Would you donate your organs to give someone a second chance at life? Organ donation is a complex process and in this episode, we learn about why only certain organs are a match for people in need and how blood types play a big role in matching organs to the perfect recipients.  Dr Ross Francis walks us through the donation matching process, while Gary Torrens takes us through how kidney transplants are performed through the Queensland Kidney Transplant Service and shares his experience working in the National Indigenous Kidney Taskforce. Then, Queensland woman Amber Williamson tells her personal kidney transplant story, sharing how a living donation from her dad has changed her life.  How long does a donated organ last? What are the impacts of organ donation for recipients? Which organs can you donate while still alive? Listen to find out! Services mentioned in this episode:Did this episode inspire you to register as a potential organ donor? Learn more about organ donation in Australia and sign up as an organ donor at Donate Life. Check out Kidney Health Australia’s website for information about keeping your kidneys healthy.  The Queensland Kidney Transplant Service (QKTS) is for people who may be suitable for a kidney transplant and provides ongoing care to people with a transplanted kidney. You can learn more about the service and find resources for transplant recipients on the QKTS webpage.  

Blood is a key player in your body’s immune response, carrying antibodies around your system to fight off infection and disease. In this episode, learn all about how antibodies work as part of the immune system from clinical immunologist Dr Peter Bourke. You’ll also hear from Cheryl, one of the many Queenslanders living with an autoimmune condition. She shares what it’s like when your immune system doesn’t behave the way it should.How does your body learn about pathogens in order to fight them off? What are the steps in the immune response? What happens if your immune system gets it wrong and turns its efforts towards your healthy body? Listen to find out! 

Do you bruise like a peach or is it rare that a knock makes a mark on you? What should you do if you feel like you’re bruising easily and should you ever be worried if you don’t bruise at all? In this episode, Dr Joshua Richmond and Dr Aarya Murali take us through how bruises happen, how to treat a bruise and what conditions can cause easy bruising.  We also bust a few bruise myths. Is a hickey a bruise? Can you become anaemic from bruising too often? And why do bruises change colour over time?  Listen on to find out!

What happens when your life force seemingly turns against you? For the 53 Australians diagnosed with one of the 100 types of blood cancer every day, this question becomes reality. In this episode, we take a deep dive into blood cancers, learning about different types of blood cancer, what causes them, the symptoms and treatments. Hear from Dr Joshua Richmond and Dr Aarya Murali as they explain the ins and outs of the disease and from Briony, who is in remission after being treated for advanced Hodgkin lymphoma. Have you been diagnosed with a blood cancer, are supporting someone who has or would like more information? Visit the Leukaemia Foundation and Lymphoma Australia websites for more information about the topics discussed in this episode.  

Does alcohol make you turn red? How does a breathalyser work? How would you know if you’re drinking too much, and where can you get support? In this episode, we learn all about how alcohol effects the body from Dr Jeremy Hayllar. He demonstrates how a breathalyser works, explains how alcohol affects your brain and memory and offers tips for people wanting to rethink how they drink. As the clinical director of the Alcohol and drug information service (Adis), he provides insight into alcohol dependence and the ways in which the service can help people to manage their drinking.  For information or support for yourself or someone close to you, visit Adis.

Are you the main mozzie attraction at a barbeque, coming home with dozens of bites? Or have you had the unfortunate experience of contracting a mosquito borne virus? Regardless of your history with mozzies, all Queenslanders need to know how to minimise their exposure to mosquito bites. In this episode, senior medical entomologist Scott Lyons, medical entomologist Brian Montgomery and Queensland’s Chief Health Officer, Dr John Gerrard, take us through why mozzies bite, why the bites can be so irritating, which viruses Queensland mosquitoes might carry and most importantly, how to avoid them. There’s also a neat science experiment you might be able to get involved in, and a few mozzie myths to bust, like whether mosquitoes really do prefer some people over others, and how different mosquito repellents work.  

