The Arc Woman Podcast

🎙️ In this solo episode I'm breaking down one of the most popular adaptogens in the wellness space what it actually does in the body, why it's so well suited to modern life, and why the "it's natural so it's safe" framing is genuinely getting people hurt. 🧠 I cover the full mechanism HPA axis modulation, GABAergic activity, cortisol reduction, thyroid hormone interactions,...

🎙️ In this solo episode I'm breaking down one of the most misunderstood supplements in the wellness space because no, berberine is not "nature's Ozempic", and by the end of this you'll know exactly why that comparison is clinically lazy and what berberine is actually doing in your body. 🔬 I cover the full mechanism, AMPK activation, insulin signalling, GLUT4 upregulation, PCSK...

🎙️ The anti-choice movement in Australia is getting louder, more organised, and more willing to spread outright misinformation. So in this episode, I brought in two experts to fact-check the claims being made publicly, right now, in this country, one by one. ⚖️ I'm joined by Kayla, a practising midwife with deep knowledge of health policy on the ground, and Georgia, a criminologist working in...

🩺 In this episode I'm joined by Dr. Maree Bilandzic, molecular cancer biologist, ovarian cancer advocate, and the first scientist in the world to identify and characterise leader cells in ovarian cancer a discovery that is fundamentally changing how scientitsts understand why this disease keeps coming back. 🔬 We get into why ovarian cancer is called the silent killer, why treatment hasn'...

🏛️ Journey from ancient Venus figurines to futuristic GLP-1 prescriptions as this episode uncovers the long story of how women have been praised for shrinking themselves, eating less, and calling it virtue. 🔍 We chart the recurring pattern: every time women gain political ground, a new beauty ideal emerges to shrink them back. From suffrage and the flapper craze, to second wave feminism and Twigg...

🎙️ In this episode, I break down what PCOS actually is beyond the label walking you through its underlying pathophysiology, what’s really happening at a hormonal and metabolic level, and why it’s so often misunderstood. ⚡ From there, I unpack the Rotterdam criteria and how PCOS is diagnosed, including where women are commonly misdiagnosed or overlooked, and what a thorough, accurate workup should...

🎙️ In this episode, I unpack what Professor Philippe Grandjean at Harvard describes as a chemical pandemic and reveal how the very system meant to shield us is missing the hidden toll women are bearing in their bodies today. ⚡Continuing from this, we journey through the world of EDCs, pesticides, flame retardants, forever chemicals, phthalates, microplastics, and synthetic textiles, exploring wha...

🎙️ Magnesium is involved in over 600 enzymatic reactions in the body and yet roughly half of all women aren't getting enough of it. This episode covers where magnesium comes from, why modern diets and farming practices have left us depleted, and why the standard blood test your doctor orders is almost certainly missing the full picture. 🧬 We break down what magnesium actually does inside the...

🎙️ In this solo episode I'm breaking down one of the most underdiagnosed, under-researched conditions in women's health a disease affecting roughly 1 in 5 women globally that takes an average of 11 years to diagnose, has no dedicated pharmaceutical treatment, and until recently could only be confirmed by removing the uterus entirely. 🔬 I get into the full pathophysiology what's actual...

🎙️ In this solo episode I'm reflecting on the side of medicine most women know too well and why so many of us keep falling through the cracks. 🔬 I break down medical paternalism, how it's baked into the system, and why the profession actively attracts and rewards a god complex that costs women their health, their autonomy, and their money. ⚡ We get into the patriarchy's role in medic...

Irene Lyon is a master somatic practitioner and nervous system educator who has spent over two decades studying the intersection of trauma, movement, and physiology 🧠✨ She holds a Master's degree in Biomedical and Health Science, is a certified Feldenkrais practitioner, a Somatic Experiencing practitioner, and one of the first people in the world to bring nervous system and trauma healing ed...

🫀 In this episode I'm joined by Dr. Ami Bhatt , a board-certified cardiologist, Chief Innovation Officer at the American College of Cardiology, and Chair of the FDA's National Digital Health Strategy a woman quite literally reshaping how modern medicine works. 📊 We explore why heart disease is the number one killer of women, why so many cases are missed, and how women's symptoms have...

