Diet and the brain featured at Cognitive Health Speaker Series

St. John's Cognitive Health will host the eighth annual Cognitive Health Speaker Series on June 13 and 14, in partnership with St. John’s Wellness and the University of Wyoming’s Center on Aging. This year’s featured speaker is Martha Clare Morris, ScD, author of Diet for the MIND.

On Thursday, June 13, Dr. Morris will present The MIND Diet for Brain Function and Health from 6:00 to 7:30 pm at The National Museum of Wildlife Art. Tickets are $10, available at tetonhospital.org/wordsonwellness.

“The types of foods you eat can dramatically reduce your risk for Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, as well as Parkinson's disease,” said Martha Stearn, MD, founder and director of St. John’s Cognitive Health. “This presentation will highlight those nutrients that protect the brain.”

On Friday, June 14, Dr. Morris will present Supplements and the Brain from noon to 1:00 pm at the Snow King Grand Ballroom. Learn how dietary supplements are different from the nutrients we absorb from food, and which supplements have strong scientific evidence of brain benefits. The presentation will be followed by a question and answer session with Dr. Morris and Dr. Stearn, as well as a book signing. This event is free, and no ticket is required.

Dr. Martha Clare Morris received her doctoral degree in epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health and has over 20 years’ experience studying how nutrition relates to the development of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of cognitive decline.

Roughly 10,000 Wyomingites suffer from Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementias (up from 7,000 in 2000), and the number is anticipated to rise to 13,000 by 2025. Nationally more than 5 million Americans are living with AD, and by 2050, that number is projected to reach 13.5 million. Preventive measures and early diagnosis are essential to managing memory loss and its enormous toll on families and communities.

Further details about the Cognitive Health Speaker Series are available at tetonhospital.org/wordsonwellness or by calling 307.739.7399

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Media Contact: Karen Connelly at 739-7390 or email kconnelly@tetonhospital.org.

ABOUT ST. JOHN’S COGNITIVE HEALTH

Since 2009, St. John's Cognitive Health, a service group of St. John's Health Physician Practices, has been actively engaged in raising public awareness about memory loss and cognitive impairment. The clinic provides assessment, treatment, and care planning for those suffering from memory impairments, as well as support services for families and caregivers.

ABOUT ST. JOHN’S MEDICAL CENTER

St. John's Health in Jackson, Wyoming, offers patient-centered clinical excellence and community wellness services through a full-service hospital, primary care, and specialty physician practices, and a long-term care Living Center. 

ABOUT ST. JOHN’S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION

The mission of the St. John’s Hospital Foundation is to secure philanthropic support to advance the mission and strategic objectives of St. John’s Medical Center, including patient-centered care, clinical excellence, and community wellness.