Remote mental health focuses on how people living outside major cities can access timely, effective and culturally appropriate care. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Hazel Dalton, whose research explores mental health promotion, suicide prevention and innovative service models in rural and remote communities. Hazel’s work bridges research and practice, highlighting how community-led approaches, workforce support and place-based solutions can strengthen mental health outcomes where services are limited and distances are vast.

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Social prescribing connects people to non-clinical supports that address loneliness, isolation, connectedness and well-being, reshaping health beyond medicine. In this episode, Dr Dragana Vidovic, co-author of a major systematic review on its impact, explains how this holistic, person-centred approach empowers individuals and strengthens communities.

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Scientists have developed an app that helps improve nutrient assessment, helps identify potential micronutrient deficiencies, and supports better-targeted nutrition programs. Smartphone photos, voice notes, and wrist sensors accurately capture diet, improving nutrient assessment and guiding better health decisions, especially in vulnerable communities.

Professor Tracy Burrows is a nationally recognised nutrition scientist whose innovative work is transforming how we understand what people eat.

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On this edition we’re joined by paediatric nutritionist Mandy Sacher, one of Australia’s leading experts in children’s nutrition and healthy eating. Mandy is the founder of Wholesome Child, an organisation dedicated to improving family nutrition through education, practical tools, and evidence-based guidance. She’s also a bestselling author and a passionate advocate for making healthy eating accessible and achievable for every household.

Recently, a new study has revealed that food labelling is major blind spot in Australian parenting. Many parents believe they’re making healthy choices for their children, but packaging claims and confusing ingredient lists often tell a different story. Mandy has long argued that our current labelling system can be misleading, masking high sugar, sodium, and additive levels behind “natural” or “wholesome” marketing.

She’ll help us unpack what’s really in the foods we buy for our kids, how to read labels more critically, and what changes are needed to make food information clearer and more honest. Whether you’re a parent, carer, or simply someone who wants to understand what’s on your plate, Mandy’s insights will shed light on the hidden pitfalls of packaged foods, and how we can empower families to make healthier, more informed choices.

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Associate Professor Jodie Ingles leads Australia’s National Registry for Genetic Heart Disease, bringing together patients and families to improve diagnosis, treatment and understanding of inherited heart conditions through cutting-edge genomic research.

Prof. Ingles and her team at the Garvan Institute are researching the genetic causes of inherited heart diseases, such as cardiomyopathies and arrhythmias, which can lead to sudden cardiac death. Their work focuses on identifying the underlying genetic mutations that put individuals and families at risk, using advanced genomic sequencing and data from the National Registry for Genetic Heart Disease.

By combining genetic insights with clinical information, they aim to improve diagnosis, guide personalised treatment, and inform family screening. The team also studies how families experience and respond to genetic testing, helping to shape better care and counselling for affected Australians.

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On this edition, Dr Kerri Gillespie from Queensland University of Technology’s School of Clinical Sciences discusses how your dinner might shape your mood. She breaks down new research from the Translational Research Institute in Brisbane showing the links between veggies, sugar, and fibre—and your mental health—and identifies some changes worth trying in what you eat.

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This edition looks at the findings of report from The George Institute for Global Health in partnership with the Liptember Foundation, Australia’s leading organisation dedicated to advancing women’s mental health. The study, Beyond the Surface 2024, reveals that rates of poor mental health among Australian women remain alarmingly high. More than half report symptoms of depression, and nearly as many struggle with anxiety. For younger women, pressures around body image have climbed sharply, while Indigenous women are experiencing disproportionately high levels of PTSD.

These findings highlight not only the personal toll of poor mental health, but also the systemic barriers that prevent many women from getting the care they need — whether that’s the cost of treatment, stigma, or a healthcare system that isn’t always designed with women in mind.

To help us unpack this, Graham Wilson talks with Professor Bronwyn Graham, lead researcher and mental health expert at The George Institute for Global Health where she is Director of the Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine, and a Professor in the School of Psychology at UNSW Sydney.

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High blood pressure is often called the “silent killer” because it has no obvious symptoms, yet it’s a leading cause of stroke and heart disease. To help us understand more, we’re joined by Trent Williams, Clinical Nurse Consultant in Cardiology at John Hunter Hospital, and Conjoint Senior Lecturer at the University of Newcastle.

The good news is that there are simple steps people can take to lower their risk, and many of them start at home. Despite the risks, many people don’t get their blood pressure checked often enough, and awareness in the community remains patchy.

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