Well.

Welcome to another episode in your Well Summer Series! We've been escaping our usual programming for a little summer fling and keeping things short, fun, and fast. We know you’re juggling a lot right now, so these bite-sized episodes are designed to give you a 20-minute breather from the chaos, whether you're in the car or just need a moment to yourself. In this episode, Claire and Dr Mariam (who drops a big gender reveal!) head to Med School to discuss "Poophoria," i.e. that feeling of pure bliss after a bowel movement - and the scientific reason behind it! They also discuss "Defecation Syncope", which is exactly as dangerous as it sounds... In the Quick Consult, Dr Mariam answers a listeners question about the unwanted guest at every Christmas party: Heartburn. She explains why "Gout and Reflux Season" is a real medical phenomenon and gives you the strategy to stop the burn without skipping the buffet. And if you’re looking for more to listen to - every Mamamia podcast is curating your summer listening right across our network from pop culture to beauty to powerful interviews there’s something for everyone, explore here. We’ll be back to regular programming Thursday15th January. GET IN TOUCH Sign up to the Well Newsletter to receive your weekly dose of trusted health expertise without the medical jargon. Ask a question of our experts or share your story, feedback, or dilemma - you can send it anonymously here, email here or leave us a voice note here. Ask The Doc: Ask us a question in The Waiting Room. Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok. Support independent women’s media by becoming a Mamamia subscriber CREDITS Hosts: Claire Murphy and Dr Mariam Senior Producers: Claire Murphy and Sally Best Audio Producer: Scott Stronach Video Producer: Julian Rosario Social Producer: Elly Moore Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Information discussed in Well. is for education purposes only and is not intended to provide professional medical advice. Listeners should seek their own medical advice, specific to their circumstances, from their treating doctor or health care professional. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine breaking a world record at the Commonwealth Games. It should be the single greatest moment of your life. But instead of wearing your gold medal, celebrating with your teammates, you are curled up in a hotel bed, alone and unable to move. That was the reality for Katja Dedekind, an Australian Paralympic Swimmer. Katja is visually impaired, but for her, that disability pales in comparison to the chronic condition she has been battling behind the scenes for years: Endometriosis. In this awakening episode of the Well Summer Series, Katja (and her emotional support dog, Duke), joins Claire Murphy to share her story of sheer resilience. From getting her period at age nine, to bleeding through her race suit during a gold-medal swim, Katja reveals the physical toll of elite sport when your body is fighting against you.They discuss the long wait times many Australian women face for a diagnosis, and Katja opens up about the life-altering decision she made to undergo a hysterectomy at 2. Join us for a story in pain, resilience and the tough choices female athletes have to make when their health is on the line. And if you’re looking for more to listen to - every Mamamia podcast is curating your summer listening right across our network from pop culture to beauty to powerful interviews there’s something for everyone, explore here. We’ll be back to regular programming Thursday15th January. GET IN TOUCH Sign up to the Well Newsletter to receive your weekly dose of trusted health expertise without the medical jargon. Ask a question of our experts or share your story, feedback, or dilemma - you can send it anonymously here, email here or leave us a voice note here. Ask The Doc: Ask us a question in The Waiting Room. Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok. For more information on endometriosis, visit Endometriosis Australia. For more information on periods and a pain and symptom diary, Dr Mariam recommends the Jean Hailes website. Support independent women’s media by becoming a Mamamia subscriber CREDITS Hosts: Claire Murphy and Dr Mariam Guest: Katja Dedekind Senior Producers: Claire Murphy and Sally Best Audio Producer: Scott Stronach Video Producer: Julian Rosario Social Producer: Elly Moore Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Information discussed in Well. is for education purposes only and is not intended to provide professional medical advice. Listeners should seek their own medical advice, specific to their circumstances, from their treating doctor or health care professional. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the Well Summer Series! We know the holidays are busy - whether you're working, travelling, or hiding in the bathroom for five minutes of peace - so we're keeping these episodes short, sharp and shiny! In this episode, Claire Murphy and Dr Mariam head to Med School to debunk "cortisol detox" trends. They explain the science behind why a messy house stresses women out more than it does men and they talk about how venting to your girlfriends could be good for your health in more ways than one.Plus, in our Quick Consult, we tackle a listener's dilemma about "emotional regression" and explore why we turn into moody teenagers the second we step back into our parents' house? Dr. Maryam explains the psychology behind this emotional regression and gives you a toolkit to survive the family holidays without a fight... And if you’re looking for more to listen to - every Mamamia podcast is curating your summer listening right across our network from pop culture to beauty to powerful interviews there’s something for everyone, explore here. We’ll be back to regular programming Thursday15th January. GET IN TOUCH Sign up to the Well Newsletter to receive your weekly dose of trusted health expertise without the medical jargon. Ask a question of our experts or share your story, feedback, or dilemma - you can send it anonymously here, email here or leave us a voice note here. Ask The Doc: Ask us a question in The Waiting Room. Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok. Support independent women’s media by becoming a Mamamia subscriber CREDITS Hosts: Claire Murphy and Dr Mariam Guest: Senior Producers: Claire Murphy and Sally Best Audio Producer: Scott Stronach Video Producer: Julian Rosario Social Producer: Elly Moore Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Information discussed in Well. is for education purposes only and is not intended to provide professional medical advice. Listeners should seek their own medical advice, specific to their circumstances, from their treating doctor or health care professional. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Well, Claire and Dr Mariam sit down with writer, speaker, visibility activist and influencer Carly Findlay to talk about her inflammatory skin condition, Ichthyosis. For years, we've watched her deal with the pain and frustration through the low moments and quite a few lovely highs too - always with a fabulous outfit. Through it all, she has been educating, entertaining and allowing us into her space so that we might learn how to help those around us with visible conditions. From the exhaustion of constantly educating strangers to the sheer joy of reclaiming her narrative through fashion, Carly has reminded us of the great lesson that we don’t have to hide away just to make others feel comfortable! In this candid conversation, Carly discusses the intersection of rare disease and the medical system, navigating a cancer diagnosis while managing a complex skin condition, and why - even when experiencing chronic pain or a scary diagnosis - we all deserve to feel f*cking fabulous. So wear the bright dress and take up space! THE END BITS All your health information is in the Well Hub. We understand that conversations about cancer can be difficult, whether you're navigating your own diagnosis, supporting a loved one, or remembering someone you've lost. If today's episode has brought up difficult feelings, please reach out. The Cancer Council offers a confidential support line staffed by specialist nurses, and you can call them on 13 11 20. And if you just need to talk to someone immediately, you can always call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Remember to be kind to yourself, and please don't hesitate to seek support. GET IN TOUCH Sign up to the Well Newsletter to receive your weekly dose of trusted health expertise without the medical jargon. Ask a question of our experts or share your story, feedback, or dilemma - you can send it anonymously here, email here or leave us a voice note here. Ask The Doc: Ask us a question in The Waiting Room. Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok. Support independent women’s media by becoming a Mamamia subscriber CREDITS Hosts: Claire Murphy and Dr Mariam Guest: Carly Findlay Senior Producers: Claire Murphy and Sally Best Audio Producer: Scott Stronach Video Producer: Julian Rosario Social Producer: Elly Moore Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Information discussed in Well. is for education purposes only and is not intended to provide professional medical advice. Listeners should seek their own medical advice, specific to their circumstances, from their treating doctor or health care professional. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does having darker skin really protect you from skin cancer? Can you imagine getting a Pap smear every single day for 21 years just to help your husband’s research? And, what do you do if your vagina involuntarily “clenches” during sex. In this episode, we speak to Professor Georgina Long, Medical Director of Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA) and 2024 Australian of the Year, to decode Australia’s complicated relationship with the sun. We talk about the "ABCDE" rule for checking your moles, whether darker skin tones are at less risk of melanoma and why you should be taking photos of your skin spots.Plus, in Med School, Claire and Dr Mariam pay tribute to the unsung heroines of medical history - from the wife of Dr. Papanicolaou (who underwent daily pap smears for 21 years ) to Anarcha Westcott, the enslaved woman known as the 'mother of modern gynecology', who endured 30 experimental surgeries without anaesthesia.And, in our Quick Consult, Dr Mariam helps a listener named Sarah who is struggling with Vaginismus. We break down exactly what this condition is, why it is a physical reflex rather than "just in your head" and the multidisciplinary team you need to help reclaim your sex life.THE END BITS All your health information is in the Well Hub. If you've been putting off a skin check, this is your sign to book it. For more information on sun safety, visit the Cancer Council. We understand that conversations about cancer can be difficult, whether you're navigating your own diagnosis, supporting a loved one, or remembering someone you've lost. If today's episode has brought up difficult feelings, please reach out. The Cancer Council offers a confidential support line staffed by specialist nurses, and you can call them on 13 11 20. For more specific information on the topics we discussed today, organisations like the Cancer Council, the Australian Skin Cancer Foundation, and the Melanoma & Skin Cancer Advocacy Network (MSCAN) provide dedicated advocacy, education and community support for patients impacted by all forms of skin cancer. And if you just need to talk to someone immediately, you can always call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Remember to be kind to yourself, and please don't hesitate to seek support. GET IN TOUCH Sign up to the Well Newsletter to receive your weekly dose of trusted health expertise without the medical jargon. Ask a question of our experts or share your story, feedback, or dilemma - you can send it anonymously here, email here or leave us a voice note here. Ask The Doc: Ask us a question in The Waiting Room. Follow us on Instagram and Tiktok. Support independent women’s media by becoming a Mamamia subscriber CREDITS Hosts: Claire Murphy and Dr Mariam Guest: Professor Georgina Long Senior Producers: Claire Murphy and Sally Best Audio Producer: Scott Stronach Video Producer: Julian Rosario Social Producer: Elly Moore Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Information discussed in Well. is for education purposes only and is not intended to provide professional medical advice. Listeners should seek their own medical advice, specific to their circumstances, from their treating doctor or health care professional. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.