AI is everywhere. From writing emails to planning workouts, tools like ChatGPT make life easier. It’s tempting to ask them for health advice too. But when the goal is a longer, healthier life, the kind of AI you choose makes all the difference.

Let’s look at why a popular generalist like ChatGPT can be helpful—but falls short for true personalised care—and how CLIA, working inside the Shae precision-health platform, sets a completely different standard.

ChatGPT: Brilliant Wordsmith, Limited Health Guide

ChatGPT is a language expert. It has learned patterns from billions of pages of text—articles, books, medical papers and everyday conversations. That training lets it explain complex ideas clearly and even follow multi-step reasoning.

It can:

• Translate research into everyday language
• Summarise long guidelines
• Draft patient emails or clinic handouts

Where it stops short is knowing you.
Unless a custom patient model is built on top, ChatGPT does not keep a living, causal map of your unique biology. Two people can type in the same blood results and get almost identical advice—even if their underlying risks, genetics and daily rhythms are worlds apart.

It’s not that ChatGPT is careless. It does have safety policies. But those rules are broad and not medically specific. They help avoid obvious harm; they don’t provide the deep, personalised guardrails that clinical care demands.

CLIA/Shae: Designed to Know the Person, Not Just the Problem

CLIA (Clinical Lab Interpretation AI) was created with one goal: precision medicine.
It isn’t a general chatbot that happens to talk about health. It’s a precision-health engine built from the ground up to understand each individual and predict how their body will respond over time.

CLIA works by:

• Integrating phenotype, genotype, bloods, imaging, microbiome data, lifestyle habits, and wearable inputs

• Modelling cross-system interactions like gut–immune–neuroendocrine loops and cardio–renal links

• Forecasting what will change over the next 6–12 months and adjusting recommendations as new information flows in

Every output is clinically supervised. A specialist panel and evidence-based guidelines define what CLIA can and cannot recommend. If a plan could put health at risk, the system won’t bend to pressure—it simply won’t suggest it.

Real-Life Scenarios Show the Difference

Gene confusion, like MTHFR variants
In online forums, people often wonder whether to take methylfolate based on a single gene result. ChatGPT can explain the pathway and urge caution, but it cannot weigh that gene against full blood panels, medications, diet, stress and lifestyle. CLIA brings all of those pieces together before giving an answer.

Rare but serious conditions
Consider gadolinium deposition disease, a rare complication of MRI contrast. CLIA can link MRI history with neurological symptoms, lab trends and phenotype, raising GDD as a possible issue and suggesting the right next tests. ChatGPT could describe the condition but would not rank it for that particular person.

Two patients, same labs
Imagine two people with the same BMI and similar cholesterol numbers. ChatGPT might provide the same diet advice to both. CLIA will not. It can spot differences in circadian rhythm, food timing tolerance and stress load, then create unique plans with different forecasts for each.

Critical red flags
A cholesterol reading around 500 mg/dL is a genuine emergency. ChatGPT will recommend immediate medical care—good. CLIA goes further: preparing a concise referral summary, flagging phenotypic risk modifiers and suggesting safe interim steps while urgent care is arranged.

Built on Big, Meaningful Data

Precision medicine only works with deep and trustworthy data. CLIA’s engine is fed by:

• Volume – decades of carefully collected, clinically supervised person-level data representing an incredible amount of human follow up data
• Variety – contributions from 140 countries for broad, bias-resistant insights

• Veracity – every data stream reviewed and quality-checked by medical experts

These foundations let CLIA create precision reference ranges for each person—something generic AI simply cannot do.

Proven Impact

Technology is only as good as the outcomes it delivers. Independent audits and internal studies show that people using the Shae app powered by CLIA experience:

• Lowered risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes through targeted lifestyle changes

• Reduced risk of mental health issues in workplace populations thanks to precision coaching

This is real-world evidence that personal data, when analysed correctly, can lead to measurable improvements in health and well-being.

