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Longevity is much more than a trend - it is about optimising your health at every stage of life. Recorded live at the recent IMAGE Women's Health Clinic event, this special episode features consultant dermatologist Professor Caitriona Ryan as she breaks down the exact science, nutrition, data tech, and daily lifestyle habits needed to live your best life at every age. Key Takeaways: Nurture vs. Nature: How genetics interact directly with your lifestyle habits.Wearable Tech: Using health data to our advantageNutritional Optimisation: The key nutrients for evergreen healthMedical Evolution: The place for modern science in healthy aging.Actionable Solutions: Best health protocols for every age Professor Caitriona Ryan is a consultant dermatologist, co-founder of The Institute of Dermatologists, and co-founder of the soon-to-launch ID Formulas supplement range. *Subscribe to IMAGE The Check-In on Apple Podcasts or Spotify* IMAGE The Check-in is part of the IMAGE Women’s Health Clinic; proudly empowered by Boots and sponsored by Samsung and Waterstone Clinic.

In this episode of IMAGE The Check-in, recorded live at the IMAGE Women’s Health Clinic event at The Conrad Hotel, we unpack the ultimate blueprint to female longevity and optimum health.  Host Melanie Morris sits down with three of Ireland’s leading health professionals – consultant dermatologist Professor Caitriona Ryan, preventive cardiologist Dr. Paddy Barrett, and performance coach John Belton—to discuss how lifestyle, medicine, and technology intersect to help you thrive into old age. Key Takeaways: Lifespan vs. Healthspan: The difference between living long and living well. Biohacking vs. Reality: Separating toxic wellness fads from real, evidence-based habits. Inflammation: Why it is the ultimate enemy of the body and how to manage it. Smart Movement: Finding the right exercise routine for your specific life stage. "Cowboy Country": How to spot and avoid unverified, over-hyped health trends. Soul Span: Bringing deep meaning, purpose, and balance to physical wellness. This is your blueprint to a great future. Subscribe to IMAGE The Check-in on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. IMAGE The Check-in is part of the IMAGE Women’s Health Clinic, proudly empowered by Boots, and sponsored by Samsung and Waterstone Clinic.

In the second half of our deep-dive conversation with medical doctor and neuroscientist Dr Michael Keane, we shift our focus inward.  Dr Keane returns to show us how to master our mindset by making small, powerful adjustments to our daily routines and internal habits. If you are ready to quieten a loud inner critic, overcome the secret fear of being exposed, and build a morning routine that actually sets you up for a fulfilling day, this is exactly what you need to hear. Key Topics Covered Tackling Anxiety: Practical, science-backed tools to calm your nervous system. Overcoming Imposter Syndrome: Breaking free from the self-doubt trap at work and in life. Managing Self-Talk: How to stop negative inner dialogue and rewrite your narrative. Improving Relationships: Using basic brain science to better connect with those around you. Set for Success: How to build a genuinely effective start to your morning. IMAGE The Check-in is part of the IMAGE Women’s Health Clinic and proudly empowered by Boots and sponsored by Samsung and Waterstone Clinic.  Find out more about Dr Michael Keane's groundbreaking brain-mapping work at the Actualise Clinic or connect with him via his Official Website.

In the first part of this special two-episode series, we check in with neuroscientist Dr Michael Keane, co-founder and Chief Science Officer at Evolve Neuro. Dr Keane specialises in how the brain functions under pressure, using advanced brain-mapping techniques to make neuroscience practical for everyday life. He’s worked with business leaders, elite athletes and people who want a bigger, better, happier life. Dr Keane speaks with IMAGE contributing editor Melanie Morris about the daily habits, environmental factors, and brain chemistry quirks that shape how we feel, sleep, and function. If you want to stop feeling ruled by your mind and start working with it, this episode is your manual for change. Key Topics Covered Female Brain Chemistry: How your unique chemistry rules both body and mind. Breaking the Doom-Scroll: Real work-arounds to stop the infinite scroll habit. Attainable Sleep: The science behind making restorative sleep easy to achieve. Beating Burnout: Recognizing the signs and protecting your mental health. IMAGE The Check-in is part of the IMAGE Women’s Health Clinic and proudly empowered by Boots and sponsored by Samsung and Waterstone Clinic.  Find out more about Dr Michael Keane's groundbreaking brain-mapping work at the Actualise Clinic or connect with him via his Official Website.

Here comes summer!This month we welcome back Caoimhe McAuley, Director of Pharmacy at Boots Ireland and President of the Union of Pharmacists Ireland to talk all things sun health. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Ireland, with over 11,000 new cases diagnosed annually, so let’s get ahead of the curve and create some super-safe sun habits. Caoimhe has plenty of simple, faff-free tips to share, a personal story, and the latest in-pharmacy innovations to help you protect your skin this summer… and beyond. She also keeps us updated with health news for the whole family, so this is an episode to empower. IMAGE The Check-in is part of the IMAGE Women’s Health Clinic; proudly empowered by Boots and sponsored by Samsung and Waterstone Clinic.

In this essential episode of IMAGE The Check-in, Ellie Balfe sits down with Chartered Psychologist and author Allison Keating for a thoughtful conversation about the pressures women are carrying, often quietly. Together they explore burnout, the mental load, people pleasing, health anxiety and the deep connection between psychological wellbeing and physical health. They talk about why so many women have normalised stress, what happens when caring becomes costly, and why boundaries are not simply something we set alone, but something others must help us uphold. This is a conversation about exhaustion, yes, but also about self-awareness, compassion, nervous system health, and the possibility of living differently. IMAGE The Check-in is part of the IMAGE Women’s Health Clinic and proudly empowered by Boots and sponsored by Samsung and Waterstone Clinic.

How often do we think of oral health as part of our overall health picture? In this fascinating episode of IMAGE The Check-in, Ellie Balfe is joined by dentist, Dr Bronagh Keane, better known to many on social media, as Ireland’s Tooth Fairy, for a conversation that opens up the much bigger story behind our teeth and gums. They explore why oral health is far more than check-ups and cleanings, and how the health of our mouth can reflect, and influence, our wider wellbeing. Bronagh explains the links between gum disease and systemic inflammation, what emerging research is telling us about oral health and conditions such as dementia, and why women need to think about dental care through the lens of hormones, ageing and lifelong prevention. They also talk practical habits, common misconceptions, what signs not to ignore, and the small daily actions that can have a big impact over time. It is a conversation that may well change how you think about your next dental appointment. IMAGE The Check-in is part of the IMAGE Women’s Health Clinic and proudly empowered by Boots and sponsored by Samsung and Waterstone Clinic.

Our skin is often treated as something simply aesthetic, something to perfect, correct or preserve. But what if we considered skin as a vital indicator of our overall health? In this fascinating episode of IMAGE The Check-in, host Ellie Balfe is joined by Professor Caitriona Ryan, consultant dermatologist and co-founder of the Institute of Dermatologists, for a wide-ranging conversation about skin health through a very different lens. They talk about skin as the body’s largest organ and what it can reveal about what may be happening beneath the surface, from inflammation and hormones to stress and overall well-being. Caitriona shares what women should know about common skin conditions such as acne and rosacea, what to watch for when it comes to skin cancer, and the simple habits that can protect our skin over a lifetime. This is a rich, practical and thought-provoking episode about skin, health, beauty and what it means to age well. IMAGE The Check-in is part of the IMAGE Women’s Health Clinic and proudly empowered by Boots and sponsored by Samsung Waterstone Clinic.

In this episode, Ellie Balfe is joined by Dr Fiona Keogh, consultant gynaecologist with Blackrock Health, to explore what is really going on when it comes to pelvic health, and why so many women are left unsure of what is normal and what is not. Together, they talk through the symptoms women often normalise, from bladder leaks to a feeling of heaviness or pressure, and why these are not simply things to accept as part of ageing or after having children. Fiona explains what pelvic organ prolapse actually is, how it presents, and the different types of incontinence women may experience, as well as what these symptoms might be trying to tell us. They also explore how pelvic health changes across different life stages, particularly during pregnancy, postpartum recovery and menopause, and why these can be key moments where symptoms appear or worsen.  Importantly, this conversation moves beyond awareness into reassurance, looking at what can be done to support and improve pelvic health, from pelvic floor physiotherapy to lifestyle changes and, where needed, surgical options. Above all, this episode is about giving women clarity, confidence and permission to seek help. These symptoms may be common, but they are not something you simply have to live with. IMAGE The Check-in is part of the IMAGE Women’s Health Clinic and proudly empowered by Boots and sponsored by Samsung and Waterstone Clinic.

This is an important and compassionate conversation about eating disorders, a topic that is often misunderstood, often hidden, and far more common than many of us may realise.*** Before listening, please note that this episode may be sensitive for some, so if you feel at any point that it is difficult for you, we encourage you to step away and be gentle with yourself.In this episode, I am joined by Laura Casey, Director of Services at Lois Bridges, Ireland’s only dedicated eating disorder treatment centre. Laura is an enhanced psychiatric nurse with extensive experience supporting individuals through eating disorders and complex mental health challenges. In this conversation, she shares what they are seeing on the ground in Ireland today. We explore how eating disorders are rarely just about food, but are often deeply connected to emotional wellbeing, coping mechanisms, control, identity and self-worth. Laura speaks about the signs that are often missed, the quieter behaviours that can go unnoticed, and why many women may not recognise their own experiences as disordered eating.Importantly, this episode opens up a conversation around how eating disorders can evolve across a woman’s life. This is not a conversation just about extremes; it is about understanding the nuance, recognising the signs, and creating space for more open, compassionate conversations around eating disorders.IMAGE The Check-in is part of the IMAGE Women’s Health Clinic and proudly empowered by Boots and sponsored by Samsung and Waterstone Clinic.

