Centre for GI Health

24/07/2025

A new study in collegiate athletes shows that toe-pushing strength, not just general toe flexion, is key to agility and change of direction. It’s a reminder that even the smallest muscles can play a powerful role in stability and movement.

In older adults, loss of toe strength and foot control is a silent contributor to falls, fractures, and long-term decline. It’s not just about mobility, it’s about independence, dignity, and quality of life.

🎧 In episode 176 of the Everyday Medicine podcast, I speak with physiotherapist Allan Abbott about the connection between foot function and falls, and what we can all be doing, at any age, to protect our foundation.

Link to the article and podcast in the comment.

17/07/2025

👋 Meet Dr. Matthew Peverelle, our newest gastroenterologist at Center for GI Health.

With extensive specialist training from King’s College Hospital in London, Dr. Peverelle brings expert care in liver disease and the full spectrum of gastrointestinal conditions, from nausea and cramping to bowel habit changes.

He is committed to a holistic and personalised approach, treating every patient as an individual with unique needs. Dr. Peverelle prides himself on clear, compassionate communication, making complex medical information easy to understand for both patients and GPs alike.

Watch his introduction and learn more about him.
(Link in the comments 👇)

15/07/2025

Episode 176: Death from the Feet Up with Mr Allan Abbott

Falls in older adults aren’t just unfortunate accidents; they often signal a deeper decline that can dramatically impact quality of life, independence, and even survival. For many seniors, something as simple as toe strength and foot stability can be the difference between staying active and facing serious consequences.

In this insightful episode, Allan Abbott, a forward-thinking physiotherapist, challenges us to look beyond the obvious and consider how foot health shapes our entire well-being. From the subtle loss of muscle control to the choices we make about footwear, there’s so much we can do, both as clinicians and as individuals, to support stronger, safer mobility.

If you care for older adults or are mindful about your own health journey, I encourage you to listen, reflect, and share these ideas. Together, we can help change the narrative around aging, one step at a time.

🎧 Listen here:

Falls in the elderly are associated with significant morbidity and, after a serious fall, indeed predict the transition within a year of 10-15% of seniors to long-term care facilities. Additionally, the one-year and three-year mortality for seniors is 16.4 % and 40.5% following a report of more than

10/07/2025

A recent review in medical dentistry literature highlights the growing use of needle-free anaesthesia techniques, from jet-injectors to computer-controlled delivery, offering a less invasive experience for patients, especially those with dental anxiety.

At the same time, mobile anesthesia is transforming access to care in Australia, bringing hospital-quality sedation into dental clinics and helping break down barriers for patients with disabilities or special needs.

🎧 Explore this evolving landscape with Associate Professor David Canty on the latest episode of the Everyday Medicine podcast, as we discuss the rise of mobile anesthesia, office-based surgery, and the future of dental sedation.

Link to the article and podcast in the comment.

02/07/2025

Episode 175. Mobile Anaesthesia with Dr David Canty

Mobile anesthesia is changing the landscape of care in Australia, making hospital-grade sedation possible in dental offices, radiology clinics, and other non-hospital settings.

In this episode, I sit down with Associate Professor Dr David Canty, anesthetist and medical director of a leading mobile anesthesia company, to explore how this model is expanding access to care, especially for patients with special needs.

If you’re curious about how mobile healthcare is evolving and what it means for providers and patients alike, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

🎙 Listen now: https://www.gihealth.com.au/everyday-medicine-podcast/episode-175-mobile-anaesthesia-with-dr-david-canty

Mobile anesthesia is a unique concept in Australia closely related to office-based surgery (OBS) a term used internationally for any surgical or invasive procedure performed outside hospitals with these procedures taking place in private practices or ambulatory surgery centers and often involves var

26/06/2025

A new study from the American Heart Association Journals shows that about 16% of young endurance athletes have reduced heart pumping function, linked to genetic factors that may raise their risk.

This groundbreaking research highlights the fine line between healthy cardiac remodelling and potential pathology, raising important questions for athletes and doctors alike.

🎧 Dive deeper with Dr. Maria Brosnan on the latest episode of the Everyday Medicine podcast, exploring how genetics and intense training impact the athlete’s heart and what it means for longevity and safety.

Link to the article and podcast in the comment.

17/06/2025

Can elite athletes train "too much"? Or are rare cardiac events simply that rare?

From the ancient legend of Pheidippides to the tragic, real-life stories of Dean Mercer and Ryan Shay, sudden cardiac events in athletes raise confronting questions:

Is there a hidden risk in high-performance endurance sport? Or are these outliers in otherwise life-extending activity?

