Texas Tech Health Check

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It doesn't have to be the start of the year for you to resolve to exercise more or spend more time with your family. According to experts, it's better if you combine both activities--spend time being physically active with your family. Tammy Camp, M.D., Texas Tech Physicians pediatrician and former Texas Pediatric Society president,  and Suzana Jensen, D.O., TTUHSC pediatric resident and former student athlete, not only recommend that you exercise with your children, they tell us how they benefited from staying active with their kids. Both also have recommendations for those with disabilities and staving off burnout or problems of overuse. 

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The big lottery payoffs and big sports games have brought about the discussion of gambling. Some of us might consider it harmless, but for others the uncontrollable urge to gamble could lead to serious health issues. Poorvanshi Alag, M.D., is an assistant professor in the department of psychiatry and is an addiction psychiatrist. Dr. Alag tells us why compulsive gambling is a medical condition, signs to look out for and how it’s treated. 

Gambling anonymous survey: http://www.cahsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Gamblers-Anonymous-20Questions.pdf

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January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month. With more than a quarter of a million people subjected to human trafficking globally, it is an issue of public health. Our guest for this episode explains what is human trafficking, who are the most vulnerable/what victims look like and what you can do if you suspect human trafficking. Julie St. John, DrPH, MPH,  is an associate professor in the Julia Jones Matthews School of Population and Public Health 

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This time of year can be stressful for many of us for several reasons. Alan Korinek, Ph.D.,  licensed marriage and family therapist and  managing director for the TTUHSC Employee Assistance Program and program of assistance for TTUHSC students, suggests we set boundaries and advocate for ourselves in order to keep the stress at a manageable level. 

This is the last podcast for the year and we will return in January 2023. Have a happy and save holiday break!

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Some situations during the holidays could possibly be triggering for someone with PTSD. Helping us understand what PTSD is and how we can helped loved ones with PTSD is Natalie Scanlon, Ph.D., assistant professor and clinical psychologist in the TTUHSC School of Medicine's department of psychiatry. Dr. Scanlon reminds us to be considerate of those around us, especially at this time of year.

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This time of year can bring lots of joy as well as heartache, both of which could trigger someone who is in recovery for addiction. Christopher Townsend, Ph.D., assistant professor at TTUHSC, is a licensed clinical addiction specialist and director of the Your Life Behavioral Health and Wellness Clinic at the TTUHSC. Dr. Townsend tells us what those in recovery can do to help them navigate possible triggers and how their friends and family can support them. 

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It’s always a good time to take care of your heart. Our guest for this episode is cardiologist and division chief of cardiology, Dr. Scott Shurmur. He explains how smoking leads to heart disease, goes over the symptoms and treatments of heart disease and breaks down how shoveling snow early in the morning could be dangerous for our health.

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Did you know there are more than 6 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s Disease and that more than 16 million American caregivers provide over 17 billion hours of unpaid care? Here to talk to us more about Alzheimer’s Disease and how caregivers can take care of themselves too is Dr. John Culberson, associate professor of family and community medicine at the School of Medicine and director of clinical geriatric programs at the university’s Garrison Institute on Aging. 

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Nov. 11 is Veterans Day and we want to bring awareness to some health issues seen among military veterans of all ages. John Norbury, M.D., division chief of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Texas Tech Physicians is one of our guests. He describes some of these injuries and treatments and he also has some very useful advice for the rest of us to keep in mind, especially around the holidays. Also in this episode is Linnea Shirley, public affairs specialist for the US Department of Veterans Affairs. She shares with us her own experience with health issues and the care she’s received and also how other veterans can go about accessing services at the VA clinic. 

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November is national diabetes month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 10 Americans have diabetes and about 1 in 5 people with diabetes don’t know they have it. Shaili Felton, M.D., is an endocrinologist for Texas Tech Physicians and an associate professor in the TTUHSC School of Medicine’s department of internal medicine. Dr. Felton describes symptoms of diabetes, the dangers of leaving it untreated and how those with diabetes can take care of themselves during the holidays.