Ever tried all the usual tips for health anxiety: challenging your thoughts, grounding exercises, or cutting down online searches - and felt like nothing really worked? You’re not alone. But what if I told you that you don’t have to just accept uncertainty, and that the science actually shows a way to take back control?

Listen now to uncover the surprising research and practical strategies that can help you feel more in control, less anxious and in partnership with your body.

(00:00) Intro

(01:04) Health anxiety and the 3-stage spiral

(04:17) My recent trigger

(05:33) The reframe: how my own words got twisted

(07:31) Spontaneous remissions - what the anomalies tell us

(08:02) 7 common non-physical factors

(11:28) Placebo & nocebo effects

(13:46) Can we self-induce placebo?

(16:31) 6 ingredients to self-induce placebo

(17:12) Specific mental imagery

(19:32) Somatic focusing

(21:40) Perceived control

(23:05) Personality & mindset

(23:54) Ritual

(24:56) Minimising cognitive dissonance

(27:32) What do you have to believe for this to work?

(29:09) How this helped my health anxiety

(30:32) Answering how to become the positive outlier

Follow on Instagram: @thehiddenhealthcode

For business enquiries: thehiddenhealthcode@outlook.com

Music by Magiksolo

Did you know that 80% of autoimmune disease patients are women? Or that Black women are four times more likely to die in childbirth than white women?

In today’s episode, we explore why health issues disproportionately impact women and ethnic minorities. We’ll unpack medical biases, how women’s bodies respond to stress differently, and the systemic factors shaping long-term health. Plus, we’ll share practical ways to advocate for yourself, get the right tests at the right time, and work with your body’s unique biology to protect and improve your health. Listen now!

(00:00) Intro

(02:19) The pattern: who gets sick and why?

(04:05) Medical exclusion - white men are the default

(08:22) What about female-specific conditions?

(10:40) The psychology of bias in healthcare

(15:04) How AI could make things worse

(16:34) The impact of discrimination on health

(18:36) How discrimination gets passed down

(20:27) Women’s bodies respond differently to stress

(22:45) The role of repressed emotions in women’s health

(25:30) How to release repressed stress & anger

(27:15) More inclusive medical research and training

(28:32) 7 tips to self-advocate in medical settings

(32:16) Early testing for quicker diagnoses

(33:24) Wrap-up: the path forward

Follow on Instagram: @thehiddenhealthcode

For business enquiries: thehiddenhealthcode@outlook.com

Music by Magiksolo

WELLBEING OF WOMEN: https://www.wellbeingofwomen.org.uk/

Is your career at odds with your health? Research shows that people with chronic conditions are 30% less likely to stay employed long-term, and in the UK, 36% of the workforce has at least one chronic illness affecting their ability to work.

In today’s episode, we explore what it really means to navigate a career with a chronic illness: the identity shifts, stigma, and the challenge of balancing ambition and workplace pressures with an unpredictable body. We’ll also discuss when to disclose your condition, what employers can do to create truly inclusive workplaces, and how to build a sustainable career without sacrificing your health. Listen now!

(00:00) Intro

(01:48) When your body no longer matches your ambitions

(04:31) Grieving your identity

(07:51) 2 stereotypes of chronic illness

(09:43) The ‘inbetweener’ struggle

(10:53) Financial & psychological costs of work instability

(12:03) Needing support vs wanting to appear well at work

(12:49) Guilt and the pressure to "recover"

(14:47) Fear of judgement from colleagues

(16:43) Inadequacy of terms like ‘fatigue’

(17:43) The body’s faulty battery

(18:47) Time & energy conflicts with a full-time job

(19:52) Why employers should care

(20:56) What employers can do

(24:43) Minimising employer contribution to chronic illness

(25:52) How to build a successful career with a chronic condition

(29:36) To disclose or not to disclose - when, how & whether to tell employers about your condition(s)

(33:32) What should you ask your employer for?

(34:40) Wrap-up: Your career, your terms

Follow on Instagram: @thehiddenhealthcode

For business enquiries: thehiddenhealthcode@outlook.com

Music by Magiksolo

REFERENCES

https://astriid.org/reports/making-employment-work-with-long-term-conditions/

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/can-flexible-job-design-help-people-with-fluctuating-disabilities

https://www.health.org.uk/press-office/press-releases/health-foundation-responds-to-ons-update-on-economic-inactivity-due-to