It Can't Hurt To Ask is back! This season we're taking a deep dive into menopause with leading menopause experts and everyday Queenslanders.

We're starting with the first stage of the journey – perimenopause. You'll hear from Brisbane-based endocrinologist and president-elect of the Australasian Menopause Society, Dr Christina Jang who takes us through what perimenopause is, the varying physical or mental health symptoms and how difficult it can often be to get a diagnosis. Dr Jang will be with us for the whole season sharing her expert knowledge and advice. 

You'll also hear from Nic, who shares what her early perimenopause symptoms were like and her experience with getting a diagnosis. 

What is perimenopause? What are the symptoms? What age can you go into perimenopause? Listen to find out.

If you'd like to learn more about menopause, we have a whole season lined up. Make sure you listen to our next episode, where we explore how diet and lifestyle changes can help relieve symptoms. We’ll also discuss how hormonal changes can affect mental health and wellbeing.

Feel free to leave us a review too — we'd love to hear your thoughts.

Episode Resources: 

Australasian Menopause Society (AMS) 

The AMS is a not-for-profit member-based society aiming to improve the quality of life for women during and after the menopause. The AMS helps women and their health professionals better understand the transition through this stage of life by providing accurate, evidence-based information about premature menopause, perimenopause, menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) and alternatives, osteoporosis and how to locate a doctor interested in women's health. Visit the AMS website for more information.

Jean Hailes for Women's Health

Jean Hailes for Women's Health is a national not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving women's health across Australia through every life stage. They work in public health, research, clinical services and policy. Their website has practical and easy-to-understand information for women and for health professionals. Visit the Jean Hailes website for more information.

Lifeline

Lifeline provides free, 24-hour telephone crisis support service in Australia. Counsellors are available to provide mental health support and emotional assistance, not only via telephone but face-to-face and online. Visit the Lifeline website or call them on 13 11 14.

Beyond Blue

Beyond Blue is an Australian mental health and wellbeing support organisation. They offer free, qualified mental health support via chat or phone. Visit the Beyond Blue website or call them on 1300 22 4636.

Does exercise help perimenopause symptoms? Do I need to change my diet? How does perimenopause affect my mental health? Listen to find out!

In this episode, you'll hear from pelvic health physiotherapist, Helen Edwards, accredited practising dietitian, Jacqui Cotugno and leading endocrinologist, Dr Christina Jang, as they take a deeper dive into perimenopause and explore how diet and lifestyle changes can help relieve symptoms. They'll also explore how hormonal changes can affect mental health and wellbeing, and how to get support.

Our guest Alice also shares her personal experience with perimenopause and its impact on her mental wellbeing.

Make sure you listen to our next episode, where we explore the transition from perimenopause to menopause.

Feel free to leave us a review too — we'd love to hear your thoughts.

Episode Resources: 

Health and Wellbeing Queensland

Health and Wellbeing Queensland is an independent health promotion agency working to drive generational change across physical activity, nutrition and wellbeing.

Australasian Menopause Society (AMS) 

The AMS is a not-for-profit member-based society aiming to improve the quality of life for women during and after the menopause. Visit the AMS website for more information.

Jean Hailes for Women's Health

Jean Hailes for Women's Health is a national not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving women's health across Australia through every life stage. Visit the Jean Hailes website for more information.

Lifeline

Lifeline provides free, 24-hour telephone crisis support service in Australia. Visit the Lifeline website for more information, or call them on 13 11 14.

Beyond Blue

Beyond Blue is an Australian mental health and wellbeing support organisation. For more information visit the Beyond Blue website or call them on 1300 22 4636.

It Can't Hurt To Ask is back!

This season will focus on all things menopause. You'll hear real stories from women and people navigating menopause, along with expert clinicians offering advice, insights, and answers to all your questions, concerns, and curiosities.

We'll cover everything from managing symptoms, treatment options to mental health and sex —think of it as a masterclass for your midlife brain, with a mix of valuable information and a touch of fun.

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 and the Queensland Health YouTube channel.

We hope you'll join us. After all, it can't hurt to ask!

Would you donate your organs to give someone a second chance at life? Organ donation is a complex process and in this episode, we learn about why only certain organs are a match for people in need and how blood types play a big role in matching organs to the perfect recipients.  

