As we head into a new year, we’re focusing on what it really means to build a healthy 2026, without extremes or quick fixes. In this episode, we look at the health stories shaping the year ahead and what they tell us about making calmer, more informed decisions for long-term wellbeing.

We explore hopeful developments in cancer prevention, following a Channel 4 documentary and UK reporting on vaccine trials starting this year for people at higher risk, and what this shift towards prevention could mean for the future of healthcare. We also unpack a major move from the World Health Organization to properly study traditional and natural medicine, from meditation and tai chi to simple food-based interventions, and how these practices fit alongside modern medicine.

Finally, we look at a sobering wellness story gaining attention at the start of the year. Reports of botulism linked to anti-wrinkle injections raise important questions about safety, regulation and informed consent, and what people need to know to make safer choices.

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