IMAGE The Check-in

Longevity is much more than a trend - it is about optimising your health at every stage of life. Recorded live at the recent IMAGE Women's Health Clinic event, this special episode features consultant dermatologist Professor Caitriona Ryan as she breaks down the exact science, nutrition, data tech, and daily lifestyle habits needed to live your best life at every age. Key Takeaways: Nurture vs...

In this episode of IMAGE The Check-in, recorded live at the IMAGE Women’s Health Clinic event at The Conrad Hotel, we unpack the ultimate blueprint to female longevity and optimum health.  Host Melanie Morris sits down with three of Ireland’s leading health professionals – consultant dermatologist Professor Caitriona Ryan , preventive cardiologist Dr. Paddy Barrett , and performance coach John Bel...

In the second half of our deep-dive conversation with medical doctor and neuroscientist Dr Michael Keane , we shift our focus inward.  Dr Keane returns to show us how to master our mindset by making small, powerful adjustments to our daily routines and internal habits. If you are ready to quieten a loud inner critic, overcome the secret fear of being exposed, and build a morning routine that actua...

In the first part of this special two-episode series, we check in with neuroscientist Dr Michael Keane , co-founder and Chief Science Officer at Evolve Neuro. Dr Keane specialises in how the brain functions under pressure, using advanced brain-mapping techniques to make neuroscience practical for everyday life. He’s worked with business leaders, elite athletes and people who want a bigger, better,...

Here comes summer! This month we welcome back Caoimhe McAuley, Director of Pharmacy at Boots Ireland and President of the Union of Pharmacists Ireland to talk all things sun health. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Ireland, with over 11,000 new cases diagnosed annually, so let’s get ahead of the curve and create some super-safe sun habits. Caoimhe has plenty of simple, faff-free tips to sh...

In this essential episode of IMAGE The Check-in, Ellie Balfe sits down with Chartered Psychologist and author Allison Keating for a thoughtful conversation about the pressures women are carrying, often quietly. Together they explore burnout, the mental load, people pleasing, health anxiety and the deep connection between psychological wellbeing and physical health. They talk about why so many wome...

How often do we think of oral health as part of our overall health picture? In this fascinating episode of IMAGE The Check-in, Ellie Balfe is joined by dentist, Dr Bronagh Keane , better known to many on social media, as Ireland’s Tooth Fairy, for a conversation that opens up the much bigger story behind our teeth and gums. They explore why oral health is far more than check-ups and cleanings, and...

Our skin is often treated as something simply aesthetic, something to perfect, correct or preserve. But what if we considered skin as a vital indicator of our overall health? In this fascinating episode of IMAGE The Check-in, host Ellie Balfe is joined by Professor Caitriona Ryan, consultant dermatologist and co-founder of the Institute of Dermatologists, for a wide-ranging conversation about skin...

In this episode, Ellie Balfe is joined by Dr Fiona Keogh, consultant gynaecologist with Blackrock Health, to explore what is really going on when it comes to pelvic health, and why so many women are left unsure of what is normal and what is not. Together, they talk through the symptoms women often normalise, from bladder leaks to a feeling of heaviness or pressure, and why these are not simply thi...

This is an important and compassionate conversation about eating disorders, a topic that is often misunderstood, often hidden, and far more common than many of us may realise.*** Before listening, please note that this episode may be sensitive for some, so if you feel at any point that it is difficult for you, we encourage you to step away and be gentle with yourself. In this episode, I am joined...

Pelvic health is something many women only hear about when something goes wrong. Leaking when you laugh, run, or workout. Or a feeling of heaviness or painful sex. These experiences are incredibly common, yet they are rarely spoken about openly. In this episode of IMAGE The Check-in, host Ellie Balfe sits down with Aoife Harvey , specialist physiotherapist at the Women's Health Clinic Dublin,...

Pregnancy is often described as a natural milestone in a woman’s life. But medically, it is also one of the most complex physiological events the body will ever experience. In this episode, we are joined by Dr Vicky O'Dwyer , Consultant Obstetrician and Director of Gynaecology at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin. Dr O'Dwyer has a special interest in preventing preterm birth and caring for women who...

