Health Matters: Recent Episodes
Health Matters
Wellness and health - it’s kind of a bigger deal than ever, but where do you go on this whole wide internet for the best medical advice?
And how often are you finding information that takes on a South African perspective?
That’s why Cipla brings you Health Matters. This is a series that puts experts from across the medical world right in your earbuds or speakers. Our aim is to provide topical and relevant information on healthcare, with kindness, because Health Matters.
Subscribe now to get each new episode as it drops.
For up to date information follow: @ryanoconnorza on Twitter, @CiplaRSA on Twitter CiplaSA on Facebook.
Crowdfunding might seem like a modern concept - as it’s primarily done through the internet and social media - but it actually dates all the way back to the 1700s!
These days, it’s one of the most common ways that people can receive help for unaffordable medical emergencies.
In this episode of Health Matters we meet Catherine Du Plooy an entrepreneur, social enterprise enthusiast and crowdfunding expert, who is currently working as Director and COO of South Africa’s most successful crowdfunding platform, BackaBuddy - which is a donation-based crowdfunding platform that allows people to raise funds for causes they are passionate about.
Now more than ever people are taking their nutrition and health more seriously. So many of us are looking for pure, organic and clean food sources. In this episode of Health Matters we chat to The Harvest Table founder, Catherine Clarke, after a cancer diagnosis in her 20s - Catherine committed herself to understanding the benefits of a healthy diet and balanced life.
Sometimes in the world of health and science, we come across some foreign terminology and today’s topic is just. If you haven't heard of ‘biologics’ and ‘biosimilars’ before we have Dr Elsa van Vuuren, a rheumatologist from Pretoria, to explain it all.
When it comes to many of our health issues, we’re usually happy to discuss them openly - with family, friends, and our doctors. But sexual problems often come with a certain amount of shame, which leads to many people not getting the help they need.
In this episode of Health Matters, we’re looking at male sexual health, and we're joined by Dr Anthony Smith - a family doctor with a special interest in Sexual Medicine, based in Cape Town. He has achieved a Fellowship through the European Committee of Sexual Medicine, and is an ex-President and current board member of the Southern African Sexual Health Association.
When it comes to many of our health issues, we’re usually happy to discuss them openly - with family, friends, and our doctors. But sexual problems often come with a certain amount of shame, which leads to many people not getting the help they need.
In this episode we're looking at female sexual health, and our guest is Dr Anthony Smith - a family doctor based in Cape Town. He has been increasingly involved with Sexual Medicine during the last few years, achieving a Fellowship through the European Committee of Sexual Medicine. He is an ex-President and current board member of the Southern African Sexual Health Association.
In this episode Health Matters we chat to SA’s top extreme endurance adventurer, a brand ambassador for Syntro-P wellness program, and Life coach; Gaven Sinclair. Gaven is also the founder of Get Lost, which focusses on changing the way we develop personal brands, adventure, and allowing top business people to find their extreme.
Coming up on Health Matters, SA’s top extreme endurance adventurer, a brand ambassador for Syntro-P wellness program, and Life coach; Gaven Sinclair.
Cough, wet, dry or post nasal drip?
Dr Shaunagh Emmanuel tells us all about coughs in this episode of Health Matters.
How one develops, how to distinguish between them as well as treatment options for the different kinds of cough.
Cough, wet, dry or post nasal drip?
Dr Shaunagh Emmanuel tells us all about coughs in this episode of Health Matters.
How one develops, how to distinguish between them as well as treatment options for the different kinds of cough.
Balance. We all know what it means, but in today's day and age of working from home, looking after ourselves and families and keeping our health number one, its a bit easier said than done for many of us. In this episode of Health Matters, Ryan O'Connor chats to JEFF Coach, Kate Goddard about Fitness and maintaining good life balance.
Have you ever wondered how medical health and safety is done in a large scale sporting event like the Cape Argus? Dr Darren Green breaks down how sporting events healthcare is managed in competitive events as well as how to ensure you remain injury free when you take part in competitive sporting events in South Africa.
What are the nutrition basics? Can I eat my vitamins or are supplements better? Now more than ever, South African's are taking their health seriously, that includes getting better nutrition and being physically active. Ryan O'Connor chats to Chef Adrian Penzhorn from JEFF about the basics of nutrition and how you can maintain your energy levels throughout the day.
