Joyce Harper is Professor of Reproductive Science at the Institute for Women’s Health, UCL and host of the podcast Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me This?

This season she will be dividing the podcast into topics that explore how to achieve good health and happiness. She’ll be speaking with leading experts who will provide evidence-based advice and debunk some of the health myths. Additionally, she’ll be having conversations with individuals who bring unique perspectives through their lived experiences.

In Season 3, the podcast will cover a diverse range of topics, including reproductive anatomy, inspiring female icons, chronic health conditions, factors that influence our well-being, and global women’s health issues.

Instagram, TikTok and Twitter: @profjoyceharper

Facebook: Global Women Connected

In this episode, Joyce shares that her podcast is now listened to in over 90 countries. She reflects on the highlights from 2024, including the launch of a mini-series featuring episodes on Motherhood, Embracing life post menopause, and Beyond the Bleed: Exploring Menstrual Health. She has some incredible guests lined up for 2025. And thanks to Dave Krysko for creating the new podcast music.

On the very first episode of Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me This?, Joyce revealed that her advice to her younger self would have been to beat her sugar addiction and spend more time being still. Fast forward to today, and she shares her triumph—nearly five months without eating chocolate, cakes, biscuits, sweets, or pastries. Joyce reflects on how challenging this is in today’s society and discusses why breaking these habits is so important. She also recounts her attempts at silent days in 2024, admitting they weren’t a total success but is a work in progress for 2025.

Joyce has been hard at work on her upcoming book, which she hopes will empower women to live their best lives. She provides a sneak peek into the chapters on health and happiness, including the development of her Wheel of Health and Happiness. This framework, which she has shared in her blogs, will also feature in the retreats she is organizing in Brighton and the South of France.

In this episode, Joyce also delves into her ongoing projects, including the International Reproductive Health Education Collaboration, the InTune menopause education and support program, and her work with the SwimHer team, focusing on cold-water swimming and women’s health. She also highlights her research into menstrual health. Now an ambassador for Wellbeing of Women, Joyce looks forward to collaborating with the WoW team in 2025.

On a more personal note, Joyce opens up about her twins leaving home, how her campervan has transformed her life, navigating her financial challenges, and her

journey to find love. She also shares how creating a vision board has profoundly impacted her life.

Joyce has been writing blogs on many of the topics discussed in this episode, which can be found on her Global Women Connected section of her website. In 2025, she is relaunching her newsletters, which you can sign up for at www.joyceharper.com.

To stay connected, follow Joyce on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok @profjoyceharper, on LinkedIn, and on her Global Women Connected Facebook page.