Healing with Dr Helena

Dr Helena Popovic
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Medicine
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to my podcast, Healing with Dr Helena, where I challenge the limiting way we currently view disease, and offer a new paradigm for vibrant health and true healing. If modern medicine isn’t providing you with enough answers, and you want to come alive and thrive, rather than merely survive, this podcast is for you. It’s also for people who want to: - boost their brain to perform at their peak - avoid Alzheimer’s and other dementias - grow bolder rather than older - and live longer, stronger, healthier and happier.

  1. 1d ago

    Are you medicines messing with your microbes?

    Last week I finished with the question: what drugs, other than antibiotics, disrupt our gut microbiota — the trillions of micro-organisms that live in our digestive tract? An obvious contender is antacids — also known as heartburn medications — which are drugs that reduce stomach acid production to treat reflux. Decades of research have established a strong link between acid suppression, gastrointestinal changes, and depression — especially in relation to the class of drugs known as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Healthy stomach acid acts as a sterile shield that kills ingested pathogens and bacteria. When the environment becomes less acidic, bacteria from the mouth and upper respiratory tract survive the journey downward and can trigger what’s known as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Symptoms of SIBO include (but are not limited to) bloating, abdominal cramping, excessive gas (especially after eating carbohydrates), altered bowel habits, chronic fatigue, brain fog, and joint or muscle pain.  Another big class of microbial disruptors is Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, referred to as NSAIDs. These are the most common medications used for pain caused by inflammation or swelling. You’ll know them as Ibuprofen (eg Advil, Nurofen, Motrin), Naproxen, Indomethacin, and Diclofenac (eg Voltaren).  Aspirin also directly disrupts the gut microbiome, and long-term or daily low-dose aspirin use suppresses the growth of beneficial, anti-inflammatory bacteria. Other common microbial disrupting medications include metformin (for type 2 diabetes), antidepressants, benzodiazepines, statins (cholesterol-lowering drugs) and laxatives (because they speed up gut transit time which can prevent beneficial microbes from properly establishing themselves). Now I’m NOT suggesting that you abruptly stop taking any of these medications if you’re on them. I’m letting you know there’s a lot more to good gut health than food. All medications come with side effects and need to be used judiciously. * * * * * Today’s Brain Booster is: Mend your Microbes!  Your body has two incredible systems that help you adapt and survive in a changing world: neuroplasticity and microbial plasticity.  Neuroplasticity is your brain and nervous system's ability to rewire its connections when you learn or experience something new, or heal from an injury.  Microbial plasticity is your gut’s ability to quickly change its mix of bacteria, and the chemicals they produce, based on what you eat, the medications you take, how well you’ve slept, how regularly you exercise, and how stressed you are.  Both systems work like continuous learning programs to keep you healthy, shape your behaviour, and make your body resilient. So what can you do NOW to mend your microbes and improve your gut health, regardless of what’s happened in the past? You’ll have to tune in to hear my top 7 calls to action.  * * * * * Today’s Whether Report addresses the question: I’d like to know whether I should get a microbiome home test or not? I know the evidence is not clear yet, and scientific papers have shown that it is an unregulated field with controversial findings. Yet, how else can we know what is wrong with our gut? That question actually prompted me to do this entire four-part gut series. My short answer is: no, don’t waste your time and money on a microbiome home test. Why not? Microbiome home tests are direct-to-consumer kits that analyse a stool sample to identify the micro-organisms living in your digestive tract. Some of them also provide dietary advice based on your results. However, the science highlights a huge gap between what these tests promise and what they actually deliver.  My long answer is recorded in this podcast episode. * * * * * Please subscribe to my podcast so that you don’t miss an episode, and email your whether questions to: podcast@drhelenapopovic.com   For resources and references visit: https://drhelenapopovic.com/podcast/

  2. Aug 9

    Microbes mess with our genes! (EP15)

