What is better than being able to ward off one of the most devastating brain diseases? And guess it did not necessarily involve a prescription or a breakthrough drug but simply tweaking your daily habits. That is the message Irish neuroscientist Dr. Sabina Brennan shared when she sat down with Davina McCall on the Begin Again podcast. With dementia cases in the UK soaring and projected to rise, her tips could not come at a better time.

Though the underlying causes of Alzheimer’s, the most common type of dementia, still puzzle experts, Dr. Brennan is certain of one thing: we have more control than we think. Through simple, everyday choices, we can give our brains a fighting chance.

Here is what she says we all should be doing:

1. Sweat It Out for a Sharper Brain

Dr. Brennan insists the real magic lies in movement. “Physical exercise is one of the best things you can do for your brain health,” she told Davina. That is not something most people expect to hear when it comes to dementia, but the link is undeniable.

The secret weapon here is a protein known as brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF. Think of it as plant food, but for your brain. “I call it ‘Miracle-Gro for the brain’. It makes it easier for you to grow new brain cells and new connections between them. And that is what you want in a healthy brain. Lots of brain cells and connections.”

She goes on to explain why that is so critical in the early stages of dementia. “If you get Alzheimer's disease pathology in your brain in the early stages, it is not about how much pathology, how much disease you have in your brain. It is about how much healthy brain you have to cope with that disease that will allow you to continue functioning for as long as possible.” So build up that mental muscle now, and you may buy yourself more time down the road.

2. Socialise More

If you needed a reason to chat with your neighbour or call your grandmother, here it is. “A challenging activity for your brain” is how Dr. Brennan describes conversation. “Your brain has to work hard. And that is really, really good.”

She is not talking about small talk alone. It is the deeper connections and dynamic conversations that really get the grey matter going. And crucially, she urges us to be intentional about who we socialise with.

“We tend to hang out with people of the same age as us,” she points out. “But there is no nice way to say it. As you get older, your age cohort will die off. And so people end up socially isolated through no fault of their own.”

Her solution? Build intergenerational friendships before it is too late. “We have to have more intergenerational friendships. And the research shows that everybody benefits in that case; younger people interacting with older people have to do something about that.”

Isolation is not only emotionally draining, she warns; it is mentally damaging too. And visiting older relatives should not be seen as a one-way street. “Visit them as an equal. Do not visit them as someone who is doing a good deed. Talk to them as an intelligent individual.” It is a brain-boosting strategy that doubles as a social fix.

3. Learn Something New

If you have been meaning to learn the ukulele or brush up on French, now is the time. Dr. Brennan’s rallying cry? “Go mental.”

“Learn something new because that is when you harness neuroplasticity,” she says, referring to the brain’s ability to reorganise and adapt. But she admits the word “learning” comes with baggage. “I just wish there was another word for learning because it has got such connotations about education and school and, for a lot of people, a lot of negative [connotations].”

Still, learning, in the broadest sense, is key. She even uses the simple act of opening a door to make her point. “When you open a door for the first time, you are learning how to open that door. Your brain is learning how much pressure to put on that door and how much force you have to push it.”

So, yes, Sudoku is great, but do not stop there. “Once you are good at it and you are comfortable, you have to push yourself to the next level. Go from a simple crossword to a complex crossword. Put a timer on so you do it more quickly. You know, you just have to keep challenging yourself. But it can be anything. If you play a musical instrument, learn another technique.”

Whether it is mastering a new recipe, joining a dance class, or finally tackling those cryptic crosswords, the goal is to keep your brain guessing.

And do not forget rest. Dr. Brennan wraps up her advice with one final reminder: all that mental hard work needs to be processed. “Getting enough sleep so your brain can effectively process and categorise all those new skills is crucial.”

We might not have a cure for Alzheimer’s yet, but according to Dr. Brennan, we are far from powerless. Move your body, keep your social circle diverse, and challenge your mind, not just to stay sharp, but to stay connected and alive. It is simple science with life-changing impact.

When we think of human papillomavirus (HPV), the first association that comes to mind is cervical cancer. That link is well established. But what most people don’t realise is that HPV has now quietly become the leading cause of a completely different and rapidly rising cancer—oropharyngeal cancer—particularly in men. These cancers, which fall under the broader umbrella of head and neck cancers, often strike parts like the tonsils and the base of the tongue.

On World Head and Neck Cancer Day, experts are ringing the alarm bells: it’s time we start talking about HPV in men with the same urgency that we do for women.

More Men, More Risk

According to a 2023 study published in The Lancet Oncology, HPV-related oropharyngeal cancers are now five times more common in men than women. “This isn’t just a medical statistic; it’s a warning signal,” says Dr. Akash Tiwari, Consultant, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgical Oncology. “We’re seeing a sharp increase in these cases, particularly in high-income countries, and the common link is persistent high-risk HPV infection.”

What’s making men so vulnerable? For starters, transmission. Oral HPV is most commonly passed during intimate skin-to-skin contact, especially through oral sex. Although most HPV infections clear up on their own, some high-risk strains like HPV-16 can hang around silently in the tissues of the throat and, over time, turn cancerous.

