Advertise on podcast: Texas Tech Health Check

Send us Fan Mail As you prepare to celebrate Halloween with your kiddos, there are some things to keep in mind as you get ready to celebrate. Trevor Bassett, M.D., and Seth Smith, M.D., pediatricians with Texas Tech Physicians and both assistant professors in the TTUHSC School of Medicine, are the guests for this episode. They share with us things to consider as you and your child pick out costumes, plan your trick-or-treat route and decide what to do with the candy haul, especially your child has type 1 diabetes.

Send us Fan Mail Allergy and respiratory illness season is upon us again. How can you tell the difference between allergies, a cold and other respiratory viruses and how can you protect yourself or manage your symptoms? James Tarbox, M.D., is an allergist and immunologist with Texas Tech Physicians and associate professor in the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine. Dr. Tarbox is back on our podcast to answer our questions about respiratory problems this time of year, including prevention, and talks to us about the lactose relief patch announced earlier this year for dairy milk allergies. Previous episodes with Dr. Tarbox: Understanding Food Sensitivities to DyesUnderstanding Food Allergies: Awareness, Prevention and Summer FunRespiratory Allergies Symptoms, TreatmentsAllergies: Tarbox

Send us Fan Mail 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

Send us Fan Mail 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.

Send us Fan Mail 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.

Send us Fan Mail 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.

Send us Fan Mail 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.

Send us Fan Mail 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

Send us Fan Mail 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?

Send us Fan Mail 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 MyFitnessPalAppediet

Send us Fan Mail 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®

Send us Fan Mail 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.

Send us Fan Mail Do you wake up tired or with a headache, even after sleeping all night? You might need a sleep study. Or you just might need to improve your sleep hygiene. Terri Carroll, NP, is a nurse practitioner with Texas Tech Physicians Amarillo Sleep Clinic. She tells us why we need a good night’s sleep, gives us tips on how to get restful sleep, explains what happens during a sleep study and who is a good candidate for a sleep study.  About Inspire: Sleeping Better, Living Longer: A New Era in Sleep Apnea Care

Send us Fan Mail Think about the last time your head hurt. Headaches are a common condition and one of the most common causes of pain and a major reason people miss work or school and visit a doctor according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. There are different reasons we get headaches, different tests to learn more about the headaches and different treatments. Hyun Ah Kim, M.D., is a neurologist with Texas Tech Physicians neurology and an assistant professor in the School of Medicine at TTUHSC. She specializes in treating headaches, migraines, vascular vertigo, and autonomic disorders.

Send us Fan Mail Hot flashes and sleep disturbances get most of the attention when we talk about menopause, but there are another set of symptoms that often goes completely unmentioned due to discomfort or embarrassment. Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause, or GSM, affects up to 87 percent of all post-menopausal women, impacting everything from pelvic comfort to urinary health. Our guest expert for this episode is Kristen Sharma, APRN, a family nurse practitioner with Texas Tech Physicians. She explains  what GSM actually is, how the drop in estrogen affects a woman’s quality of life, including sexual functioning and recurring UTIs, and the highly effective treatments available that can restore health, comfort and quality of life. Related episodes: There is Help for Female Urinary IncontinenceUnderstanding Urinary Tract Infections, Treatments, PreventionLet's Get Real About Sexual HealthFrom Perimenopause to Post-Menopause: Taking the Mystery Out of Menopause