Every woman knows the feeling—sitting in a doctor's office, describing debilitating symptoms, only to be dismissed with "try losing weight" or "it's just hormones." This isn't just frustrating; it's dangerous.

We're pulling back the curtain on the systemic problems in women's healthcare, exploring conditions like PCOS, endometriosis, and perimenopause that affect millions yet remain chronically under-researched and misunderstood. Did you know it takes an average of 7-8 YEARS to receive an endometriosis diagnosis? Or that women are twice as likely to die from heart attacks because their symptoms present differently than the "classic" male symptoms taught in medical school?

The disparities are staggering. When men experience erectile dysfunction or low testosterone, they're quickly offered medication. Yet women suffering from debilitating menstrual pain or perimenopausal symptoms are told to "just deal with it." Medical research has historically excluded women because of the perceived "messiness" of hormones, leaving enormous gaps in our understanding of female bodies. Even the BMI scale—still widely used today—was developed based solely on male bodies.

For women of colour, these problems compound exponentially, with maternal mortality rates three times higher than for white women. The entire system was designed "by men, for men," and everyone with a uterus is paying the price.

But there's hope. Conversations are opening up. Support groups are forming. Public figures like Davina McCall are bringing conditions like perimenopause into mainstream discussion. We're standing up and demanding better—better research, better treatment options, and better understanding.

Share your experiences with us on Instagram @thehealthhundspod.

Helen Anderson joins us to share her health and fitness journey, including how she transitioned from being an internet personality representing body positivity to losing weight and finding joy in fitness on her own terms.

• Helen explains how comments about her body from a young age impacted her self-perception despite outwardly being an advocate for body confidence
• The turning point came in early 2023 when Helen decided to commit to her health to prove to herself she could stick with something
• Run Norwich experiences - Helen achieved a 58-minute time in only her second 10K race
• The BPM playlist hack that helps Helen maintain consistent running pace
• Moving from focusing on weight loss to valuing functional strength and fitness
• The double standards within the body positivity community when influencers choose to lose weight
• Industry "icks" including protein-washing products and the overwhelming number of supplement advertisements
• Practical advice for beginners: be consistent, drop the guilt, and lower your expectations about timeframes
• Helen's three-year journey to lose three stone and how maintenance has become effortless
• How fitness communities provide positive social connections beyond just exercise

Remember lining up in the school hall to be weighed in front of everyone? Or being forced to wear those ridiculous PE knickers while attempting gymnastics? The humiliation of childhood PE classes is something many of us carry well into adulthood—often manifesting as a complicated relationship with exercise and our bodies.

In this raw, unfiltered conversation, we unpack what it truly means to grow up as "the fat kid" and how these formative experiences shape our relationship with fitness for decades to come. We share personal stories of family members commenting on our weight, the mortification of communal showers, and the crushing pressure to fit into a body type that simply wasn't ours. What's striking is how differently these experiences affected us—one host recalling being taken to Weight Watchers at just ten years old, while the other's family never made weight an issue despite societal pressures.

We take a critical look at the viral "Box Wave" phenomenon, questioning whether exploiting a child's weight loss journey for social media fame is truly in the boy's best interest. When adults parade a child's transformation across platforms and morning television, what happens when the cameras stop rolling? The pressure to maintain that weight loss could potentially set him up for a lifetime of disordered eating and exercise behaviors.

School physical education comes under particular scrutiny as we suggest radical changes to how movement is taught to children. Why are we still forcing team sports on kids who hate them? Why not introduce weight training, yoga, or modified running programs that allow children to progress at their own pace? The stark gender differences in how overweight boys versus girls are treated reveals society's double standards—while a larger boy might be nicknamed "Big Tom" and find his place on the rugby team, girls face relentless pressure to shrink themselves.

Join us for this thought-provoking episode that will have you reflecting on your own childhood experiences and questioning how we might better support the next generation. Share your own PE trauma stories with us on social media—we're building a community where the messiness of health and fitness is embraced rather than hidden away.