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Woman's Hour: The Menstrual cycle: what's normal?

28/08/2019

The Menstrual cycle: what's normal?

BBC Radio 4 - Woman's Hour, The Menstrual cycle: what's normal?

Menstrual cycle length, Lisa Jewell and cook the perfect Caribbean jackfruit fritters.

The length of the menstrual cycle: what is normal?  Author Lisa Jewell on her latest thriller and how to cook the perfect Caribbean jackfruit fritters with Rachel Ama.

Data from a large study of women's menstrual cycles shows that  just thirteen per cent of women experience  a 'text-book' 28 day menstrual cycle and that the date of ovulation can vary significantly.  Professor Joyce Harper who led the study,  explains the significance of the research for couples trying to calculate the best time to conceive.

Lisa Jewell is celebrating twenty years as a bestselling author. Her first novel, Ralph’s Party, was published in 1999 and was the best-selling debut novel of the year.  Since then she has published another sixteen novels, including a number of dark psychological thrillers.  Lisa joins Jenni to talk about her latest, The Family Upstairs and to talk about her career as a writer. 

Another in the series of features about life Off The Rail. Candy Huxham has been a youth worker since 1991, when she left banking and she hasn’t looked back. She set up the Handy Trust – a charity in Hythe and Dibden, Hampshire – offering advice on anything from drugs, to teenage sexual and mental health. One of those young people was Crystle Rogers. Fast forward more than twenty years and Crystle now works alongside Candy, also as a youth worker and supports kids like her former self. As well as running three youth clubs – they do drop in visits to schools, and street youth work out at night talking to young people.  Reporter Jo Morris joined them.

Cook The Perfect  Caribbean Jackfruit Fritters.  In her first book, Rachel Ama’s Vegan Eats, Rachel  takes inspiration from her Caribbean, West African and Welsh roots.  She shows how you can take your favourite dishes and adapt them into quick, easy vegan recipes.  She joins Jenni  to Cook the Perfect… Caribbean Jackfruit Fritters. 

Presenter: Jenni Murray
Producer: Caroline Donne

Interviewed guest: Professor Joyce Harper
Interviewed guest: Lisa Jewell
Interviewed guest: Rachel Ama

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