The Little Things

Forget New Year Resolutions - with the clocks having recently reset, and the school holidays coming to an end, now is the last chance many women will have to reset their healthy habits before the Christmas rush takes over the last few months of the year.

With some tips of how to create these habits and stick to them, today Francesca and Louise are joined by naturopath Erin O'Hara. 

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Intimacy in a relationship is about more than just sex - but good intimacy and honest communication can help your relationship avoid any pitfalls in that area as well.

This week, Francesca and Louise are joined by sex therapist Jo Robertson to discuss everything you need to know about intimacy, from being honest about sex, to simple things to keep your relationship alive and communicative. 

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Heart disease is the biggest killer of people in New Zealand, including women, yet it is still often seen as a male issue. This episode, Francesca and Louise discuss their own heart and cholesterol journeys and get advice and insight from leading cardiologist, Dr Cara Wasywich. 

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The Little Things usually talks about the issues facing women of a certain age - but sometimes, those issues can be caused by their husbands or partners.

So today, Francesca and Louise are turning their attention on middle-aged men - why do men get so down as they get older, how can they open up, and is 'male menopause' really a thing?

To discuss this, their joinged by broadcaster and A Life Less Punishing author, Matt Heath, and clinical psychologist Dr Dougal Sutherland. 

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When it comes to nutrition and what you put into your body, there is so much information out there about what not to do and what to do instead that it can be difficult to know the truth. 

This week, Francesca and Louise are joined once again by NZ-based leading expert on women's health and fitness, Dr Stacy Sims, to discuss all things nutrition, hydration, food and gut microbiome. 

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Making friends as a kid is easy work. As an adult? Not so much. From knowing how many friends you should have, to working through relationships that might be too toxic, juggling friends in adulthood is sometimes as complicated as your playground relationships.

This week, Francesca and Louise are joined by Dr Hannah Korrel, author of How to Break Up With Friends, to discuss all the advice you need to know for navigating, maintaining and building friendships in adulthood. 

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Parents always want to keep their kids safe in any circumstance, and always have. But with the rise of social media, that has become a more difficult task.

Today, Francesca and Louise talk with US-based Kiwi journalist Olivia Carville on her investigation into the extent of sextortion scams targeting teen boys there, and then get advice on what parents can do to help their kids navigate the internet safely with NetSafe's Sean Lyons. 

Suicide and depression help services:

If it is an emergency and you or someone else is at risk, call 111.

For counselling and support:

Youth services:

For more information and support, talk to your local doctor, hauora, community mental health team, or counselling service.

The Mental Health Foundation has more helplines and service contacts -click here for information

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The physical effects of ageing can be difficult for many of us to accept. Whether we’re going grey or starting to develop wrinkles, a lot of us will do anything to avoid watch our bodies change.

But there are plenty of cosmetic procedures available to help slow down those signs of ageing, from botox to dying your hair, that can help people feel more comfortable in their own bodies.

For this week’s episode, Francesca and Louise speak first with acclaimed hairdresser and stylist Brad Lepper about all things related to ageing and greying hair, and then from the 30 minute mark onwards, with founder of The Face Plce and expert in non-surgical cosmetic procedures, Dr Cat Stone, to discuss all the advice and tips you need for cosmetic procedures - including sexual rejuvenation.

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It’s a topic no one ever wants to think about, but people are being urged to plan early for their parent’s care as they got older. New Zealand’s population is continuing to grow - Stats NZ estimated in 2022 that the number of people 65 years or older would hit 1 million by 2028, which would equate to 1 in 5 New Zealanders.

With more of us getting older and living for longer, it also means more families working out how to care for their loved ones. This week, Francesca and Louise are joined by Esther Perriam, director of the Eldernet Group, to find out all the information you need for caring for loved ones as they get older. 

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There are plenty of barriers in place when it comes to women in the workplace - not just from the gender pay gap, but the way mothers and middle-aged women are treated by their employers. 

To discuss how to break down those walls and be valued by your employer, this week Francesca and Louise are joined by women's employment advocate and head of her consulting agency, Jo Cribb. 

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The Little Things is back for Season 3, and for the first episode, Francesca and Louise are digging into one of the most contentious topics in women's health at the moment - Hormone Replacement Therapy. Dr Samantha Newman joins to discuss all you need to know about the treatment and hormone changes in women, and why she thinks HRT is worth trying. 

For more from Dr Newman, head to: https://allaboutus.teachable.com/p/is-it-hormones-discuss-perimenopause-with-your-gp and use discount code LITTLETHINGS for 20% off the course. 

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Season 3 of The Little Things is coming out soon - but before that happens, Francesca and Louise are catching up on everything they've learnt from the first two seasons - what have they changed, what are they still working on, and what do they still need to learn?

Season 3 returns from August 3rd. 

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For the last episode of the season, we're revisiting one of the key topics all women need to know about - menopause. A lot has changed in just a few years, with Dr Ginni Mansberg re-releasing her book, The M Word, later this month to address the latest research. And with the latest research come some myths that need debunking. 

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The Mental Load Project is advocating for a change in how heterosexual relationships operate - and that means not placing all the burden of organising kids, the household, and sometimes the partner, on the wife and mother.

Dr Robyn Miller joins Francesca and Louise to discuss the mental load, how to recognise it, and how to have the conversation about delegation. 

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This weekend marks the end of daylight saving - and that means a big jolt to our sleep cycles. Looking at the other 354 days of the year, how do we get a good night's sleep? This week, Francesca and Louise talk with Dr Michael Mosley, author of the new book 4 Weeks to Better Sleep: A life-changing plan for deep sleep, improved function and feeling great. 

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The last few years have seen a spike in people being diagnosed with a neurodivergent condition, such as ADHD, autism, anxiety or OCD. It's something Francesca has had personal experience with, so to help other parents and adult women going on their own journeys, she and Louise talk all things neurodiversity with Anton Ashcroft, registered psychologist and co-founder of Divergent Thinking. 

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Worries about body image are one of those issues that transcends age, gender and shape - whether worrying about being too skinny, too fat, not muscly enough, plenty of us have concerns about how we look.

Registered nutritionist Claire Turnbull joins the podcast this week to discuss how women can come to terms with their own bodies, and what to do when discussing things with their kids. 

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Going for a run, going to the gym, or just starting to exercise in general after a long pause can be pretty daunting. So how do we get back into it, where should our focus be, and how can we do it from home if we don't want to go to the gym?

This week, Francesca and Louise talk with personal trailer and resistance strength specialist Kyra Seiler.

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Most women pre-menopause menstruate every month. However, a recent New Zealand study showed functional menstrual literacy is as low as 50 percent, while 38 percent of those who menstruate don’t know the normal length of a period.

So what do we need to know about our menstrual cycle? And from endometriosis to hysterectomies, what do we need to know to about our uterus? 

Today, Francesca and Louise are joined by Auckland-based gynaecologist and obstetrics specialist Dr Amelia Ryan.

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It's hard to avoid being bombarded with advertisements and different products that all vow to reverse the signs of ageing - but do any of them actually work, or are there some very inexpensive methods we can use that are a lot more effective? 

Dr Cara McDonald, co director and principal dermatologist at Complete Skin Specialists in Melbourne, joins Francesca and Louise today to discuss everything skincare related - including what you children really need to know about it. 

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It's tough being a teenager these days, with constant access to phones not helping with anxiety - and it's just as hard being a parent, often for the same reasons of competitiveness and comparison with others.

Dr Justin Coulson has written one of the definitive modern books on parenting, all while raising six kids himself. He joins Francesca and Louise to discuss the pressures parents put on teens and themselves, and how to manage expectations, anxiety and typical teen problems. 

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Until 2020, Elise Loehnen seemed like she had it al. As the Chief Content Officer at Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP, she was helping lead the way at one of the most talked about brands in the world.

That's until her anxiety caught up with her, and she realised that was she was chasing after an impossible lie. She joins Francesca and Louise to discuss how that realisation led to her book, On Our Best Behaviour: The Price Women Pay to be Good, and what she learned about the pressures placed on women. 

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Mobility may not be the sexiest topic around - something fitness advocate Juliet Starrett is very aware of. However, more and more data shows how poor mobility can be a major health risk as you get older - and something as basic as struggling to get up off the floor should spark warning signs. 

Juliet joins Francesca and Louise today to discuss simple advice for anyone looking to stay mobile. 

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The Little Things is back for Season 2! And as we leave summer holidays behind and settle back into our regular routine, how do we avoid getting overwhelmed and hitting a wall in all aspects of our lives? Today, Francesca and Louise are joined by Jude Walter from Brainfit.World to discuss her experience with burnout, and the tips she has learned over the years to help people deal with their concerns. 

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Listen to new episodes from February 3rd wherever you get your podcasts. 

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For the last episode in this season of The Little Things, Francesca and Louise are talking to Dr Ginni Mansberg about her new book, Save Your Brain. She shares what she has learned about delaying dementia and cognitive decline, including what people need to know about drinking, work, sleep, blood pressure and coffee. You will be surprised about which things are good for you - and what you need to avoid!

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On a personal episode this week, Louise and Francesca discuss their shared experience after Louise was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016. They discuss what Louise and her family went through, and the importance of Francesca's friendship and support at that time. They are then joined by health psychologist Juliet Ireland to get advice for those going through the same experience. 

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Exercise may seem like one of those that shouldn't be separated by gender - but growing research has found that 'one size fit all' exercise plans are often tailored solely for men, and don't factor in the different physiology of women.

On today's episode, Francesca and Louise are joined by Dr Stacy Sims to discuss her research into this area, and what women really need to know about exercising. 

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Many parents find sex to be a difficult and uncomfortable topic. It can be daunting to know how to talk about such an important part of being human with children, never mind working out what they actually should know at what age.

With society being quite sexualised at times and pornography becoming very accessible, preparing children for the world we find ourselves in can feel complex.

Today, Francesca Rudkin and Louise Ayrey talk to sex and relationship therapist Jo Robertson who shares her take on how parents can navigate these sensitive topics with their children.

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It’s a subject many women would prefer not to think about, but there’s no avoiding the fact many struggle with issues with their pelvic floor as they get older. Studies show one in three women who give birth face some sort of ongoing issue as they get older, from prolapse to stress incontinence, but the ageing process can impact those who never go through pregnancy as well.

Today, Francesca and Louise talk to Caitlin Day, a pelvic floor physiotherapist and the found of Unity Studios, specialising in classes that helps women recover after injury or improve the strength of their pelvic floor as they get older.

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Dieting and nutrition have become a multi-billion dollar industry in recent years - but are we being sold a lie when it comes to calorie counting, exercise and fad diets? Today, Francesca and Louise talk to Professor Tim Spector about his decades of research into genetics, food and nutrition to discuss what does and doesn't work, recent discoveries about gut microbiome, and what blue foods can tell you about your intestines! 

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Did you know menopause is technically only a day - and that everything you experience before then is perimenopause? That's just one of the aspects of menopause Francesca and Lousie weren't fully aware of until they went through it themselves. To help digest the truth about menopause - from the symptoms, the duration, and the treatments - they go deep on the matter with Niki Bezzant, author of This Changes Everything: The Honest Guide to Menopause and Perimenopause. 

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Francesca and Louise are kicking off the series with a focus on something everyone needs to know - the secrets to maintaining a functioning relationship with your significant other. Karen Nimmo, clinical psychologist and author of The Good Partner, joins to discuss the different types of intimacy, the realities of communication and sharing workload, tips to get things to work - and what to do when the wheels are really starting to fall off! 

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The Little Things begins Saturday February 4th! 

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