Health For Mzansi Podcast

They apologize and promise it won’t happen again. You even wondered if you could possibly be imagining the verbal or physical abuse. Is there ever really a way of knowing that your lover might hurt you? Mara Glennie joins episode 19 of Sisters Without Shame in aid of a friend in crisis from Jacobsdal who asks what the signs of an abuser are.   “There is no vaccine for abuse,” says Glennie who...

On episode 18 of Sisters Without Shame, registered dietitian Eunice Mpehlo explores the benefits of a healthy diet in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. A friend in crisis hopes to better his chances in treatment seeking nutritional guidance. This is information that is often overlooked in his visits to his local clinic.

Always be ready for emergencies, warns paediatrician Prof. Claudia Gray, even if “looking after these little creatures can be quite exhausting.” Gray’s advice comes as the December holiday not only brings some Christmas cheer to new parents, but also anxiety when it comes to child safety. On episode 17 of Sisters Without Shame, Gray unpacks some of the...

On episode 16 of Sisters Without Shame a friend looks forward to the day he will call himself a testicular cancer survivor. Survivorship begins from the moment of diagnosis, says radio and TV personality Mark Pilgrim. He tells men to realize that they need not always be the toughest in the room when faced with the disease. “Not every day is a strong day,” he says. Pilgrim was diagnosed with testic...

On episode 15 of Sisters Without Shame, a friend in crisis says prevention is better than cure – he learned this the hard way following his prostate cancer diagnosis. Men should take nutrition seriously. Pretoria dietitian Jason van Heerden joins this week’s episode with insights on nutrition and the importance of a healthy diet for prostate cancer survival. Good nutrition may help reduce the risk...

On episode 14 of Sisters Without Shame, a friend in crisis says he has recently been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Survivor and CANSA ambassador David Lucas (64) joins us for a heart to heart on the preconceptions, the journey and the road to healing our friend in crisis must face. Prostate cancer need not be a devastating disease and survivors do not have to walk the path to healing alone.&nbsp...

The days of old-fashioned house calls may be over, but amid a global pandemic there is a growing trend towards providing some medical relief in the comfort of patients' homes. On episode 13 of Sisters Without Shame, a friend in crisis from Port Alfred says she is considering the option following a labour scare and fears of catching disease in clinics and medical offices. Sister Sharon Ro...

“Our bodies are beautiful, they are healthy, they give birth, they give life and we do so much besides the pleasure that comes from our bodies. We must look after it, we must nurture it.” On episode 12 of Sisters Without Shame, Mzansi’s queen of epidemiology, Prof. Quarraisha Abdool Karim, unpacks women’s health and the life-saving power of knowledge. Knowing your body and what is normal for...

We will not pretend that menopause is easy: the hot flushes, sleepless nights and anxiety... On episode 11 of Sisters Without Shame, gynaecologist Dr Natalia Novikova helps to frame menopause and how to come to grips with this chapter of womanhood. After a friend from Tshwane tells the Sisters Without Shame that she feels clueless about the “big change” in her life, Novikova helps to patch so...

There is no shame in period, but we do understand why asking some questions may leave you feeling awkward. On episode 10 of Sisters Without Shame, Dr Neelan Pillay comes to the aid of a young friend in crisis who says that her period experiences have been anything but normal. The Knysna teen sent an SOS to the Sisters Without Shame and fears that she might have irregular monthly cycles. Sandton sp...

Many experience signs of food intolerance from time to time and the discomfort lasts for a while. Others have the misfortune of having to eliminate those foods from their diets altogether. This may be the new reality for a friend in crisis in episode nine of Sisters Without Shame. Clinical dietician Bernice Venter joins the Sisters Without Shame to respond to an SOS from a friend in Mahikeng. He f...

Ever wondered what it takes to be a medical doctor in training in Mzansi? The Sisters Without Shame received a question from a friend with her sights firmly set on a career in medicine. Gauteng Dr Moratwe Masima is this week’s guest and unpacks the ins and outs of medical internships. Masima has been a medical intern at the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg for nine months and shares...

There are more factors affecting your ability to climax than you probably realise. In episode seven of Sisters Without Shame, alignment and intimacy coach Nu Davidson has some comforting words for a distressed friend who has never had an orgasm. “You are not broken if you cannot orgasm.” An anonymous writer from Free State reached out to Sisters Without Shame over fears that there might be somethi...

September marks Oral Health Month in Mzansi, a month earmarked to create awareness on the importance of good dental hygiene practices. And in episode six of Sisters Without Shame, Eastern Cape dentist and farmer, Dr Pieter Prinsloo, dispels myths about bad breath this week. The Sisters Without Shame received an emergency SMS from a friend in crisis in Ermelo, who says that she has been struggling...

In episode 5 of Sisters Without Shame, Gauteng clinician Dr Difuro Masemola unpacks telemedicine within the rural context.  Covid-19 has highlighted the need for having telemedicine as a "safety net" to ensure continued access to healthcare services while maximising social distancing. But a friend in Vryburg – and we are sure they're not alone – needs some help unders...

In episode four of Sisters Without Shame Tebogo Mothoana, an HIV/Aids activist from the Free State speaks candidly about his experience living with the treatable chronic illness. After being diagnosed with HIV/AIDS at the age of 25, Mothoana took to social media to spread awareness detailing his journey with the virus. HIV stigma and discrimination affect the emotional well-being and mental health...

In episode three of Sisters Without Shame, we look at men’s health. (They have problems too, you know.) We help a friend in crisis who says that he is very worried following penis complications that stem from getting circumcised. Limpopo general practitioner Dr Vusi Khosa believes that our friend’s age could have been a factor. Circumcision is centuries old and continues to be performed for a vari...

On episode 2 Sisters Without Shame, a friend in crisis in Johannesburg fears she may be at the end of her emotional tether. Pretoria psychologist Lumka Mabo suspects she may be suffering from “burnout." Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant...

In episode 1, "Sisters without shame" attends to a “friend in crisis” from Kimberley who has been suffering with dark discolouration around her neck, arm pits and thighs since she was in her teens. Cape Town-based dermatologist Professor Carol Hlela suspects “friend in crisis” might be suffering from either acanthosis nigricans or confluent and reticulated papillomatosis (CARP). These are two of t...