Dr Ross Francis walks us through the donation matching process, while Gary Torrens takes us through how kidney transplants are performed through the Queensland Kidney Transplant Service and shares his experience working in the National Indigenous Kidney Taskforce. Then, Queensland woman Amber Williamson tells her personal kidney transplant story, sharing how a living donation from her dad has changed her life.  

How long does a donated organ last? What are the impacts of organ donation for recipients? Which organs can you donate while still alive? Listen to find out! 

Services mentioned in this episode:

Did this episode inspire you to register as a potential organ donor? Learn more about organ donation in Australia and sign up as an organ donor at Donate Life. 

Check out Kidney Health Australia’s website for information about keeping your kidneys healthy.  

The Queensland Kidney Transplant Service (QKTS) is for people who may be suitable for a kidney transplant and provides ongoing care to people with a transplanted kidney. You can learn more about the service and find resources for transplant recipients on the QKTS webpage.  

Blood is a key player in your body’s immune response, carrying antibodies around your system to fight off infection and disease. In this episode, learn all about how antibodies work as part of the immune system from clinical immunologist Dr Peter Bourke. You’ll also hear from Cheryl, one of the many Queenslanders living with an autoimmune condition. She shares what it’s like when your immune system doesn’t behave the way it should.

How does your body learn about pathogens in order to fight them off? What are the steps in the immune response? What happens if your immune system gets it wrong and turns its efforts towards your healthy body? Listen to find out! 

Do you bruise like a peach or is it rare that a knock makes a mark on you? What should you do if you feel like you’re bruising easily and should you ever be worried if you don’t bruise at all? In this episode, Dr Joshua Richmond and Dr Aarya Murali take us through how bruises happen, how to treat a bruise and what conditions can cause easy bruising.  

We also bust a few bruise myths. Is a hickey a bruise? Can you become anaemic from bruising too often? And why do bruises change colour over time?  Listen on to find out!

What happens when your life force seemingly turns against you? For the 53 Australians diagnosed with one of the 100 types of blood cancer every day, this question becomes reality.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into blood cancers, learning about different types of blood cancer, what causes them, the symptoms and treatments. Hear from Dr Joshua Richmond and Dr Aarya Murali as they explain the ins and outs of the disease and from Briony, who is in remission after being treated for advanced Hodgkin lymphoma.

Have you been diagnosed with a blood cancer, are supporting someone who has or would like more information? Visit the Leukaemia Foundation and Lymphoma Australia websites for more information about the topics discussed in this episode.  

Does alcohol make you turn red? How does a breathalyser work? How would you know if you’re drinking too much, and where can you get support? 

In this episode, we learn all about how alcohol effects the body from Dr Jeremy Hayllar. He demonstrates how a breathalyser works, explains how alcohol affects your brain and memory and offers tips for people wanting to rethink how they drink. As the clinical director of Metro North's Mental Health - Alcohol and Drug Service (Adis), he provides insight into alcohol dependence and the ways in which the service can help people to manage their drinking.  

For information or support for yourself or someone close to you, visit Adis.

Are you the main mozzie attraction at a barbeque, coming home with dozens of bites? Or have you had the unfortunate experience of contracting a mosquito borne virus? 

Regardless of your history with mozzies, all Queenslanders need to know how to minimise their exposure to mosquito bites. In this episode, senior medical entomologist Scott Lyons, medical entomologist Brian Montgomery and Queensland’s Chief Health Officer, Dr John Gerrard, take us through why mozzies bite, why the bites can be so irritating, which viruses Queensland mosquitoes might carry and most importantly, how to avoid them. 

There’s also a neat science experiment, Zika Mozzie Seeker. you might be able to get involved in, and a few mozzie myths to bust, like whether mosquitoes really do prefer some people over others, and how different mosquito repellents work.  

Have you ever felt a bit cranky or lethargic, and had someone suggest your blood sugar is low? Or do you live with a condition like diabetes, which means you’re always aware of your blood sugar levels? 

Our blood sugar levels impact how we feel, how our body operates and how we behave. But how variable are they? Can a snack make all the difference to low blood sugar, and can getting a sunburn affect our blood sugar levels? 

In this episode, Dr Gaurav Puri helps us understand how our body converts food into blood sugar, why we need blood sugar and how insulin helps our body regulate levels. He also shares his tips for keeping blood sugar at healthy levels and the advice he gives to patients with diabetes.  

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.