The Arc Woman Podcast

🩺 In this episode I'm joined by Dr. Maree Bilandzic, molecular cancer biologist, ovarian cancer advocate, and the first scientist in the world to identify and characterise leader cells in ovarian cancer a discovery that is fundamentally changing how scientitsts understand why this disease keeps coming back.
🔬 We get into why ovarian cancer is called the silent killer, why treatment hasn't changed in over 30 years, and what it actually means that this cancer starts in the fallopian tube something we only discovered a decade ago.
⚡ Dr. Bilandzic breaks down her landmark leader cell research what leader cells are, how they build immune fortresses to outsmart chemotherapy, and what her lab's novel therapy targeting them could mean for the 80% of women whose cancer returns.
🧬 We also cover the early detection tests being developed right now in Australia that could push survival rates from 30% to over 90%, why CA125 isn't the answer, and what to actually do if your intuition is telling you something is wrong.
💛 And we talk about what it means to do this work the grief, the hope, and the women who donate their tissue so their daughters don't have to go through what they did.
Find Dr. Bilandzic and her team at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne at hudsoninstitute.org
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🏛️ Journey from ancient Venus figurines to futuristic GLP-1 prescriptions as this episode uncovers the long story of how women have been praised for shrinking themselves, eating less, and calling it virtue.
🔍 We chart the recurring pattern: every time women gain political ground, a new beauty ideal emerges to shrink them back. From suffrage and the flapper craze, to second wave feminism and Twiggy, to third wave and heroin chic, and now the most educated generation of women facing a resurgence of extreme thinness.
📊 The numbers nobody puts next to each other: what the 1,200-calorie diet sits alongside historically, what the Minnesota Starvation Experiment found.
🧬 The biology that diet culture fights: how adipose tissue acts as an endocrine organ, why cellulite signals femininity, and the hidden costs of chronically underfeeding women—on hormones, bone strength, and dopamine.
🌍 The full political picture rolling back of women's rights, the class architecture of SkinnyTok, the obesity epidemic as an economic story, and why finishing your plate might be the most radical thing a woman can do right now.
📖 This episode references Naomi Wolf's The Beauty Myth the audiobook is on Audible and I cannot recommend it enough get your first month with audible free.
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🎙️ In this episode, I break down what PCOS actually is beyond the label walking you through its underlying pathophysiology, what’s really happening at a hormonal and metabolic level, and why it’s so often misunderstood.
⚡ From there, I unpack the Rotterdam criteria and how PCOS is diagnosed, including where women are commonly misdiagnosed or overlooked, and what a thorough, accurate workup should actually include.
🧬 We then move into the four distinct types of PCOS insulin-resistant, inflammatory, post-pill, and adrenal exploring how each presents differently and why this distinction completely changes the approach to treatment.
🥗 Building on this, I take you through what to actually focus on with diet, exercise, and lifestyle depending on your PCOS type cutting through generic advice and getting specific about what supports ovulation, hormone balance, and long-term metabolic health.
🌿 I also cover the supplements and herbal interventions that have real evidence behind them, when to use them, and how they work within the bigger picture of restoring hormonal function.
🔵 Arc Woman™ content is protected by copyright and trademark laws. Reuse or repurposing requires written consent.

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🎙️ In this episode, I unpack what Professor Philippe Grandjean at Harvard describes as a chemical pandemic and reveal how the very system meant to shield us is missing the hidden toll women are bearing in their bodies today.
⚡Continuing from this, we journey through the world of EDCs, pesticides, flame retardants, forever chemicals, phthalates, microplastics, and synthetic textiles, exploring what the latest research reveals about their effects on fertility, endometriosis, PCOS, pregnancy outcomes, and the next generation of daughters.
🧬 Building on these findings, I dive into the molecular story: how these chemicals hijack the HPO axis, ramp up aromatase, speed up follicle loss, spark progesterone resistance, and why women shoulder a heavier chemical load than men and why that difference is crucial.
🩲 From the molecular to the everyday, we also uncover what lurks in your menstrual products, sports bras, and period underwear, and discuss what the Thinx lawsuit reveals about the gaps in protection women truly face.
📋Finally, I wrap up with the data that gives me hope: studies showing that EDC levels can drop meaningfully in just 3 days, along with practical swaps, certifications, and apps genuinely worth your attention.
This episode is sponsored by Indigo Luna slow fashion made from natural fibres including OEKO-TEX certified organic cotton and TENCEL modal, designed to reduce the endocrine load on your body. Use code SOFTERCHOICE for 10% off!
arcwoman.com.au
🔵 Arc Woman™ content is protected by copyright and trademark laws. Reuse or repurposing requires written consent.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

🎙️ Magnesium is involved in over 600 enzymatic reactions in the body and yet roughly half of all women aren't getting enough of it. This episode covers where magnesium comes from, why modern diets and farming practices have left us depleted, and why the standard blood test your doctor orders is almost certainly missing the full picture.
🧬 We break down what magnesium actually does inside the body: how it unlocks ATP energy production, regulates the nervous system, activates vitamin D, supports estrogen clearance through the COMT enzyme, and sits at the centre of sleep, blood sugar, thyroid function, and hormonal health.
⚡ We look at the RDI and whether current nutritional science backs it up, the top food sources and what helps or blocks absorption, and a full breakdown of every supplemental form so you can choose the right magnesium for what your body actually needs.
🩺 The episode closes with magnesium's specific applications for PCOS, endometriosis, adenomyosis, PMS and PMDD, perimenopause, and Hashimoto's thyroiditis.
🛒 I've curated my favourite magnesium supplements over on my iHerb storefront the forms I actually recommend and use. Link in bio, and you get 10% off your order.
arcwoman.com.au
Arc Woman™ content is protected by copyright and trademark laws. Reuse or repurposing requires written consent.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands