The TSET Better Health Podcast

Walking, bicycling and other forms of person-powered active transportation are great for recreation, getting from point A to point B and improving one's health and wellness. Episode 52 explores state- and community-based efforts to keep Oklahomans moving in fun and safe environments. Guests are ODOT Active Transportation Coordinator Bart Vleugels and TSET Healthy Living Program coordinators Shelby Keller of Payne County and Stephanie Pendergraft and Kate Ladwig of Garfield County, who discuss Walk This May events in Stillwater and Enid.

People of all ages feel better when they eat healthier, and there are programs that are helping Oklahomans choose and access nutritious foods. For National Nutrition Month, Episode 51 of the TSET Better Health Podcast features Meredith Scott, director of the Oklahoma Nutrition Information and Education (ONIE) Project, and Melissa Vilas of Rescue Agency and the Swap Up nutrition education program for teens.

The TSET Better Health Podcast dropped its first episode in March 2020, coinciding with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Episode 50 revisits some health challenges many faced during the lockdown and offers tips to improve health and well-being now, almost five years later. Jennifer Goodrich, a licensed professional counselor, CEO of Pivot, Inc., and featured guest in Episode 2, returns to discuss barriers to wellness and lessons learned from the pandemic, and advice on caring for one’s mental, emotional and physical health today. In addition, TSET Campaigns Manager Chase Harvick explains how and why the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline is helping more Oklahomans than ever quit tobacco use, the leading cause of preventable health in our state.

In this season of Thanksgiving and the holidays, Episode 49 shines a warm glow upon health programs and trends in Oklahoma to be thankful for. Project ECHO Director Dr. Tara Jackson explains how the international program extends health and medical expertise to underserved areas in Oklahoma through tele-mentoring, and Cushing Asst. Superintendent Mike Wayland shares how the new Tiger Trail connects community members and all Cushing schools with physical activity.

Lung cancer screenings save lives by detecting cancer early, but only 1.7 percent of eligible Oklahomans get screened. TSET and OU Health are teaming to bring screening to more people by launching a Mobile Lung Cancer Screening bus this fall. Episode 48 provides insights on lung cancer screening from OU Health thoracic surgeon Dr. J. Matthew Reinersman and a person who shares their personal experience with screening, and information on the bus from Terry Rousey, TSET associate director of statewide initiatives.

Physical activity is not just for the young and athletic, it's for Oklahomans of any age and ability. Episode 47 of the TSET Better Health Podcast introduces listeners to Mark Ivy of NewView Oklahoma and his promotion of adaptive sports like beep ball -- a new take on baseball -- and other physical activities for fellow visually impaired persons. Executive Director Kathleen Fitzgerald talks about the Oklahoma Senior Games' variety of sports and activities, and OSG competitor Jamie Moore and her coach, Brock Hunter, explain their enjoyment for line dancing. Finally, TSET Campaign Manager Kelsey Nation discusses the many helpful physical activity resources found on the Shape Your Future website. Shape Your Future - NewView Oklahoma https://youtu.be/8ij9dupY9FA

Discovery and Built Environment Innovations are newer TSET grant programs that already are benefiting Oklahoma communities. Episode 46 provides an overview of the new community grant programs and shares two Built Environment success stories. One is a Parks and Recreation master plan in Pauls Valley to boost livability and physical activity for years to come, the other is a new Horticulture Education Building for the Botanic Garden at Oklahoma State University that welcomes scores of thousands of visitors each year.

Vaping is a source of curiosity for many underaged persons and concern among parents, educators and public health experts. Episode 45 of the TSET Better Health Podcast delves into the rise of youth vaping and efforts that are underway to reduce it. State Rep. Cynthia Roe, R-Lindsay, speaks on her bills that aim to reduce youth retail access to vape products and why she is passionate about it, and two high school students discuss how and why teens vape and the actions they suggest to help prevent it. And Kelli Brodersen, director of TSET Strategic Communications, describes new ad campaigns that speak to youth about the dangers of vaping and how to quit when they are ready.

This year, American Heart Month in February gets an added Leap Day of observance and a TSET Better Health Podcast episode dedicated to heart health and disease prevention. Cardiologist Tim Daly explains how disease develops in the heart and blood vessels over time and how to avoid it, and we’ll visit a county wellness center where people of all ages gather for classes and activities that are great for both heart and spirit.

The Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline is celebrating 20th anniversary, and the TSET Better Health Podcast is highlighting the free TSET-funded service that has helped hundreds of thousands of Oklahomans quit tobacco. Tune in to Episode 43 and hear from Michelle Lynch, president and CEO of the North American Quitline Consortium; Christin Kirchenbauer, Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline director, and three TSET staff members who share their own personal journeys to quitting tobacco.

Staying physically active can be a walk in the park – or to school, the workplace or around the town. The newest episode of the TSET Better Health Podcast features Stroud City Manager Bob Pearman speaking on the town's new attractions aimed at improving the health and longevity of residents; a wellness coordinator for state employees who shares tips and resources to help any workplace become a healthier environment, and a return to Webbers Falls, where students are gearing up for National Walk or Roll to School Day in early October.

