Healthcare workers spend their careers saving lives. But who is helping them before burnout costs them their own health, careers, and families? On this episode of The Heart of Innovation, Dr. John Phillips and I welcome Chelsea Ulmer, an emergency department trauma nurse, former CrossFit Games athlete, fitness coach, and founder of CodeBrew, a new wellness platform designed specifically for healthcare professionals. After spending 13 years working in one of the most demanding environments in medicine, Chelsea realized traditional wellness advice simply doesn't work for people working overnight shifts, 12-hour schedules, chronic stress, and relentless emotional demands. Instead of another wellness program built around perfection, she created something different. We explore: • Why healthcare burnout has become a global crisis • The hidden physical toll of caring for others every day • Why most wellness programs fail healthcare workers • How realistic nutrition, movement, sleep, and nervous system regulation can fit into real clinical schedules • The surprising role community plays in preventing burnout • Why sustainable habits matter more than extreme fitness • How CodeBrew is helping healthcare professionals reclaim their health Whether you're a physician, nurse, EMT, respiratory therapist, technician, therapist, administrator, caregiver, or simply someone who cares about the future of healthcare, this conversation offers a refreshing perspective on supporting the people we all depend on. If we want better patient care, we have to start by taking better care of the people providing it. Subscribe for more conversations featuring the innovators transforming medicine: https://www.youtube.com/@TheWayToMyHeart Learn more about The Heart of Innovation: https://theheartofinnovation.org Know a healthcare worker who needs to hear this? Share this episode with them. Leave a comment: What is the biggest challenge facing healthcare workers today? #Healthcare #Nursing #Burnout #HealthcareBurnout #Wellness #EmergencyNurse #MentalHealth #HealthcareInnovation #CodeBrew #PhysicianWellness #NurseLife #HeartOfInnovation #HealthcareLeadership #LifestyleMedicine #Resilience

Happy 4th of July and Happy 250th Birthday, America! This special PADdy's Plate episode of The Heart of Innovation is one you don't want to miss. Chef Eric is BACK  and this time, he's in the kitchen! You may remember Chef Eric from a recent episode where co-host Dr. John Phillips dramatically improved his leg blood flow using Reflow Medical's SPUR retractable stent technology. Today, he returns as Chef Eric to show us how to make a healthier 4th of July BBQ that's as good for your arteries as it is delicious, featuring broccoli slaw, grilled veggies, and portobello lettuce wrap burgers. Joining Chef Eric and your hosts Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips is a special guest, Dr. Jean Chen, Diabetic Educator and retired podiatrist, who shares her top tips for a diabetes-friendly and artery-healthy Independence Day celebration. 🍽️ In this episode: Chef Eric's healthier 4th of July BBQ menu: Broccoli slaw, grilled veggies & portobello lettuce wrap burgers How Chef Eric went from PAD patient to cooking for your health Dr. Jean Chen's tips for keeping your 4th of July diabetes and artery friendly Why what you eat matters for your leg circulation and overall vascular health Whether you're living with PAD, diabetes, or just want to make smarter choices this holiday weekend... this episode is packed with practical tips and inspiration. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE so you never miss an episode of The Heart of Innovation, the #1 healthcare innovation radio program in the San Francisco Bay Area and the #1 Women in Innovation Podcast in the nation: 👉 youtube.com/@thewaytomyheart 📞 Need help with PAD? Call our Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS — free support for patients and caregivers 🌐 Learn more & get resources: padhelp.org - PAD patient support, education & the Leg Saver Hotline PADtrials.org - find the latest clinical trials for PAD treatment options padwalkingprogram.org - Supervised Exercise Therapy & Structured Walking Programs for PAD patients #HeartOfInnovation #PAD #PeripheralArteryDisease #HealthyBBQ #4thOfJuly #PADdysPlate #DiabetesTips #VascularHealth #LegHealth #LimbSalvage #HealthyEating #ArteriesHealth #PADawareness #America250

