Casey Beros looks into the history of the pill and discovers some interesting facts about it's use.

As we age we can lose strength and also our balance, it's a big contributor to falls and accidents, especially amongst older people. Geoff Brockenshire shows us how to strengthen the lower body for better balance, no expensive gym membership requi...

Postnatal depression is common in women after they've given birth, and it seems to make sense that if women receive professional support after giving birth it would reduce the chances of developing depression. However research at the Institute of ...

Breast tenderness is a common symptom for many women, particularly around menstruation and pregnancy. But research is showing that for older women taking Hormone Replacement Therapy, HRT, breast tenderness could be linked to an increased risk of b...

Most women are well aware of their pelvic floor muscles, they're often encouraged to practice exercises to strengthen them in preparation for childbirth and to restore 'what was' afterwards. Now research is showing men should also be strengthening...

Geoff Brockenshire explains how the pelvic and the lumbar spine are at the centre of all activities we perform, a mobile area of the body that's stabilised by the muscles that make up the "core". We explore the idea of a "neutral spine" and show y...

When thinking about any land based exercise that you do while standing up, it's really important to think about your feet and your footwear. Geoff Brockenshire reports.

You might have heard of interval training, but does it work? Casey Beros talks to exercise physiologist Geoff Brockenshire about how to get the most out of interval training.

Prior to a diagnosis of dementia, most families go through at least a few years of suspecting changes in their loved ones, but not able to find a specific cause. The diagnosis of dementia can be extremely challenging for both the patient and the f...

Many people these days are stuck at desks for hours on end leaning over a computer. Our ancestors were constantly moving, lifting, reaching and running which kept them fit and mobile - especially through the back. The thoracic spine is the middle ...

Tonic's personal trainer gives the lowdown on a common exercise many people get wrong, and it could be doing them more harm than good.

There's been a risky development in treating milk allergy with the offending substance it's one not to be tried at homePeanuts are probably what jump to mind first when you think of food allergy in children, but many kids also have problems with ...

Norman clarifies a viewer question in regards to cholesterol and heart disease

Tonic's personal trainer shows us how to do a simple but effective exercise for your arms that many people include as part of their exercise routine and get wrong - dips.

The brain's role in fertility

More in our gripping 3 part series on anxiety Adolescence can be a tough time for anyone but those dealing with an anxiety disorder can have a particularly hard time, especially when their condition goes unrecognised or untreated. When young peopl...

Vitamin D is in the news a lot these days - from heart health to bone health to risk of cancer, but what about pregnancy? There's been a fascinating study of women who developed diabetes in pregnancy which found nearly half of them had low vitamin...

A woman's mental state can affect her periods and ability to conceive a baby.There's an amazing communication system between a woman's ovaries and her brain, but many will be surprised to learn the main action of ovulation actually comes from the ...

Just what do kids (and adults) get out of those wireless sports games you can play in your lounge room? Is there significant calorie burn? Tonic sorts fact from fiction and the results might surprise you.

Arthroscopy is a common surgical procedure for knee osteoarthritis but the evidence shows that it's effectiveness in treating knee pain is only as good as 'fake' surgery, and that patients having arthroscopy for osteoarthritis are getting all of t...

When somebody develops cancer they often wonder if there's something they could change in their diet to help control the tumour. Some exploit that by inventing mad diets which can do a lot of harm, but research at the University of California, Los...

For every person with dementia, there is usually 3 or 4 people who are involved in the care. Carers have a crucial and under recognised role in keeping people with dementia out of hospital and well cared for in the home.

Cholesterol as a risk factor for heart disease, is it all it's cracked up to be? When you think of the risk factors for heart disease, the first that probably comes to mind after smoking is saturated fat in your diet. Doctors nag you about it all ...

The decision about when to seek residential care for a loved one with advanced dementia is challenging and can be traumatic. We talk to carers who have experience in this part of the dementia journey to gather insight into ways to manage this stag...

Many people aren't aware of how important testosterone is for women, particularly when it comes to their sex drive. However there are risks and side effects, and women may end up with more 'man' than they bargained for. Female sexual dysfunction ...

