Smoke-Free Texas: Senate Committee

During the 2009 Legislative Session the Senate Health and Human Service committee passed the Smoke-Free Texas by 5-3 vote.  Here is video of that vote:

San Antonio: We’re Ready for Smoke-Free Workplaces

On Friday May 7 the Smoke-Free San Antonio Coalition held a press conference and rally to announce their efforts to make San Antonio the next smoke-free city in Texas.

San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro advocates for smoke-free workplaces

Members of the Coalition joined forces with San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro and District 7 City Councilman Justin Rodriguez to support a stronger clean air policy, citing evidence that smoke-free laws are good for public health, good for business, good for workers, and good for reducing local health care costs.

Members of the San Antonio Smoke-Free Coalition gathered at Baptist Medical Center to urge San Antonio leaders to adopt a stronger smoke-free ordinance that would prohibit smoking in all indoor public and work places, including all restaurants and bars. Many worksites in San Antonio continue to expose workers and the public to secondhand smoke, which is proven to increase the likelihood of cancer, heart disease and illnesses.

San Antonio first passed a smoke-free ordinance in 2003. That ordinance allows smoking in restaurants, stand-alone bars and restaurants/bars if they follow several guidelines. Other areas not covered in the current smoking ordinance include bingo facilities, bowling alley’s, convention facilities, educational facilities (private and public), gaming facilities, comedy clubs and private clubs.

More Pics:

Councilmember and smok-free champion Justin Rodriguez

From left to right: American Cancer Society staff member, Mayor Julian Castro and AHA Sr. Government Relations Director Joel Romo

CPR Day at the Capitol

On May 7 the American Heart Association along with the Texas Society of Anesthesiologist and AT&T held a special training for all lawmakers and staff on how to perform CPR and use an AED. We wanted all Lawmakers and Capitol staffers to be trained on the lifesaving techniques of CPR and AEDs.

Last Spring a tragedy was avoided in the halls of the Capitol when State Representative Edmund Kuempel suffered a massive heart attack one evening. Minutes after he collapsed fellow State Rep. and physician John Zewas performed CPR and used an AED to shock Kuempel's heart back to a normal rhythm.

St. Representative Edmund Kuempel

Despite the severity of the event and spending days in ICU afterwards Edmund Kuempel survived the heart attack and is now doing well. Without the fast action of courageous bystanders and knowledge of CPR and AEDs, Representative Kuempel would like likely not be here today.


Throughout the years the American Heart Association has strongly advocated for public access to defibrillators. Now AEDs can be founded at nearly every airport, school, shopping mall, and sporting event. We even helped get AEDs placed throughout the State Capitol.

Have you been trained in CPR?

Hold Em or Fold Em….Just Don’t Double Down

Anybody seen this new menu item from KFC? It’s basically a bacon and cheese sandwich but with fried chicken breasts instead of bread (also available in a grilled version). I know, great for all the low carb diets out there. What do you think? Is it a culinary train wreck or will it become one of your new guilty pleasures (only in extreme moderation – I hope).  Nutritional information below...

Sandwich                                             Calories       Fat (g)          Sodium (mg)

KFC Original Recipe Double Down       540              32                 1380

KFC Grilled Double Down                      460               23                1430

Dine Smart During Public Health Week

April 5-11 is National Public Health Week - - what are you doing to celebrate?

You could start walking during your lunch break at work, or find out your numbers like cholesterol and blood pressure, or make it a point to start eating healthier. Today we’d like to offer some tips on how to eat healthier when dining out.

Studies show that Americans typically underestimate their daily caloric content by almost 25% because they are not paying attention to portions and serving sizes. The easiest way to determine a serving size is to read the Nutrition Fact or menu label. If you do this every time you dine you will know if you are eating the right amount of food.

Here are some tips when dining at a restaurant:


CHOOSING A RESTAURANT
Get tips on choosing a restaurant with healthier options.
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TALKING WITH YOUR SERVER
Turn your waiter into an ally in your quest to order a healthy, nutritious and tasty dish when you dine out. These questions can help you get started.
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DECIPHERING THE MENU
I spy … something healthy! Learn the meanings behind common words found on menus so you can order nutritious dishes.
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ORDERING YOUR MEAL
How you order your dish cooked can have as much of an impact on its nutritional value as the dish itself.
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EATING FAST FOOD
Fast food can be heart-healthy if you know what to look for. Follow these tips to get healthier meals on the go.
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TIPS BY CUISINE
Indian, Italian, Chinese? What's your favorite fare? Check out some great eating tips based on differnt types of cuisines.
Learn More

Tell us - - what are you doing this week for National Public Health Week?

Heart Month is Upon Us

We are always asking our lawmakers to vote one way or anther and you do a great job of helping us spread our message. But we thought now would be a good time to make sure they know how to prevent heart disease or stroke in their own lives.

Let your lawmakers know that February is Heart Month and we're thinking of them!

February is American Heart month, a time to raise awareness about heart disease and how we can do things to prevent it. Cardiovascular disease is the number 1 killer in Texas, but it doesn't have to be that way. In fact we have just developed 7 Simple Solutions for healthy living. Here are some examples of them:

Exercise - walking just 30 minutes a day can improve your heart and increase your lifespan

Nutrition - trim things like fat, sodium, and cholesterol from your diet and reduce your risk of heart disease

Know Your Numbers - being aware of your weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels can allow you to manage your body. Know your numbers to control your risk.

Signs and Symptoms - chest pains could mean a heart attack and loss of feeling on one side of the body might indicate a stroke. Fast treatment is key so know the signs and symptoms to take action quickly.

These are just a few things you can do to reduce your risk. Please check out http://mylifecheck.heart.org/ for more on the fight against heart disease and stroke. Remember to share this with your friends and family click here to share with your lawmakers.

Thank You to Our Volunteers