A preventive neurologist shares 3 simple habits she follows to help reduce her Alzheimer's risk

Dr. Kellyann Niotis, widely described as the first fellowship-trained preventive neurologist, follows a few science-backed habits to boost her brain health.Dr.

Kellyann NiotisDr. Kellyann Niotis, a preventive neurologist, follows a few habits to reduce her Alzheimer's risk.She said hydration and a diet rich in omega-3s and antioxidants helps maintain cognitive function.

Strength training and challenging cardio also have downstream positive effects on the brain.When Dr. Kellyann Niotis first started studying neurology, she remembers learning about how to manage diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia.

It was the lack of information on how to prevent them that she couldn't wrap her mind around."My family has been touched by neurodegenerative disease and I have seen countless patients go through these diseases," Niotis, a preventive neurologist and an assistant professor of neurology at Weill Cornell Medicine, told Business Insider. "What hits me the most is that the disease doesn't just impact that person; it really impacts everybody."

Niotis was inspired to specialize in preventive neurology when she found existing lifestyle advice lacking. "It was heartbreaking for me to hear, time and time again, doctors saying there's nothing you can do or just give generic health advice that had no real concreteness or tie to neurology."While diet and exercise are linked to better brain health, Niotis wanted to get more granular.

Which foods were the best, and why? Are some exercises better than others?Niotis, who's spent the last decade in the neurology field, shared a few of her own habits to reduce her Alzheimer's risk, based on what she learned from her research.

Her diet staples are berries, fatty fish, and lots of waterBerries have antioxidants which can reduce inflammation in the brain. Niotis eats them every day.BRETT STEVENS/Getty ImagesNiotis said that most Americans don't drink enough water — or realize how important hydration is for brain health."

Our brains are mainly made