Men are paying more attention to their health than ever before. From peptides and testosterone therapy to protein intake, metabolic health, and longevity, a growing number of men are looking for ways to stay healthier longer and reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease. On this episode of The Heart of Innovation, Dr. John Phillips and I explore some of the biggest trends shaping men's health today and what they could mean for heart health, vascular health, performance, and quality of life. As both an interventional cardiologist and owner of multiple Game Day Men's Health locations, Dr. Phillips shares what he's seeing firsthand from patients who are becoming increasingly proactive about prevention rather than waiting until problems develop. We discuss: • Why metabolic health has become a major focus for men • The growing interest in testosterone replacement therapy • What patients should know about peptides • The role of protein in maintaining muscle and long-term health • How these trends intersect with cardiovascular and vascular disease prevention • Common misconceptions surrounding men's health treatments • A new project Dr. Phillips is developing to help patients increase healthy protein intake Whether you're interested in longevity, performance, prevention, or simply living a healthier life, this conversation offers a practical look at one of the fastest-growing areas in healthcare. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more conversations exploring the future of medicine, cardiovascular innovation, vascular care, prevention, and emerging technologies. 🎙️ ABOUT THE HEART OF INNOVATION The Heart of Innovation is hosted by Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips and features conversations with physicians, innovators, researchers, entrepreneurs, and patients working to improve healthcare and patient outcomes. 📞 NEED HELP WITH PAD OR VASCULAR DISEASE? PAD Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS (1-833-723-5347) 🌐 Learn More: https://padhelp.org 🌐 Clinical Trials: https://padtrials.org 🌐 The Way To My Heart: https://thewaytomyheart.org 👥 Join Our Patient Community: https://padsupportgroup.org 👍 If you enjoyed this conversation: • Like the video • Subscribe to the channel • Share with a friend or family member • Leave your questions in the comments for future episodes #MensHealth #MetabolicHealth #Testosterone #Peptides #Longevity #HeartHealth #CardiovascularHealth #Protein #Prevention #TheHeartOfInnovation #JohnPhillipsMD #KymMcNicholas #VascularHealth #HealthcareInnovation #MensWellness

What if a doctor tells you there is nothing more they can do to fix your heart blockages, and you've run out of options? In this episode of The Heart of Innovation, hosts Kym McNicholas and Interventional Cardiologist Dr. John Phillips introduce you to EECP (Enhanced External Counterpulsation)—a powerful, non-invasive "Hail Mary" technology that has been saving cardiac patients for decades but remains drastically underutilized in mainstream medicine. In this deep-dive discussion, the team is joined by world-renowned cardiologist Dr. Richard Brown (consultant for Flow Therapy and former head of Johnson & Johnson's Save Legs, Change Lives program) and Jack Clifford, a cardiovascular patient and advocate who famously refused bypass surgery and used EECP to get back to running marathons. 🔍 In This Episode, We Discuss: What is EECP? A complete breakdown of how this therapy uses synchronized pneumatic cuffs on your calves, thighs, and hips to act as a "passive exercise" pump for your heart. The Mechanism of Action: How inflating during diastole (heart resting) pushes blood back up to the coronary arteries, and deflating during systole (heart pumping) creates a vacuum that reduces the heart's workload. The Cellular Benefits: Why high-velocity blood flow triggers shear stress, stimulating endothelial cells to produce blood-vessel-dilating nitric oxide while reducing vessel-constricting endothelin-1. Advanced Cardiac Applications: Why EECP isn't just for epicardial blockages, but is a proven therapy for microvascular disease, improving ejection fraction, and reversing severe heart failure symptoms. Reimbursement & Controversy: The strict 2026 reality of Medicare coverage (restricted to Class 3 & 4 angina not amenable to further revascularization) and why many hospitals abandoned their EECP beds. The Amazon Warning: A crucial distinction explaining why over-the-counter compression sleeves or Normatec pants cannot replicate gated, medical-grade EECP therapy. 🌐 Resource Section & Links 🩺 Cardiovascular & EECP Resources: Find an EECP Center Near You: eecplocator.com Jack Clifford's Patient Journey & Book: eecpbook.com Explore Flow Therapy Centers (Dr. Brown): flowtherapy.com Subscribe to The Way to My Heart: youtube.com/@thewaytomyheart 🩸 Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Resources: Global PAD Association Help Hotline: If you suffer from leg pain, leg cramps, neuropathy, or can no longer walk as far as you used to due to "old age," it could be poor circulation from Peripheral Artery Disease. Call the LegSaver hotline at 1-833-PAD-LEGS (1-833-723-5347). PAD Educational Resources: Learn more about leg circulation and get help at padhelp.org.

What are the warning signs of a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), and how is medical innovation changing how we treat blood clots today? In this episode of The Heart of Innovation, hosts Kim McNicholas and interventional cardiologist Dr. John Phillips sit down with Richard Davis, an engineer and medical developer whose life was completely rewritten after being hit by a truck at 23 years old. Richard shares his gripping story of survival—from being pinned inside a vehicle to developing life-threatening blood clots, surviving severe pulmonary embolisms, and ultimately transitioning his expertise into creating vascular medical devices that save lives. Discover how modern medical advancements are moving beyond standard medical therapy to actively remove clots and restore blood flow safely. TIMESTAMPS & CHAPTERS 0:00 - The Accident That Changed Everything 2:15 - Living with an Undiagnosed Clotting Disorder 4:40 - Facing a Life-Threatening Pulmonary Embolism 7:10 - Moving Beyond Medication: Advanced Clot Removal 9:35 - How Patient Participation Drives Medical Innovation 12:00 - The Next Generation of Vascular Care GET FREE MEDICAL SUPPORT & ACCESSIBLE RESOURCES If you or someone you know is dealing with deep vein thrombosis, severe leg pain, swelling, or vascular complications, find absolute support with our completely free community connections: Free Vascular Resources & Specialist Connections: https://www.padhelp.org Learn More About Enrolling in Clinical Trials: https://www.padtrials.org Call the Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS (1-833-723-5347) Join the Private Facebook Support Group: http://www.PADsupportGroup.org Stream Live Radio Every Saturday Morning on AM 1220 KDOW or visit: https://www.theheartofinnovation.org                                          #PulmonaryEmbolism #VascularHealth #BloodClotSurvival #MedicalInnovation #TheHeartOfInnovation #PatientAdvocacy #DVTPrevention    

What does it take to go from helping millions of people breathe easier to helping patients keep their legs?   Join The Heart of Innovation as Kym McNicholas talks with Sarvajna Dwivedi, Ph.D., entrepreneur, inventor, and CEO of AngioSafe, whose career has spanned some of the most challenging problems in medicine.   Sarvajna co-founded Pearl Therapeutics, a company focused on breakthrough respiratory therapies that was ultimately acquired by AstraZeneca for $1.15 billion. Along the way, he helped develop inhaled therapies and drug-device combinations designed to improve the lives of patients with asthma and COPD. (AngioSafe United States)   Today, his focus has shifted from the lungs to the arteries.   As CEO and co-founder of AngioSafe, Sarvajna is leading the development of the Santreva-ATK Endovascular Revascularization Catheter, a novel device designed to restore blood flow through some of the most challenging chronic total occlusions (CTOs) physicians encounter in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). The technology is designed to cross completely blocked arteries, compress plaque, create a new channel, and restore blood flow without relying on a guidewire or external power source. (Medical Economics)   In this episode, we discuss:   • How a pharmaceutical scientist became a medical device innovator   • The story behind Pearl Therapeutics and its $1.15 billion acquisition   • Why chronic total occlusions remain one of the biggest challenges in PAD treatment   • How AngioSafe's Santreva-ATK technology works   • What it means to restore blood flow through arteries that are 100% blocked   • The future of cardiovascular and vascular innovation   If you or someone you love has peripheral artery disease, diabetes, leg pain while walking, non-healing wounds, or has been told an artery is completely blocked, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.   📞 Need help navigating PAD care? Call the Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS   🌐 Learn more: PADHelp.org   ▶ Subscribe: @TheWayToMyHeart   👍 Like, subscribe, and share to help us spread awareness of PAD, a disease that is more prevalent and deadlier than many cancers combined, yet remains dramatically underdiagnosed.   #PAD #PeripheralArteryDisease #SarvajnaDwivedi #AngioSafe #SantrevaATK #HeartOfInnovation #VascularDisease #CardiovascularInnovation #MedTech #LimbSalvage #CTO #Endovascular #AstraZeneca #Asthma #MedicalInnovation

Could artificial intelligence identify Peripheral Artery Disease before patients face limb loss? Researchers at UC San Diego have developed a machine-learning model that analyzes a simple light-based signal from the toe to detect PAD with remarkable accuracy. This breakthrough has the potential to make PAD screening faster, more accessible, and eventually available on your smartphone. Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips sit down with vascular surgeon Dr. Elsie Ross, cardiologist Dr. Mattheus Ramsis, and engineering PhD student Ava Faccetti to break down how artificial intelligence is transforming vascular health and what this could mean for millions living with undiagnosed disease. FULL RESEARCH DISCUSSION: Altmetric: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41746-026-02655-w/metrics DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-026-02655-w   People who think they have PAD can call the Global PAD Associaton's Leg Saver Hotline at 1-833-PAD-LEGS to learn more and get assistance finding a testing site or treatment.   #peripheralarterydisease #padsupport #legpain #legcramps #ABItest #vasculardiseasediagnosis #paddiagnosis #ucsandiego #newpadresearch #globalpadassociation

