Health For Mzansi Podcast

For the month of June we will be exploring the different professions in the medical field. For episode 94 we will be chatting to Nompumelelo Blakfesi, but for this chat sister Blafesi, who is a midwife currently working at Mowbray Maternity Hospital, with an 8 year experience. She obtained her first Nursing diploma at Cape Peninsula University Of Technology, then recently graduated at the same ins...

Ever heard of the term safety parenting? Don’t worry In this, because in this week’s discussion we cover all things regarding safety parenting with the help of Shanell Brandt, who is a full time Child protection social worker in the Northern Cape. Shanell explains that these circumstances are extraordinary, but is much needed when a child or children is exposed to unsafe and abusive environments a...

Today’s discussion is one of those hard topics, but yet  a very real and sad reality that some females have experienced. As you know for the month of May we are focusing on all things motherhood, trying to unpack every corner and aspect of this varied theme and term that we all know and love. It is a reality that some females are introduced to motherhood in ways that have been abusive&nb...

For episode 91 we are shedding the light on mothers that are in the medical field. We know that being a mother requires so much , so imagine adding late night shifts and crazy working hours…..Not a good mix if you ask me. To give us more insight ,we have Dr Chanell Marthinussen who proudly wears the titles doctor, entrepreneur wife and mother. We explore and discuss the challenges faced by the wor...

On this podcast episode we chat to Julie Mentor, leader of Embrace, a national movement for supported and empowered motherhood in South Africa. We unpack the complexity of motherhood and how civil society can partner with government and the public sector to create spaces that allows mothers to thrive. Irrespective of how the term motherhood is perceived or experienced there is a common thread and...

It is National Immunization Week, from 24 to 30 April. In light of this we decided to open the chat about all things immunization, which gives us an opportunity to discuss and explore the importance of immunization in protecting and saving lives. Contributing to the discussion is Pumla Ntlabati SBC/RCCE Consultant for UNICEF South Africa. In the podcast discussion, Ntlabati cannot emphasize more t...

In this discussion we elaborate on the topic of colourism, which is the prejudice or discrimination against individuals with a dark skin tone, typically among people of the same ethnic or racial group. Through this conversation we will be exploring aspects of identity,self-acceptance/love and social trends. Joining the conversation we have Khethang Morimoholo, a young and driven pageant model, hig...

Today we continue discussion of beauty within, literally looking and focusing on what we put in our bodies! In other words...what we eat. Now I know a question you might have is how do we connect the simple act of eating or food to cultivating beauty with in....to help us answer that question we have the inspiring Dr Lebogang Masekela joining the chat with us today! Dr. Lebogang developed a passio...

In this edition, we give you the inside scoop of inner beauty. We are a society focused on what we see, and the proof is evident in the amount of money we spend on make-up, clothes, trendy hairstyles, and even cosmetic procedures. Now there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to look good and presentable, however we cannot neglect on what is going on internally. We are joined by Claudia Van S...

Cansa ambassador and prostate cancer survivor David Pasipanodya (73) believes says that if you still think cancer is “a women’s” illness, you would be sorely mistaken.  Pasipanodya was first diagnosed with prostate cancer while living abroad in Sydney Australia in 2006. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in South African men. An estimated one in 23 men will develop prostate...

Our guests today are sleep specialists from the University of the Witwatersrand’s school of physiology, Drs Stella Lacovides and Karine Scheuermaier who are to answer some of our most frequently asked questions about sleep. If you have occasional sleep paralysis, you can take steps at home to control this disorder. Start by making sure you get enough sleep. Do what you can to relieve stress in you...

Over 100 teenage mothers in South Africa gave birth on Christmas and New Year’s Day this year. This figure from the National Health Department has sounded the alarm for local healthcare authorities. On this week’s episode of the Health For Mzansi podcast we chat to experts, Dr Mthembeni Tebelele, Steve Letsike and Lucy Khofi about the teen pregnancy pandemic in Mzansi. Tebelele is a celebrity gene...

On this episode of the Health For Mzansi podcast, a friend in crisis pleads with parents to ensure that their children are vaccinated against HPV. The Integrated School Health Programme with the joint efforts of the Departments of Health, Basic Education and Social Development has a Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccination Programme running in South Africa. HPV is a very common virus. The...