Privacy and Professionalism at the Core

Health data deserves the highest level of care. CLIA stores all identifiable information, including genomic and wearable inputs, in secure, closed systems that meet or exceed Australian and international privacy standards. Users know how their data is used and can opt out at any time.

Equally important, CLIA is not a diagnostic tool. It supports doctors, allied health providers and health coaches by providing a comprehensive review of each person’s data, leaving the clinician firmly in charge of decisions.

Where Each AI Fits

The takeaway isn’t to avoid ChatGPT entirely. It shines in areas like:

• Education and translation of medical language
• Summarising new research for busy practitioners
• Brainstorming discussion questions for clinic visits

Use it for knowledge and communication.
Use CLIA/Shae for individualised health planning and precision decision support.

The Future of Health Is Personal

We all want convenient tools. It’s natural to ask a free online AI about diet or symptoms. But health is not one-size-fits-all. Your genes, microbiome, daily rhythms and environment create a unique blueprint. Acting on generalised answers can delay the care you truly need.

Choosing CLIA inside the Shae platform means choosing AI that knows the person, not just the problem. It translates complex science into practical, personalised guidance with proven outcomes.

Bottom Line

ChatGPT is a powerful companion for learning. CLIA/Shae is a trusted partner for living well.
When it comes to your health, choose the AI designed for precision medicine—and step into the future of care that understands you.

“I have my food dialed in.” 

No matter your niche in the health industry, sooner or later, you’re going to hear these words from a client. This is the client who can list the latest Superfoods off the top of their head (and get the spelling and pronunciation right, too). They rattle off the top sources of vitamin B on their plates as well as the six different podcasts that proclaim the “worst” food of the minute. (Which they categorically avoid).

To their knowledge, they have conquered the frontier of food. Yet they are baffled as to why they can’t summon the energy of a teen, can’t shed those pesky last 5 pounds or can’t get their tummy to shut up after lunch.

The fact is, they’ve just scratched the surface of the first W of food: What’s on their plate. And they’re probably leaving the most important aspects of the food picture on the table (pun intended). 

Let’s be honest, life isn’t lived in a vacuum of perfectly balanced Superfood salads.

If you peered in on their lunchtime routine, it looks like this: 

The clock hits noonish and they randomly thrust one hand into their triple-insulated YETI lunch bag, while furiously typing an email with the other. They’re snarling, either at the screen or because their fingertips can’t blindly find their fork; or both. Fast forward a few minutes. The snarls are equally mingled with ferocious chomping as they decimate that perfectly configured Superfood Salad, eyes still glued to the computer screen, mind still lasered-in on the latest drama unfolding in cyberspace. 

Enter the first secret W of food: Where

Now imagine your client savoring the decadence of that same power packed lunch on a quiet park bench with a side of fresh air and a backdrop of babbling brook. Feels different, right? 

The body thinks so, too.

Stress, whether it’s the overt kind with infuriating emails, ringing phones and irate customers or the background hum they’ve learned to live with, does more than dampen digestion; it can actually impair nutrient absorption. When cortisol takes the wheel, their body isn’t focused on thriving, it merely wants to survive.

So, simply tell your client to reserve a park bench at mid day and all their troubles will be carried away on the lilt of birdsong, right?

If only it were that simple.

What launches one client into stress could be exactly what another needs to relax into rest and digest. It’s all shaped by their unique physiological and sensory needs. Some people thrive in calm, minimalistic spaces, while others find relaxation in lively, bright, even noisy surroundings. A sunny park bench could be the perfect dining haven or a nightmare of glaring light, scents on the breeze and uninvited flying things.

So what’s the trick to this W?

Precision. Encourage your client to grab that illusive fork and superlative salad and seek out their ideal dining sanctuary. Creating an intentional eating space, tailored to their individual needs is next level nutrition. It’s a small shift that can lead to big improvements in digestion, satiety, and even mood.

Fantastic, your client is no longer balancing their salad in one hand and typing with the other. But as they settle into their serene eating environment, another question arises: Who is sitting next to them? Or perhaps, who isn’t?