Can staying active really help reverse Type 2 diabetes? In this episode of The Heart of Innovation, Emmy Award-winning journalist Kym McNicholas and Dr. John Phillips sit down with multi-Emmy Award-winning CBS San Francisco Bay Area sports anchor Vern Glenn to talk about his personal journey reversing Type 2 diabetes — and why golf became far more than just a game. For Vern, the golf course became part of a larger commitment to movement, consistency, fitness, and long-term health. Walking the course, staying active, and building daily habits around exercise helped him take control of his blood sugar and inspire others to rethink what healthy living can look like. That mission is also what inspired the Vern Glenn Invitational Celebrity Golf Tournament. The event brings together former and current stars from the NFL, NBA, MLB, and beyond — many of whom continue participating in events like this not just for competition, but to stay active, connected, and healthy long after their professional playing careers end. Vern believes seeing athletes continue to prioritize fitness sends an important message: movement matters at every age. Whether it's walking 18 holes, staying social, or simply finding activities that keep you moving, the goal is building habits that support heart health, circulation, weight management, and better metabolic health over time. We also discuss the growing connection between exercise, obesity, cardiovascular disease, circulation, and diabetes prevention and reversal. ⛳ SIGN UP FOR THE VERN GLENN INVITATIONAL: https://www.vernglenninvitational.net/ 👇 TELL US IN THE COMMENTS 👇 Has walking, golf, or exercise helped improve your health, blood sugar, or circulation? 👍 LIKE THIS VIDEO 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more conversations on innovation, heart health, PAD, diabetes, longevity, and lifestyle medicine 📢 SHARE this episode with someone who needs motivation to get moving again 📞 Need help navigating Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), diabetes-related circulation issues, or limb salvage options? Visit: PADHelp.org ☎️ Call the PAD Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS #Diabetes #Type2Diabetes #Golf #VernGlenn #DiabetesReversal #Fitness #HeartHealth #Walking #LifestyleMedicine #Longevity #PAD #Exercise #TheHeartOfInnovation

She lost her leg in a traumatic accident… and turned it into a mission to help others find strength, identity, and purpose again. This is the story behind Less Leg More Heart — and why it matters for every patient facing limb loss or PAD. I'm talking with Tina Godfrey Hurley, founder of Less Leg More Heart, alongside Dr. John Phillips, about what happens after amputation — physically, emotionally, and mentally — and how patients rebuild their lives in ways most people never see. Tina's journey started with a devastating accident that led to limb loss at a young age. Today, she's helping others navigate trauma, identity, mental health, and recovery through her nonprofit and advocacy work. We're getting into: • What patients really experience after limb loss • The emotional side of recovery doctors don't always see • How identity, confidence, and purpose evolve after trauma • Why community and support systems change outcomes • What PAD patients can learn from the amputee community If you've ever thought, "no one understands what this feels like," this conversation will hit home. 🎥 SUBSCRIBE for real conversations that go beyond medicine: https://www.youtube.com/@thewaytomyheart 🆘 NEED HELP NOW? 📞 PAD Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS 🌐 TRUSTED RESOURCES https://padhelp.org https://padsupportgroup.org #PAD #PeripheralArteryDisease #Amputation #LimbLoss #VascularHealth #PatientStories #TheHeartOfInnovation #PADAwareness #PatientAdvocacy #LessLegMoreHeart

A silent killer hiding in plain sight — and you may not know you're at risk. I talk with a CEO living with this genetic heart condition and what it means for you. Dr. John Phillips and I talk to one of the most respected minds in tech, Phil McKinney, former CTO of Hewlett Packard and now CEO of CableLabs, to talk about something far more personal than innovation: A genetic heart condition he didn't know he had. It's called apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a form of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy where the heart muscle thickens, particularly at the tip of the heart. That thickening can interfere with blood flow and increase the risk of dangerous heart rhythms. And here's what you need to know: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy affects about 1 in 500 people...many of whom don't even know they have it. For some, the first sign is a life-threatening event. Phil was fortunate. His condition was caught early. Not everyone gets that chance. We break down what this condition actually is, why it's often missed, and how something as simple as knowing your family history could change your outcome. If there's heart disease in your family, or unexplained symptoms like shortness of breath, chest discomfort, dizziness, or fainting, those are not things to brush off. This is about awareness. It's about asking better questions. And it's about catching something early enough to do something about it. 🔔 CALL TO ACTION (your ecosystem) 👉 If something doesn't feel right, don't ignore it. Start by learning more: PADhelp.org 👉 Talk to a patient navigator: 1-833-PAD-LEGS 👉 Join our community: padsupportgroup.org 👉 Subscribe for more real conversations that could help you protect your health — or someone you love #HeartHealth #SilentKiller #GeneticRisk #HCM #HypertrophicCardiomyopathy #KnowYourRisk #HeartOfInnovation #HealthcareInnovation #PADAwareness #VascularHealth