Texas Tech Health Check

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You don't have to spend a lot of time outside this fall to enjoy the benefits to your mental health. Even a small ritual, such as lighting a scented candle which reminds you of fall helps. Why do so many of us look forward to the autumn season, when the days are shorter and the weather colder? Logan Winkelman, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Clinical Counseling and Mental Health and Program Director for the Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program within the School of Health Professions at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Dr. Winkelman is back on our podcast to explain why we look forward to the fall and the rituals, the weather, the sounds of birds or marching bands and the blazing colors on the trees and ground and even at the fair. She tell us why spending time outdoors and close to nature is good for our mental and physical health. 

Previous episode with Dr. Winkelman

• Decoding the Delight: Why We Feel Good After Cleaning

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September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month. Bilal Abid, M.D., a hematologist and oncologist with Texas Tech Physicians and associate professor in the School of Medicine, is our guest expert for the episode. He took the time to talk to us about blood cancers -- different types of blood cancers, symptoms, treatments, reoccurrences, and how even children are at risk and how we can support our loved ones and others if they’ve been diagnosed with a blood cancer.

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About 20% of children experience bullying annually, although it's likely underreported. Now that children have been back to school for a few weeks, parents might want to check on their child for any problems at school. Our expert for this episode is James Barnett, Ph.D., clinical child and adolscent psycholigst at Texas Tech Physicians and assistant professor in the School of Medicine's Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Barnett defines what is considered bullying as defined by the state, warning signs to lok out for, how family members and caregivers should respond, including validating the child being bullied, how to report incidents and what long-term support is available. 

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Back-to-school sometimes means back to getting sick for some kiddos and their families. Stephanie Stroever, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine. Dr. Stroever tells us why back-to-school season means more people will find themselves sick and what steps we can take to prevent us and our loved ones from getting sick. She also explains the differences among cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting and stresses the importance of washing your hands; and guides us on how to stop the spread if a family member does get sick.

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Routine cancer screenings have been proven to lead to better health outcomes and an increase in survival rates in the U.S. Finding cancer before it spreads can significantly improve outcomes. Bayless Drum, M.D., generalist in obstetrics and gynecology with Texas Tech Physicians and an assistant professor with the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, explains that Pap smears detect cervical cancer and precancerous changes and how new screening recommendations have changed leading to a decrease in frequency. She emphasizes the importance of screenings and the HPV vaccine, which can reduce the risk of cervical cancer. Dr. Drum also assures us that while these exams might be uncomfortable, they’re important for early detection and prevention.

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Aging gracefully isn't limited to what we see on the outside. Older adults are better at setting boundaries, have more freedom and emotional intelligence and fewer stressors, plus they're able to focus on what's truly meaningful. Gayle Ayers, D.O., is a geriatric psychiatrist with Texas Tech Physicians and also is with the TTUHSC Garrison Institute in Aging Memory Clinic. She clarifies for us some misconceptions we might have about aging and older adults and how that contributes to agism, tells us the benefits of growing older and therefore wiser, and reminds us that we are all going to age, so we should just embrace it.

Previous episode with Dr. Ayers:

• How Social Isolation Affects Older Adults

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As loneliness increases and as famous people's lives appear to have become more transparent, some people are falling into parasocial relationships. Our guest expert for this episode is James Barnett, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and assistant professor in the TTUHSC School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry. He answers guest host Haely's questions about parasocial relationships: What is a parasocial relationship, how is it different from being a regular fan, when does it become dangerous and what can we do to support friends who might be in a parasocial relationship?

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Many of us enjoy a flavorful or tender piece of steak or even fajita tacos, but if we’re watching our budget as well as our health, what are some good alternate sources of protein? After all, everyone needs protein in their diet. Whether it’s animal based or plant-based, land or sea, pork or poultry, a powder or a bar, planning meals and snacks and making sure to include protein can feel overwhelming. To help explain the differences and provide additional guidance is our guest Christie Hust, registered dietician and managing director of performance improvement at the Larry Combest Community Health and Wellness Center. She answers guest host Haely’s questions about all things protein and gives us additional insight into planning colorful, healthy meals that will help keep our bodies strong. 

Apps mentioned

• MyFitnessPal
• Appediet

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More than 200 million people around the world are infected with schistosomiasis, one of the neglected tropical diseases. It is caused by parasitic worms and prevalent in Africa, the Middle East, South America and Asia with close to 800 million people at risk for infection. If we in the U.S. are not in immediate threat of contracting the disease, why should we want to know more about it? To answer that and to explain more about the disease –– how people are infected, who is at risk, what the symptoms are and how it’s currently treated –– is Afzal Siddiqui, Ph.D., a Grover E. Murray Distinguished Professor, director of the TTUHSC Center for Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases and chair of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Microbiology in TTUHSC’s School of Medicine. Siddiqui also shares with us his decades-long work as part of a team developing a vaccine, updates us on the progress of the clinical trials and how work done on this vaccine could be useful to develop other vaccines as well. 

About SchistoShield®

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Cataract surgery is one of the most common operations in the U.S. While most of us associate cataracts with older adults, anyone can get cataracts for a number of reasons. Our guest for this episode is Catherine Reppa, M.D., ophthalmologist with Texas Tech Physicians and associate professor in the School of Medicine’s Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences. Dr. Reppa defines for us what a cataract is, goes over symptoms and treatments are available; tell us what we can expect from cataract surgery and the risks involved, and what we can do to protect our eyes and our overall health.