250 episodes

Get answers to the health questions everyone's asking. Our experts give you the information you need to feel good and make the best decisions for your brain and body.

What's That Rash‪?‬ ABC listen

    • Health & Fitness
    • 4.8 • 25 Ratings

Get answers to the health questions everyone's asking. Our experts give you the information you need to feel good and make the best decisions for your brain and body.

    Restless Legs Syndrome and how it's treated

    Restless Legs Syndrome and how it's treated

    Restless Legs Syndrome is a common condition with somewhat mysterious underpinnings…

    While it can be a side effect on an underlying condition, many people suffer for no known reason.

    Norman and Tegan take us through what we know, what we suspect and some of the treatments for those jittery legs…

    References:
    Iron and restless legs syndrome: Treatment, genetics and pathophysiology
    Iron-deficiency and dopaminergic treatment effects on RLS-Like behaviors of an animal model with the brain iron deficiency pattern of the restless legs syndrome
    The Management of Restless Legs Syndrome:An Updated Algorithm

    Got a health question? Shoot us a line @ABCHealth on Instagram, or send a voice memo to thatrash@abc.net.au. We'd love to hear from you!

    • 15 min
    Kate's cancer announcement: What do we know about her health?

    Kate's cancer announcement: What do we know about her health?

    Kate Middleton announced via a video message that she is undergoing treatment for cancer. 

    The Princess of Wales has been out of the public eye since Christmas. This is the first official announcement about her condition since she revealed she would be undergoing planned abdominal surgery in January. 

    So what What do we know about Kate's cancer diagnosis? What is the likely treatment? And, given she is relatively young, what's the message for people who do have unexpected new symptoms?

    What is preventative chemotherapy? What could treatment look like? What are some of the side effects of chemotherapy? How long does it take to recover from? We're answering the health questions everyone's asking on What's That Rash?

    • 20 min
    Is your (artificial) sweet tooth killing you?

    Is your (artificial) sweet tooth killing you?

    Did you know that we're evolutionarily predisposed to seek out sweet treats?

    Simple carbs were harder to come by in caveman times than they are today. Now, the consensus is we all need to cut down our sugar intake.

    One way people are doing that is by replacing their sucrose with non-sugar sweeteners.

    Norman and Tegan explore whether this is actually a healthy alternative.

    References:
    Sweetness and food preference
    Health effects of the use of non-sugar sweeteners: a systematic review and meta-analysis
    The World Health Organisation on aspartame, and dietary guidelines

    • 18 min
    Pimples, spots and pleuks: The who, why and what (to do)

    Pimples, spots and pleuks: The who, why and what (to do)

    Although it’s often thought of as an adolescent affliction, acne can affect people well into adulthood.

    But some people seem to be immune to pimples. Why?

    Norman and Tegan investigate why some people are more prone to pimples than others, and what you might be able to do about it.

    Got a health question? Shoot us a line @ABCHealth on Instagram, or send a voice memo to thatrash@abc.net.au. We'd love to hear from you!

    Looking for COVID-19 updates? Don't panic, they've moved over to The Health Report

    References:
    Racial Differences in Clinical Characteristics, Perceptions and Behaviors, and Psychosocial Impact of Adult Female Acne
    The association between stress and acne among female medical students in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
    Seasonal aggravation of acne in summers and the effect of temperature and humidity in a study in a tropical setting
    Enjoyment of watching pimple popping videos: An fMRI investigation

    • 18 min
    Why are mosquitoes so attracted to me?

    Why are mosquitoes so attracted to me?

    Some people are mosquito magnets. The blood suckers do, in fact, have their favourites. 

    And this could pose a major health risk. After all, mosquitoes are the deadliest creatures on earth. 

    Norman and Tegan take us through the science of why some people attract more mozzies than others. 

    Got a health question? Shoot us a line @ABCHealth on Instagram, or send a voice memo to thatrash@abc.net.au. We'd love to hear from you!

    Looking for COVID-19 updates? Don't panic, they've moved over to The Health Report

    References:
    Mosquitoes use vision to associate odor plumes with thermal targets
    Olfactory responses and field attraction of mosquitoes to volatiles from Limburger cheese and human foot odor
    Composition of Human Skin Microbiota Affects Attractiveness to Malaria Mosquitoes

    • 16 min
    We're doing a live show! Bring your rash to Brisbane March 22

    We're doing a live show! Bring your rash to Brisbane March 22

    What's That Rash? is coming to the World Science Festival Brisbane!

    Bring yourself (and your non-communicable rash) to a live podcast recording with Dr Norman Swan and Tegan Taylor. 

    We've got two double passes to give away to the Social Science event on March 22 for those who'll be in Brisbane.

    Send us your questions for a chance to win. AND it's an adults-only event with mature content and coarse language, so go wild —  thatrash@abc.net.au

    We're not the only ones attending. All in the Mind will also be doing a live show, and Dr Karl will be there for some Great Moments in Science!

    • 1 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
25 Ratings

25 Ratings

hikingPJ ,

I love this podacast!

I have listened to every episode and I find it interesting and informing. 10 minutes once a day and I feel on top of the information! Thanks from western Canada!

wildrover1956 ,

Barefoot420Scot

Indispensable !!
I mean that.
Australia centric of course, but the majority of the information is transferable to anywhwere on the planet.
I'm trying to get to WA to see my kids. It's a bit of a nightmare. Hows about some insights into what it's like for people returning to australia ? ( I've been waiting for the right time for months now and it just hasn't happened ) Great show, love it and reccomend it !!

BlackMacX ,

A helpful, wise voice in these uncertain times

The ABC RN podcast is both well presented, honest and downplays the hysteria that many people seem to ascribe to COVID-19. Tegan Taylor and Dr. Norman Swan represent a gold standard for how to present facts and evidence for all to understand. Keep it up.

Cheers,

Anthony (A Health Report listener for over a decade too)

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