Norman explains recent findings that may help ward off dementia.

There's a link between the density of men's bones and their prostate gland, which has given researchers have a clue that could give them the ability to predict high risk prostate cancer 20 years before it occursProstate cancer is extremely common,...

What's the consensus on a glass of wine a day? It seems like every week a new study is released on the benefits and pitfalls of a glass of wine a day. Tonic's resident skeptic Rich Brophy weighs in on the debate'

Research from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm has given us another reason to not let those added kilos creep on over the years, being overweight or obese in midlife can increase your risk of dementia in later life. Casey sits down with world...

Qi Gong and Tai Chi are ancient Chinese wellness practices that emphasise regulation of breath and calming of mind. Believers say both practices are effective healing tools of conditions like arthritis and also for relieving stress, and there's so...

Wouldn't it be wonderful if there was an elixr of youth? We already know that things like exercise and a low calorie diet can keep us looking and feeling younger longer, but research at the world famous Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota has found...

In episode 8 we launch the treatments for Tonic's insomnia trial and encourage viewers to take part. We've partnered with two fantastic organisations to bring viewers the best insomnia information available. Choose from relaxation therapies, slee...

A Harvard university study of 40,000 women aged 45 years and over has shown that moderate exercise can reduce the chance of having a stroke. Interestingly it was moderate exercise levels that showed the greatest benefit.

High blood pressure is one of the most potent risk factors around, causing heart disease and in particular stroke. Getting yours down and keeping it there is really important, and there are various ways to do that, Norman has some tips and tricks ...

More and more men are being diagnosed with prostate cancer because they're being screened by their GP. But the big question is which prostate cancers need active treatment and how aggressively.Lorelei Mucci and her colleagues at Harvard School of...

Norman answers a viewer question about eye floaters and explains what they are.

Many public hospitals require all patients on waiting lists for total knee replacement to undergo physiotherapy with targeted exercises and the results have been very good, delaying knee replacement surgery for many years and in around 15% of all ...

A viewer has asked "I'm being treated for high cholesterol. My GP seems happy with my levels but I'm wondering whether I should get them much lower. How low should I go?" Norman asks expert Professor Tony Keech of the George Institute in Sydney ...

Often the negative outcomes caused by dementia and delirium are preventable if the delirium is identified and treated quickly. Experts in healthcare for older people want hospital staff to treat mental and cognitive state as one of the patient's ...

For most types of dementia, deterioration occurs over years and quality of life can be significantly improved by understanding how the disease is likely to progress, what the challenges are likely to be and some strategies for minimizing the effects.

We are living for longer than ever before, thanks to improvements in medical technology and the demise of many past epidemics. Obvious benefits aside, planning for this is a complex issue, and one that many researchers around the world are focused...

The regulation of complementary medicines: what you need to know about this $4 Billion a year industryAustralians might be shocked to know just how little regulation there is to ensure these medicines are safe and live up to their claims. As a res...

Thousands of Australians go under the knife every day, but there are some common surgeries that often get questioned in terms of their necessity. Knee arthroscopy surgery is one of them, and more than 100,000 of the procedures are performed each y...

Although dementia and delirium are both conditions that cause changes to thinking capacity and behaviour, the causes, pattern of onset and health outcomes are very different and can be life-threatening. In older people delirium is often mistaken f...

One of the commonest procedures performed around the world is called stenting. It's where doctors open up a blocked artery in the heart by inserting a slither of metal into the artery to keep it open. However, there are allegations that far too ma...

People with dementia and/or delirium in hospital have higher mortality rate, more falls, and higher complication rates. The family and carers can play a critical role in ensuring that medical staff know if there is a change in the persons normal t...

Diagnosing Alzheimer's earlier, new tests and what they mean for the publicThere are a lot of conditions that cause memory loss, but Alzheimer's is probably the one that worry people most. There've been recent developments in testing, but is the a...

Dementia is a group of diseases, involving loss of memory, cognitive function and behavioural change. The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer's and the second most common is vascular dementia. We investigate how these types are different, bo...