Healthy Body, Healthy Mind

- Season 2

(2004)

Anemia (an abnormally low number of red blood cells) is a common condition in cancer patients that may occur either as a direct result of the cancer or as a side effect of the cancer treatment. Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and blood loss during surgery are all common causes of anemia in cancer patients. But, as you'll see in this program, anemia can be successfully treated, and patients can go on to beat their cancers and live healthy lives.

When kidney disease occurs it can have detrimental effects on the body. It can lead to complete kidney failure requiring the need for dialysis treatments or a kidney transplant to stay alive. Knowing the symptoms of kidney disease can help doctors detect it early enough to get treatment; those with diabetes and high blood pressure should be tested yearly. Find out the other risks and warning signs in this program.

As we age, our discs lose their flexibility and the ligaments that surround the disc become brittle. By age 60, this disease is an expected finding on a MRI scan. However Degenerative Disc Disease also affects many young adults. MRI scans have documented that approximately 30% of 30 year olds have signs of disc degeneration even though they have no back pain symptoms. But people don't have to live with back pain, there are options that can help control the pain and, in some cases, completely eliminate it.

Many people fear that after a heart attack, life will never be the same; they'll suffer heart failure and have to live the rest of their lives in fear. Nothing could be further from the truth. New treatments and medical therapies are helping heart failure patients live healthy, normal lives. Despite the ominous sounding name, Heart Failure doesn't have to be a death sentence.

Over 40 million American adults suffer each year from a variety of chronic, long-term sleep disorders. There are more than 70 different sleep disorders that are usually classified into three major categories: lack of sleep, or insomnia; disturbed sleep, such as obstructive sleep apnea; and too much sleep, known as narcolepsy. Learn more about sleep disorders and how they can be easily managed once they are diagnosed.

Colon cancer is an abnormal (or malignant) growth arising from a specific cell type (polyps) in the lining of the large intestine. It is graded according to how it looks under a microscope and how far it has spread. The grading helps determine the patients' chance for cure or for survival if cure is not possible. In this program, we'll details the treatment advances that are helping oncologists cure many more people with colon cancer, we'll see how new cancer therapies work and why they are easier on the patient, and their families.

A deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot that develops in a deep vein, usually in the leg. DVT is a very common condition, which affects about 2 million Americans every year. Certain genetic risk factors as well as acquired risk factors make a DVT more likely to occur. If a deep vein thrombosis is suspected, tests will be needed to confirm the diagnosis. But DVT can lead to a life threatening condition, called Pulmonary Embolism, a blood clot in the lungs. See how DVT can be detected and treated early, and how Pulmonary Embolism can be avoided.

In this country alone, about 48 million people smoke cigarettes, but most smokers are either actively trying to quit or want to quit. According to the 2004 Surgeon General's Report, smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causing many diseases and reducing the health of smokers in general. In this program, we try to motivate the millions of addicted smokers to quit and facilitate access to cessation programs that have evidence of effectiveness.

Suffering with acute or chronic pain that just won't go away, or pain that frequently comes and goes, makes life miserable. It usually affects work, sleep, family, hobbies and the ability to enjoy life. Many chronic pain patients take prescription drugs to improve their quality of life, while others find relief at multidisciplinary pain management centers. Surgery is occasionally an option for individuals suffering chronic pain. But surgery is often viewed as a last resort. We'll explore the many options for pain patients in this program.

Melanoma is one of the most common forms of cancer, affecting more than 53,600 Americans each year. No one knows the exact causes of melanoma and doctors can rarely explain why one person gets melanoma and another does not. However, research has shown that people with certain risk factors are more likely to develop melanoma than others. People who are concerned about developing melanoma should talk with their doctor about the disease and the symptoms to watch for.

A chronic condition is a long-term or permanent illness with no known cure. Since managing a chronic illness can be tough to do alone, family members and other caregivers should participate in the development of a realistic chronic care plan. This program can help those who are dealing with a chronic illness in themselves or in a loved one make some very important decisions.

Arrhythmias are problems that affect the electrical system of the heart muscle, producing abnormal heart rhythms that can cause the heart to pump less effectively. Arrhythmias may cause the heart rate to be too slow or too fast or the heart rhythm to be erratic. Arrhythmias can also be life threatening, in this program we explore the cause of arrhythmias and the different treatment options available.

Aging can have a profound effect on both our physical and emotional well-being. Healthy aging is about finding a lifestyle strategy that makes it possible to grow old gracefully. As you'll see in this program, finding that strategy begins with understanding the changes that occur as part of the natural process of aging, as well as what disease states we can control or forestall with early detection, medical intervention, and lifestyle changes.