health. neuroreserve.com

Better Brain
A personalized brain health program with advanced lab testing, coaching, and tailored recommendations. betterbrain.com

In this episode of Brain Health Kitchen, Dr. Annie Fenn talks with neuroscientist Dr. Tommy Wood about what it really takes to build a healthier brain across the lifespan. They discuss Tommy’s new book, The Stimulated Mind, the concept of cognitive “headroom,” why exercise may be the most powerful tool we have for brain health, how muscle mass and metabolic health shape cognitive aging, and why small, consistent habits matter more than extreme wellness trends. They also get into nutrition, protein, memory, overstimulation, and Tommy’s rapid-fire rankings of popular brain health trends. Dr. Tommy Wood is an associate professor of pediatrics and neuroscience at the University of Washington, co-creator of Better Brain Fitness on Substack, and author of The Stimulated Mind.

Host: Dr. Annie Fenn

Co-host: Jenny Shilling

Guest: Dr. Tommy Wood

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Tommy Wood
04:06 Why dementia prevention became the focus of his work
06:47 The idea of cognitive “headroom”
11:35 Alzheimer’s, amyloid, and the bigger picture
15:17 Exercise, muscle, and the brain
19:33 Protein, muscle mass, and aging well
25:03 Exercise snacks and breaking up sedentary time
41:47 Tommy’s 3S model: stimulus, supply, support
48:32 Memory, attention, and overstimulation
54:44 Tommy rates popular brain health wellness trends

Links Mentioned

Dr. Tommy Wood
https://www.drtommywood.com/

The Stimulated Mind
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/751292/the-stimulated-mind-by-dr-tommy-wood/

Better Brain Fitness Substack
https://hdrmdocs.substack.com/

Brain Health Kitchen Substack
https://brainhealthkitchen.substack.com/

Better Brain
https://www.betterbrain.com/

NeuroReserve
https://neuroreserve.com/

Sponsor Links

Better Brain with Annie’s link
https://www.betterbrain.com/annie

NeuroReserve
https://neuroreserve.com/

Code: BHKPodcast

In this episode of the Brain Health Kitchen Podcast, Dr. Annie Fenn sits down with neurologist and public health advocate Dr. Ray Dorsey to explore the growing global burden of Parkinson’s disease—and what we can do to prevent it.

Drawing on decades of research, Dr. Dorsey explains how Parkinson’s is increasingly understood as a largely preventable disease driven by environmental exposures, including pesticides, industrial chemicals, air pollution, and contaminated water. The conversation explores how the disease may begin outside the brain and what individuals, communities, and policymakers can do to reduce risk.

Dr. Dorsey also shares practical steps from his new book The Parkinson’s Plan, offering actionable strategies to protect brain health across the lifespan.

• Why Parkinson’s disease is rising dramatically worldwide
• The environmental and man-made causes of Parkinson’s
• Early warning signs and the gut–brain connection
• How pesticides, air pollution, food, and water exposures increase risk
• The Parkinson’s 25: practical lifestyle steps to reduce risk
• The role of exercise in prevention and slowing disease progression
• Why early childhood exposures matter for lifelong brain health
• Policy and public health solutions to reduce toxic exposures

Books

• The Parkinson’s Plan: A New Path to Prevention and Treatment
  https://pdplan.org/ (The Parkinson's Plan)

Brain Health Kitchen

• Brain Health Kitchen website
  https://brainhealthkitchen.com
• Brain Health Kitchen Substack
  https://brainhealthkitchen.substack.com

Sponsors

Neuroreserve https://neuroreserve.com/

BetterBrain https://www.betterbrain.com/

Instagram

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ray-dorsey-md-mba/

Twitter / X
https://twitter.com/RayDorseyMD

Website
https://brainhealthkitchen.substack.com

LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anniefennmd/

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/brainhealthkitchen/

What does your gut have to do with mood, anxiety, and long-term brain health? In this episode, Dr. Annie Fenn talks with Dr. Trisha Pasricha, a neurogastroenterologist and gut-brain researcher, about what the gut-brain connection really is, what science supports, and what your symptoms may be trying to tell you.

