Brown, Brainy & Beautiful Anissa Oukhiar

In this episode we will be talking about everything hormones focused on female physiology. I’m joined by Holly Dunn (hollydunn.co.uk), who is a clinical nutritionist and specialist in amenorrhea (a term for missing periods), hormones and mental health. Over the years I’ve come to year more and more about my hormones and the female physiology in general, and yet feel like there is SO much to educate myself on, on what is known about the female hormones today.

The reality is that the female physiology is less stable, and more complex compared to male physiologies; which is why research has been dominated by running experiments on men - pursuing stable and predictable subjects. To give you some context: it’s relatively recent that women, or people who identify as female, have been allowed in medical research by law. 

So, with the knowledge available today, Holly shares facts and misconceptions about hormones, how they affect you day to day and what you can do to understand them better and let them work for you.

In this episode we will be talking about tea. Not just any type of tea, but specifically the story of the blush Pink-coloured Kashmiri Chai. Joined by London-based Pink Tea Cafe founder and owner Tabassum, we dig into the different layers and depth of Chai. She covers so many aspects of its rich history and legacy, in the midst of the, in the West, normalised Chai Latte beverages you are probably familiar with. So, if you get the chance: pour yourself a decent cup of tea, at home or to go, and let’s get that real conversation started, shall we?

Website: https://pinkteacafe.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pinkteacafe

In this episode we will be talking about Black hair. With loads of insightful events that have been organised during Black History Month, I ended up at a presentation and Q&A on the book Hairvolution, specifically about black hair. The authors Saskia Calliste and Zainab Raghdo were keen to join me in this conversation to share their own stories as well as the common thread from all the black women and people who identify as female that they have interviewed for their book. This conversation is relevant and important to all genders and people with different hair structures to become aware of the history and struggles regarding Black hair, why Black hair has been and still is policed and what you can do to appreciate and celebrate Black hair.

In this episode we will be talking about food. But not any random type of food. We will dig into African food and how a Londoner took the initiative to roll up her sleeves, educate herself as well as others to bring this food and its well deserved appreciation to the masses. And with masses I’m talking: supper clubs, kitchen residencies, a restaurant, a successful cookbook, podcast.  I want to find out how this journey came about and  how the African heritage is kept real in the process - conscious of how quick initiatives can fall into a cultural appropriation rabbit hole.

I am joined by Zoe Adjonyoh, author and founder of Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen. She will elaborate on her journey to revolutionise african food. She’s sharing how she is staying true to her heritage whilst at the same time creating her own and unique flavor.

More info on Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen:


Website: www.zoesghanakitchen.com
Podcast: Cooking up consciousness

*Second book mentioned by Zoe: Audre Lord’s book - The Master’s tool will never dismantle the master’s house

In this episode we will be talking about the effects of COVID-19 on mental health. We’re now in the phase in which many people across the globe have been vaccinated and slowly but surely restrictions are eased across countries. But looking back, what impact did the pandemic have on mental health? And what can we do to recover whilst transitioning to a new normal? So, as I'm recording this I am literally self isolating for the 7th time in a period of 10 months given that I moved countries during the pandemic. And with that I have gotten so used to working from home and living in my tiny bubble, that I am slightly anxious on what a going back to f2f work life would look like.
So, in this episode I am joined by doctor Keri Wong, Assistant Professor of Psychology at University College London. She forms part of a group of experts from who are conducting a UCL-Penn global covid study and elaborates on the outcomes and insights of the 3 measurement points of the study so far. Check out the shownotes if you’re keen to participate in the study or go directly to globalcovidstudy.com.

UCL-Penn Global Covid Study

Participate or find out more here: www.globalcovidstudy.com
Mentioned blogs: on vaccine hesistancy and on what support people need to recover from the pandemic

In this episode we will be talking about the concept of vulnerability. A couple of years ago research professor Brené Brown went viral with her TEDtalk on this topic. As a researcher she defines the concept of vulnerability by uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure. Having collected 13.000 pieces of data over a period of 12 years, she ultimately concluded that vulnerability is about taking courage. Although these research findings speak a sense of truth, in this episode we will unpack what vulnerability and its paradoxes mean in our ordinary daily lives. I am joined by Edward Kerkhof and Nicholas Toko - with both of them I’ve shared interesting, but different conversations about vulnerability.