Grey Areas with Petra Bagust

Dr Lara Briden is back, and for good reason. The naturopathic doctor, evolutionary biologist, and bestselling author of Period Repair Manual, Hormone Repair Manual, and The Metabolism Reset is the only guest to appear on Grey Areas three times, and this kōrero might be her best yet. In this episode, Petra and Lara dig into what it means to have a female body, and why that's not the complicated, messy sidebar medicine has long made it out to be. Lara makes a compelling case that female physiology is arguably advantageous. Cyclic hormones are health-building, ovulation is powerful, and perimenopause, far from being a deficiency state, is a season women's bodies are designed to go through (and be able to thrive on the other side). This conversation goes beyond biology. Lara and Petra wrestle honestly with the perimenopause narrative that's taken hold on social media: how the welcome opening of the conversation has, in some cases, tipped into fear. Women who feel fine are now wondering if something is wrong with them. Women who aren't yet symptomatic are afraid of what's coming. Lara is direct: fear is not a wise guide. They also get into the underdiagnosed but highly reversible problem of insulin resistance, what it actually is, how to spot it on a standard blood test, and why it matters more for women's long-term heart and brain health than most GPs are telling us.  Plus: the case for magnesium, the overlooked role of iron deficiency in perimenopause symptoms, why oxytocin might be one of the most underrated health tools available, and a very practical PSA about condoms. This is a conversation for every woman who has ever stood in the supplement aisle feeling overwhelmed, or scrolled through health content and come away feeling worse. The road home is home, and Lara's message, as always, is that you're probably more okay than you think. Lara's books Period Repair Manual, Hormone Repair Manual, and The Metabolism Reset are available now. Find her at larabriden.com. Support the show: greyareas.nz/support  Song credit: Korimako, Performed by Aro, Written by Emily Looker and Charles Looker and published by Songbroker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it actually look like to choose your family? Not just love them, but live with them, day in and day out, across generations and cultures? In this kōrero, Petra sits down with All Black legend Sir John Kirwan and his daughter – volleyball player, business owner and young mum – Francesca for a warm, wide-ranging conversation. They talk intergenerational living, the Italian way of life, and what it means to build a family that stays. Francesca grew up between Auckland, Japan and Treviso, speaking Italian at home, saying goodbye to one set of grandparents to see the other, and learning early how belonging can exist in more than one place. While living in New Zealand with her husband Luca and their baby son Carlo, under the same roof as John and Fiorella, they embraced intergenerational community – and she wouldn't have it any other way. John opens up about the things he got wrong as a young father, the months away, the career-first years, and the profound gratitude he has for the grandparents who stepped in when he couldn't be there. He talks about the role sport played in building resilience in his children, why compromise is the non-negotiable foundation of communal living, and what his own father said to him in a hospital room that changed everything. We also get into John's six pillars for mental health and wellbeing in the second half of life, from managing your energy and ‘habit stacking’ to understanding what your brain actually needs, as well as his new community, Second Half. This is a conversation about the slow, generous work of living alongside the people you love most - it's about the big picture. Support the show: greyareas.nz/support Song credit: Korimako, Performed by Aro, Written by Emily Looker and Charles Looker and published by Songbroker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tarryn Stokes won the 12th season of The Voice Australia at 40, making her the oldest winner in the show's history. But long before the blind audition that stopped the judges in their tracks, she'd spent years singing backing vocals for Guy Sebastian and Jessica Mauboy, leading worship in churches, and quietly wondering if she'd already missed her moment. In this kōrero, Tarryn opens up about growing up in a musical family with a grand piano in the lounge, and how singing has always been her native language. We talk about her ADHD diagnosis three years ago, the shame it lifted, the lightbulb it switched on, and why she thinks it's no coincidence that so many creatives share that wiring. Tarryn also shares what it actually takes to stand on a stage and sing in front of a nation when every nerve in your body is telling you to turn and run - the visualisation techniques that got her through The Voice. We get into the dynamics of life after a win on reality TV, the manager who called out of nowhere, the record deal with Universal, and the realisation that nobody was coming to do the hard work for her. And we talk honestly about mum guilt, the juggle of touring with young kids, redefining what success looks like, and what it means to write a song for someone you love. Tarryn's new single Rubies and Gold is out now. It’s a beautiful song about knowing your worth, written for her niece. It's upbeat, generous, and sounds exactly like her. Support the show: greyareas.nz/support Song credit: Korimako, Performed by Aro, Written by Emily Looker and Charles Looker and published by Songbroker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Born in Aotearoa, raised in the highlands of Papua New Guinea, and transplanted to suburban Melbourne at age ten, Safina Stewart has spent most of her life figuring out where home is. As an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artist, educator, and storyteller, she's had to find that answer from the inside out. In this kōrero, Safina opens up about growing up as a "bush pikinini," not learning to read until she was 18, and the quiet devastation of arriving in Australia as a child with no map for the path ahead. We talk about the 2023 Voice referendum, what it cost her community, and how it lit a fire in her art. Safina shares, with remarkable honesty, the years she spent in a marriage marked by domestic violence and sexual assault, and how becoming a mother became both her anchor and the beginning of learning to love herself. We also explore perimenopause through an Indigenous lens, the power of community and the myth of the individual, equity scholarships, and the grief of losing her brother, musician and artist Stuart Fergie, to covid complications. This is a conversation about survival, defiance, and the deep, generous kind of love that holds people together across generations and cultures. This episode covers confronting topics including domestic violence, sexual assault, and suicidal thoughts. Please be kind to yourself as you listen. If you need support: Safe to Talk (sexual harm): 0800 044 334 or text 4334 — available 24/7 Women's Refuge: 0800 733 843 — available 24/7 Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text 4357 — available 24/7 1737 — Need to talk? Call or text 1737 to speak with a trained counsellor, any time Support the show: greyareas.nz/support Song credit: Korimako, Performed by Aro, Written by Emily Looker and Charles Looker and published by Songbroker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kia ora e te whānau! In the melee of mid-life - which can be dense, frantic and fabulous all at once - we need spaces to listen to each other and to ourselves, and it’s useful to navigate those gritty ‘grey areas’ together. This season, we aren’t holding back - digging deep into topics that matter most to us right now like hormones, skin, aging parents, courage and keeping on keeping on (and we add a little sparkle for good measure)! Hormone Health: Dr Lara Briden joins Petra in person to give us more hormone hacks and mid-life metabolism love. Intergenerational Living: Sir John Kirwan and Francesca Kirwan share the realities of modern family life. Skin & Body Wisdom: We tackle nore of the "unspoken" stuff—from GSM (Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause) to skincare science with Dr. Iona Weir. Taking Action: The powerhouse Brodie Kane joins us to talk about finding your voice and making moves. Purpose & Determination: We sit down with Barbara Dreaver to discover what drives her. Heart of the Matter: Real talk on the intersection of marriage and menopause. Plus, so much more… don’t miss an episode! Hit the Follow button right now on your favourite podcast app to get notified the moment Season 9 drops. Grey Areas: Because life isn’t black and white, and the magic is in the middle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices