We’re all here because of periods, period. But we don’t all know a lot about the process of menstruation and it’s time for that to change.  What’s normal and what’s not when it comes to periods? From timing to colour and flow, what should you expect from your period and when should you tell a doctor about something that seems a bit off? If you don’t have periods, what should you know to help better understand and support those who do?  With the help of specialist gynaecologist and obstetrician Dr Michelle Proud, we’ll bust some period myths like whether your cycle can sync up with those around you and discuss how conditions like endometriosis can affect a person’s menstrual cycle and their overall wellbeing. 

Have you ever given blood? Or are you a bit scared of the *shivers* needle?   Did you know that to meet demand, three Australians need to donate every minute? This episode will give you all the information you need before you roll up your sleeve.   As Dr Alison Gould from Lifeblood walks us through the blood products donation process, we hear from a first-time blood donor, a Queenslander who has been giving blood and plasma for over 30 years, a Queensland family who rely on donated blood products.  As always, it can’t hurt to ask about some weird and wacky blood donation myths, so we’ll bust a few of those too. Listen now for the answers! 

Right now, you’ve got about 5 litres of blood pumping through your body. Blood literally keeps you alive, but how much do you know about how it works?  With the help of haematology registrar Dr Aarya Murali and haematologist Dr Jeremy Robertson, we’ll breakdown what goes into making blood, how it powers your body and the mechanics that make it cycle through your system 100,000 times a day.   As always, it can’t hurt to ask about some weird and wacky blood myths, so we’ll bust a few of those too. Listen now for the answers! 

From the team that gave you My Amazing Body, we're putting the power back into your pockets as we tackle your health questions, concerns and curiosities in our new podcast, It Can't Hurt To Ask. It Can’t Hurt To Ask is the podcast with the answers, helping you better understand your health, inside and out. The new season will focus on all things ‘in my blood’. You will hear from top experts and everyday Queenslanders as we delve deep into important health topics related to your blood. From blood donations to periods, blood sugars and blood cancers, the season is pumping with platelets.  Catch the first two episodes as they drop on this feed tomorrow. New episodes drop every week, available to stream on your favourite podcast app or watch on the Queensland Health YouTube channel. We hope you’ll join us. After all, it can’t hurt to ask! 

Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is a treatable anxiety disorder affecting around 3 million Australians at some time in their lives. This episode is about PTSD. What is it? Who does it affect and what does it do to your body? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One quarter of Australians will experience an anxiety condition in their lifetime. This episode is about anxiety. What is anxiety? Who does it affect and what does it do to your body? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Across Australia one in seven new mums and one in ten new dads experience postnatal depression each year, and postnatal anxiety is just as common. This episode is about perinatal depression and anxiety. What is it, who does it affect, and what does it do to your body? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Daniel Gileppa, a mental health expert and psychiatrist at Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service, explains what depression is and how it affects your body. He also talks about the signs and symptoms of depression and the best ways to look after your mental wellbeing. Kasey, a Queensland woman, talks about her lived experience with depression Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is about mental wellbeing. What is mental wellbeing, how can we look after it and why is it so important? Tony Coggins, a mental wellbeing expert, explains what mental wellbeing is and the best ways look after it. We also explore the six building blocks of mental wellbeing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is all about the heart. Dr Greg Starmer, the Director of Cardiology at the Cairns Hospital explains what the heart is, what it does and why it's so important. He also talks about problems that can occur with your heart and the best way to keep it healthy. Amanda, a Queensland woman, talks about what it's like to live with a pacemaker. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is all about the Brain, with a focus on how your brain helps you move. We spoke to neurologist Dr Alex Lehn from the Princess Alexandra Hospital about how your brain controls your bodily functions. He also explains what functional neurological disorders (FND) are and how they affect the body. Then, Queenslander Christine talks about her experience with FND. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is all about the lungs - one of the most important organs in your body. The Director of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, Dr Michelle Murphy describes the different parts of the lungs, how they function and how the they work with rest of your body. Dr Michelle Murphy also explains the impact of COVID-19 on your lungs. Then, Queenslander Josh talks us through what it's like to have a collapsed lung. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is all about your immune system. What is your immune system, where is it and why do you need one? Dr Jane Peake, Director of the Queensland Paediatric Immunology and Allergy Service explains how the immune system works, and the types of conditions that can affect the immune system. We also hit the streets to find out what Queenslanders really know about their immune system. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does your bowel do, where is it and what does it look like? Is it all about poo? General and colorectal surgeon Dr Ming Ho explains how the bowel works, the types of conditions that can affect bowel health and what it's like to perform surgery on the bowel. Queensland woman Kate talks about her experience with Crohn's disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is all about your liver. Where is your liver, what does it do and how can you keep yours healthy? We hear from Princess Alexandra Hospital surgeon Dr Peter Hodgkinson about why someone might need a liver transplant and how he performs them, and get his advice for ways to avoid ending up on the operating table. Then, Queensland man Jordan takes us through what it was like to have a liver transplant as a teenager, after living with a low-functioning liver throughout childhood. Want more? You can find pictures of our guests, links and graphics illustrating the information included in this episode in our show notes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is all about the pain. What is pain, why do we experience it and is it ever useful? We talk with Dr Joseph Kluver, a specialist pain physician, about how pain works and what happens when pain stops being acute and becomes a chronic problem. He explains how he works with patients who have persistent pain and the therapies that can lead to long-term change in their lives. We also talk to Sara Shams, who is a bilateral through-knee amputee, about her experience with phantom limb pain after she had her amputations, and the other types of pain people with amputations can live with every day. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This special edition episode is all about gender. Gender is something we all have. It's a part of us that influences how we live in our bodies and interact with the world around us, how we see ourselves and how the world sees us. In this episode, we learn what gender and gender identity are, how your gender is different from your sex or sexuality, and about gender diversity. Psychologist Olivia Donaghy explains the ins and outs of gender, while psychiatry registrar Dr Claire McAllister talks about the services offered to gender diverse young people at the Queensland Children's Gender Service. Queenslanders Ashley, Jayden and Willow give their accounts of growing up identifying as gender diverse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of My Amazing Body is all about the brain - one of the most important, and most mysterious, organs in your body. Consultant epileptologist from Princess Alexandra Hospital, Dr Sasha Dionisio describes the different parts of the brain, how they work together and how the brain works with the rest of your body. He also answers curly questions about where the mind is, speaks about how disease and injury can affect the brain, explains how he and his team diagnose and treat epilepsy, and lets us know what it's like to watch brain surgery.Have you enjoyed listening to My Amazing Body? Fill out our audience survey to let us know what you loved, what you think we could improve and what health topics you want to hear about next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Right now, you've got about five litres of blood whooshing around your body. But how does it get where it's going? Learn all about the arteries and veins in this episode, with expert guests cardiologist Dr Dale Murdoch, and vascular and endovascular surgeon Dr Juanita Muller. Find out how arteries can become blocked, how your veins work (spoiler: it's not your heart that pumps blood through your veins!) and what causes problems like deep venous thrombosis and varicose veins. Hear from Shelley, a Queensland woman who had a DVT followed by a pulmonary embolism, and the advice she would give to others about vein health. For more information, handy links and diagrams, visit our shownotes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Don't know what your thyroid gland does or why it's so important to your health? What are diseases like Hashimoto's and Graves' and how do they affect your thyroid? Is your lethargy or weight gain linked to a thyroid problem? In this episode of My Amazing Body, we explore everything you need to know about the thyroid gland, with interviews featuring endocrinologist Dr Harish Venugopal and Queensland woman Leanne, who shares her story of living with Hashimoto's disease. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.