Your cholesterol came back high. Now what? Most women in their 40s and beyond have sat with that question and got very little useful guidance on the other side of it.

In this episode of The Nutrition Couch, Leanne and Susie give you the cholesterol conversation most doctors don't have time for, including what your individual numbers actually mean, why your LDL is almost certainly rising right now if you are in perimenopause, and the specific point at which diet can genuinely help versus when medication is the only realistic path. If you have high cholesterol and you are doing everything right, this one is especially for you.

The cholesterol conversation your doctor probably hasn't had with you

Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides. Susie and Leanne walk through what each number means, what the target ranges are, why genetics can override even the best diet, and why there is no shame in needing medication. They also cover the calcium score test most women have never heard of, and why it matters more than a single cholesterol reading.

What diet can and cannot do for your cholesterol

Diet can realistically move cholesterol one to two points. It cannot bring a seven down to five. That is one of the most important clinical distinctions in this episode, and it is one that a lot of online health content gets badly wrong. Susie and Leanne also name the specific supermarket products and supplements that are clinically proven to help, and explain why your dad's tiny scrape of cholesterol-lowering margarine is doing absolutely nothing.

Protein powder vs skim milk powder: is the cheap swap actually worth it?

A claim has been circulating online that skim milk powder is essentially the same as protein powder at a fraction of the cost. Leanne and Susie run the actual numbers and the comparison is not even close. They also explain why this matters specifically for women in peri and menopause who are trying to hit protein targets without extra carbs.

Plus: A surprisingly impressive new dip at Coles and Aldi that Susie gives a 10 out of 10, and a listener question about kids and sugar at parties that every parent needs to hear.

For the supplement range Leanne and Susie refer to in this episode, head to designedbydietitians.com.

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Most women trying to lose weight have been told the same thing their whole lives: eat less. But on this episode of The Nutrition Couch, Leanne Ward and Susie Burrell make the case that under-eating may be one of the most common and most overlooked reasons women struggle to lose fat, build muscle, and feel well.

If you are tired despite sleeping well, craving sugar and carbs by mid-afternoon, getting sick more than you should, or stuck at the same weight no matter what you do, this episode is for you.

Are you under-eating? The signs your metabolism is working against you

Leanne and Susie walk through the most common clinical signs of chronic under-fuelling: persistent fatigue, intense cravings, poor gym performance, frequent illness, and hormonal disruptions including irregular or missing periods. They explain why women who train hard, eat clean, and keep portions small are often the most at risk, and why not feeling hungry is not a sign you are doing well. They also break down the restrict-crave-overeat cycle and why eating more, not less, is often the fastest path to the body composition results their clients are actually after.

Sausages: what the label is actually telling you

Australians eat a lot of sausages, but the nutritional quality varies dramatically across supermarket brands. Susie compares Coles, Woolworths, and Aldi options and reveals exactly what to check on the label, including the three specific additive numbers (250, 251, 252) that indicate nitrates, what total fat and saturated fat thresholds to look for, and why butcher sausages are usually not the healthier choice most people assume.

Product review: Peter's Frosty Fruits 50% Less Sugar

Leanne tried these on holiday in Noosa and the kids loved them. She breaks down the ingredient list, the sugar comparison versus the originals, and why these are one of the better supermarket ice block options, particularly when you catch them half price.

How to choose the right collagen supplement

Not all collagen works, and a lot of what is being sold is poorly formulated. Leanne shares five evidence-based criteria for choosing a collagen supplement that actually delivers results: why vegan collagen is ineffective, what hydrolysed collagen peptides means and why it matters, which patented strains have clinical research behind them, how vitamin C improves collagen absorption, and why daily dose consistency matters far more than a large serve size. If you are currently spending money on collagen and not seeing results, this segment will tell you exactly why.

For a collagen supplement built to these exact standards, visit designedbydietitians.com.

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Cancer is on everyone's mind right now, and the research has finally caught up. In this episode, Leanne and Susie unpack the largest ever study on diet and cancer risk, published just weeks ago in the British Journal of Cancer. With data from 1.8 million people tracked over 16 years, the findings are genuinely surprising, and not always in the direction you'd expect.

In this episode:

The big cancer and diet study (1.8 million people, 17 cancers, 16 years)

A landmark new study compared cancer risk across meat eaters, poultry eaters, pescatarians, vegetarians, and vegans. The results are more nuanced than the headlines suggest. Pescatarians showed lower rates of colorectal, breast, and kidney cancers. Vegetarians had lower rates of pancreatic, breast, prostate, kidney cancers, and multiple myeloma. But here's what almost nobody is reporting: vegans showed a statistically higher risk of colorectal cancer, and vegetarians had a significantly elevated risk of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Leanne and Susie break down what this actually means in real life, including how much red meat is too much, why processed meat is a completely different conversation to lean red meat, and whether most of us really need to go vegetarian to meaningfully reduce our cancer risk.

Easter hot cross buns: what the nutrition actually looks like

They're in supermarkets from Boxing Day and some of this year's flavours are genuinely surprising (yes, there's a Dorito one). Susie and Leanne rank the best and worst options, break down the calorie difference between mini, standard, and indulgent varieties, and explain when a hot cross bun can actually be the right pre or post workout nutrition choice.

Product review: Noon protein milk drink

A new breakfast-on-the-go drink has landed in Woolworths and the nutrition panel is genuinely impressive. 18 grams of protein, 6.3 grams of fibre, 580 milligrams of calcium, and a clean, milk-first ingredient list. Leanne breaks down whether it stacks up against Up and Go and who it is and isn't suitable for.

Listener question: the best vegetarian meat replacements

If you are vegetarian or cooking for one, this segment is worth listening to twice. Leanne and Susie name the specific products and brands they actually recommend in clinic, explain why Quorn mince beats most of the plant-based aisle on protein and fat, and cover the marinated tofu options that even tofu-sceptics tend to enjoy.

Whether you eat meat every day, are trying to eat less of it, or are navigating a vegetarian household, this episode gives you real, evidence-based clarity without the extremism that tends to surround this topic.

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