Have you ever felt a bit cranky or lethargic, and had someone suggest your blood sugar is low? Or do you live with a condition like diabetes, which means you’re always aware of your blood sugar levels? Our blood sugar levels impact how we feel, how our body operates and how we behave. But how variable are they? Can a snack make all the difference to low blood sugar, and can getting a sunburn affect our blood sugar levels? In this episode, Dr Gaurav Puri helps us understand how our body converts food into blood sugar, why we need blood sugar and how insulin helps our body regulate levels. He also shares his tips for keeping blood sugar at healthy levels and the advice he gives to patients with diabetes.  

We’re all here because of periods, period. But we don’t all know a lot about the process of menstruation and it’s time for that to change. What’s normal and what’s not when it comes to periods? From timing to colour and flow, what should you expect from your period and when should you tell a doctor about something that seems a bit off? If you don’t have periods, what should you know to help better understand and support those who do? With the help of specialist gynaecologist and obstetrician Dr Michelle Proud, we’ll bust some period myths like whether your cycle can sync up with those around you and discuss how conditions like endometriosis can affect a person’s menstrual cycle and their overall wellbeing. 

Have you ever given blood? Or are you a bit scared of the *shivers* needle?  Did you know that to meet demand, three Australians need to donate every minute? This episode will give you all the information you need before you roll up your sleeve.  As Dr Alison Gould from Lifeblood walks us through the blood products donation process, we hear from a first-time blood donor, a Queenslander who has been giving blood and plasma for over 30 years, a Queensland family who rely on donated blood products. As always, it can’t hurt to ask about some weird and wacky blood donation myths, so we’ll bust a few of those too. Listen now for the answers! 

Right now, you’ve got about 5 litres of blood pumping through your body. Blood literally keeps you alive, but how much do you know about how it works? With the help of haematology registrar Dr Aarya Murali and haematologist Dr Jeremy Robertson, we’ll breakdown what goes into making blood, how it powers your body and the mechanics that make it cycle through your system 100,000 times a day.  As always, it can’t hurt to ask about some weird and wacky blood myths, so we’ll bust a few of those too. Listen now for the answers! 

From the team that gave you My Amazing Body, we're putting the power back into your pockets as we tackle your health questions, concerns and curiosities in our new podcast, It Can't Hurt To Ask.It Can’t Hurt To Ask is the podcast with the answers, helping you better understand your health, inside and out.The new season will focus on all things ‘in my blood’. You will hear from top experts and everyday Queenslanders as we delve deep into important health topics related to your blood. From blood donations to periods, blood sugars and blood cancers, the season is pumping with platelets. Catch the first two episodes as they drop on this feed tomorrow. New episodes drop every week, available to stream on your favourite podcast app or watch on the Queensland Health YouTube channel.We hope you’ll join us. After all, it can’t hurt to ask! 

Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is a treatable anxiety disorder affecting around 3 million Australians at some time in their lives. This episode is about PTSD. What is it? Who does it affect and what does it do to your body?

One quarter of Australians will experience an anxiety condition in their lifetime. This episode is about anxiety. What is anxiety? Who does it affect and what does it do to your body?

Across Australia one in seven new mums and one in ten new dads experience postnatal depression each year, and postnatal anxiety is just as common. This episode is about perinatal depression and anxiety. What is it, who does it affect, and what does it do to your body?

Dr Daniel Gileppa, a mental health expert and psychiatrist at Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service, explains what depression is and how it affects your body. He also talks about the signs and symptoms of depression and the best ways to look after your mental wellbeing. Kasey, a Queensland woman, talks about her lived experience with depression

This episode is about mental wellbeing. What is mental wellbeing, how can we look after it and why is it so important? Tony Coggins, a mental wellbeing expert, explains what mental wellbeing is and the best ways look after it. We also explore the six building blocks of mental wellbeing.

This episode is all about the heart. Dr Greg Starmer, the Director of Cardiology at the Cairns Hospital explains what the heart is, what it does and why it's so important. He also talks about problems that can occur with your heart and the best way to keep it healthy. Amanda, a Queensland woman, talks about what it's like to live with a pacemaker.