    Today’s Health Headline is: Microbes mess with our genes! (The Brain Booster will come later.) Did you know that you have a gene called ‘The Guardian Gene?’ It’s official name is TP53, and it encodes a protein called p53. The reason for its colloquial name is that this protein protects our DNA, spots damage in our cells, and stops mutations in their tracks. These processes help to shield us from cancer and autoimmune diseases including type 1 diabetes. And it turns out that our microbes interact with this gene and influence how it behaves through a process called epigenetics. Epigenetics refers to the ability of our genes to be turned on or off by factors in our environment (including our microbes and our diet) without there being any changes to our underlying DNA. And The Guardian Gene is not the only gene affected by our microbes. Our microbes mess with many of our genes. However, in relation to this particular gene, when mice are given antibiotics within the first six weeks of their life, they lose the protective effect of this gene, and develop type 1 diabetes. Even when the babies aren’t given antibiotics themselves, but their mothers received antibiotics in the 10 days before giving birth, the babies still develop diabetes. However, when the antibiotics were delayed until after 6 weeks of age,  the gene was able to do its job and stop the mice from getting diabetes. What this illustrates is that gut bacteria are needed to activate this gene, and there’s a critical window, early in life, when this activation needs to happen.  When we look at the data on humans, babies who receive antibiotics within the first 2 years of life — or whose mothers received antibiotics late in pregnancy — have a higher risk of developing autoimmune diseases, allergies, asthma, diabetes, and obesity.  This is not about making mothers feel guilty about having had antibiotics, or giving them to their children. Antibiotics save lives. The take home message is that gut bugs are critical to our health even before we’re born. And it means we need to use antibiotics — in fact, any medications — only when absolutely necessary. * * * * * What’s Missing from Modern Medicine is recognising that MOST medicines mess with our microbes, not just antibiotics.  While antibiotics are the most well-known microbial disruptors, research shows that many common non-antibiotic drugs also significantly alter microbial composition and diversity. But let’s start with antibiotics. Australia is consistently ranked in the world’s top 10 highest antibiotic users out of comparable European and OECD nations, but I’m relieved to say we’re demonstrating a downward trend. If we continue to use antibiotics when we don't need them (as is sadly often the case) they won't work in the future when we DO need them. So what can you personally do to help the situation? Don’t use antibiotics for coughs, colds and runny noses because more than 80% of throat infections are caused by viruses against which antibiotics have no effect. If your doctor wants to prescribe you antibiotics, ask if they’re really necessary, or if he or she is prescribing them ‘just in case’. Don’t subscribe to the ‘just in case’ philosophy but remain vigilant to worsening symptoms.If you do need antibiotics, always finish the course (unless you have an allergic reaction). Not finishing gives bacteria more opportunity to develop resistance.  * * * * * Please subscribe to my podcast so that you don’t miss an episode, and email your whether questions to: podcast@drhelenapopovic.com   For resources and references visit: https://drhelenapopovic.com/podcast/

  3. Aug 2

    Your bacterial print is as unique as your fingerprint! (EP14 Part 2)