Did you know that heart disease is the number one cause of death for women? Yet many of us still associate it more strongly with men. Women’s cardiovascular health has historically been under-researched, under-recognised and sometimes under-treated. With hormones influencing risk throughout our lives, our symptoms can look different, and life events such as pregnancy and menopause can significantl...

In this episode of IMAGE The Check-in, host Ellie Balfe is joined by Claire O’Brien, a functional medicine nutritional therapist, for an insightful and grounded conversation about women’s gut health, nutrition and the deep interconnectivity of our body’s systems. Together, they explore how gut health, hormones, metabolism, stress and energy levels are all linked, and why looking at the body in iso...

In this episode of IMAGE The Check-in, host Ellie Balfe is joined by Dr Aisling Loy, Consultant in Sexual Health and Genitourinary Medicine at St James’s Hospital in Dublin. This is an interesting, informative and vital conversation about sexual and genitourinary health, an area of health that affects all of us, yet is still too often surrounded by shame, silence and misunderstanding. Together, th...

In this episode of IMAGE The Check-in, Ellie is joined by Dr Harriet Treacy from Beyond BMI for a thoughtful and compassionate conversation about weight, health and longevity. *** A gentle note for listeners that conversations about weight can be emotionally tender. Healthy weight looks different for everybody, and this episode is grounded in health, wellbeing and longevity rather than appearance....

Do you know the menopause symptom that distresses women the most? In this episode, guest host Leonie Corcoran is joined by GP and women’s health expert Dr Caoimhe Hartley  to decode the hormonal shifts that define every stage of a woman’s life. From the confusion of "brain fog" and the "loss of self" in perimenopause to the truth about HRT and pelvic health, this conversation s...

Is your body speaking a language you don’t understand? To open Season Two of IMAGE The Check-in , guest host Leonie Corcoran talks to nutritional therapists and founders of Gigi Supplements Jennie Haire and Lisa Hughes about cycle syncing, sleep foundations, post-partum nourishment and breaking the hustle culture stress cycle.  Key highlights: The Stress Trap: Why your brain treats an inbox like a...

In this episode, Ellie Balfe is joined by neuroscientist and psychologist, Dr Sabina Brennan , to explore what really happens to the female brain throughout our lives, from hormonal changes in menopause to the impact of stress, loneliness, and lifestyle on long-term cognitive health. They discuss why women are more at risk of dementia, how oestrogen loss affects memory and focus, and the small, po...

This week on IMAGE The Check-in , preventive cardiologist Dr Paddy Barrett joins Ellie Balfe to explore what every woman needs to know about heart health. Dr Barrett explains his work in risk evaluation and why understanding your personal numbers is the most powerful step in prevention. Together, they unpack why heart disease remains the leading killer of women, how symptoms differ from men, and w...

In this important episode, Ellie Balfe sits down with Dr Shona Tormey to talk about the full spectrum of breast cancer. Together, they explore everything from detection and screening through to diagnosis, treatment options, survivorship, lifestyle and prevention. Whether you are in your twenties, forties, or post-menopausal, this conversation will give you knowledge, reassurance, and practical gui...

In this episode of IMAGE The Check-in, host Ellie Balfe sits down with GP Dr Sonja Bobart of D4 Medical in Dublin to take listeners on a journey through women’s health from head to toe. Together they explore the body as a connected system - from mood and hormones to heart health, gut balance, pelvic care, sleep, and stress. The conversation is full of warmth, wisdom, and practical expertise, offer...

What really happens when our hormones are in (or out of) balance, and how much control do we actually have? In this empowering episode, host Ellie Balfe sits down with renowned Professor and Consultant Endocrinologist, Dr Mary Ryan , to talk about Hormone Harmony: how our hormones influence every part of our health and wellbeing, and how we can learn to work with them, not against them. Dr Ryan, a...

In the very first episode of IMAGE The Check-in, host Ellie Balfe is joined by Caoimhe McAuley , Director of Pharmacy at Boots Ireland, to explore the vital role pharmacy plays in women’s health. From being the first point of contact for everyday health concerns to offering trusted support throughout life’s bigger moments, Caoimhe explains why a simple conversation with your pharmacist might be on...