What if you could take control of your heart health with the help of a simple app? Join us in this episode as we chat with Mayan Cohen, CEO and co-founder of Hello Heart, a groundbreaking digital health platform. Hello Heart combines a connected blood pressure monitor with personalized AI coaching is nothing short of inspiring. Together, we explore the challenges of managing cardiovascular conditions and the critical importance of tracking vital signs like blood pressure and cholesterol.

Discover how Hello Heart is revolutionizing heart health management by bridging the gap between medical diagnostics and accessible, preventive information. We'll dive into the innovative features of the Hello Heart app, including its Bluetooth-enabled heart monitor cuff, digital lifestyle coaching, and risk flagging features. Listen to real-life success stories like Jimmy Ramos, who managed to lower his blood pressure and detect a life-threatening arrhythmia, all thanks to Hello Heart. We also highlight the significant recognition Hello Heart has received in the healthcare community and its availability to Health Select of Texas participants starting September 1st.

To learn more about Hello Heart and to see if you qualify go to the Hello Heart Webpage for HealthSelect participants.

Unlock the secrets to effective strength training with Demetrius Bailey, a seasoned coach with a wealth of experience training professional athletes and military personnel. Demetrius reveals practical strategies to integrate strength training into your daily routine, helping you prevent injuries and improve functional movement. Learn how key exercises like squatting, deadlifting, and pressing can transform your fitness journey, no matter your current level.

Discover why maintaining muscle mass is crucial as we age, with startling statistics showing adults lose 2-3% of muscle mass each decade after the age of 40 without proper strength training. Demetrius introduces the concept of "microdosing" workouts—short, impactful sessions that fit into even the busiest schedules. Understand the role strength training plays in everyday tasks, from lifting to maintaining good posture, and gain practical tips for initiating and sticking to a regimen with 20-30 minute sessions, three to five times a week.

This episode also debunks common myths about strength training, such as the fear of becoming bulky or the misconception that it stunts children's growth. Demetrius offers creative ways to use household items for exercises and underscores the importance of proper form to prevent injuries. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned athlete, this discussion will equip you with the knowledge and motivation to build and maintain an effective strength training routine. Don’t miss the inspiring success stories and expert advice that make strength training accessible and beneficial for everyone.

Resources:

Starting a Strength Training Program Webinar Link
DPS Fitness Wellness Unit Daily Workout Calendar
DPS Fitness Wellness Unit Capitol Complex Class Information
5-Day Strength Training Challenge Playlist

In this episode Lacy chats with Corporal Harold Estep, a State Trooper from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Corporal Estep shares his inspiring story about how he lost 50 pounds and kept it off for over 10 years. He talks about his passion for health and fitness and gives practical tips on how to stay in shape.

Key Takeaways:

• Harold’s Journey: Learn how and why Harold became a state trooper
• Harold's Health Transformation: lost 50 pounds and the steps he took to maintain his weight loss.
• Staying Motivated: Discover Harold’s strategies for staying motivated
• Coaching: Find out how coaching works and how you can support those around you with this process.
• Discover how Harold's Used Identity Reinforced his Habits: Harold shares how he started seeing himself as a fitness professional and that kept him on track. He wanted to be authentic!

Resources:

• DPS Fitness Wellness Unit Resources
• HealthSelect Behavior Change Programs

In this episode of the ERS Walk & Talk Podcast, host Lacy sits down with Alexis Schminke, a Senior Training Specialist at DPS in the Aircraft Division, and a Certified Holistic Nutritionist with a background in chemistry and exercise physiology. They delve into key takeaways from the book "Metabolical" by Robert Lustig and discuss strategies for understanding and reducing sugar intake for improved health.

Key Points Discussed:

• What is sugar? and how it's hidden in foods.
• How sugar gets processed in the body
• How sugar is hidden in foods and why juice isn't good for us
• The NOVA food scale- what is processed food
• Strategies to eliminate some sugar from our diets

Check out our full Sugar Savvy webinar for more info or read Metabolical for yourself!

Lacy interviews her own Airrosti (AIR-ROSTI) health care provider who has helped every member of her family with their injuries and pain over the years. Dr. Renfro talks about the most common types of pain he treats, like lower back, shoulder and neck pain, and some of the more interesting cases he’s treated. Airrosti’s unique approach to the recovery of soft tissue resolves most issues in roughly three visits. Find out what an hour of one-on-one, individualized patient care looks like with Airrosti providers, who are in-network (no referral necessary) to HealthSelect of Texas plan participants for a $25 copay.

Resources:

https://www.airrosti.com/

Lacy talks with Sarah Karnes, Director of Library Development and Networking at the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) and Andrew Glass, Director of Records Management at ERS about the boundless resources available through state and local libraries!

Resources:
Texas State Library and Archives Webpage
Current Lobby Exhibit: Extra, Extra, Eyes of the World on Texas
TexShare Program
Find your Local Library

Lacy talks with Oscar Mendoza, Deputy Executive Director of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, who experienced a profound shift in his leadership after experiencing profound grief and introspection. When he lost Warden Sergio Perez to a preventable health event that cut his life short in his forties, Mr. Mendoza started to ask himself how he, a longtime TDCJ employee and a leader, could be contributing to a culture in which an employee would prioritize work over their own health, and how he could change that by changing himself. He talks about how “we can still be committed, … but not at the cost of neglecting ourselves,” and what TDCJ is doing to shift agency culture to one that values not just the employee, but also the person.

Resources to help you prioritize your health:

• Order a VirtualCheckup home kit and complete your annual preventive exam
• Wondr Health
• Real Appeal
• ERS Wellness Webinars
• Free Virtual Fitness Classes

Lacy talks with Dr. Jonathan Singer, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology and director of the GRILL Lab at Texas Tech University, which studies and provides support around Grief and Response to Illness into Late Life (GRILL). Dr. Singer shares his scientific understanding about the grieving process (spoiler alert: it looks different for everyone), how long grief can last, ways we can prepare ourselves to face grief, and when it may be appropriate to seek professional help with your grief. You are sure to learn something new, positive and useful in this episode, including the free resources available to family caregivers of someone with life-limiting illnesses, such as cancer or dementia.
Jonathan Singer
GRILL Lab
HealthSelect Mental Health Resources
The Grieving Brain: the Surprising Science of How We Learn from Love and Loss by Mary-Frances O’Conner, Ph.D. (book)