In 1998, North Carolina was one of two states awarded funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to implement a state based cardiovascular health program, now called the North Carolina Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention Program. In 2002, the CDC awarded continuation of funding through 2007. The NC HDSP program focuses on systems level change to create communities, work places, schools and health care systems that are supportive of cardiovascular health promotion and cardiovascular disease prevention. The programs address physical inactivity, unhealthy eating, tobacco use, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and overweight/obesity.

Be wise about your health and your heart—join host Christine Rogers for the UNC-TV special HealthWise: Heart Disease as a panel of experts from across North Carolina examine what the state is doing to address the many challenges of heart disease and how its citizens can improve their own cardiovascular health.

While we know genetics plays a major role in understanding the cause of human disease, genes alone are not the whole story. Our genetic differences can influence our risk of developing various illnesses, but environmental factors can also play a large role. Many of us now wonder if there is something in the air, water or our diet that could me making us sick. Recently a major research study found that most types of cancer are not inherited genetic defects, but are explained mainly by environmental factors. These include, tobacco smoke, toxic chemicals and dietary habits. While overt poisoning from environmental toxins has long been recognized, scientists are still searching for answers about how our behavior, genes and environmental factors interact. According to a report sponsored by the Pew Environmental Health Commission, this gap in critical knowledge hinders national efforts to reduce or eliminate diseases that might be prevented by better managing environmental factors. This is especially true for chronic diseases and conditions such as birth defects, asthma and childhood cancers. The national cost of chronic disease is staggering: 4 of every 5 deaths annually, 100 million people suffering each year and $325 billion in annual healthcare and lost productivity.

As defined by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), a component of the National Institutes of Health, complementary and alternative medicine is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices and products not presently considered part of conventional medicine. Some CAM therapies include acupuncture, chiropractic, naturopathic medicine, homeopathic medicine, massage and therapeutic touch.

While difficult to quantify how many North Carolinians use CAM, the state has seen a dramatic increase in the number of health care professionals offering

these alternatives.

Join host Christine Rogers for the UNC-TV special HealthWise: Alcohol and Drug Addictions. During this hour-long program, a panel of distinguished experts from across North Carolina will examine the challenges of drug and alcohol addictions and how North Carolina is meeting those challenges.

Join host Christine Rogers for the UNC-TV special HealthWise: Vision Loss & Correction. During this hour-long program, a panel of distinguished experts from across North Carolina will examine the challenges of vision loss and the treatments and procedures available for vision correction throughout the states

Join host Christine Rogers for a UNC-TV HealthWise special on arthritis. A panel of experts from across the state will examine the problem of arthritis in North Carolina and how various state organizations and health professionals are trying to better meet the needs of the thousands of state residents who suffer from this disease.

UNC-TV presents an hour long live call in show about childhood cancers. Christine Rogers moderates a panel of experts from across the state to discuss risk factors, early detection and new treatment options on Healthwise: Pediatric Cancer.

On this month's Healthwise, panel of experts will discuss the role of mental health in North Carolina's overall health. They will talk about the state's efforts to reform the mental health system in North Carolina, teenage suicide, discrimination against people with mental illness, misconceptions of the mentally ill, and drugs created for mental health disorders.

The report card provides a clear picture of the state of women's health in North Carolina. On Healthwise: Women's Health, host Christine Rogers leads a panel of experts in women's health in a focus on the highlights of the study and discuss the areas where women's health needs improvement and how to accomplish it. Viewers can also call in and query panelists with their own concerns around women's health issues.

On Healthwise: the State of Preventive Healthcare in North Carolina, a panel of experts try to answer these questions and explain why preventive healthcare is important for all North Carolinians. The panel also discusses the current state of preventive healthcare in North Carolina, prevention programs across the state and the future of preventive healthcare. In addition, panelists answer viewer questions about prevention.