PULSE.

Byline: Mariko Thompson

JENIFER'S STORY: Paralyzed from the neck down and breathing through a mask, Jenifer Estess faces the camera. ``I want people to see this is where it goes to,'' Estess tells her sisters, Meredith and Valerie, in ``Three Sisters: Searching for a Cure,'' a one-hour HBO documentary that airs at 8 p.m. Wednesday.

For six years, the theater and film producer struggled with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. ALS is a fatal disorder that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leaving the mind intact and turning the body into a prison. Estess was diagnosed at age 35 and died in December 2003.

In between, Estess and her sisters became advocates for research, raising $18 million through their nonprofit organization, Project ALS. In addition to filming her story, Estess also wrote her memoir, ``Tales From the Bed'' (Atria Books; $24), with Valerie. From the vantage point of her queen-size bed, Estess displays unflagging courage and wry humor both on film and paper.

PINK RIBBON PJs: Designer Karen Neuburger has created a breast cancer awareness line of pajamas and other comfort items to raise money for breast cancer research. The line features pink ribbon PJs for $62 and lounge socks for $15. Other items include travel slippers, a cosmetic bag, a decorative pillow and a chenille throw. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Breast Cancer Research Fund. Breast cancer takes the lives of about 40,000 Americans each year. Visit www.karenneuburger.com for more information.

IMPROVE YOUR MOOD: Poor food choices and skipping meals can leave you without enough energy to get through the day. In ``The Food & Mood Cookbook'' (Henry Holt; $18), Elizabeth Somer and Jeanette Williams fuse the art of cooking and the science of nutrition in order to create 200 recipes that boost mood without sacrificing taste.

The book provides quick and easy dishes that are low-fat, low-calorie and nutrient-dense. Mood tips accompany many of the recipes. Did you know that dried plums contain the highest level of antioxidants compared to other fruits and vegetables? Or that the omega-3 fatty acids in salmon might help reduce depression? With such recipes as ginger-pumpkin muffins and soba noodles in peanut sauce, Somer and Williams show that eating to boost energy and well-being doesn't have to be boring.

RESIDENT LIFE: It seems like every medical school has its own documentary series these days, and UCLA is no exception. ``The Residents'' premiered on Discovery Health Channel in October. The final episodes air at 10 p.m. Sundays through June 6. The documentary follows 11 medical students, capturing the pressures and rewards of their on-the-job training. Dr. Ali Strocker, a 27-year-old third-year resident, operates on a teenage girl who suffered a disfiguring bicycle accident. Dr. Manali Shendrikar learns that even the most sophisticated technology sometimes fails to pinpoint the source of a medical problem as she deals with a patient who suffers from internal bleeding.

ALZHEIMER'S FUND-RAISER: The Alzheimer's Association of the Greater San Fernando Valley will host a food and wine tasting fund-raiser at the Autry National Center from 6 to 10 p.m. May 23. The event will feature wines from Flora Springs, Valley of the Moon Winery & Vineyards, Silverado Vineyards and Penfolds Winery. Guests also will enjoy a silent auction and a stroll through the museum's collection of Western art and artifacts. Tickets are $150 and must be purchased in advance. The Autry National Center is at 4700 Western Heritage Way in Los Angeles. Call the Alzheimer's Association at [phone] for more information.

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Photo:

(1) no caption (book: ``Tales From the Bed'')

(2) THE ESTESS SISTERS: Valerie, left, Jenifer and Meredith

(3) no caption (book: ``The Food & Mood Cookbook'')

(4) no caption (pink ribbon PJs by Karen Neuburger)

(5) STROCKER