I was fortunate to be a guest on Progress, Potential, And Possibilities a podcast where the conversation centered around Alzheimer’s — the latest science, emerging treatments, and what all of it means.
What became clear in that conversation — and what continues to inspire me — is that science is beginning to validate something gardeners have intuitively understood all along:
Gardening supports the brain in extraordinary ways. Not as a cure. But as a powerful, daily act of protection, engagement, and hope.
Emerging research suggests that lifestyle choices in our 30s, 40s, and 50s play a critical role in long-term brain health — making this conversation especially relevant for Gen X and Millennials today.
Alzheimer’s Research Is Changing — And So Is Our Understanding of Prevention
For decades, Alzheimer’s was viewed as largely inevitable — a disease we could observe but not meaningfully influence.
Today, that perspective has shifted.
The Lancet Commission, one of the most respected global authorities on dementia research, reports that up to 45% of dementia cases may be linked to modifiable lifestyle factors, including:
- physical activity
- stress management
- social connection
- sleep
- and cognitive engagement
This means brain health is not shaped by genetics alone. It is shaped by how we live. Gardening uniquely brings together many of the protective factors researchers now know matter most.
Gardening encourages movement. It reduces stress. It engages memory and attention. It promotes healthier eating. And perhaps most importantly, it creates purpose.
Purpose is not just emotional. It is neurological.
Why This Conversation Matters So Much for Gen X and Millennials
What makes this moment even more important is how dramatically our daily lives have changed.
Gen X and younger Millennials are spending more hours sitting, more hours on screens, and more hours under chronic stress than any generation before them.
We work indoors. We move less. We sleep less.
We live in a constant state of cognitive stimulation — emails, alerts, notifications, and information that never fully stops. While technology has improved productivity, it has also reduced many of the natural experiences that support brain health.
Researchers are now studying how sedentary lifestyles, chronic stress, social isolation, and reduced time in nature may contribute to earlier cognitive decline.
This is not about fear. It is about awareness. Because the encouraging news is that the brain responds positively when we reintroduce protective experiences.
Gardening is one of the simplest and most effective ways to do that.
It brings us back into movement. It engages our senses. It lowers stress. It restores something many of us didn’t realize we were missing — moments of presence.
For Gen X and Millennials balancing careers, caregiving, and the demands of modern life, gardening is not just nostalgic.
It is neurologically relevant.
And it is something we can start now.
“I recently spoke with Heather, a recent graduate from SMU who was drawn to gardening for deeply personal reasons. She watched both of her grandparents live with dementia and Alzheimer’s, and their experience changed how she thinks about her own future.
She didn’t start gardening because she thought of herself as a gardener.
She started because she wanted to be proactive about her health.
She told me:
“I watched Alzheimer’s slowly take pieces of both of my grandparents, and it made me realize I can’t wait until I’m older to think about my brain health. Gardening started as something small I could do for myself — something calming, something offline. But now my patio garden is my favorite part of the day. It makes me feel grounded, and it makes me feel like I’m doing something good for my future.”
Today, her small patio garden is filled with herbs, peppers, and tomatoes.
The Brain Responds to Nature — Even in the Presence of Disease
One of the most hopeful areas of Alzheimer’s research focuses on neuroplasticity — the brain’s ability to adapt and form new connections throughout life.
Studies published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences have shown that time spent in nature improves memory and cognitive function.
Other research in the Journal of Health Psychology found gardening lowers cortisol — the stress hormone known to damage the brain’s memory center, the hippocampus.
Even more remarkable, horticultural therapy programs used in dementia care settings have demonstrated improvements in mood, engagement, and quality of life.
Memory lives in the senses long after words fade.
Gardening activates those senses — touch, smell, sight — in ways that remain accessible even as cognitive decline progresses.
Gardening Supports the Whole-Body Systems That Protect the Brain
- Alzheimer’s is no longer understood as only a brain disease.
- Researchers now recognize the roles of vascular health, inflammation, and immune function in cognitive decline.
Gardening supports these systems in multiple ways:
It improves circulation, supporting oxygen flow to the brain. It reduces chronic inflammation, one of the key contributors to neurodegeneration. It lowers stress, protecting delicate neural structures involved in memory. Even exposure to soil microbes has been linked to improved mood and immune regulation.
In other words, gardening supports brain health not through one pathway — but through many.
Few activities do that.
Gardening Offers Something Science Cannot Prescribe: Agency
For families facing Alzheimer’s, one of the hardest realities is the feeling of powerlessness.
Gardening offers something different. It offers participation. It offers moments of success. It offers connection — to nature, to others, and to oneself.
Caregivers benefit profoundly as well.
Caregiving is associated with high levels of chronic stress, which can impact long-term health.
Gardening provides restoration. A way to care for yourself while caring for someone you love.
The Future of Alzheimer’s Treatment Includes How We Live
- There is real reason for hope.
- New therapies are emerging that slow disease progression.
- Early diagnostics are improving.
- And lifestyle interventions are gaining recognition as essential components of brain health.
No single solution will prevent Alzheimer’s.
But together — medicine, lifestyle, and meaningful daily engagement — they create possibility.
Gardening belongs in that conversation.
Because gardening is not just about growing plants.
It is about nurturing life.
Including our own.
Why This Matters Now More Than Ever
When I started Gardenuity, I believed gardening helped people feel better.
Today, I understand it more deeply.
Gardening helps people stay connected — to themselves, to others, and to the present moment. It reminds us that growth is still possible. And in the face of a disease defined by loss, that reminder is powerful.
And for anyone seeking ways to support their brain health and wellbeing.
We cannot control everything about Alzheimer’s. But we can choose how we live. And tending a garden may be one of the most hopeful places to begin.