Food and Friends: The Secret of Who

Sharing meals isn’t just a tradition; it’s hardwired into our biology. Eating together naturally activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which is precisely what we’re aiming for to get all those Superfood molecules to reach their right destination. 

Enter real-life. 

Especially if your client is busy (and who isn’t?), meals are reduced to stolen moments of grabbing and chomping. It’s one thing to carve out a tiny optimized corner to gobble down some greens, but completely another to set up your social calendar around your stomach. 

That’s precisely why this is next level because the fact is WHO your client eats with can shape their entire dining experience and their digestion, absorption and wait….

Even the original W: What! 

Your clients don’t just bring their own habits to the table, they pick up on those of their dining companions. Social mirroring is a powerful, often subconscious force.

When clients eat with health-conscious peers, they’re more likely to make better choices themselves. A meal with friends who load their plates with nutrient-dense foods can subliminally encourage your client to do the same. Conversely, indulgent social settings (think all-you-can-eat buffets or celebratory feasts with an “anything goes” vibe) may divest them completely of their dreams of better health.

Great, so now you’re tasked with culling their contacts list like a helicopter parent?

On the contrary, while sharing this insider W might just make you their go-to expert to completely reshape their relationship with food, all you have to do is help them make it personal. 

Just like that perfect “Where”, The right ‘who’ looks different for everyone. Some clients recharge with joyful, communal meals brimming with conversation, while others need a quiet moment with one close friend, or the peace of complete solitude. Your mission? Guide them to discover which social dynamics foster the balance and support they need. 

Alright, they’ve got their dream team at the table (or they’re flying solo on that peaceful park bench). Let’s make a powerful impact with the King of the Titans: Chronos

Cracking the Code: The Secret of When

Chronobiology, the study of biological rhythms, reveals the profound influence of time on digestion, metabolism, and overall health. Meals consumed in sync with the body’s natural cycles honor the wisdom of Chronos, optimizing function and reducing stress on the system.

This isn’t about hurriedly gulping down a smoothie between battles with your inbox, it’s about unlocking the full potential of nutrition, and letting time work for you, not against you.

When clients eat out of sync with their internal clocks a phenomenon called chronobiological dyssynchrony occurs. It disrupts digestion, metabolism, and hormonal balance, increasing risks for inflammation, metabolic disorders, and chronic diseases. Even subtle misalignments, like eating a heavy meal late at night, can strain the body, causing fatigue, weight gain or those illusive belly groans and gurgles.

Here’s where things get even more exciting: not all clients operate on the same chronobiological blueprint. Some thrive on a hearty breakfast and feel energized all morning, while others perform best with lighter morning meals and a robust lunch. Helping clients identify their optimal eating windows and pair them with perfect portions sets the foundation for every other health goal on their list.

From Insights to Action: The Ws Made Easy

Your client who has their “food dialed-in” doesn’t need another list of Superfoods, they need a health professional who sees the whole picture. The where, who, and when of eating offer the missing pieces to their health puzzle, and put them on the path to achieve the energy, balance, and health they’ve been striving for.

And here’s the good news: using science-backed AI technologies to enhance your practice means you don’t have to figure it all out alone. You can seamlessly integrate the latest in every nutrition W (including the What, Why and How) with your expertise to easily deliver precise, individualized strategies for every client.

Ready to redefine what’s possible for your clients?

Bring the science of when, where, who and more to life in your practice with our Level 1 Course for Health Professionals.

Look at next week’s schedule. What if you could breeze through all those appointments, fit in a few urgent cases and take Friday off?

Are you done laughing?

Oh, I didn’t mention the best part. Your clients are smashing their goals like superheroes on crime.  

Here’s how you can live that scenario not just next week, but every week.

Know your client’s priorities.

Did you roll your eyes?

Perfect. 

Now, I invite you to hear me out. 

The goals and reasons your clients put on their intake form have nothing to do with their true priorities. Understanding these priorities does not involve six deep conversations, an intricate values test and a mind map. 

