Happy to Health with Dr Preeya – Details, episodes & analysis

In this final bonus episode before we start recording the new season, Dr Preeya chats to two of her oldest and best friends about life, ageing, the juggle, and why it's ok that Preeya never remembers their birthdays.

Lots of giggles in this one.

We invited kids to ask their medical questions and here are the answers.

From why we need vaccines to how germs get into our bodies, what the heck an appendix is and the big one, why needles hurt.

Dr Preeya has all of the easy to understand answers for these very clever questions. 

Joining Preeya to ask the questions (and give one or two answers) is her daughter "Stevie".

This is a great episode for the school holidays, a long drive or just passing the time at home. 

What does your skin actually need and what is just an overhyped waste of your time and hard earned money?

Retinol, toners, cleansers, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, chemical peels, AHA, BHA (ahhh what do these terms even bloody mean?!)

Dermatologist Dr Cara McDonald lets Dr Preeya pick her brains (for her personal interest but also to help you friends) so we can figure out where our pennies are best spent, what the evidence says and what ACTUALLY works.

This episode is a serious game changer filled with golden nuggets to navigate the skin care aisles with confidence.

*Please note this episode focuses on skin care and active ingredients and does not cover injectables (that needs its own episode entirely!)

The discussions in this podcast are general in nature and do not replace the need for you to see a qualified health professional for any concerns you may have. 

Guest:

Dr Cara McDonald - Dermatologist

Instagram: ⁠⁠@doctor.preeya.alexander⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

@drcara_dermatologist

Books: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Eat, Sleep, Play, Love⁠⁠⁠⁠ by Dr Preeya Alexander⁠

Preeya's new book ⁠⁠Full Plate⁠⁠ is out now!

Do you wonder every month what is and isn't normal when it comes to period pain?

It's time to feel empowered to say “nope I’m not putting up with this sh*t anymore” as obstetrician/gynecologist Dr Mei Cheah joins Dr Preeya to bust all the societal expectations when it comes to period pain, PMS and all the rest.

Period pain 101 - it’s basically a biology lesson with 2 mates; when should you see your GP, what can you expect, does everyone need a referral to a gynecologist, is laparoscopy the only way to diagnose endometriosis? Plus plenty of practical tips on managing period pain even if there is no underlying cause found (yes, there are things you can do and no you do not need to put up with it).

The discussions in this podcast are general in nature and do not replace the need for you to see a qualified health professional for any concerns you may have. 

Guests:

Dr Mei Cheah - Obstetrician/Gynaecologist

Instagram: ⁠@doctor.preeya.alexander⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

@drmeicheah
Books: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Eat, Sleep, Play, Love⁠⁠⁠ by Dr Preeya Alexander⁠

Preeya's new book ⁠Full Plate⁠ is out now!

Friends, it's time for a short break so that we can escape the winter before we get cracking on a bunch more episodes for the rest of the year.

I'll be back on 5 August to talk about evidenced based skin care with an actual dermatologist (because we are all about debunking the wonky info that's out there). And in the meantime enjoy our chat with Obstetrician/Gynaecologist Dr Mei Cheah all about period pain.

Links:

Instagram: ⁠@doctor.preeya.alexander⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Books: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Eat, Sleep, Play, Love⁠⁠⁠ by Dr Preeya Alexander⁠

Preeya's new book ⁠Full Plate⁠ is out now!

Trying to feed a fussy eater can make even the most confident parent feel like they're failing. But (and hopefully this comforts you) it’s actually very common. Some fussiness can be a normal part of child development.

Dr Preeya chats to Alex Fili, accredited practicing dietician (working with Karitane in NSW) and mother of fussy eaters (not dragons).

Preeya and Alex provide practical tips on preventing and managing fussy eating (if it happens to rear its head in your home) whilst also sharing their own tumultuous journeys with their kids and food. Lots of practical takeaways and reassurance - just what the fatigued soul dealing with fussy eating needs.

The discussions in this podcast are general in nature and do not replace the need for you to see a qualified health professional for any concerns you may have. 

Guest:

Alex Fili, Accredited Practicing Dietician

Links: 

• Parenting Tips for Toddlers from Karitane NSW ⁠https://karitane.com.au/stores/_sharedfiles/Brochures/Digital_Toddlers_Brochure_V2_(19Aug22)_Karitane.pdf⁠

• Eat for Health recommended serves for chilfren, adolescents and toddlers ⁠https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/recommended-number-serves-children-adolescents-and-toddlers⁠ 

  Instagram: ⁠@doctor.preeya.alexander⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

  @themummawellnessjourney

  Books: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Eat, Sleep, Play, Love⁠⁠⁠ by Dr Preeya Alexander⁠

  Preeya's new book ⁠Full Plate⁠ is out now!

Diet culture is a problematic beast and when you know how to spot it, you’ll start to see it everywhere.

There are so many "aha" moments in this chat with Helen Bird, the Acting Head of Prevention at the Butterfly Foundation as she joins Dr Preeya to dissect diet culture - what it looks like, why it’s dangerous and how to combat it. 

They chat about parenting (and the powerful practical things you can do every day to reduce the impact of diet culture on your children), diet culture in the wellness industry and personal experiences with the beast.

*Please note this episode does not discuss eating disorders (that's a whole other conversation). Here we focus on diet culture and its impact.

The discussions in this podcast are general in nature and do not replace the need for you to see a qualified health professional for any concerns you may have. 

If this episode raises any concerns for you please check in with a qualified health professional like your GP or psychologist.

Guest: Helen Bird - Head of Prevention at The Butterfly foundation

Links: https://butterfly.org.au/

Instagram: @doctor.preeya.alexander⁠⁠⁠⁠

@thebutterflyfoundation

Books: ⁠⁠⁠Eat, Sleep, Play, Love⁠⁠ by Dr Preeya Alexander⁠

Preeya's new book Full Plate is out now!

Tantrums, sensitivites, trouble listening: many parents will wonder if their kids' behaviour is typical or a sign of autism or ADHD.

Dr Preeya chats to developmental pediatrician and mother of three Dr Anisha Pillay about neurodivergence - what is it?

What signs might prompt you to check in with a qualified health professional? 

And what does “seeing a GP or pediatrician” actually look like?

Whilst Preeya and Anisha share plenty of practical titbits on this huge topic (with a focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder) they also provide a big dose of reassurance - there is no “normal”.

The discussions in this podcast are general in nature and do not replace the need for you to see a qualified health professional for any concerns you may have. 

Guest: Dr Anisha Pillay - Thrive Paediatrics

Links: ASDetect App https://asdetect.org 

Instagram: ⁠⁠@doctor.preeya.alexander⁠⁠

Books: ⁠⁠Eat, Sleep, Play, Love⁠ by Dr Preeya Alexander⁠

⁠Preorder ⁠Full Plate⁠⁠, out 1 May

Life will throw a lot of challenges at you that may not seem medical, but as a GP, Dr Preeya is often just there to listen.

Preeya and Megan Burslem (host of Classic Breakfast on ABC Classic) met through work and had a clash of souls (yep, it’s a thing - we think!). Two humans discussing everything from the pressures on women (from diet culture, family planning and relationships) to mental health (and yes there are some tears so be warned)

If any of the topics raised in this episode are confronting for you please see a qualified health professional like your GP or psychologist, or seek help through organisations such as Lifeline (13 11 14). You are not alone.

The discussions in this podcast are general in nature and do not replace the need for you to see a qualified health professional for any concerns you may have.

Guest:

Megan Burslem

Links:
Martha Argerich plays Ravel Concerto in G 2nd mvt

Instagram: ⁠@doctor.preeya.alexander⁠ @meganburslem

Books: ⁠Eat, Sleep, Play, Love by Dr Preeya Alexander⁠

Preorder ⁠Full Plate⁠, out 1 May

Go behind the operating theatre curtain with a GP, an anesthetist and a surgeon. Drs Will, Ash and Preeya answer all the sh*t you’ve wondered about; who is actually in charge (the surgeon or the anesthetist?), do people wake up mid operation, what happens if you lie about fasting? (Seriously DO NOT lie about fasting!) And what worries them most when it’s someone they love going under? 

The discussions in this podcast are general in nature and do not replace the need for you to see a qualified health professional for any concerns you may have. 

Guests:

Dr Ash Dash - Anaseshetist

Dr Will Alexander - Hand, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon + Spunky Husband

Links:

Instagram: ⁠@doctor.preeya.alexander⁠

Books: ⁠Eat, Sleep, Play, Love by Dr Preeya Alexander⁠

Preorder ⁠Full Plate⁠, out 1 May