The Health Review

What if your digestive issues, hormonal symptoms, skin problems, brain fog and persistent fatigue are not separate problems — but part of a much bigger picture?In this episode of The Health Review, I sit down with Yalda Alaoui — naturopathic nutritionist, gut health and inflammation expert, and founder of Eat Burn Sleep — to talk about chronic inflammation, SIBO, IBS, gut health, hormones, cortisol, liver health and what it really means to live an anti-inflammatory lifestyle.Yalda’s interest in health began with her own experience of autoimmune illness. After being diagnosed with autoimmune haemolytic anaemia and ulcerative colitis, she spent years researching nutrition, lifestyle and inflammation alongside conventional medical treatment. She later went back to study biomedicine, nutrition and naturopathy, before founding Eat Burn Sleep.In this conversation, Yalda explains why inflammation itself is not the enemy — it is a normal and necessary immune response — but why persistent low-grade inflammation may become problematic when it continues long-term.We also explore why gut health is about far more than food. Yalda talks about the role of stress, cortisol, sleep, movement, social connection and the nervous system, and why trying to fix digestive symptoms with an increasingly restrictive diet can sometimes create problems of its own.We go deep into SIBO and IBS, why gut issues can be so stubborn and recurrent, the importance of gut motility, and why Yalda believes overly restrictive diets should only ever be used carefully and for limited periods.She also shares her own experience of trying low-FODMAP, keto and even the carnivore diet — including why something that initially made her feel incredible eventually stopped working for her.We also discuss the liver and hormonal health, including why liver function matters for women navigating PCOS, perimenopause, fertility, hormonal acne and IVF, as well as the wider relationship between stress, the gut, the brain and the immune system.In this episode, we cover:What chronic inflammation actually isWhy inflammation is a normal and necessary immune responseThe difference between acute and chronic inflammationYalda’s experience of autoimmune illness and ulcerative colitisThe gut–brain connection and nervous system regulationCortisol, stress and inflammationWhy sleep and circadian rhythm matter for gut healthExercise, movement and the gutIBS and why it can be difficult to treatSIBO and why symptoms can keep coming backGut motility and digestive healthThe risks of staying on restrictive diets for too longYalda’s experience with low-FODMAP, keto and carnivore dietsWhy fibre and carbohydrates still matter for gut healthThe relationship between the gut and moodLiver health and hormone metabolismPCOS, perimenopause, fertility and the liverWhy gut health is about much more than foodThe role of mindset and mental wellbeing in chronic illnessHow Yalda approaches an anti-inflammatory lifestyleFind Yalda:Website: eatburnsleep.com Social media: @eatburnsleepSubscribe to The Health Review for honest conversations about gut health, women’s health, hormones, fertility, mental health, fitness, longevity and the future of wellness.This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your own doctor or qualified clinician before making changes to your diet, supplements, medication or treatment plan.A huge thank you to our sponsors Vilgain, whose whole philosophy around clean, real food felt like a perfect fit for this conversation. Head to vilgain.co.uk and use code HEALTHREVIEW for 10% off your order.

