Brain Attack looks at the most common sudden injury to the brain and the third leading cause of death in the United States - stroke. This episode identifies the factors that can cause strokes and the symptoms to which people need to be alerted, followed by the rehabilitation stories of two stroke victims. A pregnant woman who suffered a stroke two weeks before the bay was due, and a healthy, middle age man who suffered a cerebral hemorrhage as he got ready for work. Using the backdrop of two patients who are attending a support group, it explains the process by which normal cells mutate and become cancerous, as well as the impact of heredity, diet, nutrition, and exercise on the development of cancer. Age Happens focuses on the psychological and physiological aspects of aging, and how exercise, proper diet, and social interaction can help prolong life spans.
Final Chapter looks at the range of cultural issues and attitudes that surround death and dying.
Includes a case study of a woman who has rejected her HIV medicine and is awaiting her death. Also studies the hospice movement as a source of support for dying persons and their families. The Medical Marketplace takes the viewer through the choices we must make in regards to our health care, from how to pick an insurance plan that fits your need to building a relationship with your primary care physician.