Complementary health is a framework that allows for optimal enhancement of health by addressing the numerous contributors in a synergistic fashion.
Dr. Darin Davidson partners with Learner+, a CME/CE reflective learning platform for healthcare providers. For the opportunity to reflect on this article and earn CME/CE credits, Launch here. Check out all past articles which are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits.
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The importance of implementing psychological skills and somatic practices in a synergistic fashion has been previously discussed in detail. This framework allows for the optimal benefit of these practices to be realized. In addition, integrating various adjuvants, such as nutritional supplements, traditional medical treatments, measurement of metrics, and various vagus nerve stimulating devices in a complementary way is also essential. Ultimately, when the complementary framework is implemented we experience a benefit from the various contributors that is far greater than the sum of the individual parts.
When we consider overall health and wellbeing from this perspective it is similarly important that a complementary perspective is utilized. In particular, owing to the numerous contributors to health and the complex inter-relationship among these various determinants, in order to realize the greatest benefit it is essential that we integrate various strategies, tactics, and skills in a way that builds off each other and is synergistic in nature. This is the objective of the complementary health approach.
At its core, the framework of complementary health allows for optimal health and wellbeing. It is based upon an integration of the psychological skills and somatic practices in combination with the use of adjuvants. It is also important to acknowledge that without a strong and stable framework of health and wellbeing, the pursuit of sustainable high performance is not possible. With these considerations in mind, it becomes readily apparent that the complementary health approach is the preferred framework to embody. This allows us to pursue and become that which is of greatest importance and accomplish goals and objectives which are of most significance.
At the outset, it is important to consider the rationale for the perspective of complementary health. When we consider the current Western medical paradigm, irrespective of the specific insurance and payment structures, there are numerous gaps within this system. In particular, the typical Western medical paradigm emphasizes highly specialized care often in a siloed manner. In many instances, the result of this perspective is that we may obtain a very high degree of care within one domain however there is little synergistic effect with the other contributors to health. At times, this leads to one area undermining or not supporting the goals and benefits of others. The overall outcome of such a perspective is far less than what would be obtained if a complementary approach were taken. In such a perspective, by integrating the various determinants of health, the overall effect is far greater than the sum of the parts.
In addition to the aforementioned gaps in care within the traditional system, it is also important to recognize that the Western medical paradigm does not place emphasis on promoting health and wellbeing. Rather, the emphasis is on what could be termed sick care. Specifically this refers to the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of illness, injury, and disease. While this is no doubt important and necessary, such an approach does not place sufficient attention on the significance of developing health and wellbeing. When we consider from a comprehensive and holistic perspective what is meant by the term health, we rapidly recognize that it is more than the absence of illness or disease. The sick care model emphasizes the absence of disease component and does not place sufficient attention on the promotion of health.
It is important to describe what is meant by the term complementary health. The framework has been discussed above. Specifically, this approach is an attempt to fully integrate various determinants of overall health and wellbeing. By placing attention on several aspects which are inter-related, we are able to obtain an overall higher degree of health and wellbeing than could be realized by only emphasizing certain component parts. In addition, this paradigm provides the opportunity for one element to compensate for temporary shortcomings or deficits within other domains, as is inevitable in life. This provides greater flexibility to continue to improve and promote health even during situations in which certain components may be suboptimal.
The complementary health perspective incorporates the various body systems. In addition, it integrates psychological and physiological components. Within the physiological components, it integrates the system level considerations with cellular health. This perspective also incorporates the use of adjuvants, including but not limited to nutritional supplements, traditional medical treatments, measurement of physiological metrics, and vagus nerve stimulating devices. Furthermore, the complementary health perspective encompasses all domains and goals in life across professional and personal considerations. This includes, for those for whom it is of interest, sustainable high performance in any and all domains of life.
The consideration of comprehensive health across all body systems is essential. As noted above, the typical medical paradigm tends to overemphasize a highly specialized approach in which there are silos dividing the various physiological systems. While this may be useful from an educational perspective, it is not how our bodies function in reality. While it is more feasible to specialize in the evaluation and treatment of health conditions from a particular body system, this also does not reflect reality. We can all appreciate how in all aspects of our life, our various body systems are all working jointly. We are not simply the sum of independent physiological systems, rather we are the combination of these systems into a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
By considering not only the various systems, but the complex interplay amongst these systems, the complementary health framework provides the opportunity to improve the function and inter-relationship of all systems. This allows for greater health of the whole. It is also important to consider that this approach utilizes the perspective that we can have certain systems compensating for others in certain situations in which it is advantageous to do so.
Another important benefit of the complementary health perspective is the integration of both psychological skills and somatic practices. In order to realize the optimal benefit of mindset skills, this is optimally accomplished through nervous system regulation. Somatic practices are an essential component to this. If we were to only emphasize mind-based skills, the overall benefit would be less than the potential. In addition in situations in which we have shifted into protective and defensive states, our ability to effectively utilize psychological skills is significantly reduced. In such scenarios, it is important to first utilize somatic practices to regain anchored and grounded states and then re-introduce psychological skills.
