NMI Webinar
Clinical Strategies for Optimising Glymphatic Fluid Flux: An Emerging Topic in Neurodegeneration and Brain Health for Women
with Dr. Deanna Minich
Date: Tuesday 18th August 2026
Time: 3pm (BST)
Duration: 1-hour
Location: Online (Zoom)
Receive: Access to the live online event, unlimited access to the on-demand video recording, CPD certificate.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) approved by the CPD Certification Service (CPD UK), the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and the Nutritional Therapists of Ireland (NTOI).
Webinar description:
The glymphatic system is a recently characterised network that serves as the brain’s waste clearance pathway and has emerged as an important area of research in cognitive health, healthy ageing, and neurodegenerative disease. During sleep, cerebrospinal fluid circulates through the brain to help remove metabolic waste products, maintain homeostasis, and support normal neurological function. Impairments in glymphatic function have been associated with ageing, poor sleep, circadian disruption, menopause, neuroinflammation, and conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
This presentation provides an evidence-based overview of glymphatic physiology and explores the factors that influence its function throughout the lifespan, with special attention to women’s brain health during midlife. Participants will examine the interconnected roles of sleep, circadian biology, the gut microbiome, inflammation, and endocrine changes in regulating glymphatic fluid dynamics.
A primary focus of the session is the emerging role of nutrition and lifestyle in supporting glymphatic function. Current evidence on melatonin, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, zinc, dietary polyphenols, and microbiome-supportive nutrition will be reviewed, along with the mechanisms through which these interventions may influence brain health. The presentation will also discuss practical lifestyle strategies that complement nutrition, including sleep optimisation and circadian alignment.
Throughout the session, the emerging science will be translated into clinically relevant recommendations that nutrition professionals can incorporate into patient care. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how nutrition influences the brain’s self-clearing system and how dietary and lifestyle interventions may contribute to cognitive resilience and healthy brain aging. This presentation is designed for clinicians seeking to integrate the latest neuroscience into evidence-based nutrition practice.
Learning objectives:
- Explain the structure, function, and circadian regulation of the glymphatic system and its role in brain waste clearance, neuroimmune signaling, and cognitive health across the lifespan.
- Evaluate key physiological, lifestyle, and metabolic factors that impair glymphatic fluid dynamics, including sleep disruption, ageing, inflammation, cardiometabolic dysfunction, diet quality, hydration status, and circadian misalignment.
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Analyse sex-specific and menopause-related changes in sleep, circadian rhythms, and melatonin physiology that influence glymphatic efficiency and neurodegenerative risk in women.
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Apply evidence-informed nutrition and lifestyle strategies to support glymphatic function, including sleep optimisation, circadian hygiene, dietary patterns, hydration, physical activity, and targeted nutrients such as melatonin, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and polyphenols.
- Integrate emerging and adjunctive therapeutic modalities (e.g., photobiomodulation, light and sound stimulation, exercise, sauna use, meditation, and timing-based interventions) into personalised brain-health strategies while recognising current research limitations.
Speaker
Dr. Deanna Minich, PhD
Dr. Deanna Minich, PhD, MS, CNS, FMCP, FACN, is a nutrition scientist, educator, author, and functional medicine clinician with more than 25 years of experience in nutrition research, medical education, and the dietary supplement industry. She serves as Chief Science Officer at Symphony Natural Health, where she leads scientific strategy and research in women’s health and endocrine aging. Dr. Minich earned her PhD in Medical Sciences from the University of Groningen in The Netherlands and her MS in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is a Fellow and Past President of the American College of Nutrition, serves on the Board of Directors of the American Nutrition Association, and has been faculty for the Institute for Functional Medicine for more than a decade. She has authored more than 50 scientific publications, four book chapters, and seven consumer books. Her work focuses on translating emerging research in nutrition, endocrine health, and healthy aging into practical, evidence-based strategies that empower both clinicians and the patients they serve.
Additional information:
Expert qualifications: Speakers are selected based on verifiable expertise in their subject area, including post-graduate qualifications, specialist practice, and authorship of original peer-reviewed research.
Standards for conflict of interest and disclosure: Webinars are independent and free of commercial bias that may impact the quality and integrity of educational content, such as the mention of commercial products and services. View our standards for conflict of interest and disclosure.
Funding source: Speaker remuneration is provided by the Nutritional Medicine Institute (NMI).
Disclaimer: The contents of webinars such as this are for educational purposes and intended for health professionals. This information is not a substitution for standard medical care. Health professionals are solely responsible for the care and treatment provided to their own patients.