There is so much to know about medical aid that we don't always know where to begin. Gap Cover, Hospital Plans, Rewards Programmes - how do you make sure that you get the most from your medical cover? Once again we're joined by financial adviser Carl Laubscher to uncover more. Get Part 1 in your favourite podcast app.
It's an absolute grudge purchase but we can't afford to not have it. In this episode of Health Matters we're talking Medical Aid cover with financial adviser Carl Laubscher. This is part 1 of a 2 part series so subscribe to get the next episode as soon as it's out.
For almost two years now, everyone has been talking about the ‘new normal’ but what happens when we return to the ‘old normal’? Many of us are already starting to do this so we decided to speak to our mental health expert Jeanie Cavé, a clinical psychologist, to help us navigate this.
Childhood is supposed to be a happy, carefree time in our lives - but these days there are so many kids and teenagers who are struggling with anxiety, depression and other related mental health issues. To unpack this we're joined again on Health Matters by our mental health expert Jeanie Cavé, a clinical psychologist who works with individuals, couples, families, groups, children and adolescents.
The Absa Cape Epic is an eight-day stage race, and it's the most televised mountain bike race in the world. The race must be completed by both members of a two-person team, with only 680teams allowed to ride each year. Every event follows a different route, leading aspiring amateur and professional mountain bikers from around the world through roughly 700 untamed kilometres of unspoilt scenery, and up more than 17,000 metres of vertical ascent. This year's event is coming up soon, on the 20th of March and on Health Matters, we speak to Candice Lill, who has completed 4 previous CapeEpic races, as well as Matt Beers, who has 5 events under his belt - winning the 2021 edition, along with his partner.
We've been back at the proverbial grindstone for a month or so now, and a lot of the same stresses are still there - the Covid-19 pandemic, too many screens in front of our eyes all day long... the usual school routine? How can we deal with these old everyday stresses in a new way? Dr Suresh Vassen is a medical practitioner and the Director and Founder of the PRANA Centre of Wellbeing in Cape Town. He’s also a Lecturer in Human Excellence, Life Coaching, Yoga Practice & Philosophy, as well as Integrated Health for both children and adults. He joins us again on Health Matters to give us some simple ways to manage stress through our bodies.
There has been a lot of buzz - the last few years especially - about the importance of ‘gut health’. But what role does it play in our general health exactly... and how do we manage and maintain this important part of our body? To help me answer these questions and more, we're joined in this episode of Healths Matters by Dr Justyna Wojno, who is a pathologist specialising in the field of medical microbiology. She also heads up the Lancet Molecular and Microbiology laboratory in Cape Town.
What does ‘health’ mean to you in 2022? We know that there are hundreds of trends anywhere you look - the latest diet, exercise routine, or even a new gadget that you must have, to track what your body is up to. But sometimes it helps to just take a step back, and get a fresh perspective. This week on Health Matters we're joined once again by Johno Meintjes, who runs the popular online health and fitness community, JEFF, as well is Siv Ngesi - a comedian, television presenter, actor... and if you're on social media, you'll definitely know him well from his outspoken opinions on many topics! Contains mild language
The Covid-19 pandemic has changed our lives in many ways, and made us so much more aware of our health and how our bodies work. This is particularly true of our immune system! Dr Adrian Wentzel is a Specialist Anaesthesiologist who has also worked in a respiratory and cardiac ICU, and he joins in the latest episode of Health Matters to discuss ‘long Covid’, and how we can help our immune system do its very important job!
How do we keep our brain healthy and functioning at an optimal level? This week on Health Matters we're speaking to Timothy Maurice Webster. Timothy is a bestselling author of 4 human and brand behaviour books, and host of The Brain and Brand Show podcast for the past 6 years, which is ranked in the top 20 in 17 countries. His skills include applying neuroscience and behavioural science to decision making, and in this episode we talk about increasing brain resilience and creative problem solving. Get more from Timothy on http://www.timothymaurice.com/
She probably has one of the most recognisable voices in South Africa... and her statuesque form towers over many people - both physically and professionally! Our very special guest on Health Matters this week, is the one and only Liezel van der Westhuizen. She talks to us about her wellness journey in the face of a demanding lifestyle. Keep up to date with Liezel here: https://linktr.ee/liezelonline
In this episode of Health Matters we look at Post Nasal Drip and how this and other inflammatory throat conditions can affect someone throughout the various stages of their life. We're joined by Dr Shaunagh Emanuel, a medical doctor with a special interest in allergy and asthma. Listen back to part 1: https://bit.ly/3kisVzd
Change of season means there's a LOT going on in the air! If your nose is disrupting your life, you need to listen up, because we have the doctor who 'knows' best about it. Dr Shaunagh Emanuel, a medical doctor with a special interest in allergy
“Oh my GERD!” - our favourite gastroenterologist is back! GERD might be the word...do you know what it is? Thankfully Professor Mashiko Setshedi, Head of Medical Gastroenterology at Groote Schuur Hospital joins us again to discuss something this digestive condition.
