In Conversation With Mugdha Pradhan

Functional Nutritionist Mugdha Pradhan is the CEO & Founder of iThrive

Please tell us about iThrive

iThrive is a Functional Nutrition company founded by Mugdha Pradhan. This company was founded based on her vision of creating healthier, happier communities around the planet, an everyday reality. Mugdha, with her band of 40 employees, weaves magic every day and helps people reverse their chronic lifestyle diseases, prevents the onset of genetic and age-related disorders, and most importantly, helps people reach their health goals and maintain them lifelong.

How is iThrive prioritizing the health & wellbeing of its employees?

iThrive not only preaches good health but also practices it. In order to do so, there are many initiatives taken by iThrive to prioritize the health and wellbeing of its employees. The main initiative taken recently is to encourage the employees to get their blood work analyzed by their in-house nutritionists, just like they do for their clients. The first step towards better health is to first detect the Root Cause, i.e., detect abnormalities present in a person's body. This helps prevent the onset of diseases and also helps in treating or reversing them. Along With this, every team member is working on 12 areas of personal growth, ranging from spirituality to personal finances.

Also, a few initiatives in place are weekly yoga sessions, organizing weekly morning walks or treks, and encouraging employees to move through the day by setting up exercise equipment in the office.

How does iThrive encourage its employees to maintain a work-life balance?

Work-life balance is an important part of an employee's mental and physical health. iThrive achieves this by strictly adhering to the company timings (9.45 am- 5.45 pm) and having a five-day work week. Another way is to keep policies in place to help employees opt for Work from Home whenever necessary.

How does mental health affect the physical health of any employee?

A person's mind is their biggest asset. Having good mental health is essential as it can affect your body in ways that even science has yet to discern. In most other organizations, employees suffer from stress, which can harm their mental and physical health. Also, the office culture has an impact on the employee's mental health. A few steps iThrive has taken for its employee's mental health are having complete transparency with each of its employees and no conformance to hierarchy.

iThrive also has a team in place that ensures every work weekend with a blast. The last half an hour to one hour of the office timings every Friday is solely dedicated to dispelling stress by playing games or having cookouts or anything that is fun.

But, the most important step taken is to help each employee better their mental health by working on the 12 areas of life. This not only encourages them to prioritize their mental health but also helps them grow in life.

iThrive fiercely believes in the saying 'All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy'.

Keeping this in mind, iThrive, not too long ago, organized a workstation for Goa.

Suggestions to corporates to improve their approach toward employees' health & wellbeing

iThrive hopes to encourage more startups and businesses to take steps to improve their employee health. A company's productivity is directly related to each of its employees' health.

A few changes companies can make to improve their employee's health are:

● Ensuring they take good care of their health by either organizing health workshops or collaborating with good nutritional companies to have regular health checkups.

● Organize workshops or seminars that help employees take their health into their own hands and get tools that make themself sustainable in the longer run.

● Encourage each and everyone to move; a sedentary lifestyle is very dangerous for the body. And help them understand the truth about healthy living. Not all diets and health tips help; many affect people adversely.

● Having a 5 day work week, a good work-life balance is essential

● Organizing monthly challenges or competitions to build good teamwork.

● Putting Work from Home policies in place.

● Organizing weekly yoga or meditation sessions. Basically, anything that helps a person calm their mind.

One rule everyone should follow for healthy living?

Getting regular blood tests. iThrive founder and CEO Mugdha Pradhan always says, "your blood is your body's information center."

With the current lifestyle and eating habits, the number of people suffering from chronic diseases and disorders is increasing. Getting your blood analyzed gives you insight into what is going on inside your body. A disorder springs up if the abnormalities hidden in your body are left untreated for a long time. And these abnormalities can be unearthed by getting your blood analyzed. Or in terms of a Functional Nutritionist getting a Root Cause Analysis.

After obtaining the results, one can start working on correcting them through proper nutrition, lifestyle changes, supplementation, and fitness regimen. This can help them prevent almost all diseases.