Former Headspace meditation teacher Eve Lewis joins The Health Review to explain what meditation really is — and why so many of us think we are doing it wrong.If you have ever used Headspace, listened to Radio Headspace, or fallen asleep to the Headspace Guide to Sleep on Netflix, there is a good chance you have heard Eve’s voice. As one of Headspace’s original meditation teachers and former Director of Teaching, Eve helped shape mindfulness and meditation content used by millions of people around the world.In this conversation, Eve shares the personal story that first brought her to meditation: anxiety, burnout, grief and the feeling that her mind would not switch off. She explains why meditation is not about emptying your mind, why a busy mind does not mean you are bad at it, and how mindfulness can help us move from reacting automatically to responding with more calm and awareness.We also discuss how meditation can support anxiety, sleep, grief, emotional regulation, self-compassion and the inner critic — as well as why practices like walking, running, mindful conversation and even prayer can all become forms of mindfulness.Whether you are completely new to meditation, have tried it and given up, or want to build a practice that actually fits into real life, this episode is a gentle, practical and deeply human guide to coming back to yourself.In this episode, we discuss:Why so many people think they are “bad” at meditationHow Eve discovered meditation during anxiety and burnoutWhat working at Headspace taught her about the mindWhy meditation is not about clearing your thoughtsHow mindfulness helps with overthinking and emotional reactivityThe role of meditation in grief and lossHow to quieten the inner criticWhy self-compassion is central to mental healthHow meditation can support sleepThe simple STOP practice for stressful momentsWhy walking can be a form of meditationHow ancient wisdom can help us navigate modern lifeFollow Eve:@meditatewitheve meditatewitheve.comSubscribe to The Health Review for honest, evidence-based conversations about mental health, women’s health, gut health, hormones, fertility, fitness and the future of wellness.This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you are struggling with your mental health, grief, anxiety or depression, please speak to your GP or a qualified mental health professional.Today's episode is sponsored by Coach Business School — Andy Ramage's world-class coach training programme, which I trained through myself. Use code HEALTH50 for £50 off the Foundation Certificate at: coachbusiness.schoolToday's episode is supported by Totally Derma, the evidence-based collagen drink supplement recommended by dermatologists and cosmetic clinics across the UK. As mentioned in the episode, The Health Review listeners get 15% off their first subscription with code HEALTHREVIEW15 at checkout: https://totallyderma.com/?ref=115

Most of us know that movement matters. But between the conflicting advice, the gym intimidation, the endless content telling us to do more, lift heavier and optimise everything — it's become hard to know what our bodies actually need and how to build something that sticks.In this episode of The Health Review I sit down with Tara Riley — founder of the Tara Riley Method, winner of Best Fitness Instructor London at the Muddy Stilettos Awards 2026 and one of the most respected movement teachers in the UK. Tara spent years working as a TV producer before completely reinventing her career — building a method that blends Pilates, Barre, strength training and dance into something distinctive, and a community of women who keep coming back year after year because of how it makes them feel. She turned 50 this year, was featured in Hello! Magazine for her approach to longevity in movement, and has been managing rheumatoid arthritis throughout her career — turning what could have been a reason not to move into the very foundation of why she does.We cover:Tara's journey from TV producer to award-winning Pilates founderManaging rheumatoid arthritis through movement — what that actually looks like day to dayThe Tara Riley Method — why she needed to create something new rather than just teach one discipline and what makes a hybrid approach so much more effectiveWhy a lot of women are exercising in a way that isn't working for them — the most common mistakes and what to do insteadStrength training for women in midlife — the case for it, how to start and why it matters more than most women realisePerimenopause and movement — what's actually changing in women's bodies in their 40s and how exercise needs to adaptRest and recovery — why high-achieving women find it so hard and why it's actually part of the workMovement as medicine — how to shift from thinking about exercise as an obligation to something that makes you feel strong, capable and aliveWhat turning 50 felt like — and what she knows now about the female body that she wishes every woman understood earlierAbout Tara