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This episode is about a question we hadn’t tackled yet on this podcast but have thought about every day since our ’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis: what does this mean for our own risk of getting the disease.

Today we share more about what we learned regarding inherited risk of Alzheimer’s disease. More commonly genetics is just one contributing factor among many. We use the APOE2, APOE3, and APOE4 gene variants (our mom is A3/A3, or “neutral risk”) and we found a garden analogy — genetics as the soil, risk factors as weeds you can manage but never fully control — to explain how we’ve been think about this.

We also share the specific lifestyle changes we’ve each made since her diagnosis: strength training for hippocampal health and insulin sensitivity, cutting sugar, sauna use, treating hearing loss and sleep apnea early, managing blood pressure, and staying socially connected — plus the 2024 Lancet Commission finding that 45% of dementia cases link to 14 modifiable risk factors.

This episode covers Alzheimer’s risk factors, the APOE gene, Alzheimer’s prevention, genetic risk of early onset Alzheimer’s, modifiable dementia risk factors, hippocampus health, sleep apnea and Alzheimer’s, and lifestyle changes to reduce Alzheimer’s risk.

Healthy brain habits: https://www.alz.org/help-support/brain_health/10-healthy-habits-for-your-brain

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Thanks for walking this journey with us. Conversations Through Alzheimer's is hosted by sisters Amber and Felicia, and new episodes drop every Monday through September 2026.

If this show has resonated with you, share it with someone who needs it and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along on our socials:

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Support the Alzheimer's Association by joining our Walk to End Alzheimer's team or donating: https://act.alz.org/site/TR/Walk2026/NY-WesternNewYork?pg=team&team_id=1057467&fr_id=19818