It is essential that the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete are implemented in a complementary nature, including at the various levels of the physical components of this framework.
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+.
The importance of the concept of biologically complementary practices has been discussed in past articles. The prior discussions have focused on the importance of fully integrating the psychological skills and somatic practices. In so doing, we optimize our ability to fully leverage our biology in the pursuit of health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance.
In past articles, it has been discussed that a primary point of emphasis for the complementary implementation of the body-based skills with the mind-based skills is based upon the inherent limitations associated with each. In particular, the reduced effectiveness of psychological skills when we have shifted into protective and defensive states necessitates the implementation of body-based skills. This is a prime example of the importance of complementary practices. In essence, we utilize those practices which are most effective at a given moment, thereby allowing one group of practices to, in a sense, make up for or pick up the others. It is also the case that implementation of the psychological skills is necessary in order to fully optimize our ability to leverage our biology. There is no question that there are significant benefits and advantages gained through development of psychological skills. If we were to only focus on the somatic practices, we would lose these important advantages.
Recent articles have discussed an additional layer of the body-based and physical skills within the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete. Specifically, these are focused on the cellular level of health, particularly related to mitochondrial health and function. It is important to note that when we describe the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete as being biologically complementary, this also includes the complementary implementation of the various layers of the physical skills.
Just as it is important to ensure that we implement in a complementary fashion the psychological skills and somatic practices, so too is it important to integrate the various body-based skills at both the systems level, represented through the somatic practices, and the cellular level, effected by mitochondrial health and function.
This concept of a complementary integration of the levels of the physical skills is important. If we have a discordance between the function of our systems level practices and our mitochondrial health, this discrepancy will evolve into a detriment to our overall health, wellbeing, and ability to sustain high performance. The complementary nature of our physiology at both the systems level and the cellular level is essential to our overall function. We cannot separate one from another. If we are to optimally leverage our biology, each of the various categories of practices and levels of body-based skills must be complementary in their implementation.
The nature of the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete is such that there is inherently a complementary implementation of the systems level and cellular level of our physical health. Through nervous system regulation, we are able to contribute towards optimization of mitochondrial health and function. Furthermore, as discussed in the previous article, by optimizing our exercise routine we can obtain significant health benefits, including for our mitochondria. This provides two important examples of how the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete are biologically complementary as it pertains to the levels of the physical skills.
An important topic to consider is that of nutritional supplementation. A common modern day practice is the regular utilization of various supplements. The principle behind this is to ensure that we have optimal levels of various micronutrients and other important elements to contribute towards our overall biological function. Within some practices, there is the subtle suggestion that the optimal way to obtain longevity and overall health is through supplements. When we consider the importance of biologically complementary practices, a different understanding emerges. While we may be able to provide ourselves, in particular our mitochondria, with the necessary substrates and nutrients for function, if this is not done in a fashion that is complementary with our other practices the discordance described above will develop. If we are not ensuring that we implement the appropriate and necessary body-based skills to optimize health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance we are unable to accommodate for this through supplements alone.
This concept is important to understand and integrate within our practices. Despite the temptation to think that the use of supplements will make up for suboptimal development and implementation of mind-based and body-based skills, this is not actually the case. If we are to truly pursue health and wellbeing, including longevity, it cannot be on the basis of supplements alone. If we do not develop the appropriate mind-based and body-based skills, for example, we will not have optimal strength of our anchored and grounded states or nervous system flexibility. The impact of this upon the mitochondria is such that their health and function will not be optimized. In particular, the lack of effective psychological skills and somatic practices will likely lead to chronic activation of sympathetic states, which as discussed in past articles is detrimental to mitochondrial function. This can then become a source of development of chronic conditions which are a detriment to our overall health and wellbeing and limit our ability to pursue sustainable high performance.
Conversely, when we implement the mind-based and body-based skills in a complementary fashion, we optimize the circumstances for our cellular health. In particular, we create the circumstances for our mitochondria to function in a more optimal way. In many instances, this can be further facilitated through the use of supplements. It is important to note that in this conceptualization supplements are an adjuvant to our practices not a replacement or substitute for them.
In most instances, the utilization of nutritional supplements is an important element in our overall practices. It is best considered a tool within the overall toolbox provided by the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete. It is important to utilize this tool in a complementary fashion with the other tools within the toolbox. As stated above, supplements are not a substitute for any of the other skills. Rather, they are best used in a complementary way to support our overall health and wellbeing, thereby also providing the foundation for sustainable high performance.
By utilizing the above described strategy, we create a situation in which we can optimally leverage our biology because our cellular function is working in concert with our systems level physical skills as well as our mind-based skills. When each of these elements are working in a convergent fashion, we are best positioned to optimally pursue health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance. This understanding also informs that if for whatever reason we are unable to utilize supplements within our daily routines, this is not an insurmountable deficit. Through the biologically complementary mind-based and body-based skills within the framework of the Practices of the Healthcare Athlete, we are still able to pursue health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance in an optimal way.
It is important that we acknowledge and embody the concept that all of our practices must be complementary in nature if they are to provide the optimal benefit. This includes at the level of the mind-based and body-based skills just as much as it includes the levels of the physical skills. It is essential that our systems level physical skills are implemented in a complementary way with our cellular level physical skills. The greater degree of complementary practice across each of these skill groups that we can achieve, the greater will be our ability to optimally pursue health, wellbeing, and sustainable high performance.
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+.