Riley:Tara Riley is the founder of the Tara Riley Method — a blend of Pilates, Barre, strength training and dance designed for real bodies and real life. Winner of Best Fitness Instructor London at the Muddy Stilettos Awards 2026, she has been teaching movement for nearly two decades and runs classes, retreats and workshops in London and beyond. Find her at https://tarariley.co and @tararileypilates on Instagram.This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your own clinician before making changes to your exercise routine.Topics: pilates London | women's fitness | Tara Riley Method | strength training women | midlife fitness | movement for women | pilates vs reformer | rheumatoid arthritis exercise | women over 50 fitness | perimenopause exercise | barre workout | hybrid fitness | joint friendly exercise | best pilates instructor London | movement as medicine | fitness in midlife | Muddy Stilettos awards | women's movement | pilates for beginners | strength training beginners | longevity movement | movement habits | fitness over 50 | pilates barre strength | women's health fitness | exercise chronic pain | mindful movement | Tara Riley pilatesToday's episode is sponsored by Coach Business School — Andy Ramage's world-class coach training programme, which I trained through myself. Use code HEALTH50 for £50 off the Foundation Certificate at: coachbusiness.schoolToday's episode is supported by Totally Derma, the evidence-based collagen drink supplement recommended by dermatologists and cosmetic clinics across the UK. As mentioned in the episode, The Health Review listeners get 15% off their first subscription with code HEALTHREVIEW15 at checkout: https://totallyderma.com/?ref=115Follow The Health Review: https://www.instagram.com/the.health.review/

The aesthetics industry has spent decades selling us the idea that ageing is something to be fixed. But what if the most important thing you can do for your face is about understanding what's actually happening to it?In this episode of The Health Review I sit down with Dr Maude Calveley — aesthetic doctor at Ouronyx, one of London's most distinctive and thoughtful facial aesthetics clinics.Ouronyx does something almost nobody else in aesthetics does — they use 3D facial scanning, diagnostic photography and a psychological consultation before any treatment is discussed. Because they know that understanding the whole person, and what's actually happening structurally to their face, is where the best outcomes begin.I went in for a consultation myself before recording this — and came out with a completely different understanding of what ageing actually is, what's driving the changes I was noticing and what a sensible, well-educated approach to addressing them looks like. This is the aesthetic conversation I've always wanted to have.We cover:What actually happens to the face as we age — bone resorption, fat pad movement, volume loss and why it's so much more structural than most people realiseWhy the 3D diagnostic approach changes everything — what you see in the data that the naked eye missesThe difference between fillers, biostimulators and skin boosters — and why so many clinics now prioritise stimulating the face's own biology over adding volume externallyWhat biostimulators actually are and how they work at a tissue level Why the pillow face backlash happened and what went wrong in aesthetics — and how the industry is course-correctingToxins explained — what they're actually doing, what they're not doing and where the evidence says they work bestThe psychology of ageing — why Ouronyx incorporates a psychological consultation and what they learn about a person's relationship with their face that changes how they treat themPreventative aesthetics — does starting earlier actually change long-term outcomes or is it more complex than thatWhat the face needs structurally in your 30s versus your 40s versus your 50s — and why the approach should be completely different at each stageWhat ageing gracefully actually means to a clinician working with 3D data every day — and how that's different from the wellness world's version of the phraseMy own consultation at Ouronyx and what it revealed about my skin and facial structureAbout Dr Maude Calveley:Dr Maude Calveley is an aesthetic doctor at Ouronyx, one of London's leading mindful aesthetics clinics. Specialising in biostimulators, structural injectables and regenerative treatments, she takes a diagnostic, education-first approach to facial aesthetics that puts long-term outcomes above quick fixes. Find Ouronyx at ouronyx.com and @ouronyx on Instagram.This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified medical professional before undergoing any aesthetic treatment.Today's episode is supported by Totally Derma, the evidence-based collagen drink supplement recommended by dermatologists and cosmetic clinics across the UK. As mentioned in the episode, The Health Review listeners get 15% off their first subscription with code HEALTHREVIEW15 at checkout:⁠ https://totallyderma.com/?ref=115⁠This week's sponsor, vagus nerve stimulator SONA has offered The Health Review listeners 15% off SONA. Use code THR at checkout or access the discount automatically here:⁠ https://sona.help/?im_ref=SkfXugw-kxy...⁠Follow The Health Review: https://www.instagram.com/the.health.review/

