Bill Nye Just Told Us the Brain-Healthy Habits He Does Every Week
Yesterday was International Ataxia Awareness Day, and to spread awareness on the genetic nervous system condition, we chatted with everyone’s favorite science communicator. Bill Nye, best known for his ‘90s show Bill Nye the Science Guy, is bringing back the nostalgic format with a new web series all about ataxia in partnership with National Ataxia Foundation and Biogen.
“Ataxia is near and dear to me because my family has a form of it,” Nye tells EatingWell. “A taxi cab is how you get around, so ‘ataxia’ means you can't get around very well.”
Find out more about this rare genetic condition, how it has impacted Nye’s life and how he prioritizes his own brain health, from exercise to hobbies he loves.
What Is Ataxia? The Disease Bill Nye “Grew Up With”
According to the National Ataxia Foundation, ataxia is a degenerative disease of the nervous system.1 Nye’s grandmother, father, siblings and other family members have lived with a form of ataxia called Spinocerebellar ataxia type-27B (SCA27B). This and other forms of ataxia (including its most common hereditary form, Friedreich ataxia) cause chronic symptoms that worsen over time, like lack of coordination, slurred speech, difficulty walking and more.
Because ataxia is a rare condition, it is commonly overlooked, making awareness all the more important. Nye shares that his father struggled in the workplace while living with ataxia.
“My father would lose his balance all the time. As he got older, his handwriting degraded and he had trouble speaking,” Nye shared. “People thought my father was drunk when he was walking around, so he had [to get] a letter from a physician saying he's not drunk, he has ataxia. And he carried a cane later in life—which actually may have made walking more difficult, but it was a signal to people that he had this disability.”
Ataxia is commonly overlooked, and many may not realize they have it until their young adulthood. Nye knows it well, as he “grew up” with the disease by observing and caring for his family.
“You might lose your balance a little bit as a teenager, then as a young adult out in the workforce, you may have difficulty walking, you may find yourself reaching for words and you can't speak clearly, and this could be Friedrich ataxia in its slow progression,” the science guy explains. “Slow progression has led to difficulty in diagnosis. People go see a specialist for inner ear, thinking they're losing their balance because they have inner ear problems, or they think there's some muscle problem…but it's actually [ataxia].
“Ataxia is a serious problem, but modern discoveries are being made and modern treatments are being developed that could help people with symptoms,” continues Nye.
Bill Nye’s Brain-Healthy Habits
So how is Nye supporting his own brain health? By incorporating brain-healthy habits into his daily routine.
“I do crossword puzzles,” he shares. “And as an engineer, I’m always designing and making little things.” He gives model trains as an example. These may seem like just-for-fun hobbies, but research has shown the positive improvement that crossword puzzles can have on the brain, especially for those with mild cognitive impairments.
Another thing Nye is especially fond of? Exercise, especially biking.
“I’m a longtime bicyclist,” he tells us. “My goal is to ride at least three times a week, but I've been traveling this week, so it's been difficult. I like it. I am not an indoor cyclist, I'm not a Pelotonian—but if you are, more power to you, Peloton your brains out, but it's just not my thing.”
Nye says that bicycling is when he’s able to embrace the outdoors with no headphones and just be “out on the road.” We got good news for him: there’s recent research that shows cycling being linked to a 19% lower dementia risk and 22% lower Alzheimer’s risk.3 Whether you love to bike, walk or run, active travel is the way, and biking especially can help improve your coordination and relieve stress.
“I like to keep busy,” Nye puts it plainly, and the video series he created with the National Ataxia Foundation is a prime example. It’s brain-stimulating for both Nye and viewers, as you receive a brand-new science lesson all about ataxia. The first episode is out now:
The same way you might know Lou Gehrig's disease or Parkinson's, we want everybody to know the word ataxia,” he says. “If you or somebody in your family is having these kinds of symptoms, trouble walking, trouble talking, trouble with fine motor skills, shortness of breath, it may be Friedrich ataxia, and we want you to see your doctor and get diagnosed.”