This episode is all about the Brain, with a focus on how your brain helps you move. We spoke to neurologist Dr Alex Lehn from the Princess Alexandra Hospital about how your brain controls your bodily functions. He also explains what functional neurological disorders (FND) are and how they affect the body. Then, Queenslander Christine talks about her experience with FND.

This episode is all about the lungs - one of the most important organs in your body. The Director of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, Dr Michelle Murphy describes the different parts of the lungs, how they function and how the they work with rest of your body. Dr Michelle Murphy also explains the impact of COVID-19 on your lungs. Then, Queenslander Josh talks us through what it's like to have a collapsed lung.

This episode is all about your immune system. What is your immune system, where is it and why do you need one? Dr Jane Peake, Director of the Queensland Paediatric Immunology and Allergy Service explains how the immune system works, and the types of conditions that can affect the immune system. We also hit the streets to find out what Queenslanders really know about their immune system.

What does your bowel do, where is it and what does it look like? Is it all about poo? General and colorectal surgeon Dr Ming Ho explains how the bowel works, the types of conditions that can affect bowel health and what it's like to perform surgery on the bowel. Queensland woman Kate talks about her experience with Crohn's disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease.

This episode is all about your liver. Where is your liver, what does it do and how can you keep yours healthy? We hear from Princess Alexandra Hospital surgeon Dr Peter Hodgkinson about why someone might need a liver transplant and how he performs them, and get his advice for ways to avoid ending up on the operating table. Then, Queensland man Jordan takes us through what it was like to have a liver transplant as a teenager, after living with a low-functioning liver throughout childhood. Want more? You can find pictures of our guests, links and graphics illustrating the information included in this episode in our show notes.

This episode is all about the pain. What is pain, why do we experience it and is it ever useful? We talk with Dr Joseph Kluver, a specialist pain physician, about how pain works and what happens when pain stops being acute and becomes a chronic problem. He explains how he works with patients who have persistent pain and the therapies that can lead to long-term change in their lives. We also talk to Sara Shams, who is a bilateral through-knee amputee, about her experience with phantom limb pain after she had her amputations, and the other types of pain people with amputations can live with every day.

This special edition episode is all about gender. Gender is something we all have. It's a part of us that influences how we live in our bodies and interact with the world around us, how we see ourselves and how the world sees us. In this episode, we learn what gender and gender identity are, how your gender is different from your sex or sexuality, and about gender diversity. Psychologist Olivia Donaghy explains the ins and outs of gender, while psychiatry registrar Dr Claire McAllister talks about the services offered to gender diverse young people at the Queensland Children's Gender Service. Queenslanders Ashley, Jayden and Willow give their accounts of growing up identifying as gender diverse.

This episode of My Amazing Body is all about the brain - one of the most important, and most mysterious, organs in your body. Consultant epileptologist from Princess Alexandra Hospital, Dr Sasha Dionisio describes the different parts of the brain, how they work together and how the brain works with the rest of your body. He also answers curly questions about where the mind is, speaks about how disease and injury can affect the brain, explains how he and his team diagnose and treat epilepsy, and lets us know what it's like to watch brain surgery. Have you enjoyed listening to My Amazing Body? Fill out our audience survey to let us know what you loved, what you think we could improve and what health topics you want to hear about next.

Right now, you've got about five litres of blood whooshing around your body. But how does it get where it's going? Learn all about the arteries and veins in this episode, with expert guests cardiologist Dr Dale Murdoch, and vascular and endovascular surgeon Dr Juanita Muller. Find out how arteries can become blocked, how your veins work (spoiler: it's not your heart that pumps blood through your veins!) and what causes problems like deep venous thrombosis and varicose veins. Hear from Shelley, a Queensland woman who had a DVT followed by a pulmonary embolism, and the advice she would give to others about vein health. For more information, handy links and diagrams, visit our shownotes.

