As it gains more and more attention on the regional, national and international stages, Mesa Arts Center is fast becoming mecca for artists from all over.

Editor’s note: This piece is a follow-up to a pair of 2012 Tribune stories on the fight for life by Broxton Taylor of Gilbert, who died in April 2012 of complications from Batten Disease. Find those stories at evtnow.com/run4broxton and evtnow.com/broxtonlegacy. The second “Run for Broxton” fundraising event is scheduled for Sunday. For more details, visit runforbroxton.com. A longer version of this piece -- the author's original scientific journal article -- can be found at the link below.

Having a child reach toddler age involves many exciting new questions and avenues for parents: What should my child eat? What books should I read to my child? What activities should I start involving him or her in? How should I socially interact my child?

When the ability to hear fades in older adults, it may well be a signal that declines in memory and thinking ability are not far behind.

After nearly five years of planning and design, Heritage Village Assisted Living has begun construction of phase one with three additional phases planned over the next two years.

The Summit at Sunland Springs, a 48-bed memory care community, will open to new residents Jan. 1, at 2415 Signal Butte Road. The center is open to individuals with forms of dementia, Alzheimer’s and memory loss.

Insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes and obesity (diabesity) are global epidemics that continue to rise and come with major health consequences. Type 2 diabetes is commonly associated with poor diet and inactivity. However, there is now evidence of autoimmunity in Type 2 diabetes.

Many people think of Alzheimer’s as an “old person’s disease” and an inevitable part of aging. As my family knows too well, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Home Instead Senior Care office is offering free Alzheimer’s CARE training workshops for south East Valley families in recognition of national Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month and Family Caregivers Month.

The CareMore Foundation, a nonprofit organization established by the CareMore Health Plan, is now accepting grant applications from community organizations that focus on Alzheimer’s and dementia care. According to the National Institute on Aging, as many as 5.1 million Americans may have Alzheimer’s disease.

In an increasingly digital world, aspiring authors have more options — and cheaper ones at that — for self publishing. But with self publishing also comes different challenges, said a new Mesa author.

Despite the bad rap that saturated fats have, there’s a lot of evidence indicating that saturated fat is essentially good for you. The real harmful, unhealthy fats are trans fats, hydrogenated fats and vegetable oils.

Ever meandered through the pharmacy aisles of Whole Foods, Sprouts, or even Trader Joe’s and wished you knew more about the various supplements and which ones could possibly benefit you? Herbal/dietary supplements (also called botanicals) are plants used for their therapeutic properties, and the roots of herbalism go back to the beginning of humanity. The following list contains some of the more popular herbs that are generally accepted to have psychoactive and/or medicinal properties with positive effects in humans:

Norb Weninger’s 72-year-old wife, Elsie, suffered from Alzheimer’s disease for nine years before she passed away from the illness last week. Weninger took care of his wife, but had to learn along the way.

Norb Weninger’s 72-year-old wife, Elsie, suffered from Alzheimer’s disease for nine years before she passed away from the illness last week. Weninger took care of his wife, but had to learn along the way.

Children who move regularly in the classroom do better in school than those who do not. A study in Kansas found that achievement improved on standardized tests in math, science, and reading in classrooms where movement was regularly integrated in the learning process. Youth in Illinois who participated in a before-school activity program improved their performance in math and other subjects.

Children who move regularly in the classroom do better in school than those who do not. A study in Kansas found that achievement improved on standardized tests in math, science, and reading in classrooms where movement was regularly integrated in the learning process. Youth in Illinois who participated in a before-school activity program improved their performance in math and other subjects.

In the opening scene of “A Thousand Words,” the camera pans through a shattered house. Broken picture frames and furniture occupy the floor. The audience then hears the voice of Eddie Murphy, informing us in a grave tone that he is going to die. At first one might assume that Murphy has gone down the Liam Neeson route and made an action thriller. That thought is quickly diminished, however, as Murphy appears on screen with a piece of duck tape covering his mouth. From there on, “A Thousand Words” is the exact kind of light comedy we were expecting.

In the opening scene of “A Thousand Words,” the camera pans through a shattered house. Broken picture frames and furniture occupy the floor. The audience then hears the voice of Eddie Murphy, informing us in a grave tone that he is going to die. At first one might assume that Murphy has gone down the Liam Neeson route and made an action thriller. That thought is quickly diminished, however, as Murphy appears on screen with a piece of duck tape covering his mouth. From there on, “A Thousand Words” is the exact kind of light comedy we were expecting.

Jamie Copland is CEO of Phoenix-based Sentry Enterprises, Inc., and Publisher of local Phoenix publications TRAVELHOST magazine of greater Phoenix, and MyLIFE magazine. He is also the author of “Life’s Observations By An Everyday Nobody,” published in 2010 by Eloquent Books of the Strategic Book Group.

Recently I saw the film The Iron Lady in which (a brilliant) Meryl Streep portrays the former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. The movie provided us with three magnificent portrayals of life. A simply outstanding performance by Ms. Streep, who won a Golden Globe for her performance, a portrait of vignettes that depict Ms. Thatcher’s rise to the position as Britain’s Prime Minister, a position she held from 1979 to 1990, longer than any other British PM, and last, but not least, it exposed the reality that even the Iron Lady has no immunity against such a deadly disease, from which there is no escape, and for which no cure currently exists.