Episodes

  • #228 Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) with Professor Pete Smith

    #228 Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) with Professor Pete Smith
    Nov 2 2026

    Professor Pete Smith is an allergist and immunologist with a PhD in molecular immunology. After training at Great Ormond Street Hospital and UCL's Institute of Child Health in London, he returned to Australia to found Queensland Allergy Services. Pete is an active member of the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology & Allergy, the World Allergy Organization, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, and the European Academy of Clinical Immunology & Allergy. With 170+ peer-reviewed papers, professorships across three universities, and over 60 PhD candidates supervised, he has spent four decades separating what works from what sells, and translating that into real outcomes for patients. His current focus is the evidence-based science of healthy ageing, distilled in his forthcoming book, 30 Minutes to Longevity.

    Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) Position Paper - Diagnosis and Investigation of Mast Cell Activation Disorders and Syndrome

    The Australian Mast Cell Activition Disorder Society

    RACGP Energy Limiting Disorders SIG and CPD CHECK

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    Thank you for listening and your support.

    ...

    Study and learn lifestyle medicine: Interested in whole of person clinical practice, research and careers that address the lifestyle and social determinants of illness and wellbeing, using lifestyle approaches, behaviour change, health coaching and implementation science? Check out the JCU College of Medicine postgraduate degrees: Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, and Master in lifestyle medicine.

    Dr Sam Manger on YouTube: Using lifestyle as medicine: A new era in chronic disease remission and YouTube: Careers in lifestyle medicine

    The 3 week online microcredential in Lifestyle Medicine and Mental Health: Life and Mind available here.

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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • #227 Asthma - Moving beyond the blue puffer with Dr Brett Montgomery

    #227 Asthma - Moving beyond the blue puffer with Dr Brett Montgomery
    Oct 8 2026

    Time to clear the air, smooth the pipes and maybe even save the planet at the same time. The Australian asthma guidelines have changed, and this episode genuinely changed what I'll be reaching for first when I next treat a patient with asthma.

    Dr Brett Montgomery, Chair of the National Asthma Council committee behind the Australian Asthma Handbook, joins us to unpack what's new, why the trusty blue puffer isn't so trusty on its own anymore, and the changes that could make a real difference to your practice and your patients.

    ...

    If you find this podcast valuable, please help by rating the podcast 5 stars and leaving a review in your podcast app.

    If you would like to request a topic, please contact us via contact@thegpshow.com

    Thank you for listening and your support.

    ...

    Study and learn lifestyle medicine: Interested in whole of person clinical practice, research and careers that address the lifestyle and social determinants of illness and wellbeing, using lifestyle approaches, behaviour change, health coaching and implementation science? Check out the JCU College of Medicine postgraduate degrees: Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, and Master in lifestyle medicine.

    Dr Sam Manger on YouTube: Using lifestyle as medicine: A new era in chronic disease remission and YouTube: Careers in lifestyle medicine

    The 3 week online microcredential in Lifestyle Medicine and Mental Health: Life and Mind available here.

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    44 mins
  • #226 Energy Limiting Disorders with Dr Jason Lam

    #226 Energy Limiting Disorders with Dr Jason Lam
    Sep 21 2026

    Dr Jason Lam is a GP with a Masters of Sports Medicine and was the inaugural Crichton Dance Medicine Fellow with the Australian Ballet. He is a registrar with the Australian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians and is involved in medical education, publication and research. He is on the Scientific Advisory Board for Connective Tissue Diseases Network (CTDNA) Australia and a member of the new RACGP SIG on Energy Limiting Disorders. He has a special interest in Hypermobility, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, dysautonomia, Long Covid, ME/CFS, Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and is proud to be a part of The Australian EDS and HSD Network. He deeply understands the realities of navigating complex, often misunderstood conditions having had lived experience of hypermobility, orthostatic hypotension/POTS and ME/CFS post septic shock.

    Episodes resources:

    1. https://www.drjasonlam.com.au/resources
    2. Open Medicine Foundation Resources and Clinical Guidelines
    3. Visible App - wearable tech for illness, not wellness, designed for MECFS, POTS, EDS and Long Covid
    4. RACGP Energy Limiting Disorders SIG and CPD CHECK

    ...

