What's Up Docs?
by BBC Radio 4
Drs' Notes: How can we train our noses?
About this podcast
In this BBC Radio 4 podcast, Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken are on a mission to help us take better care of ourselves.
Although they are identical twins, Chris and Xand are very different and they never stop thinking and arguing about science and health. They want to lead healthy, happy lives and as doctors, they want this for everyone. Yet they tussle over how best to get there.
When it comes to looking after our own health, it can be confusing. Medicine and science produce amazing new treatments and diagnostics every day and we are bombarded with so many headlines and pieces of advice; but how are we supposed to know what's really best for us and then successfully apply it to our lives?
Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken embrace this challenge; even as they marvel at the scientific breakthroughs, they grapple with the competing claims about health, wellbeing and how to live.
From understanding testosterone therapies to microplastics in our diets, and the concept of 'hangriness' to the power of saying no - this podcast deals with the health stresses we all face every day, while taking on board how the decisions by corporations and governments affect all our health.
Each episode, Chris and Xand are joined by an expert guest to examine the latest research, psychological insights, and data, to help listeners navigate the overwhelming amount of information and advice out there. They talk about the trials and tribulations in their own lives in their characteristically witty way - each teasing the other as they search for solutions. Xand has trouble sleeping , Chris has noisy knees, one of them has got an embarrassing itch. They have different ways of looking at things and find it really helpful to get the other one's point of view. These doctors are trying their best and encouraging listeners to do the same.
Email: [email protected]
Whatsapp: 08000 665123
A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.
Episodes
The newest 50 of 193 episodes
- Drs' Notes: How can we train our noses? · 24 min · Episode 192Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation with Katherine Whitcroft, ear, nose, and throat surgeon at Sheffield Children's Hospital and co-director of the Sheffield…
- What do you need to know about your nose? · 29 min · Episode 191Welcome to What's Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they…
- Drs' Notes: What should you do if you get a fever after travelling? · 28 min · Episode 190Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation about fevers with Dr Catherine Houlihan, consultant in clinical virology and infectious diseases at University College…
- How should you treat a fever? · 29 min · Episode 189Welcome to What's Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they…
- Drs' Notes: Can 'recreational fear' be good for you? · 23 min · Episode 188Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation with Professors Marc Andersen and Mathias Clasen. Together, they explore the work Marc and Mathias do at the Recreational…
- Why do we love scary movies? · 29 min · Episode 187Welcome to What's Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they…
- Drs' Notes: Can your joints repair themselves? · 31 min · Episode 186Doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation about osteoarthritis with Professor Tonia Vincent, Director of the Centre for Osteoarthritis Pathogenesis and…
- Will we all get osteoarthritis? · 29 min · Episode 185Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where identical twin doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken cut through the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing. In…
- Drs' Notes: How can spots affect mental health? · 23 min · Episode 184In this Doctor's Notes episode of What's Up Docs?, Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation with Professor Tess McPherson, Consultant Dermatologist at Oxford…
- What can you do about your spots? · 29 min · Episode 183Welcome to What's Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they…
- Drs' Notes: How can we manage chronic pain? · 26 min · Episode 182Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation with Dr Cathy Stannard, clinical lead of the pain transformation programme at NHS Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board…
- How can we better understand pain? · 29 min · Episode 181Welcome to What's Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they…
- Doctors' Notes: Sleep Disorders · 18 min · Episode 180Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation about sleep disorders with Dr Sophie West, a consultant respiratory physician and lead of Newcastle regional sleep…
- Drs' Notes: Why did neurodiversity evolve? · 28 min · Episode 179Drs Chris and Xand continue their conversation about neurodiversity with Professor Duncan Astle. The doctors want to know what evolution could say about neurodivergence, how the…
- How can we better understand neurodiversity? · 28 min · Episode 178Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where identical twin doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken cut through the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing. What…
- Drs' Notes: How do athletes look after their ankles? · 24 min · Episode 177Chris and Xand continue their conversation about ankle health with Genevieve Tawiah. The doctors want to know how different sports and performance arts can impact your ankles…
- How can you better look after your ankles? · 29 min · Episode 176Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where identical twin doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken cut through the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing. In…
- Doctors' Notes: Type 2 Diabetes · 31 min · Episode 175Chris and Xand van Tulleken take a deeper dive into type 2 diabetes and the bigger factors shaping one of the world's most common health conditions. Joined by Dr Tamara Hibbert…
- How can we better understand type 2 diabetes? · 29 min · Episode 174Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they…