Most of us reach a point where we realise we've been so busy taking care of everything and everyone else that somewhere along the way we lost ourselves. Our health suffered, our identity shifted - and the old version of us that once felt strong, vital and purposeful became someone we could barely remember.In this episode of The Health Review I sit down with Rajni Singh — qualified nutritionist, women's health and fitness coach, Miss Great Britain finalist and founder of a coaching practice that has helped thousands of women rebuild their health, their strength and their sense of self. Rajni's own story is one of the most moving I've encountered. Having moved from Punjab to the UK at 21, married into a joint family and spent years putting everyone else first, she found herself navigating PCOS, depression and chronic pain simultaneously — all while keeping up the appearance of holding everything together. She didn't start her fitness journey until her 40s. And then she completely transformed her body, her mindset and her life — competing in Miss Great Britain as the only South Asian contestant and building a coaching business that now reaches thousands of women around the world.We cover:Rajni's extraordinary personal story — from moving to the UK at 21 to depression, PCOS and chronic pain in her 30s to Miss Great Britain finalist in her 40sWhat depression actually felt like from the insideThe moment she made the decision that changed everything — and what that turning point actually looked likeWhy women lose themselves so gradually that most don't notice until something breaksThe identity shift that makes everything else possible — from operating as someone who is unwell to someone who is becoming wellPCOS — what it really means for metabolism, mental health and long-term wellbeing beyond the standard adviceWhy movement was the thing that saved her when nothing else couldStrength training for women — why it matters more than most women realise and how to start from zero without feeling intimidatedNutrition for women with PCOS — the most common mistakes and what actually worksWhy midlife is not a decline but potentially the strongest and most vital chapter of a woman's lifeThe practical switches that make the biggest difference for women who are time-poor, exhausted and have tried things before that haven't stuckWhat she wishes she had known at 30 — and what she would say to the woman listening who recognises herself in her storyAbout Rajni Singh:Rajni Singh is a qualified nutritionist, women's health and fitness coach and Miss Great Britain finalist. Having transformed her own health after years of PCOS, depression and chronic pain, she now helps thousands of women build strength, confidence and sustainable wellness through her coaching programmes.Find her on Instagram @rajnisingh.official.This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your own clinician before making changes to your health. Today's episode is sponsored by Coach Business School — Andy Ramage's world-class coach training programme, which I trained through myself. Use code HEALTH50 for £50 off the Foundation Certificate at: coachbusiness.schoolToday's episode is supported by Totally Derma, the evidence-based collagen drink supplement recommended by dermatologists and cosmetic clinics across the UK. As mentioned in the episode, The Health Review listeners get 15% off their first subscription with code HEALTHREVIEW15 at checkout: https://totallyderma.com/?ref=115Follow The Health Review: https://www.instagram.com/the.health.review/

How many times have you left a GP appointment without the answers you went in for? Been told your pain is normal, your symptoms are just stress, or that losing weight will sort it out? For millions of women, that experience is not unfamiliar. In this episode of The Health Review I sit down with Dr Reem Al-Shaikh — GP with over 20 years of experience, British Menopause Society specialist and co-founder of the Women's Wellness Clinic. And as it happens, my sister-in-law — which meant this was one of the most honest and personal conversations I've had on the show.We get into the conditions that are still being missed, mismanaged and dismissed across women's healthcare — from endometriosis and PCOS to painful sex and heart health. This is the conversation I wish every woman could have with her doctor.We cover:The systemic dismissal of women's symptoms — and what it's costing women in years of suffering before they get answersEndometriosis — the nine-year average diagnostic wait, the new non-invasive tests now being backed by NICE, and what women with suspected endo should be asking for right