We are thrilled to launch the first webinar in our breakthrough series, “Environmental Wellness: How Brain Health is Planetary Health.” Inspired by our new scientific article, Air Pollution and Alzheimer’s Prevention: The Science and The Plan, this webinar reveals how air pollution is a powerful, often-overlooked risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease.

The scientific article is based on recent research reviewed by ARPF President, Dr. Dharma S. Khalsa. He learned that an 11-year-old boy was tragically struck and killed by a car in Mexico City, one of the most polluted places on earth. An autopsy revealed that this young boy had the brain of a 50-year-old, including many pathological changes of Alzheimer’s. Building on this research, we can say that air pollution is now recognized as a hidden risk factor for this serious disease. For decades, scientists have hunted for the biological spark that ignites Alzheimer’s, and ARPF is once again leading the way to the lifestyle approach to its prevention.   

Join us for the first webinar in our free, two-part series on Thursday, February 26th at 1 pm PT / 4 pm ET. This kickoff session will feature distinguished speakers who will unpack how caring for the planet and caring for our brains go hand in hand. We'll translate complex research into everyday meals and habits that can help buffer your brain from the impacts of air pollution. We'll also explore how environmental stressors shape mental health across the lifespan and the practical, lifestyle‑based strategies we can use to build resilience.

Environmental Wellness: How Brain Health is Planetary Health Webinar
Date: Thursday, February 26, 2026
Time: 1 pm PT / 4 pm ET for 60 minutes
Presenters: Annie Fenn, MD and Chris Walling, PsyD, MBA, C-IAYT, FABP
Cost: FREE
This workshop will be recorded.

Our distinguished speakers:

Annie Fenn, MD, co-author of our research paper, author of The Brain Health Kitchen, renowned speaker and culinary expert. 

Dr. Annie Fenn is a board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist specialized in menopausal health. After practicing medicine for more than 20 years in Jackson, WY, she realized that helping people change what they eat was more effective at improving health than prescribing pills or procedures. She traded her stethoscope for an apron and went back to school to study culinary arts in Mexico, Italy, and at the Culinary Institute of America.

In 2015, Dr. Fenn founded the Brain Health Kitchen, an evidence-based online resource about how and what to eat to resist cognitive decline. The Brain Health Kitchen Cooking School, founded in 2017, is the only school of its kind focused specifically on the prevention of Alzheimer’s and other dementias with food. 

Chris Walling, PsyD, MBA, C-IAYT, FABP, is a co-author of our research paper, a clinical psychologist, and an Associate Professor & Chair of Research Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies. 

Dr. Chris Walling is Associate Professor in the School of Professional Psychology & Health at the California Institute of Integral Studies where he serves as Core Faculty in the Somatic Psychology program. A licensed clinical psychologist and board-certified psychoanalyst, he is the Research Chair & Past-President of the United States Association for Body Psychotherapy. Dr. Walling has previously served as Executive Administrator in the Department of Psychiatry and the Aging and Memory Research Center at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and as Executive Administrator in the Departments of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and the Markey Cancer Center at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. He serves as Vice-President of Education & Outreach at the Alzheimer’s Research & Prevention Foundation.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain the scientific link between air pollution and Alzheimer’s disease risk across the lifespan, including the roles of particulate matter (PM2.5), oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, blood–brain barrier disruption, amyloid and tau pathology, and micro- and nano-plastics.

2. Identify air pollution as a modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, drawing on epidemiological findings and recent classifications (e.g., the Lancet Commission), and explain why childhood and midlife exposure is particularly consequential for later neurodegeneration.

3. Describe the biological and psychosocial mechanisms by which climate stress and pollution impact brain health, including effects on sleep, mood, cognition, cardiovascular function, and mental health (e.g., depression, anxiety, eco-distress).

Reserve Your Spot Today! Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about the importance of Alzheimer's disease and air pollution. 

This webinar will be recorded. Please register and you will automatically get access to the recording.  

This webinar is offered to you FREE as part of ARPF’s educational programs. If you feel called to support us, you may donate during the registration process. Thank you for supporting our mission!

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Cancellation policy: Please contact us at [email protected] if you need to cancel your registration.