The Method - Health in the Real World

Longevity often feels like an exclusive club. High-end supplements, private clinics, body scans that come with a hefty price tag… But what if healthy ageing wasn’t a luxury?

In this episode, Greg and Charlie sit down with Andrea Maier, professor of longevity medicine and gerontology at the National University of Singapore, to explore how we can make longevity accessible to more people, regardless of income or background.

We begin with the science of ageing: what actually happens in our bodies over time, why some people age faster than others, and how genetics and environment interact. Andrea explains why wealth and class have an impact on both lifespan and healthspan, and where small interventions can make a difference.

From there, we move into practical ways to track and support healthy ageing. We highlight simple but powerful metrics we can monitor ourselves:
  • What intrinsic capacity is and how you can test it to baseline your health (22:20)
  • What strength tests you can do without specific equipment (25:37)
  • Everyday measures of cognitive resilience to avoid frailty (29:01)
We explore what these signals can tell us about long-term vitality, and how to nurture brain health even if sudoku isn’t your thing!

Finally, we turn to the experience segment, where we tackle questions from listeners who have already started exploring longevity interventions. Andrea helps us demystify peptides. We break down what they are and what to watch out for on the market. We also discuss the hype around NMN supplements and whether they live up to their promise.

Along the way, Andrea reflects on the people and experiences that shaped her own view of what living until 90 can look like. A reminder that longevity isn’t just about adding years to life, but about preserving the simple freedoms that make it beautiful. 

Resources we mentioned:

To explore further:

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


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 https://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/.