Journal

Celebrating 1000 Miles with Dr. Bredesen

June 25, 2025

Last night, just before 9 PM, I hit a number that stopped me in my tracks—1,000 miles. That's one-third of the way across the country. One thousand miles of pavement, dirt trails, tiny towns, and moments of stillness that changed me.

What surprised me wasn't the physical distance—it was the mental clarity.

To help mark the moment, I invited Dr. Dale Bredesen to join me. You might know him as the author of The End of Alzheimer's. To me, he's a lighthouse in the fog—a reminder that aging doesn't have to mean decline. That brain fog isn't a life sentence. That we're not broken—we're just out of sync with how our brains were designed to thrive.

We talked hydration (yes, I drink a lot more water now), the heat wave sweeping across the U.S., and how even small changes—like walking—send powerful signals to the brain: "I'm not giving up on you."

Dr. Bredesen reminded me that what we do each day isn't just maintenance—it's building. Every mile walked, every good night's sleep, every anti-inflammatory meal is like laying bricks in the foundation of a better brain. His words stuck with me: "Cognitive decline isn't a one-way street."

This walk started as a challenge. But it's becoming a practice. A rhythm. A quiet rebellion against the myth that our best days are behind us. If 1,000 miles has taught me anything, it's that growth—real, neuroplastic growth—comes not in leaps, but in steps. Literally.

Thank you, Dr. Bredesen, for the wisdom. And thank you, dear reader, for walking alongside me—whether on your feet or in spirit. We've got 2,000 miles to go. But today, I'm celebrating every step.

Here's to what's ahead.
Judy