Hello, friends!
Last week we wrapped up Season 1 of the Brain Health Kitchen Podcast with a fascinating conversation about omega-3s and brain health with Dr. Ed Park. As I closed out that episode, I found myself feeling incredibly grateful—for our wonderful guests, for the conversations we’ve had, and most of all, for you.
Whether you’ve listened to one episode or every single one, thank you for spending your time with us. Launching this podcast has been one of the highlights of my year, and seeing so many of you tune in, share episodes with friends, and send thoughtful questions has been deeply rewarding.
While our team takes a short production break, I’m excited to bring you Summer Highlights—a special series featuring some of the most memorable and useful conversations from Season 1. These are the episodes I find myself recommending again and again because their lessons are just as relevant today as when they first aired.
We’ll be back this fall with Season 2, featuring an exciting lineup of new guests and fresh conversations about food, lifestyle, neuroscience, and the everyday habits that help protect our brains for years to come. I can’t wait to share what’s ahead.
We’re kicking off our Summer Highlights series with one of my favorite conversations: Dr. Tommy Wood, author of The Stimulated Mind: Future-Proof Your Brain From Dementia and Stay Sharp at Any Age.
Tommy’s work feels especially timely because he helps us understand what our brains truly need in a world filled with constant notifications, endless information, too much sitting, and very little quiet. He has a remarkable gift for taking complex neuroscience and turning it into practical, hopeful advice that anyone can use. Rather than focusing on fear, he shows us how everyday choices can build cognitive reserve, increase resilience, and help us stay sharper throughout our lives.
In this episode, you’ll learn why creating more cognitive headroom may be one of the most important things you can do for your brain, how simple exercise snacks throughout the day can improve brain function, and why some of the memory lapses we worry about may actually be problems with attention, not memory itself.
If you missed this conversation the first time around—or if it’s been a while since you listened—I hope you’ll enjoy revisiting it with fresh ears.
Thanks again for being part of the Brain Health Kitchen community. I’ll see you back here next week for another Summer Highlight.
Love,
Annie and the BHK Team
Catch up on Season 1. Watch here on Substack or YouTube or listen on Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
About Dr. Tommy Wood
Tommy Wood is a physician, neuroscientist, performance coach, and researcher. He calls himself an elite-level professional nerd! He is currently an associate professor of pediatrics and neuroscience at the University of Washington, where his research focuses on brain health across the lifespan. This includes therapies for newborn brain injury, prevention and treatment of adult brain trauma, and factors that contribute to long- term cognitive function and decline.
I first met Tommy through the pages of his extensive scientific work published in journals, such as this one about how strength training may change the structure of the brain, making it more resistant to Alzheimer’s. Our paths crossed in real life when I discovered he was a clinical advisor to our podcast sponsor Better Brain. When I discovered was also on Substack as the co-author with of , I became an avid reader and listener of their podcast.
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I am grateful to have the support of two of the most trusted brands in brain health: NeuroReserve and Better Brain. Our missions in brain health are aligned—to give you the tools to age with the healthiest brain possible.
NeuroReserve is a brain health nutrition company dedicated to bringing us high-quality, science-backed supplements—including Relevate—a brain-specific blend of omega-3 fatty acids, and Revanta, a pure-grade creatine. These products have earned a spot in my daily routine—I think of them as brain health self-care! I’ve known the team at NeuroReserve for many years, and you can learn more about their commitment to brain health and research-backed nutritional products at NeuroReserve.com.
This podcast is also proudly supported by our founding sponsor, BetterBrain—the world’s first brain health and dementia prevention program covered by insurance. A number of my readers and retreat attendees have gone through BetterBrain, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. People love the thoroughness of the testing, the quality time with a coach, and walking away with a real, personalized action plan. I went through it myself and found it just as valuable. Most people pay $0 out of pocket for the coaching sessions. Learn more at BetterBrain.com/annie.
Show Notes
How do we build a brain that can stay resilient as we age?
In this summer highlight, Dr. Annie Fenn revisits her conversation with Dr. Tommy Wood, author of The Stimulated Mind: Future-Proof Your Brain from Dementia and Stay Sharp at Any Age.
Tommy explains the idea of cognitive headroom: building more brain reserve and resilience now so we have a greater buffer against aging, stress, and disease later. He also shares why even brief “exercise snacks” can benefit the brain, especially when they break up long periods of sitting.
Finally, Annie and Tommy explore why many everyday memory lapses may begin with attention. Constant task-switching, scrolling, and information overload can make it harder for the brain to encode what we are trying to remember.
You’ll learn how small, practical choices—moving more often, taking real breaks, focusing on one thing at a time, and continuing to challenge the brain—can support cognitive health at any age.
Chapters
00:00 Introducing Summer Highlights
03:38 Building cognitive headroom
09:39 Exercise snacks and sedentary time
15:51 Memory, attention, and overstimulation
22:15 Three takeaways to use now
Connect with Dr. Tommy Wood
Website: Dr. Tommy Wood
Get a copy of The Stimulated Mind
Sign up for Substack
That’s all for today
I hope you enjoyed today’s episode. As always, I would love to hear your thoughts.
Brain Health Retreats Update
Sardinia’s Secrets For a Long and Healthy Life: October 12 to 18, 2026. SOLD OUT WITH A WAITLIST. We’ll be hiking, e-biking, and eating our way through this stunning island known for its long-living people. Join the waitlist by calling 877‑298-9677 (M–F, 9am–5pm ET) or email the travel team to learn more and reserve your spot.
The Brain Health Retreat in Costa Rica: February 5-10, 2027. Registration is now open! I’ll be joined by Stacy Fisher of Fisher Fitness for a one-of-a-kind program focused on cultivating the habits of a brain-healthy life while relaxing at the stunning Imiloa Institute just south of Costa Rica’s Blue Zone. Find all the details here.
Founding Member Trip to Greece: April 18-24, 2027. Registration is now open for our very first Founding Member Brain Health Retreat. We’ll be exploring the beautiful Greek island of Crete, e-biking through rolling hills and hiking along the coast, all while immersing in their ancient farm-to-table traditions. Upgrade to Founding Member/Cooking Club and join us in Crete!
Brain Health Week at Rancho La Puerta: June 5-12, 2027. Read more about my recent brain-health-focused week here. I’ll be announcing the faculty and other details for 2027 soon!
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