    If you find this podcast valuable, please help by rating the podcast 5 stars and leaving a review in your podcast app.

    If you would like to request a topic, please contact us via contact@thegpshow.com

    Thank you for listening and your support.

    ...

    Study and learn lifestyle medicine: Interested in whole of person clinical practice, research and careers that address the lifestyle and social determinants of illness and wellbeing, using lifestyle approaches, behaviour change, health coaching and implementation science? Check out the JCU College of Medicine postgraduate degrees: Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, and Master in lifestyle medicine.

    Dr Sam Manger on YouTube: Using lifestyle as medicine: A new era in chronic disease remission and YouTube: Careers in lifestyle medicine

    The 3 week online microcredential in Lifestyle Medicine and Mental Health: Life and Mind available here.

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    1 hr and 12 mins
  • #225 A GP's Guide to Allergies with Dr. Alison Muller

    #225 A GP's Guide to Allergies with Dr. Alison Muller
    Aug 28 2026

    Twenty-five years ago, having a baby daughter struggling with severe hives turned GP Dr. Alison Muller into an accidental allergy guru - and general practice has been better for it since. She unpacks IgE vs non-IgE reactions, why 10% of one-year-olds now have a genuine food allergy, why smearing avocado oil on eczema is asking for trouble, and why anaphylaxis rates are up 900% in twenty years. Plus she gives us the practical tips we need such as weight-based antihistamine dosing, the three-ingredient "magic cream" for infected eczema, and why putting your clothes in the dryer for ten minutes might be the cheapest allergy hack around.

    If you have ever ordered a RAST and had a result telling you that someone is "allergic to grass" and not really known what to do next, or you've wondered whether desensitisation is worth the needles (and what exactly is involved?!), then this podcast is for you. Alison covers exercise-induced food anaphylaxis, FPIES, and even Neffy - the new nasal adrenaline spray that might finally get more people to use their emergency treatment when it counts. A great one not to miss!

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    If you find this podcast valuable, please help by rating the podcast 5 stars and leaving a review in your podcast app.

    If you would like to request a topic, please contact us via contact@thegpshow.com

    Thank you for listening and your support.

    ...

    Study and learn lifestyle medicine: Interested in whole of person clinical practice, research and careers that address the lifestyle and social determinants of illness and wellbeing, using lifestyle approaches, behaviour change, health coaching and implementation science? Check out the JCU College of Medicine postgraduate degrees: Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, and Master in lifestyle medicine.

    Dr Sam Manger on YouTube: Using lifestyle as medicine: A new era in chronic disease remission and YouTube: Careers in lifestyle medicine

    The 3 week online microcredential in Lifestyle Medicine and Mental Health: Life and Mind available here.

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    55 mins
  • #224 Clean Slate Clinic with Dr Chris Davis

    #224 Clean Slate Clinic with Dr Chris Davis
    Aug 13 2026

    Dr Chris Davis is a GP, Co-Founder and CMO of the Clean Slate Clinic, Australia's leading virtual detox and recovery service, and an Addiction Specialist at St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney. He established the Clean Slate Clinic in Sydney for primary care alcohol withdrawal and recovery services, after successfully implementing the model in the UK. His teams inspiring work demonstrates highly effective, more accessible and supportive care in recovery and continues to scale nationally.

    https://cleanslateclinic.com/

    Cracking Addiction Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/cracking-addiction/id1579789505

    Episode #139 of The GP Show where we first met Dr Chris - https://thegpshow.libsyn.com/139-alcohol-recovery-and-the-clean-slate-clinic-with-dr-chris-davis-and-flip-prior

    ...

    If you find this podcast valuable, please help by rating the podcast 5 stars and leaving a review in your podcast app.

    If you would like to request a topic, please contact us via contact@thegpshow.com

    Thank you for listening and your support.

    ...

    Study and learn lifestyle medicine: Interested in whole of person clinical practice, research and careers that address the lifestyle and social determinants of illness and wellbeing, using lifestyle approaches, behaviour change, health coaching and implementation science? Check out the JCU College of Medicine postgraduate degrees: Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, and Master in lifestyle medicine.