    Last week’s Brain Booster was Go with your gut — a deep dive into all things gut health. It was another very long segment so I ended it after the Health Headline. That means if you haven’t watched or listened to last week’s episode, I strongly recommend you do so before you listen to this one because last week I explained the rationale for what I’m talking about today. When it comes to gut health, What’s Missing from Modern Medicine is a nuanced, personalised approach. No two people have the same microorganisms living in their gut or on their bodies — not even identical twins. Everyone has a unique microbial identity, just as we have a unique fingerprint. This has led to crime scene investigators using not only fingerprints, but also bacterial prints — referred to as ‘touch microbial forensics’ — to track down criminals. Your bacterial inhabitants are uniquely yours, and when you touch something, you leave some of them behind.  Our unique microbial signature is also why manufactured probiotic supplements often fail to deliver the hoped-for benefits. The bacteria contained in the probiotic don’t establish colonisation in our gut, and we just poop them out. But before we go on, a few definitions.  Probiotics are live micro-organisms, believed to provide health benefits when we consume them.  The prefix pro means ‘in favour of’, and bio refers to ‘life’ or ‘living organisms’. Natural probiotics — also known as dynamic probiotics — are live bacteria and yeasts that develop naturally in food via fermentation. The most common natural probiotics are yoghurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, miso, tempeh and kombucha. There’s no argument that these foods provide broad health benefits because the micro-organisms they contain are alive and active. Manufactured probiotics, in contrast — also known as static probiotics — are isolated laboratory-cultured bacterial strains that are freeze-dried and packaged in precise amounts into daily supplements. But are they the ones you need for your specific condition?  Prebiotics, on the other hand, are non-digestible plant fibres that pass through your stomach and small intestine and act as fertiliser to stimulate the growth of healthy bacteria in your colon. Therefore, prebiotics are food for probiotics. Natural prebiotics occur in specific plant foods such as onions, garlic, leek, asparagus, fennel, artichokes and chia seeds. All prebiotics are fibres, but not all fibres are prebiotics. To be classified as a prebiotic, a fibre has to pass through your stomach undigested, and selectively feed only the beneficial bacteria in your gut. All whole fruits and vegetables contain fibre because it forms their structural framework, but not all fruits and vegetables contain prebiotics … * * * * * Today’s Whether Report addresses the question: I’d like to know whether I should take probiotics when I'm given a course of antibiotics? I’ve received conflicting advice and don’t know what to do. This situation is a common conundrum because the relationship between probiotics and antibiotics is one of the most debated topics in gut health. The short answer is: it depends on your primary goal. The confusion stems from a paradox in the scientific data. While probiotics are effective at preventing immediate side effects like diarrhoea, they can slow down the long-term recovery of your native unique microbiome. Tune in to hear the details.  * * * * * Please subscribe to my podcast so that you don’t miss an episode, and email your whether questions to: podcast@drhelenapopovic.com.   For resources and references visit: https://drhelenapopovic.com/podcast/

  4. Jul 26

    Go with your gut! (EP14)

    Today’s Brain Booster is: Go with your Gut. Is your gut sensitive, irritable, leaky or inflamed?  Are you into: PrebioticsProbiotics Postbiotics Synbiotics Psychobiotics PharmabioticsAntibioticsPenbiotics Or Panbiotics?! (I will explain all those terms over the next few episodes.) Why does it matter?  For most of modern medicine, the brain and gut were treated as separate organs, with separate problems. If you had indigestion, you saw a gastroenterologist. If you had memory loss, you saw a neurologist. Today, that division is fast disappearing: what happens in our gut, doesn’t stay in our gut.  Scientists now recognise that our gut and our brain are in constant communication through what’s known as the gut-brain-microbiome axis. Signals travel back and forth, every second, via nerves, hormones, immune pathways, and chemical messengers that are produced by the trillions of micro-organisms that live in our intestines. The estimated number of microbes in our gut is about 40 trillion, with a combined total weight of over 2 kg. That’s more than the weight of our brain, which is 1.4 kg! And our micro-organisms have evolved to play essential roles in maintaining our health. They help us digest food, neutralise toxins, and control how many calories we absorb, ie they influence our body weight and our risk of developing obesity. They produce vitamins, facilitate absorption of minerals, impact our mood, and train our immune system. And gut micro-organisms influence our likelihood of developing asthma, allergies, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, dementia, heart disease, cancer, and a whole lot more. Tune in for a whirlwind tour of your internal ecosystem, and find out how faecal transplants can save lives — holy crapsule!  * * * * * Today’s Health Headline is: What’s your Gut Reaction? In other words, what’s going on in your gut, and how does it impact every aspect of your health?  Let’s look at some extraordinary numbers.  The microbiome — which refers to the genes of all the micro-organisms in our body — accounts for more than 95% of the genes in our body. Let me rephrase that so you can get your head around it. Of all the genes in your body, less than 5% belong to you, and more than 95% belong to your microbes! It’s estimated there are more bacteria in our gut than stars in the Milky Way, and one gram of faeces contains more bacteria than there are people on earth. That’s right: a single gram of human faeces — about the weight of a paperclip — contains up to 100 billion to one trillion bacteria. By comparison, the entire global human population is about 8 billion people. One tiny gram of your stool has over 100 times more bacteria than the population of this planet. So think of your body as a planet. It’s inhabited by trillions of creatures adapted to the various environments provided by different parts of your anatomy. Most of our 40 trillion resident microbes are bacteria, but we also house viruses, fungi and archaea. So there’s no reason to ever feel lonely. The most densely populated region of our body is our colon or large intestine, but it isn’t just the gut that serves as potential real estate for microorganisms. Every surface of our body that’s exposed to the outside world — skin, nose, ears, mouth, teeth,  lungs, and vagina is real estate for micro-organisms. And they’re very specific about the environments they need for their survival. Like their human hosts, what matters to them is location, location, location … * * * * * This turned out to be another very long Brain Booster and Health Headline, so I’ve ended the episode here, and I’ll continue with What’s Missing from Modern Medicine? and the Whether Report in Part 2. * * * * * Please subscribe to my podcast so that you don’t miss an episode, and email your whether questions to: podcast@drhelenapopovic.com.   For resources and references visit: https://drhelenapopovic.com/podcast/

