The Method - Health in the Real World

Downward dog, warrior pauses, vinyasa flows, hatha breathing, or the calming and restorative savasana… Time to dive into the world of yoga. 


This week, Greg and Charlie sit down with Dr. Tina Cartwright, reader in Health Psychology at the University of Westminster, leader of the Applied Yoga Research Group, and a qualified yoga teacher with over 20 years of practice. 


Tina is known for evaluating the first yoga social prescribing programme in the NHS, and has spent her career asking a simple but underrated question: what can yoga actually do for us, and who is it for?


Starting with the science, Tina walks us through what a yoga practice is made of and why the combination matters of breath work, mindfulness and movement is beneficial for us. She explains how yoga interacts with the nervous system, and what the research shows about the mental and physical changes people experience over time. Greg will also dig into the details on hot yoga and injury rates, to compare and contrast yoga to other sports.


In the practice segment, we get into what a yoga practice looks like for real people. You’ll get to hear about:

  • A breathing practice you can do at home or on the go (22:07)
  • Why men don’t pick up yoga and how we can lift barriers to access (25:39)
  • Which styles of yoga are best for stress and nervous system regulation (30:55)


Finally, in the experience section, we hear from listeners with a wonderful range of questions: someone who's lost their yoga mojo after years of practice and wants it back; a 60-year-old who is "yoga curious" but intimidated by walking into that first class; and questions about yoga with hypermobility or conditions like osteoporosis.


Namaste everyone! Enjoy this week’s episode, and as always if you'd like to send us your health questions or voice notes for future episodes, email us a voice note or write in at themethod@thriva.co



Tina’s research:


Links:



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/.