    Dr Sam Manger on YouTube: Using lifestyle as medicine: A new era in chronic disease remission and YouTube: Careers in lifestyle medicine

    The 3 week online microcredential in Lifestyle Medicine and Mental Health: Life and Mind available here.

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    1 hr
  • #223 Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) with Professor Jayashri Kulkarni

    #223 Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) with Professor Jayashri Kulkarni
    Jul 27 2026
    Professor Jayashri Kulkarni is one of Australia's leading psychiatrists and researchers specialising in women's mental health. She is the Director of the HER Centre Australia (Health, Education and Research for Women's Mental Health) and Professor of Psychiatry at Monash University. Professor Kulkarni's work focuses on mood disorders across the female lifespan, with particular attention to the neurochemical effects of reproductive hormones on brain function, including perimenopausal depression and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. She is the developer of the Meno-D rating scale and has been a leading voice for over four decades in the recognition and treatment of hormone-related mental illness in women. This is a supplementary episode to the GP Show's earlier conversation with Professor Kulkarni on perimenopausal mental health, recorded in the same sitting. In it, Dr. Ashlea Broomfield and Professor Kulkarni discuss what distinguishes PMDD from common premenstrual symptoms; the emerging evidence on trauma and gene expression as a mechanism for PMDD onset; why current guidelines default to SSRIs rather than hormonal treatment and the limitations of that approach; practical hormonal treatment options for women with and without contraceptive needs; and the role of trauma therapy alongside hormonal management. Professor Kulkarni argues that PMDD is a brain condition, not an end-organ condition, and that treatment should reflect that. RESOURCES "How to Treat PMDD" — Professor Jayashri Kulkarni, Australian Doctor. Read here UK Guidelines: The Green-top Guideline 48 — Management of Premenstrual Syndrome Green LJ, O'Brien PMS, Panay N, Craig M on behalf of the Royal College of Obstetricians andGynaecologists. Management of premenstrual syndrome. BJOG 2017 ; 124:e73–e105 HER Centre Australia — monash.edu/medicine/her-centre Perimenopausal Mental Health episode — The GP Show with Professor Jayashri Kulkarni Fast Facts in Sexual and Reproductive Health with Dr. Sara Whitburn — The GP Show ... If you find this podcast valuable, please help by rating the podcast 5 stars and leaving a review in your podcast app. If you would like to request a topic, please contact us via contact@thegpshow.com Thank you for listening and your support. ... Study and learn lifestyle medicine: Interested in whole of person clinical practice, research and careers that address the lifestyle and social determinants of illness and wellbeing, using lifestyle approaches, behaviour change, health coaching and implementation science? Check out the JCU College of Medicine postgraduate degrees: Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, and Master in lifestyle medicine. Dr Sam Manger on YouTube: Using lifestyle as medicine: A new era in chronic disease remission and YouTube: Careers in lifestyle medicine The 3 week online microcredential in Lifestyle Medicine and Mental Health: Life and Mind available here.
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    31 mins
  • #222 Perimenopausal Mental Health with Professor Jayashri Kulkarni

