JUDITH SHARES HER STORY

On a typical, beautiful Southern California morning, 77-year-old Judith rises before 8 a.m. to begin her day. She lives alone and usually turns on the television to watch an occasional program, as well as to keep her company. And she often reads the Bible.

“I don’t even have a cat,” the Portland, Oregon, native says with a laugh. “But I do like to watch my neighbors’ kitties cross my patio. That’s enough for me.”

Judith, who grew up in Carmel, California, uses a cane to get around because she has joint issues. But that doesn’t stop her from pulling weeds in her garden when needed, doing housekeeping tasks or going for an occasional stroll around the block.

She lives in a 2,500-square-foot house in the Los Angeles suburb of Costa Mesa, where she raised two daughters, now both in their 40s. One lives nearby, the other in Northern California. Judith’s yard sports apple, fig and pomegranate trees, as well as a goji berry bush.

And at least once a week, she bakes several loaves of bread. It’s a task that she says challenges her because she’s often looking for new recipes, which she sometimes alters to make more nutritious and tasty.

She says she believes baking, the social activities at her church and Prevagen all help keep her mentally sharp. She learned about Prevagen seven years ago while watching television.

“Something just clicked, and I decided I needed to try it to improve my brain function and memory,” she says. “I think it was the Almighty saying that this was a good idea.”

“For the past 18 months, I’ve been baking challah bread for friends from church,” she says. She says she’s constantly researching new recipes, getting good ones and then tweaking them to make them better by replacing rice flour, for example, with a healthier, gluten-free variety.

She spent a decade of her younger years in show business, mostly on the East Coast, even working in the chorus of a touring version of “Hello Dolly,” which starred Mary Martin. The highlight of the tour, she recalls, was visiting Vietnam in 1966 to entertain American soldiers.

She moved to Costa Mesa in 1972 after leaving show business. She’s had a variety of jobs in the past 45 years, ranging from cleaning houses to working in retail stores and staffing phone customer service banks. She also had a short stint as a floral designer.

Judith says that she believes her memory has improved since she began taking Prevagen.

She also credits her active church life with keeping her busy and engaged.

“I was taking Prevagen for a while before I got involved with this religious community,” she says. “But it’s a known fact that if you have friends you relate to on a regular basis, that makes a big difference for your mental health, too.”

Her mental acuity has also sharpened, for which she credits Prevagen.

“I wanted to slow down mild memory issues,” she says. “I think it’s done that and more.”