nowPCOS beyond the basics — what it actually means for long-term metabolic and cardiovascular health, and why women are still just being told to lose weightThe mental health dimension of PCOS — anxiety, depression and body image that goes largely unaddressed in standard carePainful sex — why it is never normal, what the root causes actually are and how to have the conversation with a clinician who will take it seriouslyWhy women present differently to men with the same conditions — and what that means for diagnosis and treatmentHow to advocate for yourself in a medical system that doesn't always make it easy — what to ask for, what to push back on and when to seek a second opinionThe postcode lottery of women's healthcare — and what needs to change systemicallyWhat Dr Reem wishes every woman in her 30s and 40s knew about her own healthThis episode is for you if:You've been struggling to get answers about endometriosis, PCOS or pelvic pain. You've been told your symptoms are normal when something feels deeply wrong. You want to understand your own health better and feel equipped to advocate for yourself. Or you simply want to hear an honest, experienced women's health doctor speak plainly about what is and isn't working in the system.About Dr Reem Al-Shaikh:Dr Reem Al-Shaikh is a GP with over 20 years of clinical experience and a British Menopause Society specialist. She is co-founder of the Women's Wellness Clinic with clinics in Cambridge and Bishop's Stortford, dedicated to providing women with the comprehensive, compassionate care they deserve.This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your own clinician before making changes to your health.Topics: endometriosis diagnosis UK | PCOS | PCOS and mental health | PCOS and metabolism | painful sex | women's health UK | heart disease in women | women's health dismissal | EndoTest | EndoSure | NICE endometriosis | women's health advocacy | GP women's health | postcode lottery women's health | Dr Reem Al-Shaikh | Women's Wellness Clinic | women's health podcast | PCOS treatment | endometriosis symptoms | pelvic pain | women's health 2026 | advocating for yourself | women's health inequality | PCOS cardiovascular | endometriosis awarenessToday's episode is sponsored by Coach Business School — Andy Ramage's world-class coach training programme, which I trained through myself. Use code HEALTH50 for £50 off the Foundation Certificate at coachbusiness.school.This week's sponsor, vagus nerve stimulator SONA has offered The Health Review listeners 15% off SONA. Use code THR at checkout or access the discount automatically here: https://sona.help/?im_ref=SkfXugw-kxyZWz0TwYRUY2%3AdUkuReuR-SzLO0Q0&sharedid&irpid=7022575&irgwc=1&afsrc=1

Women's health has come a long way in recent years. We're talking more openly about perimenopause, hormones and fertility, yet there is one area that remains surprisingly under-discussed that affects millions of women every single day and sits at the intersection of intimate health, the microbiome, fertility and long-term wellbeing. The vaginal microbiome.In this episode of The Health Review I sit down with Eleanor Gardner — physiotherapist, founder of Pelvic Relief and one of the UK's leading voices in women's intimate health. Eleanor founded Pelvic Relief in 2014 after recognising a significant gap in accessible, evidence-based solutions for women's pelvic and intimate health conditions. She has since acquired VJJ Health and its vaginal probiotics and launched an advanced vaginal microbiome test in partnership with Bio-Me — measuring over 50 key vaginal microbes and giving women the kind of insight into their intimate health that most GP appointments simply don't provide.I also share my own experience of taking Eleanor's vaginal microbiome test — and the silent UTI it uncovered that explained months of unexplained fatigue I couldn't put my finger on.We cover:What the vaginal microbiome actually is — and why it's completely different from the gut microbiomeWhy Lactobacillus dominance matters — and what happens when those protective bacteria declineThe vaginal and bladder microbiome connection — why women with recurrent UTIs often have a reservoir of uropathogens in the vaginal space that keep reinfecting themWhy the bladder is not sterile — and what that means for how we treat and prevent UTIsThe link between the vaginal microbiome and fertility — shorter time to conceive, reduced miscarriage risk and better IVF outcomesWhat a vaginal microbiome test actually involves, what it shows and how to use the resultsHow the menopause devastates the vaginal microbiome — and why genitourinary syndrome of menopause is progressive unlike other menopausal symptomsWhy local oestrogen is one of the most underused and underappreciated tools in women's intimate healthThe products that genuinely help — oral vaginal probiotics, D-mannose, pH-matched lubricants — and what the evidence actually saysWhat to stop using immediately — douching, harsh soaps, anything that