Asthma is a complex disease. We know it affects the lungs - causing wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness, and coughing. We also know it is one of the most common long-term diseases affecting children, but that adults can have asthma too. So what don't we know about it - or more importantly, what do we THINK we know, that simply isn't true? In Health Matters this week we're joined by Professor Claudia Gray, a specialist paediatric-allergist, to dispel some common asthma myths.
As medicine and healthcare evolve through the ages, expertise and technology are constantly improving - and this creates some amazing contributions to this field. Dr Riaz Motara is our special guest this week on Health Matters, and he's here to tell us more about BrandMed, which provides digital products and solutions to doctors and their practices. Dr Motara is a Physician and Cardiologist, and the founding member of the first Cardiovascular Risk Institute in Africa. He also pioneered The Women’s Heart Clinic, and launched VeinSculpt - the first comprehensive varicose vein clinic in South Africa.
With the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine in South Africa there’s been a lot of uncertainty about the possible implications for people living with HIV. In this episode of Health Matters we're joined by Professor Francois Venter from the University of the Witwatersrand to discuss HIV, Covid-19 and vaccination.
With the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine in South Africa, there’s been a lot of uncertainty about the possible implications for people living with HIV. In the next episode of Health Matters, OUT ON WEDNESDAY, Professor Francois Venter discusses this topic in more depth.
We all know that familiar feeling when your head hurts, and it can be extremely disruptive to our lives. This week we delve into the complex world of headaches - because there isn’t simply one type of headache, and there are often different ways to treat them too. Rheumatology fellow at Groote Schuur Hospital, Dr Ramona Govender, joins us again on Health Matters to discuss more.
It’s the most controversial discussion topic in the world. People every where are asking, “Have you done it yet?” and “Which one did you get?”. Your friends, family and colleagues are proudly declaring that they’ve done it, and berating those who don’t want to do it! Of course we're talking about the Covid-19 vaccine and in this episode of Health Matters, Ryan O' Connor gets some facts from someone who really knows what he’s talking about. Dr Jeremy Nel is Head of the Infectious Diseases division at Helen Joseph hospital and Wits University and we discuss the Covid-19 vaccine.
It’s in the news, it’s all over our social media, and nowadays when people ask “how are you?” - it’s not just a formality anymore! Our mental health is being tested in these strange and difficult times and the fact is life is pretty challenging for many of us at the moment. In this episode of Health Matters we're joined by Jeanie Cavé, a clinical psychologist who works with individuals, couples, families, groups, children and adolescents - and she will guide us through managing our mental health during volatile and uncertain times.
For some of us, traditional or “Western” medicine isn’t the only way to deal with health issues. This is particularly true when it comes to stress and mental wellbeing. So what are our best options? Dr Suresh Vassen is a medical practitioner and the Director and Founder of the PRANA Centre of Wellbeing in Cape Town... he’s also a Lecturer in Human Excellence, Life Coaching, Yoga Practice & Philosophy, and Integrated Health for both children and adults. He joins us again on Health Matters to offer a bit of an alternative viewpoint...
The word ‘arthritis’, conjures up mental images of old people with gnarled fists and maybe even a walker, struggling to move. But this is not necessarily the case ... did you know that arthritis can affect people of all ages- even children? In this episode of Health Matters, Ryan O' Connor chats to rheumatology fellow at Groote Schuur Hospital, Dr Ramona Govender about arthritis. You can learn more about arthritis and other medical conditions at https://knowpain.co.za/
If you’ve been listening to this podcast for a while, you will know that wellness can actually be quite a complex thing, with many factors affecting it … and not all of them are necessarily physical. Our mindset and mental perspective have a big influence on how we cope with day to day stresses and challenges. In this episode we speak to someone who has an uncanny ability to see things differently - and who can show us a unique view on the world, that might just make everything feel better. John Sanei is an author, speaker and future strategist and has some interesting thoughts on the world, especially what is happening right now ... and where humanity might be headed.