🤰 In this episode I’m joined by Dr Melanie Jackson , a midwife and researcher who transitioned from naturopathy into midwifery to better support women through pregnancy and birth. 🧬 We explore the physiology of labour and birth, including the role of oxytocin, the Ferguson reflex, and how the body is biologically designed to bring babies into the world when supported rather than over-managed. 🏡...

🧬 In this solo episode I unpack the growing hype around GLP-1 medications and PCOS, and why research headlines don’t always translate to real women’s bodies. 📊 I explain what the evidence actually shows, including reliable improvements in insulin sensitivity and androgen markers, alongside mixed and inconsistent findings for cycle regularity, ovulation, fertility outcomes, and ovarian structure....

👩‍⚕️ Today I’m joined by Dr Rebecca Mackenzie-Proctor , Fertility Specialist and Gynaecologist at Stellar Fertility in Melbourne and newly appointed lecturer at University of New South Wales. With over a decade of experience and subspecialist training in reproductive endocrinology and infertility, she brings scientific rigour together with a deeply patient centred approach to care. 🧬 We explore...

🎗️ In this episode lets examine the rising incidence of breast cancer in women under 40, a topic that resonates personally due to my family history, including my mother’s diagnosis and multiple relatives affected. 📊 We cover incidence and mortality trends, then systematically unpack core risk factors including genetics (BRCA1/BRCA2 and other high penetrance genes), family history, reproductive an...

🤍 In this episode we talk honestly about postpartum intimacy, what happens to your body, your hormones, and your libido after birth, and why so many women feel disconnected from sex but rarely hear that this is completely normal. 🧠 I’m joined by Juliet Allen, a global leading sexologist who works with women and couples to rebuild trust, pleasure, and communication after major life transitions li...

In this episode I share the real story of why I stopped being vegan after years of believing it was the healthiest and most ethical way to eat. I talk about what shifted when my health started to fall apart, including fatigue, brain fog, low B12, iron deficiency, and cycle changes, even though I was eating well and doing everything “right.” We unpack why some women struggle on long term vegan diet...

🧠 In this episode of the Ackerman Podcast, host Sarah Honey speaks with clinical psychologist Stephanie Georgiou , who works with women navigating eating disorders and disordered eating patterns. 📖 Stephanie shares her own nine year journey with an eating disorder and reflects on the social pressures, body ideals, and personal experiences that shaped her relationship with food and her body. ⚖️ T...

🍷 In this episode we explore alcohol through a wide lens, from its deep roots in human history and culture to what it actually is biologically and how it interacts with the body. 🧠 I break down how alcohol is absorbed and metabolised, why the liver treats it as a toxin, and how oxidative stress and inflammation underpin many of its short and long term health effects. 🩸 We unpack alcohol’s impac...

🍽️ In this episode we zoom out from food rules and look at the bigger picture of nourishment during the holidays, including connection, presence, nervous system safety, and why being fed goes far beyond what’s on your plate. 🧠 I talk through why routine disruption is not a health crisis, why food has no moral value, and how the 80/20 reality supports long term wellbeing far better than control or...

🧬 In this episode we explore histamine overload and mast cell activation syndrome, what histamine does in the body, and why symptoms can escalate across digestion, skin, mood, energy, and hormones. 📖 I walk you through the symptomology and common comorbidities linked to histamine and MCAS, including gut dysfunction, nutrient depletion, autoimmune patterns, and estrogen driven sensitivity. ⚖️ You...

🌀 In this episode we explore Candida in a clear and grounded way, from what it actually is to how it lives inside the body, to why it becomes a problem only when the internal ecosystem slips out of balance. 📖 I guide you through the real biology of Candida, including how it originates, how it shifts between different cell forms, and how it builds protective biofilms that allow overgrowth to pers...

🩵 In this episode we dive into why exercise sits at the centre of women’s long term health, from metabolic resilience to hormonal stability to the strength that carries you through every life stage. 📖 I’m joined by Dr Alyssa Olenick, an exercise physiologist with a PhD in sports physiology whose research and teaching cut through the noise to give women clear and practical science they can actual...

🦋 In this episode we dive into the thyroid what it is, the hormones it makes, and why it’s so central to your health, energy, cycles, and fertility. We cover hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, autoimmunity like Hashimoto’s and Graves’, and the role of stress, nutrients, and life stages in thyroid balance. 📖 I’m joined by Tara Nelson , a naturopath and thyroid specialist with nearly 30 years of...