Clinical problems related to the integument are very common and contribute up to 15% of all general practitioner presentations. Humans are predisposed to a multitude of skin diseases ranging from acne and atopic dermatitis to psoriasis, autoimmune diseases such as SLE, vasculitis, skin cancers, viral exanthems, drug eruptions and external manifestations of internal disease - which in the gastroenterology world have erythema nodosum and pyoderma gangrenosum as interesting examples of these.

Clinical problems related to the integument are very common and contribute up to 15% of all general practitioner presentations. Humans are predisposed to a multitude of skin diseases ranging from acne and atopic dermatitis to psoriasis, autoimmune diseases such as SLE, vasculitis, skin cancers, viral exanthems, drug eruptions and external manifestations of internal disease - which in the gastroenterology world have erythema nodosum and pyoderma gangrenosum as interesting examples of these.

From the RACGP Health of the Nation report; depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances are amongst the most commonly seen presentations of mental disorders in general practice. About 1 in 8 people in the world live with a mental disorder which often involves significant disturbances in thinking, emotional regulation, or behaviour. 

From the RACGP Health of the Nation report; depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances are amongst the most commonly seen presentations of mental disorders in general practice. About 1 in 8 people in the world live with a mental disorder which often involves significant disturbances in thinking, emotional regulation, or behaviour. 

Over the past decade there has been an emergence of literature pointing to potential clinical benefits for a range of disease states through the adoption of slow breathing techniques. The popularity worldwide of the Wim Hof method adopted from eastern techniques has done much to pique interest.

Over the past decade there has been an emergence of literature pointing to potential clinical benefits for a range of disease states through the adoption of slow breathing techniques. The popularity worldwide of the Wim Hof method adopted from eastern techniques has done much to pique interest. 

The illnesses and medical conditions that early colonial Australians faced has interested me for some time and after hearing a very interesting radio conversation with historian and constitutional lawyer Professor Chris Reynolds I was honoured to have him join our conversation exploring this subject further.

Chris has completed an excellent history of early colonised Australia called What a Capital Idea - Australia 1770-1901 available from Reynolds publishing (link in the show notes below). What a Capital Idea is essential reading for anyone interested in this period of Australian settlement, carefully researched, and written in colourful prose it affords an intimate familiarity with many famous characters, explorers, and events over those years.

The illnesses and medical conditions that early colonial Australians faced has interested me for some time and after hearing a very interesting radio conversation with historian and constitutional lawyer Professor Chris Reynolds I was honoured to have him join our conversation exploring this subject further.

Chris has completed an excellent history of early colonised Australia called What a Capital Idea - Australia 1770-1901 available from Reynolds publishing (link in the show notes below). What a Capital Idea is essential reading for anyone interested in this period of Australian settlement, carefully researched, and written in colourful prose it affords an intimate familiarity with many famous characters, explorers, and events over those years.

Emotional intelligence (EI) also known as EQ, is the ability to perceive, understand and manage emotions in positive ways to communicate effectively, empathise with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict as well as to relieve stress. Emotional intelligence helps build stronger relationships, achieve personal career goals, and interact more positively at work. It gives us an ability to join intelligence, empathy, and emotions to enhance thought and understanding of interpersonal dynamics, guiding our thinking and behaviour. For as in Shakespeare’s Hamlet - 'there is nothing either good nor bad but thinking makes it so'.

In my conversation with expert headache and movement disorder specialist Dr. Michael Eller from Richmond Neurology, I was keen to delve deeper into the realm of chronic primary headaches—specifically, migraine and cluster types. The evolving understanding of the pathophysiology of these headaches and the developing treatment approaches, focusing on inhibiting the neurotransmitter called Calcitonin gene-related peptide, is fascinating. This peptide is inhibited by the 5-HT1D and 1B receptor agonist effect of the triptans, as well as by a new family of CGRP-targeting drugs and monoclonal antibodies developed for the preventive treatment of migraine.

The World Health Organisation estimates that between 2030 and 2050, climate change is anticipated to result in approximately 250,000 additional deaths annually. These fatalities may arise from issues such as malnutrition, and heat stress, as well as diseases like malaria and infectious diarrhea. The impact of a planet warming at a recorded rate of 0.08 degrees centigrade per decade since 1880, accelerating to 0.18 degrees centigrade since 1981, poses threats to human lives and health across multiple dimensions. It's important to note that this statement does not delve into the detrimental potential such warming has on other species. Factors crucial to human survival—such as clean air, safe drinking water, a nutritious food supply, and secure shelter—are all imperilled in a world grappling with climate change. In this podcast, my intention was not to focus on the specific science of global warming and subsequent climate change, but rather on the associated health consequences.

Hypermobile joints were noted by Hippocrates as long ago as 400 BCE and are common, occurring in about 10-25 % of the population. In a minority of patients’ pain and injury results suggest that the clinical findings may reflect a condition referred to as hypermobility spectrum disorder, a polygenic connective tissue syndrome affecting between 1:500 to 1:600 people. This syndrome involves extreme joint flexibility often associated with joint pains, tends to run in families and is more common amongst females. Hypermobility spectrum disorder has been redefined separately from the more stringent diagnostic criteria required for the diagnosis of more extreme hypermobility syndromes such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Marfans disease, Loeys-Dietz or Osteogenesis imperfecta syndromes.

Acid-Base theory is often considered a difficult subject. As long ago as 1962, Creese et al wrote in the Lancet … “There is a bewildering variety of pseudoscientific jargon in medical writing on this subject “My suspicion is that some degree of confusion and thus avoidance of the subject continues to this day. Hopefully, this podcast conversation will resonate with some of our listeners and smooth out any misunderstandings should they exist.

Acid-Base theory is often considered a difficult subject. As long ago as 1962, Creese et al wrote in the Lancet … “There is a bewildering variety of pseudoscientific jargon in medical writing on this subject “My suspicion is that some degree of confusion and thus avoidance of the subject continues to this day. Hopefully, this podcast conversation will resonate with some of our listeners and smooth out any misunderstandings should they exist.

Acute Rheumatic fever (ARF) is a multisystem disease caused by an immunological response to Group A streptococcal infection leading to Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) and is responsible for 250,000 deaths per year worldwide, predominantly in young people. It is estimated that 15 million people across the globe have evidence of Rheumatic heart disease. In Australia, the estimated incidence is reflective of ethnicity with 65 per 100 000 infections among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people compared with 3 per 100 000 for other Australians. Consequently, 92% of the ARF reported is among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, mostly affecting children aged 5-14 years with rates of ARF and Rheumatic heart disease highest across northern and central Australia.