Within the consideration of physiological systems and somatic practices, the complementary health approach also integrates the systems paradigm with the cellular health perspective. From the systems framework, the overall function of our physiological systems is considered. Various strategies and tactics are developed in order to optimally utilize the skills to further the health of these physiological systems with a particular emphasis on the overall synergistic effect. An excellent example is the nervous system. Various somatic practices and associated strategies and tactics are developed in order to improve nervous system regulation. The complementary health approach also includes practices to optimize cellular health, in particular as it relates to our mitochondria. If we are to fully realize the benefit not only of the somatic practices, but the complementary utilization of psychological skills, it is essential that our mitochondria are healthy and functioning in a flexible fashion. This allows us to improve many aspects of health, including energy utilization and metabolic health.
Another important benefit of the complementary health philosophy is the added flexibility it provides. When we consider health and pursuing our goals and objectives from this perspective, we can identify which skills, strategies, and tactics are most needed at any one point in time. Furthermore we can understand how these may change over time. This provides the flexibility to implement the most important and necessary strategies and tactics at a given time and, importantly, adjust which we utilize as circumstances evolve. This most closely reflects the reality of most situations we encounter across all aspects of our life. This also provides the opportunity to make adjuvants the point of emphasis in the appropriate situation, such as related to hormone replacement.
As discussed above, the typical medical system overemphasizes the management of illness, injury, and disease. This may be termed sick care. The complementary health approach provides a framework through which we can develop and enhance our overall health and wellbeing, while also addressing any emerging illness, disease, or injury. At baseline this is advantageous for obvious reasons. It is of particular importance, however, when recovering following an illness or injury. In such situations, the typical medical paradigm provides little actionable strategies in order to return to our pre-injury or pre-illness state of health. By integrating the various determinants and contributors to overall health, the complementary health approach is ideally suited to help individual individuals who are in the midst of treatment of chronic diseases or have recently recovered from significant injuries or illness to restore their health.
As noted above, the use of adjuvants is another important element within the complementary health framework. This may include the use of nutritional supplements, measurement of physiological metrics, and vagus nerve stimulating devices. Where and when appropriate, this may also include use of medications, including hormone replacement, and other traditional medical treatments. The use of adjuvants is another important example of the benefit of the complementary health perspective. The use of any and all of the aforementioned adjuvants, can be an important, and at times vital, element in our health. However, no matter the importance of these adjuvants, if they are the only element upon which we place our focus, the overall benefit will be less than ideal. Irrespective of which adjuvant is under consideration, by implementing the use of the adjuvant in a complementary fashion in which we are also addressing and enhancing the various contributors to our overall health we will realize a far greater benefit.
As an example of the use of adjuvants, we can consider nutritional supplements and use of medication. While these may in many instances be an essential element in our overall health, if we utilize these substances with limited regard for the other contributors to our health, the overall benefit will be limited. There is no question that our overall health and wellbeing will be greater if we also address the other contributors towards our overall health discussed throughout this article.
The final element of complementary health that is under consideration in this article is that of the extension of this principle to the domain of sustainable high performance. It is important to consider that this is not only related to competitive sports environments. Typically, when we consider sustainable high performance, we may think of crafts such as competitive and professional sports, business, or other high demand domains. However, the concept of sustainable high performance equally applies to every other domain, including important roles as family members, partners, parents, and friends. In order to be the best version of ourselves for these important people and roles in our life, the principles discussed above and applied within the paradigm of sustainable high performance are of limitless value. The complementary health framework is inclusive and supportive of this consideration.
Throughout this article, the concept of complementary health has been discussed as it pertains to many important strategies and tactics within the healthcare domain. In addition, the overall benefit of this framework, in particular as it relates to the traditional medical paradigm, has been described in detail. The framework provided by the complementary health approach provides an opportunity to improve health and wellbeing as well as pursue sustainable high performance, for those who so desire, to a degree far greater than that provided by the traditional medical paradigm. This is mostly on the basis of the concept that by synergistically implementing various layers of the determinants and contributors to overall health we are able to obtain a far greater result than by limiting our implementation to only one or a limited number of strategies.
To learn more, including about biologically complementary coaching for healthcare professionals and others in high demand domains, please visit www.darindavidson.com.
Dr. Darin Davidson partners with Learner+, a CME/CE reflective learning platform for healthcare providers. For the opportunity to reflect on this article and earn CME/CE credits, Launch here. Check out all past articles which are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits.
For downloadable, actionable strategies and tactics to leverage biology in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance, visit the resource store, Launch here. Chapters are arranged by topic so those of interest can be selected and each are also eligible for reflections and CME/CE credits through Learner+.