In the 1970s, Dean Ornish promoted a healthy diet and stress reduction as a way to prevent heart disease. It caught my father's attention. Then in his forties and a college professor, he began to make some lifestyle changes. He became a vegetarian, stopped eating processed foods, exercised frequently, and learned how to meditate. By the time he died at the age of 96, he had been living that way for half a century. My dad, as it turns out, lived much like the residents in Blue Zones—a term coined by author, explorer, and National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner and researchers from the University of Minnesota and the National Institute on Aging to describe areas of the world where people live into their eighties, nineties, and 100s with little disability or dementia.

Like my father, people in Blue Zones follow whole-food, mostly plant-based diets; participate in regular physical activity; protect their mental health; and live extremely long lives, according to research by Buettner and his colleagues. You can learn more about Buettner's project in our cover story as well as in the Netflix series Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones and the book The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer.

In the nearly 10 years I've been at this publication, I have made it my mission to focus on brain health. Our Healthy Living section features two stories related to that topic. In one, we look at the link between coffee and caffeine and a reduced risk of neurologic conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, migraine, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, and stroke. Another story examines how juggling encourages neuroplasticity—the ability of the brain to modify itself through activities—potentially boosting cognitive function. Understanding juggling's connection to movement may one day lead to treatments for cerebellar ataxia, a disorder caused by damage to the cerebellum, according to Amy J. Bastian, PhD, a neuroscientist at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore who studies juggling.

Also in Healthy Living, we share a story about Lindsay Gutierrez, who sustained a traumatic brain injury while in the Air Force. In managing her condition, she discovered that being outdoors boosted her mood and concentration. That discovery led to hiking. As her strength and endurance improved, Gutierrez attempted longer and more difficult trails, including a portion of the Appalachian Trail. Then last year she heard about a trip to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. With the encouragement of her husband, she began to train for it. Many months later, on March 12, 2023, she reached the summit.

In another story about exercise, you'll hear from a fitness instructor who describes how teaching classes for people with Parkinson's disease enriches her life both professionally and personally.

In our features section, you'll find information on skin disorders related to Parkinson's disease, neurofibromatosis type 1, stroke, and tuberous sclerosis complex and how to manage them. You'll also learn about the latest advances in epilepsy treatment that may help reduce or even eliminate seizures.

Our Caregiving story addresses the importance of gun safety in the homes of people who have dementia or other disorders that can cause confusion, paranoia, or hallucinations. Two Brain & Life editorial board members—Jori Fleisher, MD, MSCE, FAAN, a movement disorder specialist, and Victoria S. Pelak, MD, FAAN, a neuro-ophthalmologist—explain how they discuss firearm safety with their patients. They also offer advice for storing guns securely.

For a fun read about a serious topic, look for a blog post about Phineas the cat, an Instagram sensation. This feisty feline has cerebellar hypoplasia (CH), a rare neurologic disease that affects the cerebellum and can cause developmental delays, trouble walking, and seizures. His owners have raised awareness of the disorder.

Finally, please send us stories about acquiring a new skill—learning how to play a musical instrument or speak a different language, for instance—that may increase neuroplasticity. If you have something to relate, write to us at BrainandLife@wolterskluwer.com.

Orly Avitzur, MD, MBA, FAAN, Editor-in-Chief