Well Enough

What does it really mean to navigate womanhood under constant scrutiny? This week on Well Enough, author, DJ and broadcaster Ashley James explains the impossible standards women face.Ashley reveals the truth about misogynistic labels, from the slut-shaming she experienced at an all-boys school to being called 'selfish' both for not having children and then for wanting a life outside motherhood. She shares how becoming a mum forced her to confront her own internalised misogyny - and why birth trauma is dismissed as a 'negative mindset problem' rather than a maternity care failing.We also explore the hidden costs of being a woman, from the £20,000 women spend on menstruation in their lifetime to the double standards that mean female voices are constantly questioned while male commentators speak without proving their credentials.Ashley James’s bestselling Bimbo is available here Follow Well Enough on Instagram here Follow Emilie on Instagram here  Timecodes:00:00 Introduction03:16 The Misogyny Behind Calling Women Influencers05:46 Slut-Shamed at 1408:21 Punished for Having a Woman's Body11:01 Why "Bimbo" Needs Reclaiming14:06 The Impossible Standards of Mothers17:11 Regretting Motherhood20:16 Birth Trauma & the Failure of Maternity Care.22:46 Why C-Sections Shouldn't Be Shamed 26:31 Childcare Costs More Than My Mortgage 28:46 The Pressure to "Bounce Back" After Birth 32:26 Trolls & Misogyny: Refusing to Be Silenced 36:41 The Hidden Cost of Having a Period 40:31 Medical Gaslighting: Why Women's Pain Is Dismissed 43:21 Raising Kids Without Misogynistic Labels

Rosie Viva used to travel the world as a fashion model. It wasn’t until being arrested after a psychotic episode in Stansted Airport that she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. On the week of World Bipolar Day, Rosie joins Emilie on Well Enough to ask: what does the world still get wrong about bipolar, especially for women.Rosie’s book ‘Completely Normal and Totally Fine’ charts her journey with bipolar. She documents mania, depression and recovery all whilst navigating relationships, jobs and her new identity. In today’s episode, she also shares her one rule for drinking on medication, how to manage hypomania without losing the magic, and why thinking she was Susan Boyle for a week taught her family not to challenge delusions.Follow the show:Follow Well Enough on Instagram hereFollow Emilie on Instagram here Useful links:Rosie’s SubstackRosie’s book ‘Completely Normal and Totally Fine’‘Maybe its bipolar?’ test from Bipolar UKSamaritansTimecodes:00:00 What Is Bipolar Disorder? Breaking Down the Basics02:46 Type 1 vs Type 2 Bipolar: Understanding the Difference05:21 Misdiagnosis: When Doctors Miss Bipolar in Women08:16 The Psychotic Episode That Changed Everything10:11 Religious Delusions & Mania: My Breaking Point11:26 Arrested at Stansted Airport: The Baggage Drop Incident13:01 The Shame Around Mental Illness Nobody Talks About15:16 Getting the Right Medication: Why It Takes Time17:26 When Therapy Goes Wrong: My NHS Experience20:01 Managing Hypermania: Practical Tools That Work22:16 Navigating Friendships with Bipolar Disorder24:51 PMDD & Bipolar: The Hidden Connection for Women27:31 Can Women with Bipolar Be Stable? The Answer Is Yes29:56 How to Know If You Have Bipolar: First Steps32:31 Making My Channel 4 Documentary: Telling My Story35:26 Is My Madness Actually Magic? Reframing Bipolar38:01 The Euphoria of Hypermania: Like Astronauts in Space39:21 Drinking with Bipolar: My One Simple Rule

The UK has a nutrition problem, and it's not the one most wellness influencers are shouting about. While TikTok pushes high-protein everything, Britain quietly ranks second-worst globally for fibre intake.Nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert joins Emilie to expose the fibre gap, reveal why Parliament is finally paying attention, and explain how protein hype has distracted us from a genuine public health crisis. Only 4% of Brits meet the 30 gram daily target, and 80% think fibre is just about bowel movements - missing its profound impact on immunity, heart health, brain function, and even longevity.Rhiannon also dismantles dangerous wellness trends, explains why "what I eat in a day" videos are mostly fiction, and shares the changing gender norms behind our lost cooking culture.Follow Well Enough on Instagram hereFollow Emilie on Instagram here Follow Rhiannon on Instagram hereGet Rhiannon’s book ‘The Fibre Formula’ hereTimecodes00:00 The Pressure to Be a Perfect Nutritionist02:46 The Reality of “What I Eat in a Day” Videos 05:46 The UK's Shocking Fibre Crisis 09:16 Why Diet Culture Destroyed Our Relationship with Food12:01 Rhiannon’s journey: Opera Singer to Nutritionist 15:46 Taking the Fibre Fight to Parliament 18:56 Why Fibre Has Had Such Bad PR 22:11 The Protein Hype Has Done Damage 25:21 How to Eat More Mindfully 28:16 Fibre for Immunity, Heart Health & Your Brain32:46 Why Women Lost Cooking Skills35:01 Wellness Trends to Avoid 37:51 Why Social Connection is as Important as Nutrition 40:26 Simple Swaps for Better Gut Health 41:21 Shut Out the Noise 

TV presenter Cherry Healey shares her unexpected perimenopause journey, revealing how debilitating anxiety and heart palpitations at age 40 led her to nearly seek antidepressants, before discovering her symptoms were hormonal.In this conversation, Cherry discusses the misdiagnosis crisis facing women in their forties, the connection between depleting estrogen and UTIs (including her own life-threatening sepsis scare), and why she believes perimenopause is actually "the main event", not menopause itself.Follow the show:Follow Well Enough on Instagram hereFollow Emilie on Instagram here Timecodes:00:00 Perimenopause Hit at 40: Cherry's Story02:11 When Menopause Was Taboo04:01 The Dread That Won't Go Away05:36 Finally Getting Diagnosed07:01 How Misdiagnosis Destroys Women's Lives08:06 Is Perimenopause the Main Event10:06 Perimenopause as a Gift11:21 Why Lifting Weights Changes Everything14:31 Perimenopause Ended My Relationship16:01 Should You Get Your Hormones Tested?17:26 Track Your Cycle to Understand Your Body21:26 The Power of Sleep22:31 UTIs & Perimenopause: The Hidden Link24:26 My UTI Turned Into Sepsis27:01 Advice for Women Turning 4032:21 The Wellness Boom & Longevity38:46 What Makes You Feel Well EnoughFollow Cherry on Instagram here

This week, award-winning BBC broadcaster, journalist and author Emma Barnett joins us to challenge everything we think we know about the newborn bubble. Emma's new book, Maternity Service, tears through the toxic positivity of early motherhood with refreshing - and often hilarious - honesty.From the physical reality of recovering from a C-section to the quiet grief of losing your pre-baby identity, Emma holds nothing back. She also opens up about 21 years without an endometriosis diagnosis, six rounds of IVF, and how she's learned to survive - and thrive - with a chronic pain condition while raising two children and fronting some of the UK's biggest radio programmes.Follow Well Enough on Instagram hereFollow Emilie on Instagram here Timecodes:00:00 Introduction: Why Maternity Leave Is a Lie01:01 What Is Maternity Service? The Book Explained01:31 Six Rounds of IVF and 21 Years Without a Diagnosis02:01 Matrescence: How Your Identity Shifts When You Become a Mother04:10 Can You Ever Really Prepare for Becoming a Mother?05:03 Toxic Positivity in Motherhood06:30 Reframing Motherhood as a Tour of Duty07:35 The Physical Reality: Healing a Broken Body After Birth08:57 C-Sections, Too Posh to Push, and the Stigma of Stomach Surgery09:50 What Is a Hypertonic Pelvic Floor? What No One Tells You11:25 The Loneliness of New Motherhood Nobody Talks About12:22 Identity Loss: Your Maternity Uniform and the Flattening of Self14:01 IVF, Bruising, and the Hidden Uniform of Fertility Treatment16:29 Delayed Gratification: The Survival Skill Every Mother Needs18:20 Perimenopause, Grief, and the Pressure to Have It All21:23 Maternity Discrimination and the Psychology of Being Replaced23:30 Is Boredom on Maternity Leave Normal? Yes, and Here's Why24:40 Writing a Letter to Your Pre-Baby Self26:35 Ready to Talk: Emma's New BBC Podcast on Women's Interior Lives30:50 The Best Books on Motherhood Emma Recommends39:00 Living With Endometriosis: The Diagnosis That Took 21 Years42:20 Endometriosis and IVF: When Getting Pregnant Becomes a Crisis49:30 Emma's Tip for Feeling Well Enough: The Power of MusicEpisodes of Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett are available every Friday on BBC Sounds.Buy Emma’s book Maternity Service - out in paperback March 12th

Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women - yet it still takes an average of eight years to be diagnosed. Why are so many living with debilitating pain for so long?In this episode, Emilie sits down with GP, TV doctor and endometriosis advocate Dr Raj Arora to unpack the reality of living with a chronic condition that is too often dismissed as “just bad periods”.We explore the early warning signs of endometriosis, why painful and heavy periods should never be normalised, and how cultural stigma can delay women from seeking help. Dr Raj also explains how the historical exclusion of women from medical research has shaped everything from diagnosis to pain management - and what needs to change.Follow Well Enough on Instagram hereFollow Emilie on Instagram here Follow Dr Raj on Instagram hereTimecodes:00:00 What Is Endometriosis? 01:15 Endometriosis Explained: What’s Happening in the Body02:55 Why Does It Take 8 Years to Get an Endometriosis Diagnosis?04:00 The Gender Pain Gap & Why Women’s Pain Is Ignored06:05 Dr Raj Arora’s 11 Year Diagnosis Journey09:20 Painful Periods vs Endometriosis: What’s Normal?10:45 Medical Misogyny & The Lack of Women in Research14:35 How to Advocate for Yourself at the GP17:40 Endometriosis Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore20:40 How Is Endometriosis Diagnosed? (Laparoscopy, MRI & Tests)22:05 Endometriosis Treatment Options: Surgery & Hormonal Therapy23:10 Is There a Cure for Endometriosis?24:10 How Common Is Endometriosis in the UK?25:40 Endometriosis, Work & Menstrual Leave28:20 Fertility, Egg Freezing & Why Doctors Take It Seriously31:45 Why Doctors Need Better Training in Women’s Health33:40 Managing Endometriosis: Lifestyle, Diet & Exercise35:00 Natural Pain Relief, Heat Therapy & TENS Machines38:20 Finding Support: Endometriosis Community & Online ForumsResources mentioned in today’s episode:The Endometriosis Foundation helpline 0808 808 2227Symptom Checker to create a letter to take to your GP