Do you really know?

Imagine being drunk, without having drunk a single drop of alcohol, it seems completely implausible, and yet for some is a reality. South-West media shared the story of a motorist who appeared in court in Bruges in 2022 after being found to have too much alcohol in his blood twice in the same year. The man, in his forties, was eventually acquitted, proving that the tests were not the result of a night of drinking, but rather of auto-brewery syndrome. 

Self-brewing syndrome, also known as intestinal fermentation syndrome, is when your body turns into a mini-brewery. Professor Alvarez, co-author of an analysis published on the subject in December 2020. says it’s when carbs ferment into ethanol right inside your gut, thanks to yeast. Normally, our gut yeast can’t brew enough booze to affect us. But for those with auto-brewery syndrome, it’s a different story. They’ve got an overabundance of yeast, and when too much sugar is consumed, it ferments into alcohol, leading to drunkenness.

What is it? And what are the consequences? Can it be treated? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

⁠⁠How are LGBTQIA+ people getting on at work?⁠⁠

⁠⁠Why is June Pride Month?⁠⁠

⁠⁠Where does the LGBT rainbow flag come from ?⁠⁠

A podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue.

First Broadcast: 20/5/2024

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According to data from Finder.com, the average Brit now spends 4 hours and 14 minutes using their smartphone each day. It’s hardly surprising; smartphone use has grown consistently over the last 15 years, to the extent that the devices have become almost like an extension of our arms and hands. 

Given we tend to hold our phones out in front of us when using them, our heads bow down in quite an unnatural position to look at the screen. And doing so for extended periods can cause posture problems, which is what American chiropractor Dr Dean Fishman realised back in 2008. That was while examining a 17-year-old patient who had booked an appointment for neck pains and headaches. Fishman went on to coin the term “text neck” to describe her condition.

What exactly does text neck look like? What’s the difference between text neck and text neck wrinkles? What can people do to avoid bad postures and the complications that they cause? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

⁠⁠⁠Why is my circadian rhythm so important?⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Is it a bad idea to fall asleep in front of screens?⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠How can social media exposure lead to vicarious trauma?⁠⁠⁠

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First Broadcast: 26/6/2024

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Have you ever been terrified of finding your dog munching on an Easter egg or chocolate treat during the holidays? It’s the kind of thing that can turn a wonderful occasion into a potential disaster. Of course chocolate is a delightful treat for us humans, but it can be extremely harmful to your furry friend, and even fatal in extreme cases.

They don’t process the components of cocoa like we do, especially theobromine and, to a lesser extent, caffeine. Those two substances stimulate your pet's central nervous system and heart muscles. The immediate effects include relaxed respiratory tract muscles and increased urine production. To put it simpler, a dose of chocolate can cause digestive, nervous, and cardiac issues of varying degrees of severity.

Why is chocolate dangerous to dogs then? When should I be concerned? Is chocolate only dangerous for dogs? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

⁠⁠⁠Should you really drink hot drinks when it’s hot?⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Could insects replace meat?⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠How can I stop my plants from dying?⁠⁠⁠

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First broadcast : 03/07/2024

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For some people, their mother is someone they admire and hope to become more like. But for others, it’s the complete opposite.

They grow up telling themselves one thing: whatever happens, I’m not going to end up like my mum. For some, that feeling can become a real source of anxiety. Psychologists have a name for it: matrophobia.

So where does that fear come from? Does this only affect daughters? So are difficult mother-daughter relationships inevitable? So how do you break the cycle? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the latest episodes, click here:

Could intentional lazy parenting foster your child's independence?

Do parents really not have a favorite child?

Is it possible to not love your parents?

A Bababam Originals podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue.

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The clitoris is the only organ in the human body that’s dedicated solely to pleasure. It doesn’t have any muscles or play any role in the body's other functions. And while our understanding of the clitoris has improved in recent years, there's still a lot to learn, as research in this area is relatively new.

Until recently, researchers thought that the clitoris had 8,000 nerve endings. For comparison, that's more than double the sensory receptors found on the glans of the penis.

Why is the clitoris so sensitive? I’ve heard people compare the clitoris to the penis before. Are there really similarities between the two? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

⁠⁠⁠Should you really drink hot drinks when it’s hot?⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Could insects replace meat?⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠How can I stop my plants from dying?⁠⁠⁠

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First Broadcast: 3/7/2024

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many women have heard of the so-called “fertility cliff”, the idea that their chances of getting pregnant drop dramatically after the age of 35 and, people who do choose to have a baby are labeled “geriatric” or “high risk” leading what is called ‘care cascade’ such greater monitoring and testing which can be intrusive and unnecessary.  

