Although Alzheimers disease is on the rise throughout the world, it is not a normal part of aging and an estimated 1 in 3 cases of dementia is preventable. To help safeguard your brain and cognitive health, Dr. Rudy Tanzi, recommends practicing the SHIELD plan, a multi-faceted approach to avoid cognitive impairment. The six core components of SHIELD include sleeping, handling stress, interacting with others, exercising, learning new things, and following a healthy diet.