Just in: BALANCE’s 2019 Wellness 100
1. CHRIS HEMSWORTH – Discover how Chris landed the top spot in our full interview with the Avengers Endgame star here.
2. FEARNE COTTON – With her charity work, best-selling wellness books, hugely popular wellbeing podcast Happy Place (which you can catch live on 4 May, see page 54) and sheer openness about therapy and indeed life itself, the broadcaster and author feels like she’s at the forefront of the wellness movement right now. We chatted with Fearne for the Balance podcast (visit balance.media, guys!) and found her to be wonderfully candid company. What’s more, this is someone who walked away from both Radio 1 and, more recently, Celebrity Juice because her gut told her to. More power to Fearne!
3. DAVID ATTENBOROUGH – In October 2018 the broadcaster and natural historian was awarded the Maritime Fellowship Award for his lifetime work raising public awareness of the fragility of the environment, and how life on this planet depends on the health of our oceans
4. JAMEELA JAMIL – Jameela’s no-shame, anti-comparison movement, I Weigh, has taken Instagram by storm, encouraging men and women to “feel valuable and see how amazing we are”. The campaign’s dedicated account is full of selfies from people of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds, celebrating what’s on the inside, not the outside
5. OPRAH WINFREY – After transforming the world (the self-made billionaire popularised therapy, self-help and wellbeing), in the past year alone there’s been a new book, ongoing work with pal Deepak Chopra, her Soulful Sundays podcast and a burgeoning business empire
6. DALAI LAMA – It’s 60 years since the 14th Dalai Lama fled China while disguised as a soldier, and the spiritual leader of Tibet continues to inspire via his books, teachings and self. After all these years he remains a picture of humility, grace and good humour
7. GINA MARTIN – In 2017 Gina launched a campaign to make upskirting – the act of taking a photo up a person’s skirt – a criminal offence. Thanks to 18 months of hard work and tireless activism, the House of Lords approved new legislation this February, making it a criminal offence from April, punishable with up to two years in prison and being placed on the sex offenders’ register
8. MICHELLE OBAMA – America has a rich history of producing First Ladies who have gone beyond the call of duty, and Michelle is only getting bigger and better. Blockbuster book Becoming has even spawned a live arena tour (An Intimate Conversation With Michelle Obama), where the writer and public speaker shares inspiring stories, both private and personal
9. JAMIE OLIVER – Jamie famously helped improve school dinners and has recently been involved with the latest Red Nose Day campaign. His passion to bring about positive change is tangibly real. His next book further boosts his health credentials. It is called, quite simply, Veg
10. ARIANNA HUFFINGTON – After selling The Huffington Post in 2011 for $315million and leaving the business in 2016, Arianna launched her new venture, Thrive Global, which provides expertly written content to help people maintain a better work-life balance
11. MEGHAN, DUCHESS OF SUSSEX – Having stolen the heart of the nation, Meghan Markle has vowed to advocate on behalf of the Royal Family for four organisations: Mayhew, Smart Works, The ACU and National Theatre
12. DEEPAK CHOPRA – Fresh-faced Deepak is 72 and a fine advocate for wellness. He’s not looked back since an appearance on Oprah in 1993 and still collaborates with her via a series of online courses
13. BARACK OBAMA – Even though he’s no longer President, Barack still proves a huge presence on the global stage, often tied into My Brother’s Keeper, an initiative that supports males from minority backgrounds
14. ELLEN PAGE – It is a crying shame that more Hollywood A-listers are not as brave as the Juno star, who has inspired millions since she came out. One day, coming out will be the norm and Ellen will be regarded as a vital trailblazer
15. DWAYNE JOHNSON – The Rock’s Instagram posts are an endless source of positive thinking. Try them! He’s inspiring, exciting and, immensely likeable
16. PRINCE HARRY – HRH spearheads the Invictus Games while also working closely with the charity Heads Together, speaking openly about his own struggles with mental health
17. BODY POSI PANDA – Founder of the Instagram community, bodyposipanda, Megan Jayne Crabbe is on a mission to help us make peace with our bodies, which she does through inspirational quotes, selfies and a little bit of booty-shaking on her 1.1 million-follower platform
18. JESSICA ALBA – The Fantastic Four star has dialled down the acting to launch The Honest Company, selling “honestly safe” baby and beauty products
19. JK ROWLING – Most famous for Harry Potter, her own real-life story takes some beating. From unemployed single mum to best-selling author, she’s donated so much to charity she’s no longer a billionaire
20. MARIANNE WILLIAMSON – Beyond her best-selling books, Marianne founded Project Angel Food, which delivers food to home-bound people suffering from serious illness. And now she’s announced she’s running for President in 2020…