They cover why stress can trigger gut symptoms so quickly, how the gut’s own nervous system affects the brain, why travel constipation is so common, how the microbiome influences inflammation, and what emerging research suggests about Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and colorectal cancer risk.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction to the gut-brain connection
02:07 Trisha’s background in neurogastroenterology
05:34 What counts as “normal” bowel habits
08:56 Periods, hormones, and gut symptoms
13:44 Travel constipation and gut circadian rhythm
20:01 How stress affects the gut
26:09 The gut as a second brain
37:00 Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and the gut
44:20 The microbiome, fermented foods, and inflammation
55:57 Colorectal cancer risk in younger adults

Links
Host: Brain Health Kitchen / Annie Fenn
https://brainhealthkitchen.substack.com/

Guest: Dr. Trisha Pasricha
https://research.bidmc.org/gut-brain/people/team-member-1

BIDMC Institute of Gut-Brain Research
https://research.bidmc.org/gut-brain/

Book: You’ve Been Pooping All Wrong
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/776380/youve-been-pooping-all-wrong-by-trisha-pasricha-md-mph/ (PenguinRandomhouse.com)

In this special episode, Dr. Annie Fenn sits down with Emma Heming Willis to talk about the reality of caregiving—what it demands, what it takes out of you, and why no one should have to do it alone.

Emma shares her experience navigating her husband’s diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD), the lack of support she encountered early on, and why she wrote her book, The Unexpected Journey. Together, they explore how caregiving impacts brain health, why caregivers are at higher risk for illness, and what it actually looks like to care for yourself while caring for someone else.

This conversation is for anyone caring for a loved one—and for anyone who wants to better support the caregivers in their life.

00:00 Introduction to Emma Heming Willis
03:13 The shock of diagnosis and lack of caregiver support
05:28 What frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is
10:04 Early signs and why FTD is often misdiagnosed
13:23 The hidden health risks of caregiving
16:29 Finding resources and building a support system
19:21 Caring for yourself as a caregiver
25:32 How to ask for help—and accept it
29:43 Setting boundaries and handling unsolicited advice
33:48 Reframing grief and finding moments of hope

Emma Heming Willis
https://www.emmahemingwillis.com/

The Unexpected Journey
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/743409/the-unexpected-journey-by-emma-heming-willis/

Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD)
https://www.theaftd.org/

Teepa Snow (caregiving expert)
https://teepasnow.com/

Roon (caregiver support app)
https://www.thereisroon.com/

Make Time Wellness
https://maketimewellness.com/

Brain Health Kitchen Substack
https://brainhealthkitchen.substack.com/

In this episode of the Brain Health Kitchen podcast, Dr. Annie Fenn is joined by Dr. Lauren Streicher, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a leading expert in menopause medicine. Together, they explore what happens to the brain during perimenopause and menopause, including brain fog, hot flashes, sleep disruption, and the role of hormone therapy.

They discuss why brain fog during perimenopause is usually not a sign of dementia, what the research does and does not show about estrogen and Alzheimer’s prevention, why hot flashes deserve real medical attention, and how to think about testosterone with more caution and less hype.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Dr. Lauren Streicher
07:21 Menopause and the brain
12:22 Brain fog, sleep, and hot flashes
19:45 Hormone therapy and timing
25:55 Starting hormone therapy after 60
34:45 Testosterone, libido, and side effects
45:03 Can hormone therapy prevent Alzheimer’s?

