Health Matters SA

In this powerful episode of Health Matters , host Ryan O’Connor is joined by the insightful Dr. Nompumelelo Zenda — widely known as Dr. Gynae — to unpack the critical yet often misunderstood difference between PMS and PMDD. While PMS is common, PMDD is a severe condition that can lead to intense emotional and psychological distress — including anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thoughts. Too m...

Today on Health Matters SA , we’re joined by the inspiring Dr. Nompumelelo Zenda — also known as Dr. Gynae — to unpack the vital but often misunderstood world of hormones. Far beyond reproduction, hormones influence mood, energy, metabolism, and more. Dr. Gynae helps us recognise the signs of imbalance, know when to seek help, and encourages more open, shame-free conversations around women’s hormo...

In this episode of Health Matters , host Ryan O’Connor sits down with Prof. Mike Levin — South Africa’s leading expert in asthma and allergy — to unpack the growing allergy crisis in the country. As head of the Allergy Foundation of South Africa, Prof. Levin shares insights into why allergies like asthma, eczema, food sensitivities, and hives are on the rise, and what can be done to manage them ef...

True well-being isn’t just about achievingexternal success—it’s about finding harmony and peace within. In this episodeof Health Matters, Ryan O'Connor is joined by wellness expert Kanchana Moodliarto uncover the profound impact meditation can have on both the mind and body. Together, they’ll address commonmisconceptions about meditation, such as: Is meditation only for the spirituallyinclined? Do...

Your health is the most valuable asset you have! In this episode, we’re diving into simple but impactful ways to boost your well-being—without making major life changes. We’ll cover everything from how to get the most out of your pharmacy visits to making your specialist appointments more effective. We’re joined by Dr. William Kleynhans, a Medical Advisor at CIPLA with almost 20 years of experienc...

Are your New Year’s resolutions helping or hurting your gut? 🤔🌱 From weight loss and exercise to plant-based eating, some habits can boost digestion—while others might do more harm than good. In this episode, registered dietitian Abigail Da Cruz breaks down the most common gut health mistakes, sneaky habits that sabotage digestion, and simple, sustainable ways to keep your gut happy. Whether you...

HIV remains a major health challenge in South Africa. While infections in children have dropped since the early 2000s, around 270,000 children between the ages of 0 and 14 are still living with HIV. Every year, 10,000 new child infections occur, and 2,100 children continue to die from AIDS-related causes*.  To talk more about this, we're joined by Dr Julia Turner - a medical doctor in the role of...

In this episode of Health Matters, Ryan O'Connor hosts Dr. Shireen Thomas Stark, a counselling psychologist with over 20 years of experience. We'll find out about the rise in anxiety and depression globally and locally, the role our modern lifestyles play and how you can cope. This episode is brought to you by Cipla

According to The World Health Organisation, by 2015 the world's population of people aged 60 years and older will reach 22. 1 billion. The number of persons aged 80 years and older are expected to triple between 2020 and 2050, to 426 million. On Health Matters Dr. Ade Wentzel will be discussing the benefits of NAD+ supplements, their impact on healthy ageing, and how we start to prepare now to ens...

It’s that time of year again, where so many of us are walking around sneezing and wheezing with our eyes running! Allergy season is here, and today we’re going to learn more about Allergic Rhinitis -the causes and the cures. To help with that, we have Dr Corli Lodder back with us. Dr Lodder is the founder of the Allergy and Asthma clinic in George, in the Western Cape. She is a GP with a special i...

The guest on the latest Health Matters is a highly accomplished and talented rally driver who has made a name for himself in the world of motorsport.  Jon Williams is a 2x Western Province Rally champion, won the World Pirelli Young Drivers Championship in 2009, and has South African colours for Motorsport. He also works as a precision driver for major car brands in international TV commercials an...

