Hello!

I’m Annie Fenn, a physician, author, culinary instructor, mom, and daughter of a person living with Alzheimer’s. My mission is to help you take care of your brain while still eating delicious food. 

After practicing obstetrics and gynecology for more than 20 years, I traded my stethoscope for a whisk and went back to school to study culinary arts in Mexico and Italy, and took classes at the Culinary Institute of America. 

I founded the Brain Health Kitchen in 2015 as a way to bring people together to fight Alzheimer’s. It all started in my home kitchen with a handful of students motivated to learn how to nourish and protect their brains. My family had just joined this fight after my mother was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, which turned out to be an early stage of the disease. 

In case you haven’t heard, what you eat is a crucial factor for aging with a vibrant, dementia-free brain. But which foods can truly protect the brain? I’m here to help. I scour the scientific literature to bring you the latest science in Alzheimer’s prevention, both in and out of the kitchen. I create streamlined recipes packed with neuroprotective ingredients using brain-friendly cooking techniques. (Think: good-for-you, but with a touch of decadence.) And, I help you steer clear of the foods that are known to accelerate brain aging. 

I’ve taught more than a thousand students in hands-on classes (and many more online) to cook using the Brain Health Kitchen method. I also wrote the book on brain-healthy cooking—quite literally. My first book—The Brain Health Kitchen: Preventing Alzheimer’s Through Food (Artisan Books, January 2023)—is available here and wherever books are sold. I packed all 400 pages with as much science and practical wisdom as possible, along with 100 easy, delicious recipes. And, I’ve been writing directly to the BHK community through this monthly newsletter since 2017.

If you already receive the BHK newsletter, you’ll keep getting it around the first of each month. And, it’s still free. I’ll keep you up to date with the latest brain health news, share what I’m cooking, and alert you to upcoming classes and events. Now that the BHK newsletter has moved over to Substack, though, I am excited to offer even more resources for you—and your brain—with a subscription to the Premium edition. 

Why Subscribe?

Consistency matters. If you are serious about taking care of your brain, the habits I recommend are more likely to stick if cultivated in small doses—consistently—over time. Upgrading to the BHK Premium newsletter ($7 monthly or $70 annually—about $5 a month) gets you a steady dose of easily digestible science tidbits, proven brain health strategies, and delicious recipes. In addition to the regularly scheduled monthly email, I’ll check in with you each week with: 

  • Quick tips about brain-healthy living (like: did you know that regular flossing is linked to better brain health?)

  • Kitchen Dispatches: an ingredient, tool, cooking technique, or non-recipe recipe

  • Brain Health Book Club recommendations

  • Topics for discussion (paid subscribers can comment on posts and threads)

  • Q and A with a thought leader in the brain health world 

  • Brain Health Homework: a simple action to add to your daily living that could add years to your brain’s longevity 

  • New and original BHK recipes

  • 5 Brain Healthy Things I’m Into series: fun tips on my latest brain health discoveries, often with discount coes just for paying subscribers

  • Fun quizzes to test your brain health IQ 

  • Downloadable BHK Guides: comprehensive reviews for you to print and save on topics like brain health supplements, cooking oils, and tips on cultivating a healthy metabolism

  • BHK Journal Club: Real-life take-aways from the latest study on Alzheimer’s prevention

  • First dibs on Brain Health Retreats (Italy and Costa Rica sell out quickly!)

Founding Members: Join me for 4 live cooking classes each year

Join the BHK community as a Founding Member for additional perks. We’ll get together 4 times each year for a live Cooking Class and Kitchen Chat. These are informal get-togethers on zoom in which we cook a few recipes and discuss a topic of your choosing. There is plenty of time during these Chats to ask questions and get personalized answers. The Founding Member tier is $210 annually.

Subscribe as a Founding Member

Whether you are signed up for a free subscription or choose to upgrade to paying or Founding Member, I am thankful you are here. Paid subscribers, especially, thank you for supporting my work.

Much love,

Annie Fenn, M.D.
brainhealthkitchen@gmail.com

PS: Do you know someone who would like to receive this newsletter? Please share. Or, even better, give it to them as a gift.

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Refunds
Did you purchase a paid subscription in error? If so, contact me at brainhealthkitchen@gmail.com within 7 days for a refund. No refunds are available after this time period.
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Physician, author, culinary instructor, and founder of the Brain Health Kitchen