As Mother's Day approaches, I'd like to share a brief story with you.

Margie, a reader who had been caring for her mother with Alzheimer's disease, recently contacted me and we began an email conversation. Margie wrote about the different symptoms her mother exhibited, the difficulty and helplessness of not knowing how to respond to those changes in her mother, the struggle of whether to keep her mother at home or have a facility help care for her, and the void in her heart since her mother passed away in November.

I asked Margie for permission to share her experiences, and she agreed with the hope that you would be encouraged and reminded that you are not alone in dealing with Alzheimer's.

Margie's struggles with the effects of this disease are a poignant picture of the challenges of Alzheimer's, but her patient and caring approach toward her mother is a beautiful, even more powerful, picture of a daughter's love. Take a moment to read Margie's story, and have a happy Mother's Day.

An Interview with Margie (Part 1)

An Interview with Margie (Part 2)

An Interview with Margie (Part 3)

If you've been following Alzheimer's research, you may have heard about the use of coconut oil in treating Alzheimer's disease. A physician in Florida has written about her experience with using coconut oil to treat her husband's symptoms of dementia, noting that he showed significant improvement after she added it to his diet.

So the question from a few of my readers is: Do you recommend coconut oil to treat Alzheimer's? In response, I conducted a review of the literature published online and summarized the information I found here:

Coconut Oil: Is It Effective in Treating Alzheimer's Disease?

If you've tried using coconut oil in response to symptoms of Alzheimer's, feel free to comment below if you found it to be helpful or not helpful.

Please note that this information should not be considered medical advice. Any supplements or other dietary changes should be discussed with the physician responsible for the care of the person with Alzheimer's disease.

The Annals of Neurology reported a study this week that demonstrated that eating strawberries and blueberries delayed women's cognitive decline by 2.5 years.

Researchers  included data from 16,010 women with an average age of 74. Through a questionnaire, they asked about the dietary habits and intake beginning in 1980 and every four years thereafter. The participants were then given six different cognitive tests that examined memory, word recall, and other cognitive skills. These scores were averaged out to one score which was then used to compare cognitive functioning over time.

The result? Women whose diet consisted of more than one serving of blueberries a week or more than two servings of strawberries showed a slower rate of cognitive decline as they aged compared to those who ate less than one serving/week.

Scientists continue to look for ways to delay and treat and prevent  Alzheimer's disease. One factor that seems to frequently be identified through research is how we treat our bodies (with our food choices and exercise) and our minds (with staying mentally active.)

So, on that note, guess what's for dinner? Strawberries!

Pat Summitt recently announced she's giving up her head coaching role at Tennessee. Summitt was the head coach of the Lady Volunteers and has the most wins ever of any NCAA coach.

Pat's decision comes after announcing a few months ago that she had been diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease at the age of 59. Coach Summitt has been hailed for her decision to go public with her battle against Alzheimer's, and along with her son, has established a foundation to further research and raise awareness of the disease. She will also continue to serve as head coach emeritus.

Coach, we're rooting for you! Thanks for your many years of shaping collegiate basketball.