Why Men Struggle to Fight It Off

“Biologically, men are more likely to contract oral HPV and less likely to clear the infection,” explains Dr. Aarzoo Saliya, Consultant ENT, Head and Neck Onco Surgeon. “It may come down to immune differences, sexual behaviour patterns, or even lack of awareness.”

Unlike many infections that cause noticeable symptoms, oral HPV is sneaky. It often produces no signs, which means people can be completely unaware they’re carrying it or, worse, passing it on. And when symptoms do show up, they’re usually vague, making early diagnosis tough.

Symptoms You Should Watch For

HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer doesn’t always scream for attention. But if you’ve had any of these signs persistently, it might be time to get checked:

• A constant sore throat that just won’t quit
• Difficulty swallowing
• A lump or swelling in the neck
• Changes in your voice
• Unexplained ear pain

“These aren’t symptoms people usually rush to a doctor for,” says Dr. Tiwari. “But in the context of HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer, they’re red flags.” Unlike traditional tobacco- or alcohol-related oral cancers, HPV-related cases often don’t present with obvious visible lesions, which adds to the challenge.

Prevention Starts Early

The good news is that we can prevent it. The same HPV vaccine that’s widely recommended for cervical cancer prevention in girls works just as well to prevent the strains of HPV that cause oropharyngeal cancer.

“The most effective way to reduce risk is through timely vaccination,” says Dr. Saliya. “Ideally, the vaccine should be given before someone becomes sexually active; that’s why it’s recommended at ages 11 or 12 but can still be taken up to age 26 if missed earlier.”

Yet, in many places, the uptake of the HPV vaccine among boys remains painfully low, mostly because the risk in men hasn’t received the same attention.

Changing the Conversation Around HPV

There’s also a major need to shift public perception. “HPV isn’t just a ‘women’s issue’, and it certainly isn’t just about cervical cancer,” Dr. Tiwari stresses. “It’s a sexually transmitted virus that can affect everyone, and the consequences for men are becoming increasingly clear.”

That means raising awareness around safe sexual practices, routine screenings for those at risk, and greater openness about male HPV-related health risks. Men, particularly young adults, need to be part of the vaccination narrative.

Know the Risks, Take Action

On a day that spotlights head and neck cancers globally, the message is simple but urgent: HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer in men is real, rising, and largely preventable. Ignoring it isn’t just unwise; it’s dangerous. Whether you’re a parent considering the HPV vaccine for your son, a man experiencing persistent symptoms, or someone simply unaware of how far-reaching HPV’s impact can be, now’s the time to pay attention. Early action, education and vaccination can quite literally save lives.

Weight loss drugs have become wildly popular in the recent years. However, even though they are popularly known as weight loss drugs they are actually used for a separate purpose, weight loss is just a side effect of the medication.

Medications like Ozempic and Zepbound, which are primarily used to treat type 2 diabetes and help with weight loss, are showing exciting new potential. They might also be helpful for a wider range of health conditions, from sleep apnea to chronic kidney disease.

Diabetes and Weight Loss Medicines

A recent study published in the JAMA Network Open suggests that these kinds of medications, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, could offer important protection beyond their usual uses. For people who have both obesity and type 2 diabetes, these drugs might lower their risk of death and reduce the chances of developing two serious brain problems: dementia and a common type of stroke.

The findings suggest that GLP-1 drugs could do more than just control blood sugar, help with weight loss, and support heart health; they might also directly protect the brain and its blood vessels.

What the Research Discovered

Scientists had already hinted that GLP-1 drugs might help protect against dementia and stroke. However, there hadn't been many big studies specifically looking at how these drugs affect brain health, especially in people with a high risk, like those who have both type 2 diabetes and obesity.

To help answer these questions, researchers looked at seven years of health information from over 60,000 people. All of these individuals had both type 2 diabetes and obesity. Some of them were taking older diabetes medications, while others were prescribed GLP-1 drugs, like those found in popular medications.

After carefully checking the connections between the medicines and various brain conditions, the scientists found some significant things. People taking a GLP-1 drug had:

• A 37% lower chance of developing dementia.
• A 19% lower chance of having an ischemic stroke, which is the most common kind of stroke, caused by a blocked blood vessel in the brain.
• A 30% lower chance of dying from any cause.

The protection against dementia seemed even stronger for women over 60 and for those with a specific body mass index (BMI) range. An expert noted that people in this group have a particularly good chance to improve their brain health. It's important to know that these GLP-1 drugs did not seem to lower the risk of Parkinson's disease or another type of stroke called hemorrhagic stroke, which happens when there's bleeding in the brain.

Important Things to Consider

This study adds to the growing evidence that GLP-1 receptor agonists are very helpful tools, not just for losing weight and managing diabetes, but possibly for brain health and thinking abilities too.

However, it's really important to understand that this kind of study only shows a link, not that the drug directly causes the protection. It's possible that other things, like people's daily habits, could have played a role in the results, not just the medication itself.