21. JOE WICKS – With his massive online following on Instagram and YouTube, Joe has made exercise and healthy eating easy and enjoyable with his daily posts, recipe books and workout plans
22. PRINCE WILLIAM – The Duke of Cambridge supports many good causes including mental health charity Heads Together and conservation organisation, Tusk Trust
23. ANTHONY JOSHUA – A positive role model, boxer Anthony continues to give back with anti-gang and anti-knife crime charities
24. TONY ROBBINS – Tony is the guru of self-help who can put a spring into any tired step. The exuberant 59-year-old’s books are essential listening for anyone with an Audible account
25. RUBY WAX – Comedian, campaigner and author of A Mindfulness Guide for the Frazzled, Ruby works tirelessly to erase the stigma surrounding mental health
26. LAUREN MAHON – Also known as Girl vs Cancer, Laura is a 32-year-old breast cancer survivor who shares the experiences of her treatment online with an authentic voice
27. ADWOA ABOAH – Adwoa is an activist, model (Vogue cover star) and co-founder of Gurls Talk, an online safe space for girls to share a variety of taboo and hard-to-talk-about topics
28. DR RUPY AUJLA – Rupy is a “straight-talking NHS doctor”, who’s also a force for change with his Doctor’s Kitchen cookbooks, which help people adjust their diet and enjoy healthier lives
29. GWYNETH PALTROW – You either love it or loathe it, but Gwyneth’s online platform Goop is putting wellness in the news, providing an enormous boost for the industry’s profile
30. PROFESSOR GREEN –The award-winning rapper has become a much-needed voice on male mental health, breaking down the taboos surrounding depression, suicide and masculinity
31. DOLLY ALDERTON – Dolly is an award-winning journalist, author, culture commentator and – alongside Pandora Sykes – the taller half of The High Low, a weekly pop culture podcast
32. JAZZ JENNINGS – Aged four, Jazz received a gender identity disorder diagnosis. Now 18, she is living life as a woman and was the youngest person in America to become a transgender activist
33. ELLA MILLS – Starting with a blog, Ella has written a collection of hit cookbooks and launched her natural food range, Deliciously Ella. She promotes healthy living and a plant-based diet
34. EMMA GANNON – Emma has shed light on the world of self-employment with her latest book, The Multi-Hyphen Method. Her podcast, Ctrl, Alt Delete, is inspiring Millennials to take control of their careers
35. GABBY BERNSTEIN – The Universe Has Your Back isn’t just the name of Gabby’s 2016 best-seller; it’s become a catchphrase among Balance staff whenever something goes someone’s way!
36. DAVINA McCALL – Her book, Lessons I’ve Learned, charts Davina’s journey from hedonism to health. She went on a journey of the self, and we were with her every step of the way
37. BRENÉ BROWN – Brené’s latest book, Dare to Lead, pulls together 20 years of research and knowledge of courage, vulnerability and empathy to teach us how to lead from the front
38. SERENA WILLIAMS – Inspirational to other mums, Serena returned to pro tennis in 2018, just 10 months after giving birth by C-section which left her bedridden for six weeks
39. MELINDA GATES – In partnership with her husband Bill, Melinda has overseen more than $50billion of charitable donations to tackle a range of the planet’s most pressing issues
40. COLIN KAEPERNICK – By “taking a knee” during the US national anthem to make a widely-showcased political point, the American footballer might have incurred the wrath of President Donald Trump and been “blackballed” by the NFL, but he put racial inequality and social injustice firmly at the top of the news agenda
41. POORNA BELL – Poorna speaks openly about her husband’s suicide, to encourage conversation surrounding men’s mental health issues
42. BOYAN SLAT – Boyan is the man behind The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit organisation developing tech to eradicate plastic from the world’s oceans
43. TIM FERRIS – Podcaster, entrepreneur and author of the New York Times bestseller, The 4-Hour Work Week, Tim inspires people to take control of their careers and be more time-efficient
44. MICHAEL ACTON SMITH – Co-founder of Calm, Michael champions the idea that smartphones can be a force for good. His app helps so many of us de-stress, daily
45. JADEN SMITH – Supported by his father Will, 2018 was the year Jaden brought his sustainable water brand, Just Water, to the UK to help reduce plastic consumption
46. JASMINE HEMSLEY – Wellness is what it is today – accessible, welcoming and, dare we say it, cool – thanks in part to Jasmine and Hemsley + Hemsley, which she runs with sister Melissa
47. BRYONY GORDON – Sharing her experiences of alcoholism, drug abuse, and mental illness, Bryony has raised awareness for mental health issues and inspired a wider conversation
48. STELLA MCCARTNEY – For almost two decades, Stella has been creating sustainable luxury fashion, encouraging a conscious consumption culture
49. JESSAMYN STANLEY – A body positive advocate, yoga teacher and writer Jessamyn uses vinyasa to move past mental health and emotional barriers, celebrating all bodies by asking “How do I feel?” not “how do I look?”
