WellBeing – Issue 217 2025

Summary

WellBeing Issue 217 (2025) carries the cover line "Trust Your Gut How To Connect To Your Instincts" and examines the biology and psychology of intuition. The issue also investigates thrombosis as a silent threat to women, indoor air quality, prunes as a digestive and bone health food, and the Be-YOU-T Awards recognising Australia's top beauty, health and suncare brands.

The cover story on trusting your gut distinguishes intuitive intelligence from anxiety-driven reactions. A Special Report on Thrombosis (p46) explains what every woman needs to know about blood clot risks, including links to oral contraceptives, pregnancy, and long-haul travel. A Breath of Fresh Air, Indoors (p54) covers household air pollutants from gas stoves to cleaning products and offers ventilation strategies. Doer and Thinker (p34) profiles Sheila Vijeyarasa on redefining success after infertility. Healing Food spotlight prunes (p18) for digestion and bone density, and Supplement covers folic acid (p20). The Be-YOU-T Awards (p72) showcases Australia's top natural beauty and suncare brands voted by readers.

Regulars include The Pulse (p12) on flossing, sleep quality and plant-based meat alternatives, Reviews (p120), Real-Life Experience (p134) with Barbara Cook on chronic worry and Lara Charles on cancer, What's On (p140), and Your Say (p146).

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Feature

p.(n/a) · Trust Your Gut How To Connect To Your Instincts
Separates gut feeling from fear by examining the enteric nervous system and its direct line to the brain. A decision-making framework uses body sensation as a data point rather than the sole guide. The practice: before any decision, pause and scan whether the body feels expansive or contracted.

▸ Health

p.46 · Special Report Thrombosis What Every Woman Needs To Know
Explains how oestrogen-based contraception, pregnancy, surgery, and prolonged sitting increase clot risk. Symptoms of DVT and pulmonary embolism are described in specific language so readers can distinguish them from ordinary leg pain. The action step: move every 90 minutes on long-haul flights and hydrate without alcohol.

p.54 · A Breath Of Fresh Air, Indoors
Indoor air pollutants from gas cooking, cleaning products, scented candles, and off-gassing furniture are catalogued with health impacts. Ventilation, air-purifying plants, and HEPA filter guidance are provided. The quick fix: open windows for five minutes after every cooking session.

▸ Food & Nutrition

p.18 · Healing Food Prunes
Prunes are examined for their dual action on digestion and bone density, with specific dosage research cited for post-menopausal women. A comparison table ranks dried fruits by fibre and sorbitol content. The daily target: five prunes for digestive benefit, ten for bone-density support.

p.20 · Supplement Folic Acid
The essential B vitamin's role in neural tube development, red blood cell production, and homocysteine regulation. The article clarifies that supplementation is critical pre-conception and in early pregnancy, and discusses MTHFR gene variants that affect conversion. Readers check their supplement for methylfolate rather than folic acid if they have the MTHFR variant.

▸ People & Community

p.34 · Doer And Thinker Sheila Vijeyarasa
Sheila Vijeyarasa shares how she redefined success, identity, and healing after an unexpected infertility journey. Her framework for separating professional achievement from self-worth is detailed. The weekly practice: a success journal entry that lists effort, not outcomes.

p.72 · Be-YOU-T Award Nominees
Australia's best beauty, health and suncare brands as nominated by WellBeing readers. Categories include natural skincare, SPF, supplements, and hair care. Each winner includes a brief on why the product stood out. Readers trial the winning SPF as a daily non-negotiable.

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Editor's Take

Issue 217 is a solid mid-range WellBeing edition that excels in one area thrombosis awareness for women and delivers competent coverage elsewhere. The thrombosis special report is genuinely useful because it addresses a risk many women do not associate with their daily lives. The indoor air quality piece is timely as more people work from home. The weakness: the Be-YOU-T Awards take up significant editorial space for what is essentially a branded awards program, and "Trust Your Gut" as a cover theme produces a softer, less actionable feature than the thrombosis or air quality pieces. Sheila Vijeyarasa's profile is warm but slight. This issue suits women looking for practical health-risk information they may have missed elsewhere.

Strengths
• Thrombosis special report fills a critical awareness gap for women
• Indoor air quality guide with immediate ventilation fixes
• Prune feature with specific dosage targets for bone health

Weaknesses
• Be-YOU-T Awards occupy substantial space for branded content
• Cover feature on intuition lacks the specificity of the health articles

Verdict: Recommended Purchase for the thrombosis report; the gut-instinct cover is the weakest feature inside.