HealthTalks NOW

The meditation is perfect to prepare your body for restful, restorative sleep. You'll focus on breathing techniques to sync your mind and body and relax as you drift off to sleep. We believe in healthcare for the whole person. At Baptist Health, we focus on the whole person – body, mind, and spirit. Some people simply find it difficult to relax after a hard day at work or at home, while others struggle to understand why they can't fall asleep. Many of these same people suffer from common...

Many well-intentioned optimists go into a new year set on living a healthier life. However, research shows even the most heartfelt resolutions go by the wayside way before Valentine’s Day. For American Heart Month, the HealthTalks Now team catches up with Jamie Robertson, a Lexington, Kentucky, fitness specialist. As a certified personal trainer and ACE® Health Coach, Robertson provides lifestyle education to all ages through Baptist Health. In this podcast, she explains the role nutrition...

The meditation is perfect for an end of the day wind-down. You'll work on breathing techniques to sync your mind and body and relax, focusing on releasing anxiety and stress. We believe in healthcare for the whole person. At Baptist Health, we focus on the whole person – body, mind, and spirit. Our behavioral health services provide care for individuals dealing with mental illness, such as anxiety, depression, and drug and alcohol dependency. With treatment plans tailored to meet each...

Your primary care provider is often the first person you call when you’re sick and the physician who helps manage your overall health. During the pandemic, family doctors are pulling double duty, as they strive to strike a balance between providing safe care in-person and virtually. In this podcast, Russell Bird, MD, a Louisville doctor specializing in family medicine, offers his unique perspective to help us make sense of the pandemic. He explains the phased approach to vaccine...

According to statistics, Baptist Health Louisville has cared for 10% of Kentucky’s COVID-19 patients, and as president, Larry Gray has led the front lines of care at the hospital. He has seen firsthand the effects the pandemic has had on nurses, physicians and other staff providing direct patient care, as well as those who support them. He was also there in December, when the first dose of the vaccine against the novel coronavirus was given. For this episode, he takes time out to describe...

Cases of the novel coronavirus have reached all-time highs in the commonwealth of Kentucky and in southern Indiana during the early weeks of 2021. But with vaccination against COVID-19 underway, health experts are encouraged that hope is on the horizon. For HealthTalks Now’s first show of the new year, guest Benjamin Klausing, MD, an infectious disease specialist in Louisville, Kentucky, weighs in on the vaccine and its role in creating a return to normalcy. He shares his experience getting...

The struggle to maintain a healthy weight is never easy. During a global pandemic, when emotions are high, routines are upended, and the pantry is always open, it can be even more difficult. Paige Quintero, MD, a bariatric surgeon in Lexington, Kentucky, answers HealthTalks Now hosts’ questions about the newly coined term “quarantine 15,” offering tips for controlling your weight when everything else feels out of control. She outlines options for managing weight loss safely, explains how to...

Turning the page on a new year typically involves making lofty promises for a healthier, more productive year ahead. But in 2020, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of those goals went by the wayside as life as we knew it came to a halt. In this podcast, Krista Moe, PhD, a Lexington psychologist, talks with the “HealthTalks Now” team about approaching 2021 with positivity and resolve despite 2020’s unmet expectations and amidst continued uncertainty. Dr. Moe explains the importance...

A lot has changed since the HealthTalks Now crew last talked with Baptist Health CEO Gerard Colman. As Baptist Health begins administering the first doses of a vaccine against COVID-19, Colman joins Kerri and Kendra to provide an update on the health system’s pandemic response efforts. He discusses PPE supply, ICU bed space, and frontline caregiver staffing. They also examine how Baptist Health has weathered the storm financially and consider how the virus could impact healthcare delivery...

In the coming weeks, hospitals in Kentucky and Indiana expect to receive their first doses of a vaccination against COVID-19. While cases of the virus continue to rise, infectious disease specialist David Dougherty, MD, is hopeful the vaccine — combined with antibody treatments and continued precautionary measures — will set the community on a course to a pre-pandemic normal. In this podcast, he discusses vaccine trials at Baptist Health, the safety of the vaccine, and how it works to...

