Alzheimer S Disease

Esther Hautzig, whose memoir of growing up in exile in Siberia, "The Endless Steppe," has become a classic of children's literature, died Nov. 1 at a New York City hospital. She was 79 and had Alzheimer's disease. Hautzig was born into comfortable circumstances in Vilnius, Lithuania, then part of Poland, where her family ran a jewelry store. In 1941, after the Soviet Union and Germany signed a nonaggression pact that put Vilnius under Soviet control, Hautzig's family was arrested for being capitalists.

If you want to live longer -- avoid heart disease, Alzheimer's disease and cancer -- then pick and choose your foods with care to quiet down parts of your immune system. That's the principle promoted by the founders and followers of anti-inflammatory diets, designed to reduce chronic inflammation in the body. Dozens of books filled with diets and recipes have flooded the market in the last few years, including popular ones by dermatologist Dr. Nicholas Perricone and Zone Diet creator Barry Sears.

A court document filed by Peter Falk's daughter says the Emmy-winning star of "Columbo" is suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Catherine Falk is seeking a court's approval for a conservatorship of her 81-year-old father, who she claims no longer recognizes people. A hearing has been scheduled for late January. Falk's movie credits include "Murder, Inc." and "Pocketful of Miracles" -- both of which earned him Oscar nominations -- and "The Princess Bride."

"Boston Legal" "Juiced" episode, ABC, Dec. 1 The premise Denny Crane (William Shatner) is undergoing a PET scan. The colors and images show that his brain activity is diminished in certain areas. While he is on the scanner, his doctors also test his ability to count backward from 100 by 7s and find that this ability has deteriorated. They conclude from the scan and tests that his Alzheimer's disease has progressed to Stage 3 or 4, signifying mild to moderate memory decline.

The products: Humans have long believed in an almost magical connection between strong flavors and good health. The burn from the hot pepper? It must be energizing the body. The pungent tang of a raw oyster? It must be energizing a very particular part of the body. And the zingy sweetness of an Indian curry? For centuries, people in India have believed that the spice turmeric can ease digestive distress and arthritis. In recent years, scientists have taken an intense interest in curcumin, a bright-yellow compound in turmeric that seems to fight inflammation -- in test tubes and lab rodents, at least.

People with Alzheimer's face an awkward juncture in the near future. They'll be able to learn early on whether they have Alzheimer's disease -- even if they can't do much about it. With therapies to halt or slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease seeming ever more elusive, several blood tests currently in development could determine who has the disease even before symptoms develop or become severe.

For PEOPLE already diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, waiting for research breakthroughs is disheartening. But life can still be lived with hope, says Wantland J. Smith, 69, a retired architect who was diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimer's at age 66. Smith, of Los Angeles, takes medications to treat his symptoms, attends support-group meetings and even does volunteer advocacy work for the Alzheimer's Assn. in Los Angeles. However, his best therapy, he says, is traveling with his wife, playing a guitar, attending music camps, singing in a choir, reading and meditation.