  5. Jul 19

    Turn down the pressure (EP13)

    Today’s podcast episode was prompted by a Whether question. So I’ll give you the question first, and then I’ll answer it in the context of a Brain Booster, Health Headline, and What’s Missing from Modern Medicine?  "Can you tell me WHETHER it’s better to tackle high blood pressure with western medicine or alternative medicine? I have never smoked, do not drink alcohol, I weigh 73kg at height of 1.78cm (so not obese) and I exercise six out of seven days a week, for a minimum of one hour per day with fit-cross, swimming, running and cycling. My blood pressure sometimes spikes to 160/85 with low pulse (ranging between 40-60). I appreciate you being genuine and open to everything." This question is relevant to everyone because chronically sustained high blood pressure — known as hypertension — acts as a constant, silent, physical strain on your entire circulatory system: heart, blood vessels and lymphatics. Over time, this excess force damages blood vessels and organs, including your brain, and becomes a primary driver of life-threatening cardiovascular events like heart attacks and strokes. Untreated blood pressure throughout midlife (between the ages 40 and 65) more than doubles the risk of developing dementia, but it rarely shows obvious symptoms until you’ve sustained significant damage. So unless you get your blood pressure checked regularly, you don’t know that you have hypertension. Tune in to find out how to measure it correctly, and why most doctors are not taking your blood pressure properly! * * * * * Today’s Health Headline is: sugar — NOT salt — is the biggest driver of high blood pressure. That doesn’t mean salt plays no role at all. But it means that if you cut out sugar and refined starches, you might not need to worry about salt. Let me explain, because this comes as a big surprise to most people.  In episode 6, Skip the sugary sip because every soft drink is a bullet to your brain, I discussed the biochemistry of sugar in relation to brain health. And you’ll recall that sugar (chemical name sucrose) is made up of two smaller sugar molecules: fructose and glucose. And just as fructose and glucose are involved in different biochemical pathways in our brain, they also follow different biochemical pathways in relation to their influence on blood pressure. But before we get into the biochemistry, it’s important to become aware of where the sugar in our diet is coming from. Even if you don’t have a sweet tooth, you don’t drink soft drinks, you don’t eat biscuits and pastries, and you don’t put sugar in your tea or coffee, you might still be eating a lot of sugar because it’s hidden in what you’d consider to be healthy or savoury foods. I’m talking about sugar that’s added to processed foods — not the sugar that occurs naturally in vegetables and fruits like carrots and berries.  So where might sugar be lurking in your diet that you don’t realise? Here’s one spoiler alert: a cup of sushi rice typically contains one to two tablespoons (3-6 teaspoons) of added sugar, depending on the chef or recipe.  * * * * * What’s missing from modern medicine is effective advice on how to lower blood pressure without using medications. Here are my top eight non-pharmaceutical ways to reduce your blood pressure, in addition to quitting sugar and managing stress: Reap the benefits of sleepAbstain from alcoholMove to improveRustle up some muscleStep into a sauna — which I covered in detail in episode 12 parts 1 and 2Breathe, don’t seethePay attention to potassium Stop using mouthwash!  * * * * * Please subscribe to my podcast so that you don’t miss an episode, and email your whether questions to: podcast@drhelenapopovic.com For resources and references visit: https://drhelenapopovic.com/podcast/

