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Strange Health

The Conversation
Body Odor
Parkinson's Disease
Cottage Cheese
Chlorophyll
Detoxing
Fish Odor Syndrome
Kidney Diseases
Diabetes
Trimethylamine
Depression
Liver Health
Stroboscopic Light Therapy
Migraine
Demodex
Scabies
Mites
Microbiome
Menstrual Health
Sunscreen
Detoxification

Strange Health from The Conversation dives into the science behind the most bizarre, viral, and sometimes questionable health trends dominating social media from period scooping and menstrual masking to stroboscopic light therapy, demodex mites, vagus nerve hacks and liver detox myths. Expect honest, engaging, and sometimes stomach-turning discussions. Hosted by Katie Edwards from The Conversation... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes13Founded10 months ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NutritionHealth & FitnessMedicine

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Latest Episodes

Some people are so worried about sunscreen that they're swapping factor 50 for beef tallow. Coconut oil and olive oil also have their supporters in the world of homemade sunscreen. Meanwhile, other social media creators warn that conventional sunscre... more

Social media offers plenty of tips how to relieve a migraine. Some people swear by a large Coke and McDonald’s fries, which has gained the nickname of a "McMigraine". Others recommend hairclips on your eyebrows, or putting your feet in hot water whil... more

Cottage cheese is a TikTok sensation. Social media creators are blending the curdy, clumpy white stuff into everything from cookie dough and chocolate brownies to flatbreads and even slapping it onto hot dogs. All in the name of protein.

Naturally h... more

We're back with a new season of Strange Health, the podcast from The Conversation, that investigates the odd, awkward and occasionally disgusting questions raised by our bodies and the health trends surrounding them.

This season we’ll be looking at ... more

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Recent Guests

Amanda Ellison
Professor of neuroscience at Durham University and author of Splitting: The Inside Story on Headaches
Durham University
Episode: Migraine hacks: do eyebrow clips, cold spoons or fries actually work?
Dominic Farsi
Visiting postdoctoral researcher at King's College London and Marie Curie research fellow at Teagasc
Teagasc
Episode: Cottage cheese: protein superfood or fitness myth?
Sally King
Medical physiologist and visiting fellow
King's College London
Episode: What is period scooping? And other menstrual hacks you should think twice about
David Schwartzman
Research fellow at the Sussex Centre for Consciousness Science
University of Sussex
Episode: Does light therapy work? The science of stroboscopic stimulation
Mats Olsson
Professor of Experimental Psychology in the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden
Karolinska Institutet
Episode: What your body odour says about you
Alejandra Perotti
Professor of Invertebrate Biology at the University of Reading, expert on mites
University of Reading
Episode: Meet the mites that live on you: from demodex to dust mites and scabies
Professor Arshad Majid
Professor of Cerebrovascular Neurology at the University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
Episode: What is the vagus nerve and can you really reset it?
Adam Taylor
Professor of anatomy at Lancaster University
Lancaster University
Episode: Tonsils, kidneys and gall: why your body makes stones
Trish Lalor
Professor of Experimental Haptology at the University of Birmingham and liver expert
University of Birmingham
Episode: Is detoxing your liver worth the hype?

Hosts

Katie Edwards
Health and Medicine Editor at The Conversation in the UK; host with frequent collaborations on health topics.
Dan Baumgardt
GP and Lecturer in Health and Life Sciences; educator with clinical background.

Reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars from 130 ratings
  • Unexpected, informative and fun

    I really enjoyed listening to this series. Lots of fun but learned a lot. Hope there’s another series.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bamber lamb
    United Kingdom7 months ago
  • Excellent start

    Good concept, charismatic hosts and real medicine. I’ll definitely keep listening so long as the episodes don’t get too long.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Cat fancier
    Australia9 months ago
  • Hilarious and gross

    Love the presenters’ dynamic. Bring on the next dose… the point of pus? The nitty gritty on the resilience of nits?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Largo&Joi
    United Kingdom9 months ago
  • Great fun

    A highly entertaining podcast that strikes a tricky balance between providing reliable information about important health concerns while never losing its sense of fun. Can’t wait for the next episode!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Doctor Dangerous
    United Kingdom9 months ago
  • Liked it

    Good laugh. Useful info. Liked it.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Eddy1118
    United Kingdom9 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A few listeners wish for more episodes and deeper dives into topics.
The quality and credibility of guests are often highlighted as a strength.
Listeners appreciate the mix of entertaining delivery with solid science.
Some reviews note the show can be too short or the host banter heavy at times.

Chart Rankings

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Migraine hacks: do eyebrow clips, cold spoons or fries actually work?
Q: What's your best advice then for somebody who's suffering from migraines?
Ellison advises letting the body recover during an attack, then considering behavior, stress, relationships, and diet between attacks to identify patterns and possible triggers.
Migraine hacks: do eyebrow clips, cold spoons or fries actually work?
Q: So what's actually going on inside the body then when we have a migraine?
Ellison explains that migraine has four stages, beginning with prodrome and sometimes aura before the pain phase, followed by post-drome. Changes in neurotransmitters and neural activity contribute to symptoms throughout the body.
Cottage cheese: protein superfood or fitness myth?
Q: How much do you need if you're into bodybuilding?
Farsi says around 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight may support muscle building when paired with resistance training. Evidence suggests diminishing returns above roughly 1.6 grams per kilogram for most people.
Cottage cheese: protein superfood or fitness myth?
Q: You've recently published a review on the health benefits of cottage cheese then. You looked at loads of different research. What is it that you found?
Farsi found little direct evidence. Some dated studies examine protein digestion and others insulin response, but research has not established benefits for gut health, muscle health, or long-term weight loss.
What is period scooping? And other menstrual hacks you should think twice about
Q: What evidence is there that there are benefits to menstrual blood, or that it can harm health?
She notes that while menstrual fluid contains stem cells with research interest, there is no evidence that applying it to the skin has anti-aging effects, and that internal cleaning with water or soap can disrupt the vaginal microbiome and cause infections. Overall, she urges caution and underscores the need for education and rigorous science.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Strange Health

What is Strange Health about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A science-forward show that unpacks viral health trends with expert guests and accessible hosts. Across episodes, the pair bust myths about period hacks, stroboscopic light therapy, body odor, mites, liver detoxs, and other peculiar health topics, balancing entertaining storytelling with medically grounded explanations. Unique angles include tying trends to historical attitudes, highlighting education gaps, and inviting specialists to translate niche biology into practical takeaways for listeners. The show likely appeals to curious, health-minded audiences who want clear, research-based context behind online health claims while enjoying engaging banter between hosts who are comfortable mixing humor with serious science.

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How many listeners does Strange Health get?

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What are the audience demographics for Strange Health?

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How many subscribers and views does Strange Health have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Strange Health has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Strange Health?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Strange Health:

1. Call Your Doctor
2. Better in Bed with The Sleep Doctor
3. Bite Back with Abbey Sharp
4. The Mel Robbins Podcast
5. Weirdly Helpful (formerly The Best Advice Show)

How many episodes of Strange Health are there?

Strange Health launched 10 months ago and published 13 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Strange Health?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Strange Health?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Strange Health from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

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What guests have appeared on Strange Health?

Recent guests on Strange Health include:

1. Amanda Ellison
2. Dominic Farsi
3. Sally King
4. David Schwartzman
5. Mats Olsson
6. Alejandra Perotti
7. Professor Arshad Majid
8. Adam Taylor

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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