When Dugal Bain-Kim, cofounder of the longevity startup Lifeforce, lost his father to Alzheimer’s at just 70 years old, it forced a stark question: can we actually do anything to protect our brains as we age?
For Bain-Kim, the answer was a resounding yes. “There’s this common misperception that Alzheimer’s and dementia are like getting struck by lightning, just bad luck,” he told Business Insider. “Having that information can lead someone to think differently about their life.”
Instead of resigning himself to fate, Bain-Kim shifted his lifestyle from gym-bro maximalism to a laser focus on brain health, longevity, and metabolic resilience.
Here are the five practices he’s now building his life around - lessons that anyone concerned about brain ageing can apply.
1. Creatine: From Muscles to Memory
Long known as a muscle-building aid, creatine is emerging as a quiet powerhouse for the brain. Studies show it helps buffer cellular energy, protecting neurons under stress from things like sleep deprivation or metabolic strain.
Bain-Kim takes creatine daily - a habit we at Mushies see aligning with the broader move toward supplements that support both body and brain at the mitochondrial level.
2. Exploring GLP-1 Microdosing
You’ve heard of semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy). But research now links these GLP-1 drugs with a lower risk of dementia and even slower brain shrinkage with age. While Bain-Kim is still experimenting with microdosing GLP-1s, the deeper message is clear: metabolic health is brain health.
Interestingly, Beta-Glucans found in mushrooms have also been shown to stimulate GLP-1 in the gut. This means that beta-glucan consumption can help regulate appetite and blood sugar levels in a similar way to Ozempic and other GLP-1 receptor agonists.
Whether it’s diet, exercise, or supplements, stabilising blood sugar and improving insulin sensitivity may be one of the strongest levers we have against cognitive decline.
3. Zone 2 Cardio for Brain Flow
Heavy lifting has its place, but Bain-Kim now prioritises two sessions of steady, moderate cardio each week.
Known as Zone 2 training, it strengthens the heart, improves mitochondrial efficiency, and supports blood flow to the brain - all crucial for keeping neurons firing as we age. Throw in a dose of higher-intensity play (his pick: pickleball), and you’ve got a formula for lasting fitness and cognition.
4. Eating with the MIND in Mind
Building on the Mediterranean diet, Bain-Kim follows the MIND diet - a plan designed by Harvard researchers to slow brain ageing. Think leafy greens, berries, nuts, beans, fatty fish, and olive oil.
These foods are rich in fibre, polyphenols, and omega-3 fats that nourish the gut-brain axis and fight inflammation. In other words, it’s not just about eating healthy, it’s about eating for neuroprotection.
Although mushrooms aren't listed in the MIND diet, perhaps they should be. A 2019 study in Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that people who ate mushrooms at least twice a week had a 50% lower risk of cognitive impairment.
5. Making Sleep Non-Negotiable
If you’ve ever felt foggy after a poor night’s sleep, you’ve tasted how essential it is for brain function. Bain-Kim aims for 7 hours and 45 minutes a night. That's not just time in bed, but of deep, restorative sleep.
Neuroscience confirms that during sleep, the brain clears toxic waste proteins like beta-amyloid, which are linked to Alzheimer’s. Put simply: protecting your brain starts with protecting your pillow.
Mushrooms & Brain Health
At Mushies, we’re passionate about the subtle, intricate ways mushrooms support brain health. When it comes to cognition, three fungi stand out: lion’s mane, reishi, and cordyceps. Here’s how each plays a role:
Lion’s Mane: Stimulating Growth & Repair
Lion’s mane is arguably the most talked-about nootropic mushroom. It contains compounds called hericenones and erinacines, which are believed to stimulate production of nerve growth factors in the brain. This may aid neurogenesis (the formation of new neurons) and neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to adapt and rewire).
By helping neurons grow and repair, lion’s mane supports memory, focus, and overall cognitive resilience - a powerful tool for anyone aiming to preserve their mental edge as they age.
Reishi: A Protector & Modulator
Often called the “mushroom of immortality,” reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) isn’t just about longevity. It may also help protect and fine-tune the brain. Reishi has been shown to:
-
Support neuroprotection and slow progression of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s by modulating inflammation and preventing neuron death.
-
Increase cerebral blood flow and influence neurotransmitter balance, which can contribute to better cognitive function.
-
Inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AchE), the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine (a key neurotransmitter for memory), thereby potentially boosting memory and learning capacity.
In short, reishi may act less like a stimulant and more like a stabiliser. Calming, protecting, and helping the brain stay balanced under stress.
Cordyceps: Supporting Cellular Cleanup
Cordyceps, and specifically its active component cordycepin, may help the brain’s cleanup crews. In lab and animal research, cordycepin has demonstrated potential to reduce toxic protein aggregates - like those implicated in Huntington’s disease - by activating autophagy and supporting mitochondrial function, thus helping cells clear “junk.”
It may also modulate inflammation and support healthy neuronal function. While this research is early, cordyceps offers a hopeful glimpse into how mushrooms could aid the brain’s innate maintenance systems, not by forcing change, but by gently nudging balance back over time.
Why This Matters
Bain-Kim’s habits and insights already offer a strong foundation for guarding brain health. But mushrooms offer a complementary strategy: they operate at a molecular, regulatory level - enhancing resilience rather than overriding natural systems.
In other words, they don’t force change so much as invite the body to do its own work better.
If you’re building a brain-health stack, lion’s mane, reishi, and cordyceps deserve a place on your radar.