- How to Spot a Sleep Disorder · 28 min · Episode 173Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where identical twin doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken cut through the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing. In…
- Doctors' Notes: Routine · 21 min · Episode 172Doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken are back with a bonus episode, continuing their conversation on routines with Bas Verplanken, Professor Emeritus of Social Psychology at the…
- Should you get back into a routine? · 29 min · Episode 171Welcome to What's Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they…
- Doctors' Notes: Walking · 19 min · Episode 170Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation about walking with Professor Steve Haake. Recording in Sheffield's Botanical Gardens, they discuss how why creating…
- How does walking benefit you? · 29 min · Episode 169Welcome to What's Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode…
- Doctors' Notes: Crying · 34 min · Episode 168Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation about crying with counselling psychologist Kimberley Wilson. They look at why people have different thresholds for…
- Is crying good for you? · 29 min · Episode 167Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they…
- Doctors' Notes: Relaxation · 20 min · Episode 166Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation about relaxation with philosopher and author Julian Baggani. They look at the history of relaxation, the activities we…
- Why is it so hard to relax? · 29 min · Episode 165Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they…
- Doctors' Notes: Hydration · 22 min · Episode 164Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation about hydration with Dr John Whittle, a consultant in anaesthesia, critical care and perioperative medicine at…
- How hydrated should you really be? · 29 min · Episode 163Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode they’re…
- Doctors' Notes: Bad Advice · 27 min · Episode 162Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation with Professor Sunita Sah about why humans follow advice they suspect, or even know, is bad. They explore what first drew…
- Why do we follow bad advice? · 29 min · Episode 161Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they…
- Doctors' Notes: Eyes · 21 min · Episode 160Chris and Xand continue their conversation about eyes with Mr Raj Das-Bhaumik. The doctors want to know what particular things we should be doing to look after our eyes in the…
- How can you look after your eyes? · 29 min · Episode 159Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where identical twin doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken cut through the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing. In…
- Doctors' Notes: AI Medicine · 20 min · Episode 158Chris and Xand continue their conversation about AI medicine with Dr Emma Karoune. The docs explore how AI has been used in cutting edge medical research, such as to create…
- What can AI medicine do for you? · 29 min · Episode 157Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where identical twin doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken cut through the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing. Can AI…
- Doctors' Notes: Lungs Special at Crossed Wires Festival · 59 min · Episode 156In this extended episode of What's Up Docs?, Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation with Professor Robin Condliffe. Together, they explore how our understanding…
- How can we look after our amazing lungs? · 28 min · Episode 155Welcome to What's Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode…
- Doctors’ Notes: Heart Palpitations · 21 min · Episode 154Chris and Xand van Tulleken take a deeper dive into heart palpitations and the rise of wearable technology. With devices like smartwatches now able to detect irregular heart…
- What are your heart palpitations telling you? · 29 min · Episode 153Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they…
- Doctors’ Notes: Body Odour · 31 min · Episode 152Chris and Xand continue their conversation about body odour with Matthew Cobb, Professor Emeritus of Zoology at the University of Manchester. They explore whether it’s possible…
- What does my body odour say about my health? · 29 min · Episode 151Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they…
- Doctors’ Notes: Healthy Longevity Special at Hay Festival · 49 min · Episode 150This extended episode of What's Up Docs? features Chris and Xand van Tulleken's full live conversation with Professor Devi Sridhar at Hay Festival. Going deeper than the main…
- How to Live Healthier for Longer · 28 min · Episode 149Welcome to What's Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode…
- Doctors' Notes: Friendship · 23 min · Episode 148Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation about friendship with Dr Tiffany Watt Smith, writer and culture historian. Tiffany became interested in researching…
- Are friends good for your health? · 29 min · Episode 147Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where identical twin doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken cut through the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing. In…
- Doctors' Notes: Male Contraception · 18 min · Episode 146Chris and Xand van Tulleken take a deeper dive into male contraception with Professor Richard Anderson. They explore why, despite decades of research, new male contraceptive…
- Is a male contraceptive pill closer than you think? · 29 min · Episode 145Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing. In this episode, they…
- Doctors' Notes: Lymphatic System · 15 min · Episode 144Chris and Xand continue their conversation about the lymphatic system with Professor Kristiana Gordon, a Consultant in Dermatology and Lymphovascular Medicine. The docs ask about…
- Do our lymphatic systems need a detox? · 29 min · Episode 143Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where identical twin doctors Chris and Xand van Tulleken cut through the confusion around every aspect of our health and wellbeing. In…