Talking about your sexual needs can help bring you and your partner closer together and promote sexual fulfilment says sex positivity advocate Chérie Adendorff. She joins this episode of the Health For Mzansi podcast to help us understand desire, and why effective communication is best in bed. The birds and the bees get it on, and men do it at any time. But for women to have sex, there needs to be...

Oral sex is great and all, but it can also spread disease. Gross, we know. But think about it oral sex puts you into contact with skin and fluids, any of which can contain disease carrying bacteria. And spitting out this kind of bacteria will not protect you from infection. In part two of the Health For Mzansi podcast on intimacy, Gqeberha’s Dr Mthembeni chat shares his insights on safe oral sex a...

We all want connection. We all want to be seen, to be truly known, to be treasured and feel valued. As women, (and men) we especially look for this in relationships and sometimes fall into the trap of trying to make a physical relationship into an intimate one. Well, it takes intimacy to build a long-lasting relationship in the sack and beyond. This according to celebrity doctor, Dr Mthembeni Tebe...

Over-the-counter (OTC) medication can be purchased without a prescription.  It is easy to buy and the abuse of OTC often goes unnoticed. On this episode of Sisters Without Shame, a concerned parent in crisis needs answers to battle her son’s addiction to lean or purple drank. Social worker, Denise De Beer shares her insights on combating addiction to over the counter medications. De Beer is a...

Failure is a part of life, and we must learn to accept it says educational psychologist Sandile Radebe. He joins this week’s episode of Sisters Without Shame to share insights on the psychological impact of failure and how to deal and move on. Failure is real, and it hurts, it also cuts deep and can separate those who go on to achieve success and those who give up and turn their back he says. Fail...

On this week’s episode of the Sisters Without Shame podcast, a curious friend in crisis says that he is ready to test the vegan waters, but rather confused about where to start. So, we hooked up with communications for ProVeg International in Mzansi, Arleen Nel, to give clarity on plant-based lifestyles. ProVeg International is a food awareness organisation with the mission to reduce the global co...

Worried about the New Year? Mzansi, finding yourself tired of the endless “New Year, New You” messages? Well, Jozi clinical psychologist Danielle Broadley has some tips to help you feel more prepared and less anxious about this year. She shares her advice for dealing with New Year anxiety and more on this episode of Sisters Without Shame. Through her private practice in Johannesburg, Broadley aims...

On this episode of Sisters Without Shame, a friend in crisis says that she is living in constant pain and suspects that she might be suffering from uterine fibroids. Uterine fibroids are benign tumours that grow in and around the walls of the uterus. Pretoria-based diagnostic and interventional radiologist Dr Andrew Lawson, shares his insights and advice for the management of uterine fibroids. Law...

The festive season is usually a time of joy and celebration, but for many it is the one time of the year where they can no longer run away from two “despicable guests”: stress and depression. On this week’s episode of Sisters Without Shame, Paarl-based clinical psychologist Luc Scheepers shares some tips for coping with stress, anxiety and depression in the...

Drug and alcohol abuse take their toll on thousands of South Africans every day, but no matter how hopeless the situation seems, it is never too late to turn things around by seeking help. On this week’s episode of Sisters Without Shame, Samantha Lehoko shares insights into her journey of sobriety after battling addiction.  Through the 12-step program Lehoko was able to turn her life around....

The same way you nurture and foster healthy, loving relationships with family, friends, and lovers, you need to do the same with the food you eat. A good relationship with food means giving yourself unconditional permission to eat the foods that make you feel good physically and mentally, says Gqeberha clinical dietitian Roslyn van Schoor. Van Schoor joins registered dietitian and spokesperson for...

While antiretroviral treatment is not a cure for HIV, these pills can reduce the amount virus living in the body of a person living with HIV. On this week’s episode of Sister’s Without Shame, women’s health activist, Lucy Khofi unpacks the triggers behind defaulting HIV treatment in Mzansi. According to Khofi, the burden of HIV is disproportionately higher among women of reproductive age. ARV drug...