It involves basic biology.

How they were made, what drives them on a chemical level and how their DNA is expressing at this moment in time will intersect at the precise point where action equals results. 

The Power of Precision

If we’re really going to clear your schedule next week, we need to get specific.

You know the client that comes in with the weight loss goal, has tried everything and sits on the precipice of several life-threatening diseases, so this time they’ve got to make it happen? Our professional eye looks at the client, draws a line to the future goal and tackles the obvious things first. This client’s priorities look like numbers; both on the scale and in their bloodwork. 

But what if this client’s biological priority is family? 

Instead of the obvious discussion about what’s on their plate and how often they hit the gym, what if our first question is ‘How’s the family?’

We’re not just making conversation here. 

This person’s biological necessity is to make sure that everyone that they call family; from those in their household, to those in their workplace and community, stays safe. If there is turmoil around them, they will not allocate resources for themselves. 

We might spend hours across weeks dialing in their diet, exercise and even mindset with only a few small changes in their numbers. 

These are the bodies that will carry extra weight for survival. So in times of stress, the numbers on the scale will rise. 

Why? 

Because biologically they are predisposed to give, nurture and care for others. And to do all of that, you have to have extra. This is a beautiful biological response that harkens back to times of hardship and famine. So, in trying to bring these numbers on the scale down by increasing the exercise (stress) and decreasing the food (also stress), we are working against nature itself. 

You might have noticed by now that the biggest player here is stress. 

Remember that point of intersection we talked about before? 

When we can remove stressors from this point, the client’s biological priority, then that frees up resources to tackle the other pillars of health. 

Contained in our simple question, ‘How’s the family’, is the magical key to unlocking stellar results. 

Look at it from your client’s perspective. They stepped off the scale that morning and stepped into your office braced for the standard protocol: diet and exercise delivered through your brand of expertise. 

What happens in their body and mind when you ask that simple question? “How’s the family?”

Barriers drop. Stress melts. Their mind turns full-force toward the real cause of their distress. Maybe it’s a coworker or a child, a neighbor or a dear friend, or even that they don’t feel they have someone to call family. 

Back to you.

You don’t have to be qualified to assess their psychological status to have a simple conversation. You don’t have to have the answer to why their son is failing math or why their neighbor just built an enormous wall between their backyards or whether they should quit their job. You just have to know that their biology is craving stability and safety in this realm. And it is not getting what it craves.

For that session, your protocol might look like directing them to identify a single person in their world that they can completely relax around. Someone that doesn’t offload their problems. Someone that doesn’t expect anything from your client except their company.

What you don’t do is more important than what you do.

Now. this probably isn’t something you want to put on the header of your website: “I’m not going to do anything, and you’ll want to come back for more!”

But in reality, you didn’t give them a prescription that heaped on the stress. You didn’t tackle the priorities they stated on their intake form. You probably didn’t do anything you learned in your certification or degree.

Instead, you gave them the precise protocol their biology craved.  

You are a magician.

So, there are priorities and there are biological priorities. When we work in alignment with the way that each person is created and how they are presenting in this moment, we facilitate the most significant outcomes possible.

Back to you and your schedule.

When you dive beneath the surface-level desires scribbled on intake forms to tap into the rich vein of your client’s true motivations and needs, you enter the realm of absolute efficiency. 

Then you sail through your weeks, turning challenges into triumphs (and even reclaiming your Fridays!). It sounds like a dream but Precision Health is here now. It is grounded in the undeniable science of individuality where action is informed by the most authentic version of each person. It’s where the efficiency of our strategies multiplies, not by doing more, but by doing right.

If you want to get more precise with your clients and spend less time for better results…and maybe get your Friday’s back, too, check out our Level 1 Course for health professionals.

As we stand on the precipice of this year’s end and next year’s beginning it’s natural to pause, take a breath and look over our shoulder at the path we’ve traversed. Across the year here at PHA, each month we’ve explored a different landscape that, when put together, defines the overall quality of our Precision Life. Let’s take a moment to journey through the highlights and lessons, examining the topography of our experiences.