In this episode, I’m joined by cardiologist and elite athlete Dr Maria Brosnan (St Vincent’s, The Baker Institute, National Centre for Sports Cardiology) to explore the science behind “Athlete’s Heart”, arrhythmias, and whether the benefits of exercise ever reach a tipping point.

An essential listen for anyone in sport, health, or cardiology.

🎧 Tune in now.
https://www.gihealth.com.au/everyday-medicine-podcast/episode-174-volume-exercise-and-the-heart-with-dr-maria-brosnan

The Greek messenger Pheidippides famously ran 42 kilometres from Marathon to Athens delivering news of victory in battle before dropping dead, still a young man. Pheidippides was undoubtedly fit and an accomplished runner as he had been a Greek herald messenger his entire life. Was his untimely deat

12/06/2025

Melbourne’s Lyrebird Health has raised $12 million to grow its AI medical scribe technology into the UK and Middle East. Already supporting over 30,000 consultations a day in Australia, Lyrebird is easing the burden of clinical documentation, allowing doctors to focus more on their patients.

This funding, led by Five V Capital and Octopus Ventures, recognises a solution that’s scaling fast without losing its heart: a tool genuinely loved by healthcare professionals.

In Episode 173 of the Everyday Medicine podcast, futurist Anders Sörman-Nilsson joins me to reflect on how AI is changing medicine from diagnosis to mental health support and why the future of care is both smart and deeply human.

Link to the podcast and the medical article in the comment.

03/06/2025

Episode 174. Artificial Intelligence and Medicine with Anders Sorman-Nilsson

In this episode of Everyday Medicine, futurist Anders Sörman-Nilsson joins us to explore how artificial intelligence is shaping the future of healthcare, from diagnostics and drug discovery to personalised treatment and medical education.

A fascinating look at where technology meets medicine.

🎧 Listen here: https://www.gihealth.com.au/everyday-medicine-podcast/episode-173-artificial-intelligence-and-medicine-with-anders-sorman-nilsson

Artificial intelligence is a wide-ranging branch of computer science concerned with building smart machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. It is widely accepted that artificial intelligence computer systems will be used extensively in Medical Sciences. Common

29/05/2025

The World Health Organisation warns that climate change could lead to an additional 250,000 deaths per year between 2030 and 2050, due to heat stress, malnutrition, and diseases like malaria and infectious diarrhoea.

Already, we're witnessing the health impacts of a warming world — from unsafe water to reduced food security and deteriorating air quality. These are not distant possibilities, but present-day realities with mounting urgency.

In episode 134 of the Everyday Medicine Podcast, I’m joined by Professor Richard Eckard, Director of the Primary Industries Climate Challenges Centre and a global leader in sustainable agriculture. We discuss the health consequences of climate change, population growth, and how agricultural innovation can be part of the solution.

If you're a health professional, environmental advocate, policymaker, or just curious about how climate and health intersect, this episode offers a sobering yet solutions-focused perspective.

👇 Links to the episode and references in the comments.

22/05/2025

Episode 172. Oral Medicine and Overall Health with Dr Asef Anwar

In this episode of Everyday Medicine, Dr Asef Anwar joins us to explore how oral health impacts overall well-being and its links to chronic diseases like cardiovascular issues, diabetes, and oral cancers.

We discuss oral mucosal conditions, orofacial pain, sleep apnea treatments, and the role of dental implants, highlighting why good oral care is essential for every clinician to understand.

Listen to the podcast: www.gihealth.com.au/everyday-medicine-podcast/episode-172-oral-medicine-with-dr-asef-anwar

Good oral health is fundamental to overall health and well-being, and a person's quality of life is compromised without it. By Oral health, we are referring to the condition of a person's teeth and gums, as well as the health of the muscles and bones in their mouth. Tooth decay, gum disease and toot

06/05/2025

Episode 171. Questions in Cardiology with Dr James Sapontis (Part 2)

In this episode of Everyday Medicine, we continue our deep dive into the fast-evolving world of cardiology with Dr James Sapontis – a leading interventional cardiologist and passionate educator.

With cardiovascular disease still responsible for 1 in 4 deaths in Australia, the urgency for better interventions and smarter diagnostics has never been greater.

I was keen to sit down with Dr Sapontis to clarify a few complex areas — including dual antiplatelet therapy combined with DOACs (and the bleeding risks that follow), the role of mitraclips in heart failure, how BNP testing fits into the diagnostic puzzle, and more.

🎧 Tune in to Part 2 of our conversation to keep up with what’s changing, and why it matters to every clinician navigating heart health:
www.gihealth.com.au/everyday-medicine-podcast/episode-171-questions-in-cardiology-with-dr-james-sapontis-part-2