The Method - Health in the Real World

Conversations on health often centre around what to eat, how to move, when to sleep… But there’s a health lever most of us tend to overlook: social connection. 

In 2016, the Frome Project, a Somerset-based research initiative, found that we could reduce emergency hospital admissions by 14%, not with a miracle drug, but with more intentional community connections. 

This week, Greg and Charlie sit down with one of the minds behind this project: Dr. Julian Abel. Julian has spent his clinical career as a palliative care consultant, sitting with people at the very end of their lives, an experience that set him on a path to lead remarkable research into how relationships can measurably improve our health. Today, he is the director of a charity called Compassionate Communities UK and a public health specialist on the science of social connection.

In this conversation, Julian shares the story behind the Frome Project, and helps us understand how compassion can be a tool to improve the healthcare system and our social life more broadly. The science section takes us deep into the biology of social connection: how loneliness and social isolation change our gene expression, suppress our immune systems, and drive inflammation. You’ll also find out how relationships can reverse that process.

In the practice segment, Julian turns the tables and asks Charlie and Greg what their relationship to community is. They discuss the every day activities that bring them joy, and Julian demonstrates how new connections can be woven into existing routines. We get into:
  • What connection feels like and how to magnify it in existing habits (25:53)
  • Is modern life getting in the way of building meaningful relationships? (30:18)
  • Why third spaces and organised group activities are fertile grounds for social connection (32:35)
Finally, in the experience section, we hear from listeners navigating some of the most sensitive versions of this challenge. A mum in London who has watched her social world shrink since the pandemic; a full-time carer who is struggling to maintain a social life; and how to reconnect with community during a period of grief. 

If you’d like to send us your health questions for future episodes, remember to email us a voice note or write in at themethod@thriva.co.

Sources

About Thriva
Thriva is a proactive health platform built for the modern age. The promise of longevity often comes with years spent in poor health. We want to bridge the gap between lifespan – how long we’re living – and healthspan – how well we’re living. We combine powerful at-home blood testing with wearable insights and expert guidance. So you can know exactly what’s going on inside your body – and what to do about it – before issues arise. With this podcast, we hope to bring listeners confidence in everyday health decisions.
To learn more about Thriva’s values and services, visit thriva.co.



What is The Method - Health in the Real World?

There’s no shortage of health advice out there, but how much of it actually works? Cold plunges, glucose monitors, protein timing, strength training, avoiding microplastics… How do we figure out what’s worth our time? Now there’s a method.

The Method – Health in the Real World unpacks the science and real-world application behind modern-day health. We speak with leading voices to help you make sense of your health, and we find out how we can live better now, and for longer.

Each episode, long-time friends Greg Potter and Charlie Edmondson will interview leading experts to put key health topics under the microscope, and unpack health questions through three lenses:
- The science: What the experts, data, and scientific research say.
- The practice: How to turn theory into habit and sustainable behaviour change.
- The experience: How the practice lives up to expectation in real life.

In an often chaotic world, we want to keep an eye on the long game: maximising your healthspan, not just your lifespan.

Whether it’s eating better, moving with intention, or getting quality sleep… We help you build good, evidence-based habits that stick. Let’s find out what works for you. The Method gives you the tools to chart your own path towards health confidence.

Expect deep dives into the science of health. We’ll cover topics like: supplements, brain health, personalised nutrition, biomarker tracking, zone 2 training, stress management, but also explore psychological wellness, the power of social connection, and good emotional resilience.
Whether you’re new to proactive health, or already experienced and looking for nuanced conversations and fresh insights, The Method will empower you to push what really matters when it comes to your health.

About your hosts:
Dr Greg Potter is a health consultant with a PhD in sleep, nutrition, and metabolic health, and a master’s in exercise physiology. A real chameleon in the health world, he works across product development, coaching, scientific advisory, and science communication. He also loves meeting people, exploring new places, and spending an unreasonable amount of money on specialty coffee. On this show, Greg is here to cut through the noise of the wellness world and help listeners focus on what truly moves the needle for long-term health.

Charlie Edmondson is a proudly Northern outdoors lover, with a growing passion for what it means to live well. She spent years firing her health questions at Greg over voice notes; a habit she now conveniently brings to the show. A real sports addict, Charlie has tried everything from swimming, to hockey, and cycling, to endurance racing representing Team GB in triathlon and duathlon across the globe. She is also a dog mum and doesn’t say no to the occasional Guinness. She brings her warmth to the Method to champion the voice of the everyday listener, who might not be an expert in health, but is brimming with questions.

About Thriva
The Method is brought to you by Thriva, a proactive health platform built for the modern age. The promise of longevity often comes with years spent in poor health. We want to bridge the gap between lifespan – how long we're living – and healthspan – how well we're living. We combine powerful at-home blood testing with wearable insights and expert guidance. So you can know exactly what’s going on inside your body - and what to do about it - before issues arise. With this podcast, we hope to bring listeners confidence in everyday health decisions.

To learn more about Thriva’s values and services, visit https://thriva.co/.