Women’s brain health is having a long-overdue moment. For Emma Heming Willis and Helen Christoni, it isn’t just a wellness trend, it’s personal. Together, they founded Make Time Wellness, a brand built to help women understand, protect, and prioritize the organ that connects everything else.
For Emma, the mission grew from her experience as a wife, mother, and advocate navigating the realities of dementia. For Helen, it began after losing loved ones to the disease and realizing how little support exists for women’s cognitive well-being. Together, they are building a movement that reframes brain health as the foundation of beauty, balance, and longevity. Because when women make time for their brains, everything else begins to thrive.
In Conversation: Emma Heming Willis and K. Helen Christoni on the future of women’s brain health
Emma, you’ve said the words “brain health” completely changed your approach to wellness. Can you take us back to that moment—what shifted for you when you first learned how connected the brain is to every part of your wellbeing? For someone who was already pretty up to speed on wellness, learning about brain health was like someone turning the lights on. I realized that when I took care of my brain, my whole body benefited. I’d always thought of health as something physical, but I hadn’t realized how much the brain drives everything from our mood, focus, sleep, hormones, and even how our bodies age. Once I understood that connection, I began looking at my own health and wellness through the lens of brain health.
Helen, there’s so much emerging research on lifestyle and prevention. What habits have the biggest long-term payoff for the brain? The science is exciting because it shows how much control we have in our health journey. Regular movement, quality sleep, managing stress, meaningful connections, and nourishing your body with the right nutrients all have a direct impact on brain health. I often say, “Your daily habits are like deposits into your brain’s long-term savings account; they don’t have to be massive, but if you are consistent, it will pay off.” What you do today, whether it’s eating more omega-3s, staying socially connected, or prioritizing recovery pays off decades later in cognitive resilience.
Both — How can women begin to notice the early signs that their brain health might be out of balance? Emma: For me, it started with brain fog that was dismissed by my doctor. After being told it would pass and it didn’t, I took matters into my own hands and found a brain health specialist. If you’re feeling foggy, forgetful, or emotionally drained more often than usual, that’s your brain asking for attention. It’s not something to brush off.
Helen: Exactly. The brain lets you know when it’s tired. It is so important that we listen and prioritize our energy levels, focus, sleep patterns, and stress tolerance. Women are so used to grind culture that we too often normalize feeling off. The goal is to recognize those signals early and respond by making time for ourselves rather than guilt or judgment.
You’ve both lived through incredibly personal stories of loss and resilience. How did those experiences shape the way you built Make Time Wellness—from the tone to the mission to the community you’re creating? Emma: My experience as a caregiver has reinforced the importance of making time for our well-being because it’s so easy to neglect when we’re caring for others. I wanted Make Time to be a reminder and really a movement that we deserve to prioritize ourselves. That isn’t selfish; it’s self-preserving.
Helen: And we wanted that message to feel real, not aspirational. Life is full, so we created products and a community that make caring for your brain, body, and beauty easy for women, not difficult. Everything we do is rooted in empathy, evidence, and empowerment no matter what season you are in.
The brand highlights “clinically studied ingredients” and “results you can feel.” What does that mean in practice? Can you share examples of key ingredients and what makes them truly effective for women? Helen: We’re very intentional about our formulation. We use Cognizin® Citicoline, which is backed by clinical research supporting focus, memory, and mental clarity. We also include ingredients that address women’s unique needs, like curcumin, a women’s multi, MCT oil and Green Tea, so women can have the “results they can feel,” meaning these nutrients are at efficacious at levels where women feel the difference.
Did you work with neuroscientists or formulation experts in developing your products? What did that collaboration look like behind the scenes? Helen: We collaborated with food scientists and leading health experts to ensure each product was both evidence-based and met a woman’s needs. It was a long, thoughtful process, but it ensures we can stand behind every claim we make.
Studies show that women make up two-thirds of Alzheimer’s patients, yet the conversation around brain health rarely centers on women. Why do you think it’s been overlooked for so long? Emma: Historically, women’s health has been under-researched across the board. When it comes to the brain, much of the early Alzheimer’s research was based on men, so women’s risk factors weren’t fully considered. That’s changing now, but it’s exactly why Make Time exists: to put women’s brains at the center of the conversation.
Helen: Most women do not know that they are at such high risk for Alzheimer’s! 1 in 5 women will be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s here in the US, compared to 1 in 10 men. That statistic is just staggering, and at Make Time, we are committed to this brain health conversation, and we hope to change that statistic.
How do hormonal shifts like pregnancy, menopause, and chronic stress play into women’s cognitive health—and how early should we really be paying attention? Helen: Hormones play a major role in how the brain functions. Estrogen, for example, supports memory, mood, and neuroprotection. When it fluctuates during pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause, it can affect cognition. The takeaway is to start early. You don’t wait until perimenopause to care for your brain; you build those habits in your 20s, 30s, and 40s to protect yourself later.
Emma: As I always say, prevention is better than cure. Every small habit, like managing stress, moving your body, and fueling your brain, creates a foundation for long-term health.
Nutrition plays a huge role in cognitive health. What foods or nutrients do you personally prioritize for brain support? Emma: I try to eat with my brain in mind—lots of colorful vegetables, healthy fats, and omega-3s. I love blueberries and avocado, and I’m mindful of staying hydrated. It’s about progress, not perfection.
Helen: I am pescatarian, so I eat a ton of fish, and also add in nuts, seeds, and whole grains. But I am always supplementing, you can always find me with our Brain Health & Beauty gummies in my purse. I take them daily. Nutrition & supplements are both very powerful levers we have for brain health.
Finally, if you could each leave women with one piece of advice this Alzheimer’s Awareness Month—one simple way to make time for their brains—what would it be? Emma: Start small. Don’t try to implement everything at once. Take five minutes today for something that supports your brain health, whether it’s a walk, a breath, or a glass of water. It all adds up.
Helen: Remember to Make Time for Brain Health! Our brains are our most important asset. Alzheimer’s can be largely preventable. Share this conversation – together we can change the 1 in 5 statistic!!
