Well Enough

Emma Barnett on motherhood, IVF and endometriosis

This week, award-winning BBC broadcaster, journalist and author Emma Barnett joins us to challenge everything we think we know about the newborn bubble. Emma's new book, Maternity Service, tears through the toxic positivity of early motherhood with refreshing - and often hilarious - honesty.From the physical reality of recovering from a C-section to the quiet grief of losing your pre-baby identity, Emma holds nothing back. She also opens up about 21 years without an endometriosis diagnosis, six rounds of IVF, and how she's learned to survive - and thrive - with a chronic pain condition while raising two children and fronting some of the UK's biggest radio programmes.Follow Well Enough on Instagram hereFollow Emilie on Instagram here Timecodes:00:00 Introduction: Why Maternity Leave Is a Lie01:01 What Is Maternity Service? The Book Explained01:31 Six Rounds of IVF and 21 Years Without a Diagnosis02:01 Matrescence: How Your Identity Shifts When You Become a Mother04:10 Can You Ever Really Prepare for Becoming a Mother?05:03 Toxic Positivity in Motherhood06:30 Reframing Motherhood as a Tour of Duty07:35 The Physical Reality: Healing a Broken Body After Birth08:57 C-Sections, Too Posh to Push, and the Stigma of Stomach Surgery09:50 What Is a Hypertonic Pelvic Floor? What No One Tells You11:25 The Loneliness of New Motherhood Nobody Talks About12:22 Identity Loss: Your Maternity Uniform and the Flattening of Self14:01 IVF, Bruising, and the Hidden Uniform of Fertility Treatment16:29 Delayed Gratification: The Survival Skill Every Mother Needs18:20 Perimenopause, Grief, and the Pressure to Have It All21:23 Maternity Discrimination and the Psychology of Being Replaced23:30 Is Boredom on Maternity Leave Normal? Yes, and Here's Why24:40 Writing a Letter to Your Pre-Baby Self26:35 Ready to Talk: Emma's New BBC Podcast on Women's Interior Lives30:50 The Best Books on Motherhood Emma Recommends39:00 Living With Endometriosis: The Diagnosis That Took 21 Years42:20 Endometriosis and IVF: When Getting Pregnant Becomes a Crisis49:30 Emma's Tip for Feeling Well Enough: The Power of MusicEpisodes of Ready to Talk with Emma Barnett are available every Friday on BBC Sounds.Buy Emma’s book Maternity Service - out in paperback March 12th Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Endometriosis warning signs you should know PLUS how to ask your GP

Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women - yet it still takes an average of eight years to be diagnosed. Why are so many living with debilitating pain for so long?In this episode, Emilie sits down with GP, TV doctor and endometriosis advocate Dr Raj Arora to unpack the reality of living with a chronic condition that is too often dismissed as “just bad periods”.We explore the early warning signs of endometriosis, why painful and heavy periods should never be normalised, and how cultural stigma can delay women from seeking help. Dr Raj also explains how the historical exclusion of women from medical research has shaped everything from diagnosis to pain management - and what needs to change.Follow Well Enough on Instagram hereFollow Emilie on Instagram here Follow Dr Raj on Instagram hereTimecodes:00:00 What Is Endometriosis? 01:15 Endometriosis Explained: What’s Happening in the Body02:55 Why Does It Take 8 Years to Get an Endometriosis Diagnosis?04:00 The Gender Pain Gap & Why Women’s Pain Is Ignored06:05 Dr Raj Arora’s 11 Year Diagnosis Journey09:20 Painful Periods vs Endometriosis: What’s Normal?10:45 Medical Misogyny & The Lack of Women in Research14:35 How to Advocate for Yourself at the GP17:40 Endometriosis Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore20:40 How Is Endometriosis Diagnosed? (Laparoscopy, MRI & Tests)22:05 Endometriosis Treatment Options: Surgery & Hormonal Therapy23:10 Is There a Cure for Endometriosis?24:10 How Common Is Endometriosis in the UK?25:40 Endometriosis, Work & Menstrual Leave28:20 Fertility, Egg Freezing & Why Doctors Take It Seriously31:45 Why Doctors Need Better Training in Women’s Health33:40 Managing Endometriosis: Lifestyle, Diet & Exercise35:00 Natural Pain Relief, Heat Therapy & TENS Machines38:20 Finding Support: Endometriosis Community & Online ForumsResources mentioned in today’s episode:The Endometriosis Foundation helpline 0808 808 2227Symptom Checker to create a letter to take to your GP Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Spector on ferments, cheese and food packaging myths