Happiness: The Landscape of Joy 

Whether it’s a triumphant client WIN, a cherished family event, or a professional milestone, the elements which define our happy moments are biologically and psychologically based. This makes them personal at a molecular level.Take a stroll down memory lane by scrolling through the photos on your phone – a visual diary of joy and accomplishment. Reflect on the landscape of happiness. What does it look like for you? Where were you? Who were you with? What were you doing in those most vibrant moments?

Environment: The Nourishing Petri Dish of Well-being

Our surroundings influence us on a biological level, turning genes off and on by the moment and across the days, weeks, months. Pause and consider the spaces, people, and places that shaped your daily life. How did they support you, challenge you, change you; silently sculpting your experiences?

Genius: The Forest of Your Biologically Predisposed Strengths

Your neurons fire and wire and your hormones ebb and flow, continuously crafting and supporting your natural gifts. This is the internal scene that sets you apart from every other person on the planet. Reflect on the skills, talents and abilities that make you shine in your industry and your community. Recognizing and leaning into your expertise is the key to continuous growth and fulfillment.  

Learning: The Terrain of Your Knowledge, Your Way

Who you are on a cellular level, right through to the chemicals that surge through your tissues and the way your muscles move in response to stimuli determines what methods of information absorption work best for you. From lessons learned to skills acquired, consider how you leaned into your biological strengths to expedite learning and retain information longer. What settings, structures, protocols and subjects defined the topography of your knowledge acquisition?

Love:  The Scene of Connection and Communication 

From the care we take with ourselves to the way we engage with other people, places, situations and things, how we love is biologically unique to us. Who were the clients that brought a smile to your face? What colleagues did you connect with? How did you deepen your relationships with those close to you? What skills did you level-up, places did you explore and things did you acquire? These elements combine to craft your specific landscape of love.

Stress: Settings that Evolve Strength

It’s tempting to define our lives by the stressors we encounter, conquer and succumb to. Instead, challenge yourself to look at the methods, timings and modalities which help you naturally flow through life’s peaks and valleys. When do you feel bulletproof? How do you intentionally add stress to spur growth and resilience? What activities increase your zen? Evaluate the elements of your ideal stress habitat. 

Sleep: The Land Where Chronobiology is King

Sleep quality sets the scene for life. Being rested or not largely determines how you experience the world, interact with what it tosses your way and work out ways to craft your future. The formations in our best sleep terrain are largely decided before birth. Your chronobiological rhythms, daily energy flow and natural brain states are biologically and psychologically unique to you. Whether you assess the data from your wearable, flip back through the pages of your dream journal or simply reflect on your sleep habits and hygiene, sweep your eyes across what constructs support your ability to rest. 

Mental Health: Waves of Thought, Gales of Feelings

From feeding our brains to working them properly to getting in that perfect brain state for flowy functionality, mental health incorporates a vast vista of biological predispositions and lifestyle choices. Take a look at yours. When does your brain feel in peak form? When have you felt the most ease, the best equipped to handle a curve-ball, and the clearest about your past, present and future? Look across the landscape of your best mental health and see where peace prevails.

Lifestyle: The Territory of Habits, Fiascos and Routines

Like rearranging the elements of our backyard for optimal practicality and pleasure, we can adjust the components of our lifestyle to align with our biology and psychology for top flow. Consider your daily, weekly and monthly practices and patterns. Where did you thrive? Where did your energy, vitality and enjoyment fall flat? It’s a balancing act that is intensely personal. The facets that you pull forward and those you push into the background will suit your specific genius, desires and intentions.

Mindfulness: The Property of Presence

When you gaze across the panorama of your mindful moments, how you collected them will be as specific to you as the contents they encompass. The only similarities with anyone else on the planet is the way they impact your life. In the chaos of the health industry, mindfulness emerges as a powerful tool to maintain the level of professionalism and decorum you need to support your clients. Explore your mindfulness techniques across the year and the ways they brought focus and serenity to your daily life.