Don't know what your thyroid gland does or why it's so important to your health? What are diseases like Hashimoto's and Graves' and how do they affect your thyroid? Is your lethargy or weight gain linked to a thyroid problem? In this episode of My Amazing Body, we explore everything you need to know about the thyroid gland, with interviews featuring endocrinologist Dr Harish Venugopal and Queensland woman Leanne, who shares her story of living with Hashimoto's disease.

Did you know that the word avocado was derived from the Aztec word for testicles? Most Queenslanders are more familiar with the inside of an avocado than the inner workings of the testicles - in this episode of My Amazing Body we're joined by paediatric surgery fellow at Queensland Children's Hospital Dr Annie Roberts to correct this imbalance. Find out how the testicles are formed, how they develop in childhood and puberty, when testicular pain is an emergency and the answer to the most divisive question of all: boxers or briefs? Whether you've got testicles yourself, or you're a wife, partner, mother or friend of someone who does, this episode is packed with fun facts and important tips for optimum testicular health.

Are you an adrenalin junkie? Learn all about the little glands that produce adrenalin, as well as cortisol and a whole bunch of other hormones, in this episode of My Amazing Body. Endocrinologist Dr Tom Dover joins us to explain the important role these glands play in your day-to-day health, how they control your fight or flight response, and the conditions that might change how well they work. Queenslander Natalie talks about how her fight or flight response is triggered by a fear of public speaking, and Inspector Corey Allen from Queensland Police Service shares some of the methods he uses to train police officers to manager their adrenalin on the job.

Learn all about your kidneys in this episode of My Amazing Body. Nephrologist Dr Vishwas Raghunath explains where the kidneys are, what they do, and how to prevent kidney disease. Kidney donation recipient Angela shares her touching story about receiving a kidney from her father.

Join us for a fascinating deep dive into how your ears work with clinical audiologist Dr Janice Wu. Find out how your ears turn soundwaves into hearing, what role your ears play in balance and how you can protect your hearing health. Author Jessica White shares her experience of growing up deaf, while Queensland man Dion talks about his experience with labyrinthitis.

This episode of My Amazing Body introduces you to your skin microbiome. What do the bugs on your skin do? Are they helpful or harmful? Listen to find out.

Learn all about your bone marrow in this episode of My Amazing Body, including what it is, where it is, and why it's so important for keeping you alive. We speak to Paediatric Oncologist Dr Chris Fraser and bone marrow donor Vince, who made a life-changing donation.

Learn all about the gut microbiome in this episode of My Amazing Body, including the type of microbes that live in your gut, the effects they can have on your health and what you can do to promote great gut health.

This episode is all about the ovaries. We took to the streets to find out what Queenslanders really know about the ovaries and discovered that, while most people know the basics, there are some ovary facts that really need clearing up. We're joined by Obstetrics and Gynaecology Registrar Dr Erin Wilson, who takes us through the roles the ovaries play in a woman's body, from the development of a baby's ovaries in the womb, to what they're up to post-menopause. Dr Wilson also explains some of the different conditions that can affect the ovaries and busts some persistent ovary myths (just how many eggs does a woman's ovaries hold?).

Why does it hurt so much when you hit your funny bone? And why do we call it the funny bone when it's actually the ulnar nerve that creates that very un-funny pain? How can too much time spent typing, rowing or even sleeping harm your ulnar nerve? Occupational therapist Belinda Bond explains how your nerves work, and in particular, the important role of the ulnar nerve. Queensland woman Kat shares her story of discovering she had a tumour growing near her ulnar nerve, and the process of recovering movement and sensation in her arm and hand.

How does vision work? Do carrots really help you see in the dark? Why does vision worsen with age, and is there anything you can do about it? Professor Glen Gole, Director of Ophthalmology at Queensland Children's Hospital, talks us through the anatomy of the eye, how sight develops during childhood, and different conditions that can affect vision. Queenslanders Jim and Tina share their stories about dealing with the possibility of losing their vision.