In this episode of Well Enough, we’re joined by the man who effectively pioneered the British gut-health revolution: Professor Tim Spector. As a leading genetic epidemiologist and the force behind ZOE, Spector has spent decades deconstructing why health outcomes are not all about genetics - it turns out our microbes are the ones calling the shots.Tim explains why a sanitized modern life is making us miserable and how the simple act of fermentation can act as a "vaccine" for the immune system. We’re talking about the "Four Ks" - Kefir, Kombucha, Kimchi, and Kraut - and why your expensive probiotic supplement might be a waste of money compared to a wedge of raw-milk cheese.Follow Well Enough on Instagram hereFollow Emilie on Instagram here 00:00 Introduction: Meeting Professor Tim Specter00:27 What is Fermentation? A Simple Definition01:21 Science Behind the Health Benefits of Ferments01:58 How Microbes Stimulate Your Immune System02:37 The Zoe Study: Why 3 Portions a Day Matters03:45 Real Results: Mood, Energy, and Hunger Improvements04:53 From Genetics to the Microbiome Revolution06:03 Why Identical Twins Have Different Gut Microbes06:48 How Modern Life Is Killing Our Good Bacteria07:31 The Hidden Cost of Overusing Antibiotics08:36 The "Four Ks" of Fermented Foods09:24 Beware of "Wellness Washing" in Supermarkets10:18 Prebiotics vs. Probiotics: What’s the Difference?11:15 Pickled vs. Fermented: How to Tell the Difference12:47 Postbiotics: The Benefit of "Dead" Microbes13:49 How to Choose a High-Quality Kefir16:38 Foods to Avoid: Artificial Sweeteners & Fake Fruits17:47 Why You Should Introduce Ferments Slowly19:10 Supplements vs. Whole Foods: Which is Better?20:41 Best Cheeses for Gut Health (Unpasteurized & Raw)23:13 Choosing the Right Kombucha: Sugar & Stevia26:38 Tim Specter’s Daily Gut Health Routine30:16 Alcohol and the Gut: Red Wine vs. Spirits32:13 Budget Tips: Fermenting Scraps at Home34:58 Explaining the Gut-Brain Axis41:53 The #1 Tip: Diversity of 30 Plants a WeekMore from Tim:Find Tim on InstagramBuy Tim’s new book ‘Ferment’More from ZOE Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ateh Jewel on divorce, trying Ozempic and dating in her 40s

Society loves to tell women that life peaks in their twenties. The story is that beauty and desirability have an expiration date. But for many, midlife isn’t an ending, it’s a turning point.This week on Well Enough, Emilie sits down with award-winning beauty journalist and brand founder, Ateh Jewel. After decades in an industry that often told her she didn’t fit the mold, Ateh is now reclaiming her narrative and sense of self with unapologetic joy. She challenges the cultural scripts that define women by their age or relationship status and explains why her 40s have been her most powerful decade yet.Ateh opens up about the moment that led to her divorce after a 26-year relationship and how she navigated the "feral" reality of modern dating as a midlife woman. You’ll also hear Ateh describe her experience as a black woman in the beauty industry, battling outdated and oftentimes ignorant views from those with financial power. Ateh also shares the shame she experienced surrounding Type 2 diabetes, her candid experience with Ozempic, and why reclaiming her health through weightlifting was an act of radical self-love.Follow Well Enough on Instagram hereFollow Emilie on Instagram here Timecodes00:00 Life After 40: Why Your Best Years Are Ahead02:49 Childfree or Not: Defining Your Worth as a Woman05:00 Surviving the Beauty Industry as a Black Woman07:44 Why Beauty is Political12:14 Overcoming Racism in Venture Capital15:48 Diversity in the Beauty Industry17:53 The Truth About Divorce After 26 Years20:39 Finding Your Support System Post-Breakup22:58 Reframing Divorce: Why It’s Not a Failure25:50 Weight Loss Journey: Ozempic & Lifting Weights28:28 Using Dating Apps in your 40s31:40 Fetishization & Safety in Dating34:05 Parenting Gen Z Girls in the Social Media Age38:18 ‘Burn It Down’: How to Start Your Life Over40:05 Strategic Advice for Navigating Divorce43:00 Healing Trauma Through Pets & Routine51:30 The Shame of Type 2 Diabetes & Sugar AddictionMore from Ateh: Find Ateh Jewel on Instagram here Listen to Ateh’s podcast on divorce ‘The Big D’ hereAteh’s beauty brand is here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Valentine’s Special: Sex expert Dr Tara on improving sexual wellness

Sexual wellness is often reduced to physical sensation - but what if it could be the key to mental clarity, relationship harmony and professional success? Today, Emilie sits down with Dr. Tara to explore the three dimensions of sexual health that most people ignore. We dig into the root causes of the low self-esteem epidemic among women and challenge the restrictive cultural scripts we inherited from previous generations.Dr. Tara explains the tangible ROI of an orgasm and why "sex positivity" is about more than just being open-minded. We also navigate the dark side of digital intimacy, from the dehumanization of AI sex bots to the misogyny lurking in your DMs. This is a candid look at how reclaiming your sexuality can fundamentally change how you show up in the world.Follow the show:Follow Well Enough on Instagram hereFollow Emilie on Instagram here Timecodes00:00 The 3 Dimensions of Sexual Wellness01:48 Relationship Advice: Frequency & Communication03:22 Defining Sex Positivity vs. Sex Negativity05:13 Why Pleasure Is Medicine for Physical & Mental Health07:29 Why Doctors Don't Talk About Sex09:03 Overcoming Cultural Scripts & Sexual Repression10:18 How We Teach Children Sexual Shame12:42 The ROI of Orgasms: Career & Confidence14:37 Building Sexual Self-Esteem & Intimacy16:43 The Historical Roots of Low Self-Esteem in Women18:32 Debunking "High Value" Woman Narratives20:12 Morning Masturbation & The Hormonal Cocktail22:48 Body Autonomy: Clothing & Self-Worth24:53 The Reality of the "Trad Wife" Trend26:33 Dealing with Unwanted DMs & Fetishization28:27 The Madonna-Whore Complex Explained30:38 Double Standards in Casual Sex & Dating31:58 Best Sex Education Books & Resources33:57 Clapping Back at Judgmental Comments35:48 Idiosyncratic Masturbation & Vibrator Dependency38:17 Sex Toy Recommendations: Discreet & Sustainable Options39:52 The Dark Side of AI Sex Robots42:13 Sex Therapist vs. Sex Coach: What's the Difference?46:12 How to Practice Sexual Meditation48:21 The Power of Sex Journaling & AffirmationsMore from Dr Tara:Luvbites on InstagramHer new book ‘How Do You Like It?: A Guide for Getting What You Want (in Bed)’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.