In times of stress, crisis, or trauma, we often ask: what good can come of this? These last few years we’ve been hit by a pandemic that has caused hundreds of thousands of deaths, unprecedented unemployment, and a global economic downturn. In the face of such a tragedy, it might appear that the answer is “Nothing.”

But at some point in the future we’ll be able to reflect on this terrible time and what it has brought for each of us as individuals, communities, and...

One of the biggest issues for parents of teens is figuring out what’s “normal” teenage behaviour and when their child might need some extra support. I  talk to parenting expert, blogger, podcaster and influencer, Helen Wills, about how parents can support teenagers through the many different challenges that they face during adolescence. We also touch on another big issue for midlife mums, which can be just as confusing and challenging as parenting a teenager: noticing...

Let’s be honest. We all get angry from time to time and that’s because it is a completely normal emotion — not something terrible, just a normal feeling.

When our children begin the slow transition to adulthood, many of them, particularly boys, can struggle more with anger. It is important to keep in mind that anger is not the problem — it is a symptom of a deeper problem or challenge. When we have a deeper understanding of the factors that contribute to the...

Anyone who has ever gone on a run will be familiar with that "runner's high” feeling -  that euphoric sense you get after a jog where you feel on top of the world. And that post-workout good mood isn't just anecdotal: Over the years, scientific research has found that, in addition to physical benefits like living longer, exercise actually does help boost your mood. 

There's nothing like an exercise-induced "endorphin rush”, but  the endorphins only explain a small...

Teenagers need role models. What you do, how you act and behave, as a parent or carer has a massive influence over your teenager’s attitudes, behaviour and choices. You are their most important role models. With the many influences that surround your teen in the digital and real world, it's important to be the best role model you can be for them. They look to you for answers, guidance and protection. By being your best self and being more aware of your own actions and words, you can...

 All women experience the menopause. Yet many women and health professionals still don’t fully understand the signs and symptoms of peri-menopause and menopause or know how to best treat them.  I have a really important and wide-ranging discussion with GP and world-leading menopause specialist, Dr Louise Newson, about how to prepare for, monitor and manage the peri-menopause and menopause.

The way you live your life can actually change your genetic makeup. Rather than having a set genetic blueprint, our genes can switched on or off at different stages of our life. The field of epigenetics is showing that although our genes themselves are fixed, genetic expression is not. It is malleable and and heavily influenced by our environment and lifestyle choices we make.

It is this expression, the switching off and on of genes, that gets ‘read’ by cells in the body. This...

Comedy and mental health don’t seem like natural bedfellows, but there is really good evidence that laughter triggers the release of endorphins  boosting our mood and mental well-being. I talk to comedian and mental health ambassador Juliette Burton about the relationship between comedy and mental health and how she’s using her stand up shows to educate the world about mental health.

We often think that people can only become addicted to drugs and alcohol. But addiction shows up in any behaviour that a person enjoys, finds some relief in, and therefore craves more of in the short term, but suffers negative consequences in the long term, and doesn’t give up this behaviour despite the negative consequences of their actions.

Addiction can be related to any behaviour, not just substances. It could be cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, marijuana, nicotine, alcohol. But could...

Your brain starts to shrink as early as your 30s. Even if you seem perfectly healthy, you may be losing as much as 0.4% of your brain or about several million brain cells every year. The rate at which your brain gets smaller increases with age and is a major factor in early mental decline.

Brain shrinkage doesn’t happen to all areas of the brain at once. Some areas shrink more and faster than others, and brain shrinkage is likely to get more severe as you get older.

...