Fitness: Moving Mountains

From the way each one of your 600 muscles is shaped to how they attach to the bones and move your limbs, everything about your physical body is unique to you. Naturally, then, the way you build strength, the times when you have the most stamina, the methods you use to recover are all precisely tuned to you, too. As you glance back across the landmarks of your fitness scenario, ask these things: Did you play up what your body is built for? How well did you utilize the stress and recovery cycles to optimize your biological strengths for a healthier, more resilient you?

Food: Fuel for Life

Do you cringe at the word ‘diet’ or recognize that it’s simply a way of life? Your way of life, just as every other aspect we have discussed, is distinctly your own. What you ingest has no more or no less significance than any of the other factors. With this lens, gaze across the scene of your yearly nutrition. How did you place your meals and the contents of your plates, cups and bowls to keep your body and mind running with powerful precision? Reflect on what worked well and explore opportunities for nourishment that align with your individuality.

When you’ve taken in all the nuances of the well-trodden path behind you and cast your eyes forward once again to the crossroads before you, we hope what you see is more vivid and detailed.  The brilliance of your individuality will light the way to a life more precisely tailored to your needs and a future filled with purpose, growth, and success. This is the Precision Life!

If you’re interested in learning how to apply precision methods and technology solutions to your service offering check out our Level 1 Course for Health Professionals

Here’s what we know about the human animal. We are big bags of tissues, swirling with chemicals and zinging with electrical signals. Not one bag is the same.
As a health professional, you may be focused on one set of tissues and maybe a few of the chemicals or electrical signals. Yet, the entire bag walked into your office as an inextricable set with genetically crafted tissues, dominant chemicals, and specified electrical signals.

Your office, gym or building is the petri dish in which that set will either thrive or flail. That means the environment you establish for each client will either drive your desired result or hinder it.

Back to your desk.

That stack of files off to the left may be in carbon-dated order, the six pens you love to use are all within easy reach, sprinkled around your array of brightly colored notepads and if you put even one of those pairs of glasses away you’d never be able to find any of them again.

That’s great if your next client will come in, pick up each of your family pictures and peruse it as they listen intently to you set the scene for each one. It’s fatal if your next client can barely lift their eyes from the turmoil of that flat surface while their mind desperately tries to make order from your chaos.

It’s not about judgment. It’s about individual biology and what it needs to feel safe.
Safety is where the body can relax, the mind can open and change can begin to stir.

And the tidiness of your desk is just the beginning.

Temperature, noise, (even the pitch of your voice), activity and atmosphere all come into play. The more of these biological boxes you can check off, the less energy your client expends fighting their environment, leaving more energy to focus on the specific protocols that will bring them results.

How do you know what your next client needs to feel safe?

Because it’s inherent in their biology and psychology, it is evident in the mannerisms that underpin their personality.

Let’s look at how this plays out.

We’ll start with your clients who have an easy smile, ready laugh and happily adapt to whatever you toss their way. Think party. To their biology, chaos is exciting, so thumping music, extraneous chatter, and plenty of action will bring them comfort. A busy park with lots of sunshine is their ideal space. Variety, connection and fun is their safe zone.

Then you have those clients who always bring a list of questions from their own research and hungrily gobble down every bit of information you extol. Once you satisfy their need to know, they follow your guidelines to a T. These people are highly sensitive to their surroundings, so dialing things down makes them feel safe. They do best if you adjust the thermostat to tropical, close the door to control any activity or noise that might leak in and yes, organize the chaos on your desk.

Of course, there are the ones who take ages to onboard, meeting you several times, gathering tidbits of knowledge like squirrels forage for acorns in the fall. They carefully consider every angle, all the needs of everyone around them and then, when all of the pieces of the puzzle fit, they become your client. To them, comfort is safety. This comfort comes from having the space and time to thoroughly explore. Like a long walk through the forest, they do best in a fresh, natural environment where there is room for their minds to expand. Set the temp to cool, turn on some nature sounds and settle in.

