Preventive dietary and lifestyle strategies for neurodegenerative diseases: a comprehensive review

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, are rising sharply across the globe. These incurable and progressive conditions lead to severe cognitive and motor impairments, diminish the quality of life, and place a substantial burden on healthcare systems. In response to this growing challenge, the present review offers an integrative and forward-thinking perspective focused on modifiable daily habits that have the potential to preserve brain health and reduce the risk of neurodegeneration. Mounting evidence reveals that everyday lifestyle choices, including food habits, physical activity, sleep, and stress, profoundly shape long-term cognitive outcomes. Neuroprotective diets such as the Mediterranean and ketogenic diets reduce oxidative stress, enhance mitochondrial efficiency, and promote neurogenesis, whereas the Western diet accelerates cognitive decline. Intermittent fasting and caloric restriction trigger autophagy and ketone production, offering metabolic resilience. Functional foods such as berries, walnuts, and leafy greens combat inflammation and oxidative damage. Physical activity and resistance training boost synaptic plasticity and neurotransmitter balance. In addition, high-quality sleep and effective stress control help preserve neuronal integrity and lower neuroinflammatory markers. By integrating insights from neuroscience, nutrition, and behavioral medicine, this review highlights how multiple modifiable factors, when adopted consistently, can work in synergy to preserve cognitive health, delay disease onset, and reduce progression.