Pelvic health is something many women only hear about when something goes wrong. Leaking when you laugh, run, or workout. Or a feeling of heaviness or painful sex. These experiences are incredibly common, yet they are rarely spoken about openly. In this episode of IMAGE The Check-in, host Ellie Balfe sits down with Aoife Harvey, specialist physiotherapist at the Women's Health Clinic Dublin, for a refreshingly honest and no-holds-barred conversation about women’s pelvic health. Together, they unpack the pelvic floor and why it plays such an important role in our wellbeing. They also discuss something many women are hesitant to raise: painful sex. Aoife explains the different reasons this can happen, how pelvic health physiotherapy can help, and why women should never feel they simply have to live with discomfort. The conversation also touches on the life stages that impact pelvic health, from pregnancy and post-partum recovery through to the changes that happen during menopause. This was a light-hearted, open and deeply informative conversation that shines a light on an area of women’s health that deserves far more attention. IMAGE The Check-in is part of the IMAGE Women’s Health Clinic and proudly empowered by Boots and sponsored by Samsung and Waterstone Clinic.

Pregnancy is often described as a natural milestone in a woman’s life. But medically, it is also one of the most complex physiological events the body will ever experience. In this episode, we are joined by Dr Vicky O'Dwyer, Consultant Obstetrician and Director of Gynaecology at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin. Dr O'Dwyer has a special interest in preventing preterm birth and caring for women who experience pregnancy with pre-existing medical conditions. In this thoughtful and reassuring conversation, we explore how doctors identify and manage risk in pregnancy, what preterm birth really means, and why pregnancy can offer important insights into a woman’s future health. We also discuss the realities of modern motherhood, including pregnancy later in life and the growing number of women navigating pregnancy with chronic health conditions. This episode offers clarity, reassurance and expert insight for women who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or simply interested in understanding more about how pregnancy shapes long-term health. This conversation is about understanding, preparation and reassurance. Because when women have access to good information, they are empowered to navigate their pregnancy with confidence. IMAGE The Check-in is part of the IMAGE Women’s Health Clinic and proudly empowered by Boots and sponsored by Samsung and Waterstone Clinic.

Did you know that heart disease is the number one cause of death for women? Yet many of us still associate it more strongly with men. Women’s cardiovascular health has historically been under-researched, under-recognised and sometimes under-treated. With hormones influencing risk throughout our lives, our symptoms can look different, and life events such as pregnancy and menopause can significantly shape our cardiovascular health. In this episode, we are joined by Dr Róisín Colleran, Consultant Cardiologist at the Mater Private Network, to explore the reality of heart disease in women and what we can do to better protect our hearts. Dr Colleran recently led a Women’s Heart Summit for the clinical community, highlighting that women’s heart health requires its own focus and more understanding among medics. In this episode, we discuss why heart attacks can present differently in women, how risk develops across our lives, and what numbers and tests we should actually know. This is a thoughtful and informative conversation that aims to give women the knowledge we need to understand and protect our hearts. IMAGE The Check-in is part of the IMAGE Women’s Health Clinic and proudly empowered by @boots.ireland and sponsored by @samsungireland & @waterstoneclinicireland

In this episode of IMAGE The Check-in, host Ellie Balfe is joined by Claire O’Brien, a functional medicine nutritional therapist, for an insightful and grounded conversation about women’s gut health, nutrition and the deep interconnectivity of our body’s systems. Together, they explore how gut health, hormones, metabolism, stress and energy levels are all linked, and why looking at the body in isolation via single symptoms rarely gives us the full picture. Claire shares what she sees most often in her clinic, including fatigue, digestive issues, hormonal symptoms and the pressure many women feel to ‘get it right’ with food. She explains why striving for perfection can actually work against our health, and why balance, consistency and self-awareness matter more. The conversation covers nutrition across the life stages, including menstrual cycles, fertility, perimenopause and menopause, highlighting how our needs change over time and why what worked once in terms of nutrition may not always work later. This is a reassuring, informative listen for any woman who wants to understand her body better, support her health with confidence, and move away from overwhelm around nutritional choices. IMAGE The Check-in is part of the IMAGE Women’s Health Clinic and proudly empowered by Boots and sponsored by Samsung and Waterstone Clinic

In this episode of IMAGE The Check-in, host Ellie Balfe is joined by Dr Aisling Loy, Consultant in Sexual Health and Genitourinary Medicine at St James’s Hospital in Dublin. This is an interesting, informative and vital conversation about sexual and genitourinary health, an area of health that affects all of us, yet is still too often surrounded by shame, silence and misunderstanding. Together, they talk about what sexual health really means across a lifetime, why STI rates are rising, and how modern sexual health care has evolved. Dr Loy also explains why removing stigma is so important for both physical and emotional wellbeing, and how open, judgement-free care leads to earlier diagnosis, better outcomes and greater peace of mind. This episode is about knowledge, reassurance and empowerment. It is an invitation to see sexual and genitourinary health as a normal, essential part of looking after yourself. IMAGE The Check-in is part of the IMAGE Women’s Health Clinic and proudly empowered by Boots and sponsored by Samsung Ireland and Waterstone Clinic