TSET has reorganized departments within its agency, and Executive Director Julie Bisbee provides details on the restructure and how it will help TSET better serve Oklahomans. Episode 41 also looks at local innovations that are helping more Oklahomans enjoy access to healthy foods, including a produce store that gardener and farmers market champion Loretta Merritt opened recently within a shipping container in rural Cherokee County.

Tobacco use in Oklahoma costs thousands of lives and billions of dollars in health care and lost productivity each year, but a newly released state plan and federal court-ordered tobacco corrective statements at stores both aim to reduce tobacco use. Podcast episode guests Elizabeth Chery-Mullen of the Oklahoma State Department of Health tells us about the five-year state plan and what it means for Oklahomans, and TSET Communication Manager Chase Harvick discusses the history and impact of the upcoming corrective statements.

TSET has invested millions of dollars into cancer, tobacco cessation and wellness research – and Oklahomans are reaping the benefits. From the OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center’s (SCC) renewed recognition as a National Cancer Institute Designated Cancer Center, to the scores of tobacco- and wellness-related studies currently underway at the TSET Health Promotion Research Center (HPRC), TSET’s research funding is improving Oklahoma’s long-term health and economy. Learn how in this TSET Better Health Podcast episode from SCC Director Dr. Robert Mannel and Dr. Darla Kendzor, co-director of the HPRC.

May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, but you don’t have to be a top athlete to join the fun. Physical activity is great for Oklahomans of all ages and abilities! Episode 38 of the TSET Better Health Podcast explores how, from Bike, Roll and Walk to School Day for students in early May through free workout videos from Shape Your Future that help beginners bust their yoga, dance and barre exercise moves. Listeners also will hear from an Oklahoma Department of Transportation official on the makings of an active transportation plan that will help cities and towns of all sizes improve access and safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and others.

As National Nutrition Month draws to a close, this TSET Better Health Podcast episode examines nutrition and obesity prevention in our state, especially among youth. Jae Morrison of the Oklahoma State Department of Health discusses findings in the state’s newly released Obesity Prevention Plan, and what we can take from it for our own well-being. Listeners also will hear from Christy White, the innovative child nutrition director of Hinton Public Schools who explained how and why healthy food options have become popular among students in her rural western Oklahoma district. And we visited Jenks Middle School, where students joined thousands statewide on March 22 in participating in the Swap Up Day of Action, a hands-on nutrition education day.

Tobacco companies have long used deceptive marketing in ever-changing ways to lure new customers into buying and becoming addicted to their dangerous products. They know how to appeal to different populations, and it has worked with deadly results. TSET is launching a new media campaign that exposes how the tobacco industry uses “shapeshifting” marketing to make tobacco and vape products seem appealing to people of different ages and communities. Episode guests will include TSET Health Communication Manager Chase Harvick, who will speak about the Shapeshifter campaign; Donald Richardson of Guiding Right, a local agency that helps African Americans and others break free from tobacco use and other health threats, and Purcell High School students Carter Goldston and Alexis Wenthold on the influences that draw teens to vaping and tobacco use, and how to counteract those influences.

Governing by the will of the people is assumed in democracy – unless preemption is involved. Such is the case with local tobacco laws in Oklahoma cities. Preemption is when a higher level of government limits or eliminates the power of a lower level of government to regulate on a particular issue. Since 1987, Oklahoma cities and towns have been prohibited from adopting tobacco restriction ordinances that go beyond state law. So local municipal leaders who want to further protect residents from harmful tobacco use in public places cannot do so. This TSET Better Health Podcast episode explores the public health and local governance issue with Doug Matheny, a policy expert at the TSET Health Promotion Research Center, Tahlequah City Councilman Stephen Highers, and Thomas Larson, TSET director of public information and outreach.

Smoking rates in Oklahoma are dropping to historic lows, but they continue to rank high among the 50 states and vaping is still a persistent problem, especially among youth. This TSET Better Health Podcast episode takes a look at efforts to lower tobacco and vape use in our state heading into 2023 with guests Matt Glanville of the American Cancer Society's Cancer Action Network, Paola Klein of the Oklahoma Tobacco Helpline, and Mayra Amezcua and Lacey Laymon with TSET Healthy Youth Initiative's YAHL program who discuss their motivations for tackling tobacco and vape use in their local schools and communities.

We hear it every holiday season – it’s the most wonderful time of the year. But it’s not for those who are grieving a loss or are feeling stressed out or alone during the holidays. It can also be a challenging time for our physical health, when time off and holiday gatherings can make it easy to let healthy habits slide by the wayside. Check out the next episode of the TSET Better Health Podcast and find ways to boost your mental, emotional and physical wellness during the holidays, so this truly can become the happiest time of the year. Find out how from Executive Director Erin Engelke and Clinical Director Heather Gaglio of Calm Waters Center for Children and Families, who will offer great ways to boost mental and emotional well-being during the holidays; Kym Hardin of Healthy Schools Oklahoma, who will help us stay physically active into the new year; and TSET’s own Dylan Jasna, who will share new and tasty nutritional resources from Shape Your Future.