50. STACEY DOOLEY – Much loved for her skilled reporting and documentary making focusing on social issues, Stacey has brought attention to many neglected topics, encouraging social and political change
51. MELISSA HEMSLEY – Co-founder of Hemsley + Hemsley, Melissa is a large part of the reason we associate good food with wellness. Her book, Eat Happy: 30-Minute Feelgood Food, offers brilliant, quick, healthy recipes
52. LAURA THOMAS PHD – Registered nutritionist and wellness advocate Laura aims to help people iron out food issues. Her latest book, Just Eat It, is an anti-diet guide encouraging people to ditch fads and enjoy food on their own terms
53. CALLIE THORPE – Self-proclaimed “sassy Welsh gal”, Callie is a body confidence advocate and founder of community Instagram page, ‘Wellness Our Way’ that aims to “redefine wellbeing and wellness with inclusivity, support and kindness”
54. HANNAH DEACON – Hannah is a cannabis oil campaigner who worked tirelessly to have the treatment legalised in the UK and made available on the NHS after she witnessed the dramatic, positive effect that it has had on the seizures of her young epileptic son, Alfie
55. VIVIENNE WESTWOOD – Dame Vivienne, icon and activist, uses her substantial influence to champion environmental and charitable causes and, even at 78, can be found at politically-charged rallies and protests
56. JACK MONROE – Campaigner and activist against hunger and poverty, Jack has made nutritious meals accessible to those on even the tightest of budgets with her 2018 best-seller, Cooking on a Bootstrap
57. ESTHER PEREL – Belgian psychotherapist Esther is an expert on relationships and sexuality. She believes that the quality of our relationships decides the quality of our lives
58. RIO FERDINAND – The former Manchester United defender opened up about his struggles following the passing of his wife, touching the lives of millions in the process. He has also embarked on a partnership with DNAFit in the hope of shaping government policy on fitness in schools
59. RICHIE BOSTOCK – Helping people to reduce stress while improving energy levels, sleep and athletic performance just through breathing, Richie, aka ‘The Breath Guy’, is one of the world’s leading breathwork teachers
60. DEBORAH JAMES – BBC presenter Deborah is currently living with bowel cancer and doing all she can to raise awareness through the BBC Radio 5 Live podcast You, Me and the Big C and her Instagram page @bowelbabe
61. ROSS EDGLEY – Sunday Times bestseller, and the first person to swim around Great Britain, Ross is a remarkable figure. Challenging the fitness and health industry, he works tirelessly to push physical human boundaries and raise money for a number of worthy charities
62. SOPHIE POWER – It’s all in the name when it comes to Sophie, British Ultra Runner and defiant breastfeeding mother. Expressing en route and breastfeeding her son 16 hours into the 166km, 43- hour, 33-minute race, Sophie proved that she really has got the power
63. CHRIS ANDERSON – The curator of TED, Chris ensures the much-admired platform has a healthy turnover of new talks every day, from the leading experts on a variety of different topics
64. ZANNA VAN DIJK – Following on from her sustainable water bottle collaboration with Chilly’s, Zanna, blogger and eco-warrior, has now co-founded her own ethical swimwear brand, Stay Wild Swim
65. MARIE KONDO – The queen of clean, Marie’s hit Netflix series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo has inspired us all to clean up our act for the benefit of our mental wellbeing
66. MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY – The voice of Calm’s Bedtime Sleep Story, Matthew has taken a deep dive into the world of wellness with his soothing voice offering comfort to insomniacs
67. GRETCHEN RUBIN – Author, blogger and speaker, Gretchen focuses on habits, happiness and human nature. Her brand new book, Outer Order, Inner Calm, looks at how clutter hampers clear thought processes
68. RYAN CHETIYAWARDANA – Ryan, aka Mr Lyan, is the owner of White Lyan, the first cocktail bar in the world to use non-perishables. No ice and no slice here
69. SCARLETT CURTIS – Feminist, activist, writer, curator of Feminists Don’t Wear Pink And Other Lies and co-founder of the online campaign Pink Protest (home to #girlswanktoo), Scarlett is a truly inspirational figure
70. ALICE LIVEING – Influencer, author, personal trainer and Women’s Aid ambassador, Alice is best known for her down-to-earth attitude towards food and fitness
71. MICHAEL JAMES WONG – Founder of The Boys of Yoga movement, Michael works to break down stereotypical views of the practice with the aim of getting more men on the mat. His Just Breathe community aims to bring mindfulness and meditation into the real world
72. KATRINA LARKIN – Co-founder of Fora “pro-working” spaces, Katrina has created wellness-nourishing environments across London, bringing together like-minded people and businesses
73. LAUREN ARMES – The founder of Welltodo, Lauren is the UK’s leading business coach for female entrepreneurs in the wellness industry, helping them break through barriers
