Well.

Can your genes influence what you eat, how your gut works, and even why coriander tastes like soap to some people? This week on Well, food and nutrition scientist Dr Emma Beckett cuts through the noise around gut health and explains what the science actually says.
From probiotics and Greek yoghurt to taste receptors hidden throughout your gut, we unpack the surprising ways genetics shape our relationship with food. Dr Beckett reveals why one-size-fits-all nutrition advice doesn't work, what the microbiome can (and can't) tell us about health, and why the wellness industry's obsession with gut hacks may be missing the point.
Plus, Dr Mariam answers a listener's question about constipation, ageing and menopause, and explains why some gut symptoms deserve a closer look.
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CREDITS
Hosts: Grace Rouvray & Dr Mariam
Guests: Dr Emma Beckett
Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman
Group Executive Producer: Ilaria Brophy
Audio Producer: Jacob Round
Social Producer: Elly Moore
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on.
Information discussed in Well. is for educational 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.

What if the plastic container you're heating your leftover lunch in is actively rewriting your hormones?
Environmental chemist Dr Paul Harvey unpacks the terrifying reality of microplastics, explaining how these tiny particles act like "micro knives," physically scratching our delicate gut lining and leaching creepy, hormone-disrupting chemicals into our system. Food scientist Dr Emma Beckett also weighs in, offering a much-needed reality check on balancing plastic panic with actual food safety.
Then, we dive into "matressence," the massive, identity-shifting transition into motherhood. It turns out "baby brain" isn't a myth or a social media trend; real neuroimaging shows a mother's brain structurally prunes its grey matter to specialise for a baby, right as estrogen and progesterone drop off a perimenopause-level cliff.
GET IN TOUCH
Sign up to the Well Newsletter to receive your weekly dose of trusted health expertise without the medical jargon.
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 and get our biggest offer of the year. Subscribe here for 30% off your annual Mamamia subscription. Code applied at the checkout. Offer ends June 30.
CREDITS
Hosts: Grace Rouvray & Dr Mariam
Guests: Dr Paul Harvey & Dr Emma Beckett
Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman
Group Executive Producer: Ilaria Brophy
Audio Producer: Jacob Round
Social Producer: Elly Moore
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on.
Information discussed in Well. is for educational 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.

Comedian Lizzy Hoo has a very full plate.
Host Liz Ellis, former netball champion turned busy mum, sits down with comedy star Lizzy Hoo to talk about life at "game on" pace. Trading a corporate 9-to-5 for the unpredictable chaos of the stage, Lizzy discusses balancing a high-octane career with the everyday messiness of her 40s. They explore how she manages a "full plate" when she's mid-tour, performing late nights and surviving on whatever food she can find on the road.
The two dive into the survival strategies of a traveling comic, from Lizzy's "liquid diet" during festival season to her accidental airport yogurt-eating mishaps. Reflecting on her Chinese-Malaysian and Irish heritage, Lizzy shares how her palate has space for both pub food and spicy home cooking. It’s a hilarious look at staying nourished under pressure, featuring everything from gourmet sandwich press hacks to the truth about life on the comedy circuit.
Watch Lizzy Hoo teach you how to make her sandwich press potato rostis here.
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CREDITS:
Host: Liz Ellis
Guest: Lizzy Hoo
Group Executive Producers: Naima Brown & Courtney Ammenhauser
Audio Producer: Thom Lion
Video Producer: Marlena Cacciotti
Social Producer: Keeley Mercieca
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we have recorded this podcast.
Support the show: https://www.mamamia.com.au/mplus/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At just 26 years old, Emily Harrison Suhr found a lump in the shower and within weeks was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. Nearly a decade later, she is living with metastatic breast cancer and confronting the realities of a terminal illness that few people talk about openly.
In this episode, Emily shares the truth about what cancer has taken from her, and what it hasn't. From early menopause and financial stress to intimacy, marriage and navigating other people's expectations, she speaks candidly about the challenges of living with a disease that has no cure.
Emily is breaking down misconceptions and creating space for honest conversations about mortality, relationships and resilience. This is a powerful discussion about life, love and finding joy in the face of uncertainty.
GET IN TOUCH
Sign up to the Well Newsletter to receive your weekly dose of trusted health expertise without the medical jargon.
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
Host: Dr Mariam
Guest: Emily Harrison-Suhr
Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman
Executive Producer: Grace Rouvray
Group Executive Producer: Ilaria Brophy
Audio Producer: Scott Stronach
Social Producer: Elly Moore
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on.

Information discussed in Well. is for educational 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.

What if the biggest barrier to better sex isn’t your body, your partner, or your libido, but the shame and silence surrounding it?
In this episode, Dr Mariam sits down with Australia’s go-to sexologist, Chantelle Otten, for a candid, practical and deeply reassuring conversation about sex, intimacy and why so many of us are still too embarrassed to talk about what’s happening in the bedroom.
From mismatched libidos and postpartum desire dips to painful sex, vaginismus and the mental load that can kill the mood before anyone even makes it to bed, Chantelle explains why great sex isn’t about performance, it’s about curiosity, communication and giving yourself permission to change the rules.
Plus, she answers your anonymous listener questions: Why can you orgasm alone but not with a partner? Is it normal to lose all desire after kids? And what should you know before going to your first sex party?
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
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CREDITS
Hosts: Claire Murphy and Dr Mariam
Guest: Chantelle Otten
Senior Producer: Tahli Blackman
Executive Producer: Grace Rouvray
Group Executive Producer: Ilaria Brophy
Audio Producer: Scott Stronach
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 educational 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.