  6. Jul 12

    Turn up the heat! (EP12 - Part 2)

    Last week’s Brain Booster was Turn up the heat! — a deep dive into how using a sauna more than 4 times a week can reduce the risk of dementia by over 60%!  Given that this is a very bold claim, I spoke for longer than I’d anticipated, in order to explain the mechanisms by which heat exposure brings about health benefits.  So I decided to end the episode after the Health Headline because the feedback I’ve received from you is that you prefer my episodes to be under one hour long.  That means if you haven’t watched or listened to last week’s episode, I strongly recommend you do so before listening to this one because last week I explained the rationale for what I’m talking about today. Hence we’re launching straight into What’s Missing from Modern Medicine? What’s Missing from Modern Medicine is doctors prescribing heat therapy as part of standard medical care for: High blood pressureHeart failureDepressionInsomniaChronic painDementia-preventionRespiratory conditionsOverall better health  But how should heat therapy be prescribed? What’s the difference between: Dry saunasWet saunas or steam roomsInfrared saunasJapanese Waon therapyAnd hot baths?Do they confer similar benefits or is one modality better than another?  What dose do we need in terms of temperature, duration and frequency? If saunas are a medication, are there any contraindications? And most importantly, how can the average person — like you and me — incorporate heat therapy as part of a healthy lifestyle, without having to spend a lot of time and money? There are only so many hours in a day, and I don’t want to spend all day trying to get healthy and not leave time to actually live! Having said that, I enjoy saunas and hot baths, so it’s great to have a really good reason to indulge in them.   * * * * * Today’s Whether Report is from Colin: I would like to hear whether at my age — 85 years — it’s too late to avoid Alzheimer’s? No, it’s never too late! Listen to the end of the episode to find out why! * * * * * Please subscribe to my podcast so that you don’t miss an episode, and send your whether questions to: podcast@drhelenapopovic.com For resources and references visit: https://drhelenapopovic.com/podcast/

  7. Jul 5

    Turn up the heat! (EP12)

    Today’s Brain Booster is: Turn up the heat!  For thousands of years, humans have deliberately exposed themselves to heat: Roman baths, Turkish hammans, Finnish saunas, indigenous sweat lodges, and Japanese onsen (natural hot springs).  And it turns out that sweating it out in a sauna on a regular basis: Lowers blood pressureImproves overall heart health and blood vessel functionReduces the risk of a heart attack, stroke and dementiaHelps with blood sugar regulation Brings down inflammation Decreases depression and anxietyImproves moodInduces better sleepAnd prolongs your life!How could doing something so effortless and relaxing enhance your health to such an incredible extent? It sounded too good to be true, so I did a deep dive into the science of saunas. Tune in to find out what I uncovered. * * * * *  Today’s Health Headline is: Our decisions — determine our destiny. A remarkable study published in Nature Medicine in 2025 — challenges one of the most fatalistic assumptions in medicine: that our genes are our destiny. Researchers have been studying a man named Doug Whitney because he has a rare mutation in a gene called Presenilin 2. This gene is supposed to guarantee that a person gets early-onset Alzheimer’s (also known as younger-onset Alzheimer’s). That means they can get the disease as early as 40 years of age, but the average age of onset is about 54 years — still extraordinarily young.  However Doug is 76 years old and remains completely symptom-free and cognitively intact. So researchers started searching for what could be protecting Doug from getting Alzheimer’s. They found two potential explanations.  The first explanation — a speculative one — is that Doug possessed genetic variants not previously recognised as protective against Alzheimer’s, but which could potentially modify the disease. Scientists are looking into this. The second — more compelling — explanation is that Doug’s life may have inadvertently provided him with a form of long-term heat therapy similar to regular sauna use. From the age of 18, he spent two decades working as a mechanic, deep within the engine rooms of steam-powered naval ships, where temperatures could soar to around 50°C (122°F). Researchers speculate that repeated exposure to these intense conditions may have stimulated the production of unusually high levels of what are known as heat shock proteins in Doug Whitney’s cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). These specialised proteins: Help cells cope with stressRepair damaged proteinsAnd maintain cellular function under adverse conditions. And they’re one of the mechanisms by which sauna use dramatically reduces dementia risk.  * * * * * When I recorded this podcast episode, I spoke for over 40 minutes on just the Brain Booster and Health Headline so I’ve decided to split this episode into 2 parts because the feedback I’ve received from you is that you’d like me to keep my episodes to under one hour. I’ll continue with What’s Missing from Modern Medicine? and the Whether Report in Part 2. Thank you for your comments and questions — I'll respond to them all in due course. I really appreciate your engagement. * * * * * Please subscribe to my podcast so that you don’t miss an episode, and email your whether questions to: podcast@drhelenapopovic.com  For resources and references visit: https://drhelenapopovic.com/podcast/

