Episode Details

What happens when we stop chasing the latest health trend and start taking ownership of our health?

In this episode of Thought Atlas, I sit down with Grant Jenkins, Managing Director of Propel Health Australia and a high-performance coach whose career has taken him from South Africa to Australia and from working with elite athletes to working with the general population.

Grant studied biokinetics at Stellenbosch University and has spent more than 25 years coaching athletes across multiple sports, including preparing athletes for World Championships and Grand Slams. He also discusses his experience working with tennis players and his transition from elite performance coaching into health, nutrition, and supplements.

Our conversation begins with a question many people overlook: how much of elite-athlete advice actually applies to ordinary life?

Grant argues that elite athletes operate under very different circumstances, often with teams, resources, and levels of support that most people simply don’t have. Rather than copying their routines, he believes health advice should be adapted to the constraints of everyday life.

We then explore why health advice on social media can feel so contradictory. Grant explains his idea that many health influencers agree on the fundamentals but emphasize their areas of difference because they need to establish a niche. He encourages listeners to look beyond the competing messages and identify where different sources actually agree.

Grant also shares how his own thinking about gut health evolved after encountering research that made him question how the gut could influence areas beyond digestion. He discusses his interest in the relationship between gut health, motivation, nutrient absorption, and other aspects of health, as well as why gut health became an important part of his work at Propel Health Australia.

We also talk about creatine and why Grant is excited about its growing recognition beyond its traditional association with bodybuilding and physical performance. He reflects on research he encountered earlier in his career concerning cognitive and other potential applications and how his perspective evolved through working with different populations.

When the conversation turns to longevity, Grant keeps his answer remarkably simple: physical activity, strength training, whole foods, and spending time outside. He argues that people should establish these foundations before worrying about supplements and other interventions.

Grant also opens up about entrepreneurship and the realities of building a health business. His philosophy is straightforward: take the first step, then take the next step. He shares some of the challenges his business has encountered and explains why he believes the ability to keep moving forward is essential.

Finally, Grant leaves listeners with one word: ownership.

Take ownership of your health, what you put in your body, and your life.

CONNECT WITH GRANT JENKINS

Website: https://propelhealthaustralia.com

Instagram: @propelhealthaustralia

Grant says Propel Health Australia publishes science-based articles and short educational videos, alongside its health products. He also offered Thought Atlas listeners a 5% discount on orders, with the discount code to be provided in the show notes.

Learn more about Thought Atlas:https://joinpodmatch.com/thoughtatlas

Food for thought from Grant:

“Take ownership of your health, take ownership of what you put in your body, take ownership of your life.”

Take ownership.