January is Alzheimer’s Awareness month, which focuses on  the most common type of dementia—and one that an estimated 50 million Americans live with every day. While there is no known cure once Alzheimer’s has been diagnosed, research shows that we can take steps to reduce our risk of developing it.

The good news is that we know what causes Alzheimer’s. Most experts agree that it’s likely the result of complex interactions due to several factors, including age, genetics, environment, lifestyle, and coexisting medical conditions. Some of these risk factors cannot be helped or changed—such as age or genes. But others, such as high blood pressure and lack of exercise, contribute to the disease and can be addressed early.

A new year brings the possibility of change and developing new and positive lifestyle habits. January is both Family Fit Lifestyle Month and Shape Up US Month. The Shape Up US campaign shines a spotlight on the risks of childhood obesity and emphasizes the importance of making healthier lifestyle choices, which ultimately reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. And Family Fit Lifestyle Month focuses on educating families on how to get and stay active and healthy together so that they have a greater chance of heading off serious health issues that can be costly to treat. Fortunately, obesity can be reversed with some gradual, simple lifestyle changes and lots of support along the way.

If you suffer from ongoing stress and anxiety and want a simple way to reduce it in the new year, try getting organized. While we all know that being disorganized can have a lot of adverse effects, there are just as many known health benefits to getting organized.