  8. Jun 28

    Deep dive into dementia (EP11)

    For today’s episode, I’m sharing an interview I had with the dynamic and inspiring Sarah Rusbatch on her podcast Stronger Bolder Wiser. Sarah is an accredited Grey Area Drinking Coach and the author of the best-selling book Beyond Booze — How to create a life you love, alcohol-free. Sarah and I immediately clicked because her approach to alcohol is the same as my approach to healthy eating in my book NeuroSlimming. Sarah’s philosophy is that ‘the goal isn’t to be sober; the goal is to love yourself so much, you don’t need a drink.’ I feel exactly the same way about food: the goal isn’t to quit ultraprocessed food; the goal is to love yourself so much, you don’t need to numb your emotions with food.  Sarah is also a multi award-winning Health and Wellbeing Coach, a Menopause Accredited Coach, and a passionate ambassador for helping women live their best lives. Most importantly, Sarah lives everything she speaks, and she glows from the inside out.  So although the interview doesn’t technically follow my usual format of Brain Booster — Health Headline — What’s Missing from Modern Medicine? — and Whether Report, we definitely cover a lot of brain-boosters, health headlines, and things that are missing from modern medicine, especially in relation to women having twice the likelihood of Alzheimer’s dementia as men — and how to change this. Here are some of the topics we cover: What’s the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease?How common is Alzheimer’s disease?Why is Alzheimer’s twice as common in women as in men?Does hormone replacement at menopause support brain health and reduce dementia risk?How much do our genes influence our risk of developing Alzheimer’s? If you have a family member with Alzheimer’s does it mean you’re more likely to get the disease?Are sugar and alcohol risk factors for dementia? Which is worse?How can we start to improve our brain health and reverse dementia?Why is physical exercise — and especially strength training — so important for brain health?Are there any foods that are especially important when it comes to brain health?When should we start being seriously proactive about looking after our brain? * * * * * Please subscribe to my podcast so that you don’t miss an episode, and email your whether questions to: podcast@drhelenapopovic.com  For resources and references visit: https://drhelenapopovic.com/podcast/

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About

Welcome to my podcast, Healing with Dr Helena, where I challenge the limiting way we currently view disease, and offer a new paradigm for vibrant health and true healing. If modern medicine isn’t providing you with enough answers, and you want to come alive and thrive, rather than merely survive, this podcast is for you. It’s also for people who want to: - boost their brain to perform at their peak - avoid Alzheimer’s and other dementias - grow bolder rather than older - and live longer, stronger, healthier and happier.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr Helena Popovic
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    19
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Dr Helena Popovic
  • Show Website
    Healing with Dr Helena

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