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.

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Follow Dr Raj on Instagram here

Timecodes:

00:00 What Is Endometriosis?

01:15 Endometriosis Explained: What’s Happening in the Body

02:55 Why Does It Take 8 Years to Get an Endometriosis Diagnosis?

04:00 The Gender Pain Gap & Why Women’s Pain Is Ignored

06:05 Dr Raj Arora’s 11 Year Diagnosis Journey

09:20 Painful Periods vs Endometriosis: What’s Normal?

10:45 Medical Misogyny & The Lack of Women in Research

14:35 How to Advocate for Yourself at the GP

17:40 Endometriosis Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore

20:40 How Is Endometriosis Diagnosed? (Laparoscopy, MRI & Tests)

22:05 Endometriosis Treatment Options: Surgery & Hormonal Therapy

23:10 Is There a Cure for Endometriosis?

24:10 How Common Is Endometriosis in the UK?

25:40 Endometriosis, Work & Menstrual Leave

28:20 Fertility, Egg Freezing & Why Doctors Take It Seriously

31:45 Why Doctors Need Better Training in Women’s Health

33:40 Managing Endometriosis: Lifestyle, Diet & Exercise

35:00 Natural Pain Relief, Heat Therapy & TENS Machines

38:20 Finding Support: Endometriosis Community & Online Forums

Resources mentioned in today’s episode:

The Endometriosis Foundation helpline 0808 808 2227

Symptom Checker to create a letter to take to your GP

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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.

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00:00 Introduction: Meeting Professor Tim Specter

00:27 What is Fermentation? A Simple Definition

01:21 Science Behind the Health Benefits of Ferments

01:58 How Microbes Stimulate Your Immune System

02:37 The Zoe Study: Why 3 Portions a Day Matters

03:45 Real Results: Mood, Energy, and Hunger Improvements

04:53 From Genetics to the Microbiome Revolution

06:03 Why Identical Twins Have Different Gut Microbes

06:48 How Modern Life Is Killing Our Good Bacteria

07:31 The Hidden Cost of Overusing Antibiotics

08:36 The "Four Ks" of Fermented Foods

09:24 Beware of "Wellness Washing" in Supermarkets

10:18 Prebiotics vs. Probiotics: What’s the Difference?

11:15 Pickled vs. Fermented: How to Tell the Difference

12:47 Postbiotics: The Benefit of "Dead" Microbes

13:49 How to Choose a High-Quality Kefir

16:38 Foods to Avoid: Artificial Sweeteners & Fake Fruits

17:47 Why You Should Introduce Ferments Slowly

19:10 Supplements vs. Whole Foods: Which is Better?

20:41 Best Cheeses for Gut Health (Unpasteurized & Raw)

23:13 Choosing the Right Kombucha: Sugar & Stevia

26:38 Tim Specter’s Daily Gut Health Routine

30:16 Alcohol and the Gut: Red Wine vs. Spirits

32:13 Budget Tips: Fermenting Scraps at Home

34:58 Explaining the Gut-Brain Axis

41:53 The #1 Tip: Diversity of 30 Plants a Week

More from Tim:

Find Tim on Instagram

Buy Tim’s new book ‘Ferment’

More from ZOE

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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.

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Follow Emilie on Instagram here

Timecodes

00:00 Life After 40: Why Your Best Years Are Ahead

02:49 Childfree or Not: Defining Your Worth as a Woman

05:00 Surviving the Beauty Industry as a Black Woman

07:44 Why Beauty is Political

12:14 Overcoming Racism in Venture Capital

15:48 Diversity in the Beauty Industry

17:53 The Truth About Divorce After 26 Years

20:39 Finding Your Support System Post-Breakup

22:58 Reframing Divorce: Why It’s Not a Failure

25:50 Weight Loss Journey: Ozempic & Lifting Weights

28:28 Using Dating Apps in your 40s

31:40 Fetishization & Safety in Dating

34:05 Parenting Gen Z Girls in the Social Media Age

38:18 ‘Burn It Down’: How to Start Your Life Over

40:05 Strategic Advice for Navigating Divorce

43:00 Healing Trauma Through Pets & Routine

51:30 The Shame of Type 2 Diabetes & Sugar Addiction

More from Ateh:

Find Ateh Jewel on Instagram here

Listen to Ateh’s podcast on divorce ‘The Big D’ here

Ateh’s beauty brand is here

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