Ensuring patients take their medication as prescribed is vital for managing chronic illnesses and improving health outcomes. To discuss the importance of adherence, the challenges people face and how to overcome these obstacles, we're joined by Dr Craig Nossel co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Evia Health. Evia Health use technology, behavioral economics, and data to empower patients to...

A popular topic on Health Matters is gut health. Joining again is registered dietitian, Abigail Da ⁠Cruz⁠ to look at how your gut also impacts on your mental health.

Gut health is a vast topic that we cover so often on Health Matters, simply because it is so crucial to so many aspects of our well-being. Today however we ask, what are we doing wrong when it comes to gut health? To help answer this and to set us right is registered dietitian, Abigail Da Cruz and she will share the most common gut health mistakes she sees patients make and will give you guidance...

In this episode of Health Matters, Ryan chats to one of his favourite athletes, Richard Murray. Richard is an Olympic distance triathlete who has represented South Africa at Two Olympic Games. Over the years he has smashed records and pushed his body to it's limits. Find out how he keeps motivating himself to achieve greatness.

Ever wonder why our bodies sometimes go into full-blown protest mode, setting off a wave of inflammation that never stops? If you're one of the hundreds of thousands of South Africans who suffer from chronic inflammation, this episode of Health Matters is going to help you understand how NAD+ levels might hold the key to calming those fiery immune responses. To help unpack this is Dr Adrian We...

A great friend of this podcast joins us once again to reveal some exciting plans for The Daily J in 2024. Johno Meintjes, is a fitness guru who has worked with some of the biggest brands in sport locally and globally and joins Ryan to talk about his biggest passion, helping others achieve their fitness goals. This episode is brought to you by Ultimag Advanced.

The COVID-19 pandemic will always be a post-script in our collective lived experience. While for the most part it is an experience we can mostly confine to the history books, Long COVID has lingered long after the multiple waves if infection. From fatigue and shortness of breath to cognitive issues – it’s a complex and challenging condition. It’s also so difficult to get an accurate picture of its...

Often when we think of simulation in healthcare, our minds gravitate towards technical skills or how to handle specific medical equipment. However, simulation in healthcare is so much more than that. To discuss that is Dr. Marvin Jansen who holds a PhD in Health Sciences Education and an MPhil in Emergency Medicine. He also has extensive experience in training the next generation of healthcare her...

This episode is brought to you by Sha’p Left. For many people, especially those living in peri-urban and rural areas, access to quality, affordable primary healthcare services pose a significant challenge. Existing medical facilities are often over-burdened and congested and may be difficult and costly to reach. Sha’p Left is a patient-centered, cost aware, nurse driven primary healthcare service...

Did you know that Allergic Rhinitis is one of the most common chronic medical conditions, and THE most common chronic disease in children? Dr Corli Lodder is the founder of the Allergy and Asthma clinic in George, in the Western Cape. She is a GP with a special interest in allergic disease, and a member of The SA Allergic Rhinitis Working Group - a focus group of the Allergy Society of SA… and she...

Dr. Conrad von Hagen is an esteemed medical doctor in the sporting world, but one of the most common questions he receives from his general patients is about the subject of pain. In this final episode of the series with the good doctor, we discuss the topic of pain.

Our series with Dr. Konrad von Hagen continues on Health Matters and in this episode the World Cup winning doctor talks to us about inflammation and how to manage it.

More pressure is being placed on student athletes than ever before. The potential rewards sometimes lead parents to make decisions that could potentially harm the health of their teenagers forever. In this episode of Health Matters, we will be discussing the management of the health of our school-going sports stars with Dr. Konrad von Hagen, a renowned doctor who worked with the victorious Springb...

Sport is big business and places unique pressures on the medical practitioners involved. In this episode of Health Matters we're going to look at a topic that sits at the intersection of athlete welfare and the pressures of performance. Joining us is Dr. Konrad von Hagen, a renowned doctor to the victorious Springbok team of 2019 and we'll be exploring how you go about preventing illness i...