According to neurologist Supriya Kohli, MD, epilepsy affects 1 in 26 people of all ages, or approximately 50 million worldwide. While it’s estimated that 70% of those affected could live seizure-free with proper diagnosis and treatment, she says the condition can be hard to pinpoint. In this podcast, Dr. Kohli describes epilepsy diagnosis and treatment in detail, explaining who is most at risk, signs and symptoms of a seizure, and advanced treatment options. She outlines the types of...

Women in their 30s and 40s may still look and feel young, but many begin to notice subtle changes in their bodies during these decades. Hosts Kendra and Kerri interview primary care physician Wanda Lowe, MD, for a no-holds-barred discussion about women’s health. They ask: Why can’t I eat a whole pizza without budging my jeans? Do I need a beauty box to keep my skin looking youthful? How can I counteract the inevitable loss of bone and muscle mass as I grow older? Dr. Lowe uses clinical...

In this episode of the HealthTalks NOW podcast, Kendra is joined for a telephone conversation with Dr. Brent Morris, Orthopedic Surgeon at Baptist Health Medical Group Orthopedic Sports Medicine. Dr. Morris is an expert in the areas of shoulder and elbow and answered questions to common injuries. Can you injure your shoulder by sleeping on your side? Tune in for the answer to this question and many more!

In this episode of the HealthTalks NOW podcast, Kendra and Kerri are joined for a phone conversation by Katelyn Arvin, the lead navigator of the Behavioral Health clinic at Baptist Health Richmond. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, this conversation focuses on some ramifications of the situation. Many parents have their hands full as they navigate work environments, finances, and health concerns, and it is easy to simply think of children as resilient and turn attention to other...

As we prepare to welcome Hardin Memorial Hospital (HMH) to the Baptist Health family on September 1, we sat down with Dennis Johnson, President and CEO to learn about the Central Kentucky region.

For those who struggle with weight loss, surgery can offer a new, healthier lease on life. Whether you’re considering surgery or have recently recovered, you might be wondering — what’s next? Is it safe to exercise, or can I just watch what I eat? In this podcast, bariatric surgeon Anthony Davis, MD, tells you what you can expect after surgery. He gives listeners an idea of what an exercise plan can look like and discusses safe activities, those to avoid, and how often a post-op patient...

The COVID-19 global pandemic spurred rapid advancement for telemedicine, breaking down barriers both for healthcare providers and for patients. Since Baptist Health expanded its Virtual Care capabilities, providers have seen more than 125,000 patients remotely. In this “HealthTalks Now” episode, the team talks with Brett Oliver, MD, chief medical information officer, and a practicing primary care physician, and Nick Sarantis, director of Digital Health. They walk listeners through each...

For new and expectant parents, pregnancy can feel like uncharted territory. Concerns about a healthy pregnancy can lead moms-to-be to wonder: Is it safe to get my hair colored, soak in a hot bath, or go for a run? Can my baby become addicted to caffeine? What foods should I avoid? In this episode, the “HealthTalks Now” team talks with Ian Holbrook, MD, a board-certified OB/GYN physician with three kids of his own. Dr. Holbrook helps separate fact from fiction, dissecting some of the most...

How is taking care of your body like caring for your car? Michael Eli Pendleton, MD, explains in part 2 of a special “HealthTalks Now” podcast focused on men’s health. Dr. Pendleton, a Louisville family physician, describes how “deferred maintenance” can cause health problems for men as they age. He tackles touchy topics, such as testosterone, fertility and prostate screenings, and outlines steps men can take to protect their health decade by decade. “My job is to really try to help people...

Statistics show that 60% of men don’t see a doctor regularly, with just 3 of 5 men getting an annual physical exam and 40% seeing a doctor only when they have a serious medical condition. During Men’s Health month, we caught up with Michael Eli Pendleton, MD, a family physician in Baptist Health Medical Group’s busy Deer Park practice in Louisville. In this two-part episode, Dr. Pendleton describes the relationship between alcohol, stress, “belly fat,” and a host of other diseases and...