This concept first came about from a study done in 2004, however, they used data from French birth records from the 17th and 18th centuries, which is not really relevant to modern women as it was based on a population with very different living conditions, health care, nutrition, and life expectancy compared to modern women.

Where did the fertility cliff come from? Does fertility change with age? What are some other factors that affect fertility? What should you do if you want to get pregnant and you are over 35? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions !

To listen to the latest episodes, click here:

⁠How can I work better from home?⁠

⁠Why do we get bad breath?⁠

⁠How can I stop snacking?⁠

A Bababam Originals podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue.

First Broadcast: 23/5/2023

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As summer heats up, deodorant becomes a faithful ally. But this product can be very dangerous. On May 2022 a 14 year old girl, Giorgia Green, died from inhaling deodorant. The teenager, who was on the autistic spectrum, liked to spray deodorant on her blankets as she found the smell comforting. "The smell of it gave her a certain sense of relaxation," said her father.

Sadly her cause of death was found to be "unascertained but consistent with inhalation of aerosol” and although it is not common she is not alone. According to the Office for National Statistics, (ONS) "deodorant" was mentioned on 11 death certificates between 2001 and 2020. Though, it is likely that the actual number of deaths are higher than this, due to the fact that specific substances are not always mentioned on death certificates.

What is dangerous in deodorant? Why are people not being made aware of the danger? Should we stop using aerosol deodorants? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

⁠⁠What are earworms, the songs we just can't get out of our heads?⁠⁠

⁠⁠Is it a good idea to sleep with my pet?⁠⁠

⁠⁠Who are digital nomads, the new generation of remote workers?⁠⁠

A Bababam Originals podcast, written and produced by Amber Minogue.

First Broadcast: 23/2/2023

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According to UK charity The Men’s Health Forum, two thirds of all men are affected by male pattern baldness in their lifetime. That won’t be a surprise to anyone, but would you have guessed that an estimated 50% of women also experience noticeable hair loss according to the Cleveland Clinic.

We actually have around 100,000 hair follicles on our head, of which we lose between 50 and 100 every day, completely naturally. Hair loss isn’t usually any cause for real concern on its own, but of course it can be caused by cancer treatment. Even if a person’s health isn’t affected by their hair loss, It can still be an upsetting experience. Some types of hair loss are temporary. This can happen when a person has an iron deficiency, is stressed or loses weight suddenly due to a restrictive diet for example.

Isn’t hair loss mostly hereditary? Are there any ways of stopping it? What about hair transplants? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

⁠⁠How much do surrogate mothers get paid?⁠⁠

⁠⁠What is the Barnum effect?⁠⁠

⁠⁠How to spot, prevent and treat heatstroke ?⁠⁠

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First broadcast: 24/2/2023

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Most of us have our smartphones on our person more or less all day, every day. Our photos, payment methods and a lot of personal data are stored on them. So we’re all wary of the risk of having them stolen when out in public.

But did you know there’s another way someone can take control of your phone line without you even losing the device? It’s called sim swapping and while it’s not new, it’s been on the rise in recent years. According to the FBI, Americans lost a combined $68M to sim swapping scams in 2021. One of the most high-profile examples saw Twitter founder Jack Dorsey fall prey to it in 2019.

How does SIM swapping work? How can I avoid falling victim to SIM swapping? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

⁠⁠⁠⁠What are the pros and cons of homeownership in the UK?⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠How can I make and keep my new year’s resolutions?⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Why does the year begin on January 1st?⁠⁠⁠⁠

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First broadcast : 7/5/2023

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite the rising popularity of vegan or vegetarian lifestyles, many people still love the taste and texture of meat, or simply can’t kick the habit, having eaten meat throughout their lifetimes. That explains why the vegan meat substitute market is thriving.

These 100% plant-based products are a good source of protein and closely resemble meat in a number of ways. But no doubt many of you who eat them have wondered whether they’re actually better for the planet or for human health.

So what’s actually in them? And should we avoid meat substitutes? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

To listen to the last episodes, you can click here:

⁠⁠How much do surrogate mothers get paid?⁠⁠

⁠⁠What is the Barnum effect?⁠⁠

⁠⁠How to spot, prevent and treat heatstroke ?⁠⁠

A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First broadcast: 11/03/2023

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices