Gender

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.

We want to hear from you!

Now that we've wrapped the first season of My Amazing Body, we want to know what you thought of it. What did you like, what do you think we should change next season, and what topics would you like to hear? We'd greatly appreciate it if you could spare a few minutes to fill out our survey and let us know your feedback. You can fill it out the survey here: qld.health/mabsurvey Who knows, your idea could become our next episode!

The Brain

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.

The Arteries & Veins

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.

The Thyroid

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.

The Testicles

Did you know that the word avocado was derived from the Aztec word for testicles? Most Queenslanders are more familiar with the inside of an avocado than the inner workings of the testicles - in this episode of My Amazing Body we're joined by paediatric surgery fellow at Queensland Children's Hospital Dr Annie Roberts to correct this imbalance. Find out how the testicles are formed, how they develop in childhood and puberty, when testicular pain is an emergency and the answer to the most divisive question of all: boxers or briefs? Whether you've got testicles yourself, or you're a wife, partner, mother or friend of someone who does, this episode is packed with fun facts and important tips for optimum testicular health.

The Adrenals

Are you an adrenalin junkie? Learn all about the little glands that produce adrenalin, as well as cortisol and a whole bunch of other hormones, in this episode of My Amazing Body. Endocrinologist Dr Tom Dover joins us to explain the important role these glands play in your day-to-day health, how they control your fight or flight response, and the conditions that might change how well they work. Queenslander Natalie talks about how her fight or flight response is triggered by a fear of public speaking, and Inspector Corey Allen from Queensland Police Service shares some of the methods he uses to train police officers to manager their adrenalin on the job.

The Kidneys

Learn all about your kidneys in this episode of My Amazing Body. Nephrologist Dr Vishwas Raghunath explains where the kidneys are, what they do, and how to prevent kidney disease. Kidney donation recipient Angela shares her touching story about receiving a kidney from her father.

The Ears

Join us for a fascinating deep dive into how your ears work with clinical audiologist Dr Janice Wu. Find out how your ears turn soundwaves into hearing, what role your ears play in balance and how you can protect your hearing health. Author Jessica White shares her experience of growing up deaf, while Queensland man Dion talks about his experience with labyrinthitis.

The Skin Microbiome

This episode of My Amazing Body introduces you to your skin microbiome. What do the bugs on your skin do? Are they helpful or harmful? Listen to find out.