In this episode of Health Matters, we’re taking a look at inflammation. Ryan O' Connor is joined by Dr Ramona Govender, a rheumatology fellow at Groote Schuur Hospital, to talk about a condition that most of us have heard of, but probably don’t know a lot about.
Before last year you were never aware of what your average body temperature was… but boy how that has changed! We now all know what our ‘numbers’ are pretty much daily, and we would certainly be very aware whether we have a fever these days, as it means much more at the moment than it ever did before. Dr Ramona Govender is a rheumatology fellow at Groote Schuur Hospital, and she joins us again on Health Matters to talk more about the intricacies of fever.
"Health is not simply the absence of disease, but a state of higher awareness that opens us to greater wellbeing, creativity, and joy." These are the words of Dr Suresh Vassen, a medical practitioner who has been in private practice for over 25 years, and who is also the Director and Founder of the PRANA Centre of Wellbeing in Cape Town, as well as a Lecturer in Human Excellence, Life Coaching, Yoga Practice & Philosophy, and Integrated Health for both children and adults. He joins us on Health Matters to discuss a different way of looking at how we heal our bodies.
Something that most of us would have experienced at some point is constipation, but for some people it is actually a chronic condition that can affect their daily lives. It's not something that is easy to live with, or talk about - but there are ways to manage and treat it, so that is what we discuss on Health Matters this week with Professor Mashiko Setshedi, Head of Medical Gastroenterology at Groote Schuur Hospital.
More than 60,000 'JEFFers' can't be wrong! In Part 1, Juls and Johno Meintjes introduced us to, ''the world's most supportive fitness community". This time we find out more about living a healthy lifestyle through exercise, nutrition and more. Make sure you listen back to Part 1.
Dr Shaunagh Emanuel is a medical doctor with a special interest in allergy and asthma, and joins us to talk about how these conditions can affect someone throughout their life. In part 1 of a 2 part episode we will look at these ailments in babies and young children.
Have you heard of JEFF? JEFF is described as "the world's most supportive fitness community", where you can sign up for free and get live daily workouts, nutrition guidance and lots more. More than 60,000 'JEFFers' can't be wrong... so we decided to chat to the two people behind this health and fitness movement, Juls and Johno Meintjes.
Online doctor's appointments and wearable tech are just some of the ways that healthcare has gone digital... but what about 3D printing, robotics and augmented reality? Pam Lourenco takes us on a trip into the future on this week's edition of Health Matters.
We all experience pain in many forms - and it’s not always a bad thing. It's an important signal that lets us know when our bodies need extra care. When we sense pain, we pay attention to our bodies and can take steps to fix what hurts. Dr Ramona Govender is a rheumatology fellow in Groote Schuur Hospital, currently training in the diagnosis and management of inflammatory and auto-immune rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases, and she joins us today to chat more about pain in all its various forms.
Remember those good old days ‘Before Covid’… the BC years?
If you got a sniffle or a cough, a sore throat, or even just a headache - there was no panic. You could still drag your poor sick self to work, or the shops.
But now these symptoms might create some alarm, and even if you’re not one to worry - you can’t go anywhere because of those Covid questionnaires. Is it possible to tell the difference between the symptoms of a cold or flu, and the dreaded Covid-19?
In recent years, the term ‘wellness’ has become quite the buzzword in health circles. If you ask Google what it means, here’s what you get: "Wellness is the act of practicing healthy habits on a daily basis to attain better physical and mental health outcomes, so that instead of just surviving, you're thriving."
Now that sounds like something everyone should be striving for right? But how does one actually attain it?
Wellness and health - it’s kind of a bigger deal than ever, but where do you go on this whole wide internet for the best medical advice? And how often are you finding information that takes on a South African perspective? That’s why Cipla brings you Health Matters. This is a series that puts experts from across the medical world right in your earbuds or speakers. Our aim is to provide topical and relevant information on healthcare, with kindness, because Health Matters. Subscribe now to get each new episode as it drops. For up to date information follow: @ryanoconnorza on Twitter. @CiplaRSA on Twitter. CiplaSA on Facebook.