Also, the researchers didn't collect detailed information like blood markers, genetic data, or brain scans. Having this kind of information could give much deeper insights into what's actually happening inside the body. The main researcher emphasized that these findings should be looked at carefully and need to be confirmed by more strict studies before doctors start making official recommendations based on them.

Scientists are investigating whether vitamin D frequently touted for its use in maintaining bone health, could also prevent serious COVID-19 complications. A new study published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One illuminates this potential, finding that individuals with vitamin D deficiency were 36% more likely to need hospitalization from COVID-19.

The findings point toward a connection between immune resilience and vitamin D levels, even though the data stops short of proving that supplementation can directly reduce the severity of COVID-19. Still, it’s a significant insight in the ongoing effort to identify who remains vulnerable as the world learns to live with the virus.

“We found people with low vitamin D weren’t necessarily more likely to catch COVID-19,” said lead researcher Kerri Beckmann, a senior research fellow at the University of South Australia. “But if they did get infected, their odds of serious illness and hospitalization were notably higher.”

The study tapped into the vast UK Biobank dataset, analyzing health information from over 150,000 participants. Researchers stratified the data by vitamin D levels and tracked COVID-19 outcomes, including infection rates and hospitalization.

Low levels of vitamin D were not associated with a higher risk of acquiring COVID-19. When infected, however, those lacking vitamin D were much more likely to develop severe illness necessitating hospitalization.

It’s an important distinction. While vitamin D won’t necessarily prevent you from contracting COVID, having adequate levels may improve how your body handles the virus similar to how a vaccine booster might reduce the severity of symptoms.

“Vitamin D plays a key role in regulating the immune system, so it’s plausible that low levels may influence how the body responds to infections,” Beckmann explained.

How Common is Vitamin D Deficiency?

Surprisingly prevalent. Based on a 2022 study appearing in Frontiers in Nutrition, approximately 22% of Americans are deficient in vitamin D. The rate is even greater among some groups, including individuals with darker skin tone, those who reside in the northern latitudes, and those who have restricted sun exposure because of lifestyle or chronic disease.

Vitamin D is sometimes referred to as the "sunshine vitamin" because our bodies produce it by exposing our skin to sunlight. But diet and supplements can also contribute to keeping levels healthy.

Benefits of Vitamin D

The worth of Vitamin D reaches far beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. It's needed for:

Bone health: Vitamin D allows your body to absorb calcium. Without sufficient levels of it, bones become brittle and cause issues such as osteoporosis in adults and rickets in children.

Immune modulation: It assists in modulating innate and adaptive immune reactions — two pillars of your body's defense against disease-causing organisms.

Inflammation regulation: Low blood levels have been associated with higher inflammation, which can lead to worse COVID respiratory outcomes.

And although scientists are hesitant to overhype the value of supplements, it's obvious that having healthy vitamin D levels is part of a larger picture of immune support.

Should You Start Taking Vitamin D Supplements?

Not so fast. Experts, including those involved in the study, stress that while the findings are compelling, they do not confirm that vitamin D supplements alone can prevent hospitalization from COVID-19.

“This is an area worth exploring further, but it’s too early to say supplementation is a silver bullet,” Beckmann noted. “Many people with poor overall health also have low vitamin D levels, which complicates the picture.”

That said, for people at risk of deficiency — including older adults, people with limited sun exposure, and those with darker skin — checking vitamin D levels with a healthcare provider could be a smart step, especially if they’re concerned about COVID outcomes.

How to Boost Your Vitamin D?

There are three main sources of vitamin D:

Sunlight: Just 10 to 30 minutes of mid-day sunlight several times a week may be enough for many people, depending on skin tone, geography, and season.

Diet: Not many foods provide vitamin D naturally. The richest sources from food are fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, and trout; egg yolks; mushrooms; and fortified foods such as milk or cereal.

Supplements: If your doctor finds a deficiency, they may suggest a daily supplement. Most adults require 600 IU (15 mcg) daily, while people over 70 need 800 IU (20 mcg).

Be careful with the dosage — too much vitamin D can be toxic and cause such complications as kidney damage.

Where Do We Go From Here?

While COVID-19 is no longer the emergency it once was, the virus still circulates and continues to cause complications — especially among vulnerable populations. Knowing that vitamin D levels may influence how someone fares with an infection opens the door to more targeted prevention efforts.

That might include screening for deficiency in high-risk groups, public health messaging around safe sun exposure, or considering fortified foods in communities with higher rates of deficiency but more research is needed. Clinical trials will be crucial in determining whether vitamin D supplementation could become a recommended part of COVID-19 care protocols. For now, maintaining healthy levels is simply good preventive medicine.

The latest study doesn't claim that vitamin D is a cure for COVID-19. But it adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that micronutrient deficiencies can shape how our bodies respond to viral infections.

In a post-pandemic world where we're learning to coexist with SARS-CoV-2, this kind of insight is valuable — not just for COVID, but for broader public health. As Beckmann summed it up: “COVID may not be the threat it once was, but understanding who is still at risk, and why, will help us stay a step ahead.”