    #222 Perimenopausal Mental Health with Professor Jayashri Kulkarni
    Jul 7 2026
    Professor Jayashri Kulkarni is one of Australia's leading psychiatrists and researchers specialising in women's mental health. She is the Director of the HER Centre Australia (Health, Education and Research for Women's Mental Health) and Professor of Psychiatry at Monash University. Professor Kulkarni's work focuses on mood disorders across the female lifespan, with particular attention to the neurochemical effects of reproductive hormones on brain function, including perimenopausal depression and premenstrual dysphoric disorder. She is the developer of the Meno-D rating scale and has been a leading voice for over four decades in the recognition and treatment of hormone-related mental illness in women. In this episode, Dr. Ashlea Broomfield speaks with Professor Jayashri Kulkarni about the mental health impact of perimenopause. They discuss the role of oestrogen and progesterone as neurosteroids influencing mood, cognition, and behaviour; why mood symptoms often precede vasomotor changes by years; which women are most at risk and why; the distinct clinical profile of perimenopausal depression and how to avoid common misdiagnoses; and how to approach hormonal treatment in practice (including contraceptive options, transdermal oestradiol, micronised progesterone, and tibolone) alongside a review of the evidence around MHT safety. RESOURCES "The primary care management of perimenopausal depression" — Kulkarni J et al. Australian Journal of General Practice 2026;55(4). Read here HER Centre Australia — Research, clinical resources, and the Meno-D scale: monash.edu/medicine/her-centre Meno-D rating scale — Available via HER Centre Australia and as an appendix in the AJGP article above Healthy Hormones — GP-led community, resources, and webinars: healthyhormones.au Australasian Menopause Society — Evidence-based guidelines and resources: menopause.org.au Monash University women's mental health short course — Via HER Centre Australia ( PMDD companion episode — The GP Show with Professor Jayashri Kulkarni (link once live) Fast Facts in Sexual and Reproductive Health with Dr. Sara Whitburn — The GP Show TIMESTAMPS 00:00 — Introduction, Welcome to Country, guest bio 03:40 — Reproductive hormones as brain neurosteroids: neurochemical effects of oestrogen and progesterone across the perimenopausal transition 12:19 — Risk factors for perimenopausal mood sensitivity: early life trauma, the HPA/HPG axis, and recognising hormonal sensitivity in clinical history 24:28 — Diagnostic considerations: the Meno-D scale, distinguishing perimenopausal depression from MDD and bipolar disorder, and current gaps in psychiatric classification 37:29 — MHT safety: reviewing the 2001 WHI study, absolute and relative contraindications, and monitoring in practice 45:33 — Treatment approaches: hormonal contraception, transdermal oestradiol, micronised progesterone, tibolone, and tailoring to the individual 59:16 — Further resources and preview of the PMDD companion episode ... If you find this podcast valuable, please help by rating the podcast 5 stars and leaving a review in your podcast app. If you would like to request a topic, please contact us via contact@thegpshow.com Thank you for listening and your support. ... Study and learn lifestyle medicine: Interested in whole of person clinical practice, research and careers that address the lifestyle and social determinants of illness and wellbeing, using lifestyle approaches, behaviour change, health coaching and implementation science? Check out the JCU College of Medicine postgraduate degrees: Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, and Master in lifestyle medicine. Dr Sam Manger on YouTube: Using lifestyle as medicine: A new era in chronic disease remission and YouTube: Careers in lifestyle medicine The 3 week online microcredential in Lifestyle Medicine and Mental Health: Life and Mind available here.
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • #221 Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (MECFS) with Dr David Fineberg

    #221 Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (MECFS) with Dr David Fineberg
    Jun 22 2026

    Dr David Fineberg is a General Practitioner and PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne whose research focuses on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and Long COVID. He is the founding clinician of the ME Research Clinic (MERC), a translational research hub dedicated to advancing the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of complex post-viral syndromes through an evidence-based, patient-centred model. His PhD is "Precision Medicine techniques In the treatment of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ME/CFS + Long Covid (PRIME)".

    Episodes resources:

    1. MECFS diagnostic criteria from ME Research UK
    2. DePaul Questionnaire
    3. FUNCAP (Functional Capacity) Questionnaire
    4. Open Medicine Foundation Resources and Clinical Guidelines
    5. Visible App - wearable tech for illness, not wellness, designed for MECFS, POTS, EDS and Long Covid
    6. RACGP Energy Limiting Disorders SIG and CPD CHECK

    ...

    If you find this podcast valuable, please help by rating the podcast 5 stars and leaving a review in your podcast app.

    If you would like to request a topic, please contact us via contact@thegpshow.com

    Thank you for listening and your support.

    ...

    Study and learn lifestyle medicine: Interested in whole of person clinical practice, research and careers that address the lifestyle and social determinants of illness and wellbeing, using lifestyle approaches, behaviour change, health coaching and implementation science? Check out the JCU College of Medicine postgraduate degrees: Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, and Master in lifestyle medicine.

    Dr Sam Manger on YouTube: Using lifestyle as medicine: A new era in chronic disease remission and YouTube: Careers in lifestyle medicine

    The 3 week online microcredential in Lifestyle Medicine and Mental Health: Life and Mind available here.

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    1 hr and 16 mins