In Conversation with the Health Innovator: Helen Jagger, Founder of Thriveologie

In each edition we delve into the minds of those who are redefining the boundaries of health. Our goal is to share the insights and stories of those leading the way to achieve the highest attainable standard of health for everyone.

In this edition of Health Innovation Insider we speak to Helen Jaggar about her journey into the world of health innovation through corporate wellbeing with the success of thriveologie? .

What were the problems you identified in the wellness industry which moved you to create Thriveologie?

Looking after your wellbeing has traditionally been associated with focusing on nutrition and exercise but after years of working with clients, I found that creating optimal health is associated with a far wider spectrum of elements than just those. Whilst those components are, of course, fundamentally important for our health, issues such as, effects of work, stress, sleep, self-confidence, finances and relationships, all play a part in someone’s overall wellbeing and if something is out of kilter, it can manifest itself in a physiological way that can impact health. This led me to believe that we need to look far broader and more holistically in our approach to health and become more ‘whole person centric’ if we are ever going to work towards helping resolve even a small amount of the physical and mental health issues present in society today.

Please could you tell us a bit about your personal journey into the world of the wellness industry?

I spent many years in IT and Telecoms Recruitment as a Headhunter and then subsequently, in sales and media but I have always been passionate about health and fitness and whilst I have worked in the leisure industry a few times over the years, I consistently felt a huge pull to go back into it permanently and so made the move around 8 years ago and haven’t looked back. I loved working with clients one to one but wanted to make more of an impact on a greater number of people, so set up Thriveologie, a health and wellness company, 4 years ago. We have a fully comprehensive digital platform with hundreds of pieces of trusted, expert curated content, encompassing 6 pillars of wellbeing. We also deliver in-person workshops and Wellbeing Consultancy for places and spaces in real estate and leisure, with the aim of making wellbeing the heart of everything.

You talk about the 6 pillars of wellbeing, please could you give us more insight into that, especially regarding sustainability?

We have 6 pillars of wellbeing as we believe all of these are important to how we function as human beings. They are Movement and Exercise, Personal Wellbeing, Nutrition, Rest and Recovery, Mental Wellbeing and Sustainability. Personal Wellbeing covers everything from financial wellbeing to relationships, professional mindset, diversity and inclusion and parenting. Each of our pillars is as important as the next and we believe that they should all be considered for optimal health. In terms of Sustainability, as our platform has been created for individuals, this pillar has been designed to demonstrate what we can do personally, to benefit our environment, community, economy and society. Sustainability is an enormous topic that can be confusing and a little overwhelming, so we try to provide easy to follow information and guidance for how individuals can help protect the planet and other people for generations to come.

Please could you tell us a little bit more about ‘wellness real estate’ and how it is impacting health?

Wellness real estate is a rapidly growing entity and for good reason. Typically, we spend 90% of our time inside and so, it stands to reason that we consider the impact that the places in which we spend most of our time, have on our health. Wellness real estate is essentially the construction of residential and commercial properties that intentionally incorporate wellness elements into their design, build and services, to improve human health and wellbeing. The Global Wellness Institute and the International WELL Building Institute (I’m currently studying to become a WELL Accredited Professional) have gathered enormous amounts of data on the effects of the built environment on our health. Our homes and workplaces influence our behaviours and lifestyle, so ensuring our surroundings are good for our health is essential. From the materials used to build properties, the quality of the air we breathe, the water we use, the amount of light we get, whether it promotes movement, nourishment, mental wellbeing and community; it all matters and can have more of an effect than we might realise. Creating spaces and places that help us live longer, healthier and happier lives, therefore, makes a lot of sense.

Please could you tell us an interesting fact about yourself?

I’m not sure it’s that interesting but, as a child, I loved to sing and dance and was always destined for the world of performing arts, however, at a university audition where I was set to specialise in this, my nerves got the better of me and I completely froze, like a rabbit in headlights, totally unable to speak! That officially marked the end of my career as a performer, so now I’m purely a closet car singer only!