Links Mentioned

Brain Health Kitchen on Substack
https://brainhealthkitchen.substack.com

Dr. Lauren Streicher’s Substack, Menopause Insider
https://drstreicher.substack.com

Dr. Lauren Streicher’s website
https://drstreicher.com

Come Again: Sexuality and Orgasm
https://drstreicher.com/comeagain

The Menopause Society
https://menopause.org

SWAN Study (Study of Women Across the Nation): 

https://www.swanstudy.org

NeuroReserve
https://neuroreserve.com

Better Brain
https://betterbrain.com/annie

Dr. Lauren Streicher on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/drstreich

In this episode, Dr. Annie Fenn and Jenny Shilling shift the focus from what to add to a brain-healthy diet to what to limit. While most guidance emphasizes abundance—vegetables, beans, whole grains—this conversation tackles the question Annie hears most often: what should we actually be eating less of?

Drawing on research from the Rush University MIND diet and newer data, Annie walks through the major food patterns associated with increased dementia risk and poor brain aging over time. She explains how modern food environments—especially ultra-processed foods and so-called “health halo” products—can make it difficult to recognize what’s truly supportive for brain health.

They also discuss how everyday habits influence metabolic health, blood sugar, and long-term cognitive function. Throughout the episode, Annie offers practical ways to begin shifting patterns—without aiming for perfection or overhauling everything at once.

This episode provides a clear, realistic framework for understanding how what we limit can meaningfully shape brain health over time.

00:00 Why “what to avoid” matters for brain health
02:00 Recap of brain-healthy eating patterns
05:00 What the MIND diet tells us about risk
07:00 The “health halo” problem
09:00 Alcohol and brain health
10:30 Everyday eating habits that add up
14:00 Blood sugar, spikes, and the brain
20:00 Where the science is evolving
31:00 Metabolic health and cognitive decline
36:00 The biggest drivers of poor brain aging

MIND Diet Study (Rush University):
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4581900/

Brain Health Kitchen Substack:
https://brainhealthkitchen.substack.com

Better Brain:
https://betterbrain.com/annie

NeuroReserve:
https://neuroreserve.com
Code: BHKPodcast

The Gut-Brain Connection, Part 2: What to Eat for a Healthier Gut and Brain with Dr. Will Bulsiewicz

In Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, we move from understanding the gut microbiome to learning what we can do to support it. Dr. B walks us through the four nutrition “workhorses” he highlights in Plant Powered Plus: fiber, polyphenols, healthy fats, and fermented foods.

We talk about why polyphenols and fiber work better together, how omega-3s support both the gut and brain, and why fermented foods may help build a more resilient microbiome. We also go beyond food to explore how morning sunlight, meal timing, and consistent daily routines help regulate the gut microbiome and support brain health.

Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, known as Dr. B, is a triple board-certified gastroenterologist, lifestyle medicine physician, founder of the Gut and Microbiome Center for Excellence, co-founder and co-CEO of 38TERA, and author of Plant Powered Plus, Fiber Fueled, and The Fiber Fueled Cookbook.

Chapters

00:00 — The missing nutrients that could change your gut health
03:32 — Dr. B’s four nutrition workhorses
04:42 — Why your microbiome wants you to eat the rainbow
08:28 — The surprising teamwork between fiber and polyphenols
10:14 — The secret to choosing the right fats
14:44 — Are you getting the omega-3s your brain actually needs?
20:18 — What “leaky gut” can teach us about brain fog
28:10 — The fermented food habit your microbiome may be missing
33:46 — The hidden problem with some plant-based milks
40:26 — Why morning light is more powerful than you think
47:29 — How meal timing can improve your gut health
50:59 — Dr. B’s favorite gut-friendly recipes
54:06 — How to feed your gut after antibiotics
1:01:21 — Annie and Jenny’s Review & Do

Links

Dr. Will Bulsiewicz / The Gut Health MD
https://theguthealthmd.com

Plant Powered Plus
https://theguthealthmd.com/plantpoweredplus

38TERA
https://38tera.com

Brain Health Kitchen
https://brainhealthkitchen.substack.com

NeuroReserve
https://neuroreserve.com
Use code BHKPodcast for 10% off.

Better Brain
https://betterbrain.com/annie