PODCAST: MURFREESBORO, TN - On this timely and informative episode of the WGNS Action Line, host Scott Walker welcomes Dr. Nishtha Sareen, Medical Director at the Women’s Clinic at Ascension Saint Thomas Heart, for an uplifting and practical conversation focused on protecting heart health during the coldest months of the year (Click PLAY Above This Article to Hear the Latest Podcast Featuring Dr. Nishtha Sareen).  

During the show, Dr. Sareen breaks down how heart conditions can sometimes go undetected and why winter weather can increase cardiovascular strain. As temperatures dip below freezing, blood vessels constrict, forcing the heart to work harder—making awareness and prevention especially important right now. Rather than alarming listeners, the doctor emphasizes empowerment through knowledge and proactive care.

The discussion highlights simple, realistic steps anyone can take to stay active indoors when outdoor conditions are unsafe, from walking stairs and moving throughout the house to using treadmills or stationary bikes. Nutrition also plays a major role, with guidance on reducing sugar, limiting processed foods, and maintaining a heart-healthy diet that supports circulation and helps reduce inflammation throughout the body.

Listeners dealing with Raynaud’s phenomenon may gain additional insight into managing cold-related pain and circulation issues in their extremities during the informative 25-minute podcast. This episode visits the problem that equates to poor circulation in the hands, feet, ears and even the nose - - but not poor circulation in the way that some may assume.

In people with Raynaud’s phenomenon, blood vessels in the hands and feet react to cold or even stress, narrowing quickly and staying constricted for a long period. In doing so, sufferers have to deal with ongoing pain that continues until they are able to properly and safely warm the problem area (Raynaud’s Phenomenon: See more details from the National Institute of Health HERE).

Our podcast also revisits POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome), a condition that remains under-diagnosed in today's society. Dr. Sareen explains why growing awareness, research, and proper cardiology evaluations are paving the way for better understanding and improved patient outcomes in the years ahead.

This episode delivers reassurance, clarity, and actionable advice for anyone looking to take better care of their heart—especially during extreme winter conditions.

Local Access to Care – In Murfreesboro on Wednesday, Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford officially announced the opening of its brand-new Structural Heart and Valve Center, expanding advanced cardiac care closer to home. Cardiologists assigned to the hospital also have offices connected to Ascension Saint Thomas in the Seton Building (as seen in the photo above this podcast description and directly above the podcast). To schedule an appointment with a heart specialist in Rutherford County, call 615-867-5028.

Need Help With Appointment? If you couldn't find an appointment soon enough? Don't worry! If needed, heart services are also available with Ascension Saint Thomas in Nashville by calling 615-329-5144. Patients are encouraged to ask about the soonest available appointment within a travel radius they’re comfortable with. You can also reach the women's heart health offices by calling 615-284-4-Her (That's 615-284-4437).

Learn More About Dr. Sareen and Read and Hear Past News Articles or Podcasts: 

• Visit Ascension.org.
• Listen to our past interview with Dr. Sareen HERE. 
• Read and Learn More about the condition reffered to as POTS on WGNS HERE.
• Learn more about Dr. Nishtha Sareen HERE.
• See the Seton Building (Photo of building above this podcast).