74. CAROLINE CRIADO-PEREZ – A journalist, feminist activist and founder of the Women’s Room Project, her book Invisible Women is a huge dossier of facts and figures illustrating gender inequality in society and bringing them to the fore
75. ELLEN DEGENERES – Using her ever-popular TV show as a platform, Ellen supports a variety of worthy causes including LGBT rights, gun-control and conservation and regularly fundraises millions for charity
76. GRETA THUNBERG – At just 16, Greta is a Swedish political activist campaigning to put a stop to global warming and climate change. Her voice became heard in August 2018 when she initiated a school strike outside the Swedish parliament building
77. SOPHIE SCOTT – We’ve all had a good idea. But we’ve not always turned it into a reality. Balance’s founder and editor did, giving birth (metaphorically speaking) to this title and everything it spawned. She wants to make a difference. And, no, this isn’t her writing this particular entry…
78. ECKHART TOLLE – If you’ve listened to his audiobooks as we have, you’ll know the temptation to talk like him can be overwhelming. It is no exaggeration to think of Eckhart as the godfather of mindfulness; the man who has helped to teach us the importance of existing in the here and now
79. DAVE ASPREY – Best known as the founder of Bulletproof Nutrition, biohacker Dave is continuously researching and investigating into how we can live longer, healthier lives
80. JAY SHETTY – Jay’s YouTube channel now has over two million followers. The former monk’s content includes interviews with celebrities, short stories and talks that inspire millions. He’s also an online entrepreneur of growing influence
81. KATE HUDSON – Founder of online activewear brand Fabletics, Kate encourages healthy living through an active lifestyle and balanced diet for a strong body and mind
82. ADRIENE MISHLER – Now with over 4.7 million followers, YouTube channel Yoga with Adriene appeals to all levels, bodies and genders, and encourages all to “find what feels good”
83. RUSSELL BRAND – An award-winning comedian, actor and writer, Russell regularly uses his social media platforms to encourage conversations around addiction and mental health. His new book Mentors: How to Help and be Helped explores relationships and how they impact us throughout our lives
84. SHARAN SALZBERG – Teacher of Buddhism and meditation, Sharan has influenced people across the globe to adopt the practice of “lovingkindness”
85. ASHTON KUTCHER -One of the original investors in the Calm app, Ashton is now developing Thorn, an app to fight human trafficking and child sexual exploitation
86. KRIS CARR – Kris’ Crazy Sexy books, which chronicled how she beat cancer alongside the culinary tips that accompanied her victory, revolutionised the world’s approach to the illness
87. KRISTINA KARLSSON – There’s more than beautiful stationery to Sweden’s Kristina. The kikki.K founder has written Your Dream Life Starts Here, urging us to make our ideal lives a reality
88. MATT PRITCHARD – From Dirty Sanchez to Dirty Vegan, this tale is one of redemption, change and finding success in new fields
89. HUSSAIN MANAWER – In 2017, poet Hussain held the world’s largest mental health lesson. He has since been awarded a Points of Light award for his efforts to break down and challenge the stigma surrounding the issue
90. PATRICK HOLFORD – A pioneer in health and nutrition, he is a leading nutrition expert with over 35 years of experience and research into healthy diet, lifestyle and natural remedies
91. MICHAEL POLLAN -This food author explores the crossover between nature and human culture. His latest release, How to Change Your Mind, investigates the use of psychedelic drugs
92. DR RANGAN CHATTERJEE – His two best-selling books, The Four Pillar Plan and The Stress Solution, provide the reader with the tools to take wellness into their own hands. He wants us all to live better and longer, and it doesn’t get much more wellness than that
93. TARA BRACH – Teacher of emotional healing and spiritual awakening, Tara is also
the founder of the Insight Meditation Community
94. ALAIN DE BOTTON – Founder and chairman of The School of Life, a London-based, global school which offers classes and workshops across a wide range of topics and issues
95. HAZEL GRACE – Advocating for sexual healing and getting women to re-discover pleasure, Grace hosts the podcast Conversations with the Pussy, where women discuss their “taboo” stories to help uplift and heal
96. ROBERT HOLDEN -The psychologist, author and founder of the Happiness Project promotes optimism wherever he goes
97. JAMES SMITH – Personal trainer and Instagram influencer who exposes popular fad diets and brands, calling them out online
98. RICHARD WISEMAN – The best-selling experimental psychologist uses evidence-based techniques to improve people’s personal and professional lives
99. ANNE WOJCICKI – Co-founder and CEO of the personal genomics company 23andMe, she is spreading the power of bio-tech, getting us to explore our genetics, ancestry, traits and health
100. JOE ROGAN – Stand-up, businessman, MMA commentator, podcast host and multi-tasker, Rogan voices support for hunting your own food to move away from factory farming