promises freshnessPartner testing for BV — why male partners can be asymptomatic carriers and what that means for recurrencePractical lifestyle factors most women have never been told — underwear, thongs, bathing suits, going to the toilet after intercourse Your questions answered — on probiotics versus antibiotics, how the bladder and vaginal microbiome are linked and what to do if probiotics upset your stomachWhere vaginal microbiome testing is headed in the next five years — and Eleanor's hope that it becomes embedded in routine clinical careThis episode is for you if:You've been struggling with recurrent UTIs, BV or thrush and keep getting the same prescription without getting to the root cause. You're on a fertility journey and want to understand every piece of the puzzle. You're perimenopausal or menopausal and noticing changes in your intimate health. Or you just want to understand why the vaginal microbiome matters so much for your overall wellbeing.Find the company at pelvicrelief.co.uk and @pelvicrelief on Instagram.This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your own clinician before making changes to your health.Today's episode is supported by Totally Derma, the evidence-based collagen drink supplement recommended by dermatologists and cosmetic clinics across the UK. As mentioned in the episode, The Health Review listeners get 15% off their first subscription with code HEALTHREVIEW15 at checkout: https://totallyderma.com/?ref=115Follow The Health Review: https://www.instagram.com/the.health.review/

More babies than ever are being born through assisted reproduction. Women are having children later, environmental factors are increasingly affecting fertility, and the world of egg freezing, IVF and embryology is changing faster than most of us realise. But what actually happens inside the lab — and what does every woman need to know before she makes any decisions about her fertility?In this episode of The Health Review I sit down with Emma Whitney — Director of Embryology and Genetics at The Evewell, one of the UK's leading fertility clinics, and winner of the Claire Gillot Prize, the most prestigious award a UK embryologist can receive. Emma spends her days doing something most of us will never see — working with eggs, sperm and embryos in the lab to help people build the families they want.We cover:Who egg freezing is actually for — and why Emma thinks the conversation should be starting much earlier than most women have itThe ideal age to freeze eggs and where the statistics start to shift significantlyHow many eggs you actually need frozen to have a realistic chance of a live birth — the honest numbers most clinics don't lead withWhat happens inside the lab on egg collection day — what Emma is looking for and what makes a good collectionVitrification — the flash freezing process that transformed egg freezing success rates and what it's actually doingGERI time-lapse incubators — the technology The Evewell uses and why continuous monitoring of embryo development changes outcomesEmbryo grading — what it means, how it works and how much a grade actually predicts successPGT-A — preimplantation genetic testing — when to use it, what it reveals and why it matters for implantationEgg versus embryo freezing — the key differences and how to decide which is right for youHow to genuinely optimise egg quality before a freeze cycle — what the evidence says about CoQ10, diet, sleep, alcohol and stressWhat happens when someone returns years later to use their frozen eggs — and the factors that most affect whether it worksThe emotional reality of fertility treatment — what Emma sees in the lab and what she wishes more women knew before they startedThis episode is for you if:You're considering egg freezing and want to understand what actually happens during the process. You're in your twenties or thirties and wondering whether now is the right time to have the conversation. Or you're going through IVF and want to understand what's happening to your embryos in the lab.About Emma Whitney:Emma Whitney is Director of Embryology and Genetics at The Evewell, one of the UK's leading fertility clinics. She is the winner of the Claire Gillot Prize — awarded by the Association of Reproductive and Clinical Scientists for outstanding contribution to embryology education — the most prestigious award a UK embryologist can receive.This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your own clinician before making changes to your health or fertility treatment.Today's sponsor Totally Derma: Today's episode is supported by Totally Derma, the evidence-based collagen drink supplement recommended by dermatologists and cosmetic clinics across the UK. As mentioned in the episode, The Health Review listeners get 15% off their first subscription with code HEALTHREVIEW15 at checkout: https://totallyderma.com/?ref=115Find Emma: htps://www.instagram.com/emmatheembryologist/Follow The Health Review: https://www.instagram.com/the.health.review