Journal

Judy Benjamin Interview: Alzheimer's Recovery, Hope, and a Cross-Country Walk

December 23, 2025

In a wide-ranging interview with Dr. Heather Sandison on the Think Well Age Well podcast, Judy Benjamin reflected on her journey from an Alzheimer's diagnosis at age 67 to becoming a leading voice for hope, resilience, and action in brain health. After watching her mother decline from Alzheimer's, Benjamin recognized early cognitive changes in herself and sought out researcher Dale Bredesen, whose emerging precision-medicine approach would later become known as the ReCODE Protocol.

Benjamin described the early stages of her recovery, including targeted testing, supplementation, dietary changes, improved sleep, toxin avoidance, and stress reduction. Within weeks of implementing these changes, she experienced a return of clarity and executive function. This experience reshaped her life and ultimately led her to become a certified ReCODE coach, supporting others navigating cognitive decline.

Eighty-one-year-old Benjamin recounted her journey of more than 3,000 miles across the United States to raise awareness that Alzheimer's is not necessarily a one-way trajectory. Walking eight to twelve hours a day from San Diego to St. Augustine, she met thousands of people along the way, sharing her story and reinforcing a central message of the interview: aging is not defined by a number, and with commitment and the proper support, cognitive health can be reclaimed at any stage of life.