On the flip-side, there are those on a mission. They come with a set of firm ideas, always want more data and proof, but will charge through to the end if everything lines up. These people can cut through the chaos with their laser focus, but they will thrive on the respect of a door closed against distractions, the forethought of a clear, organized space and a Goldilocks climate that doesn’t distract from the goal. Logic, order and purpose equal safety to this person.

You may have some clients who rush in the door ready to go. They get itchy if conversation lasts past a quick hello. Action is where they find safety. Think of a friendly court side warm up. Loosely guided, chatty, with plenty of room for flowing movement and copious team spirit. Nothing too quiet, too structured or too cold.

Then there are those who volunteer everywhere, field phone calls from family and friends even during your sessions and always want to know about your life. These are the clients who will pick up every picture on your desk and want to hear the back story. Let them. Safety, for them, is in family ties (and you become part of the family). Adopt an open door policy; think living room chat. Turn back the thermostat, offer comfy places to sit (in case they bring loved ones) and leave plenty of time for side conversations and interruptions.

Clients are a complex mix of biological and psychological factors. The more you understand about the entire set of characteristics that make up the next person that walks through your door, the more effective your particular prescriptions and methods will be.

So, will your client fail to get a result if you don’t clean your desk?

Possibly.
But the bigger message here is that if you set up your petri dish to meet the needs of each client, you remove unnecessary stressors and promote the feeling of safety. A more relaxed client has more energy to focus on implementing your protocols to achieve their desired outcome.

If you are interested in getting more precise with every aspect of your client’s needs,  Find out more here.

You’re running down the field, dodging in and out of gaps that seem to open just as you approach. You’re in flow.
You’re standing on the stage in front of a rapt crowd and the perfect words just roll off your tongue. Also flow.
You’re powering through today’s checklist with superhuman speed, tasks just seemingly checking themselves off. Yep, flow again.
We’ve all been there once or twice. Maybe more, if we’re lucky.
Achieving that perfect synergy between mind and body feels so great that we work hard to get back there.
Therein lies the fallacy of flow.
Anything that requires hard work actually takes us further away from the state that we so crave.

True flow is a biologically natural condition

When we look closely at the contemporary definition of flow, we really mean one thing. Productivity. That culls the list of acceptable activities down to a mere handful including athletic, creative and career pursuits. Essentially, we stick flow in such a small box that it’s nearly impossible to achieve without concerted effort.

Now, let’s see what happens when we set flow free from that tiny box.
Biological flow is when you meet the needs of your dominant neurotransmitters and hormones. It is true that everyone on the planet has an array of neurotransmitters and hormones surging through their bodies all the time. However, it’s also true that every individual is born with a biological need for a higher baseline and consistent turnover of one, in particular. This is the one that speaks the loudest and requires the most attention.

A funny thing happens when we listen to our most prominent biological driver.

We discover that each dominant hormone or neurotransmitter has preferences. These loud, opinionated chemicals are also pushy. They will push you toward things they love and away from things they don’t. On the inside, it feels like unconscious preferences or aversions.
On the outside, it looks like you have:
Strengths: Stuff you excel at and stuff you struggle with.
Passions: Stuff that energizes you and stuff that feels like a grind.
People: Individuals and social settings that lift your energy and those that deplete it.
Diets: Foods that rev you up and foods that let you fall flat.
Exercise: Movement that delights you or exhausts you.
Environments: Surroundings that bathe you in pleasure and conditions that inundate you with misery
Timing: Morning or night, long or short, all the time or seldom; everything above has an ideal time attached to it.

When you look at the list above, it’s obvious that these mouthy, bossy molecules are your greatest advocate for everything in the world that engages your biology.

Flow, with this understanding, is when you feel like yourself.

True biological flow looks like this:

A Crusader thrives under the traditional definition of flow. They are happiest when they are knocking down goals and checking off lists in the pursuit of their passion. When you add in a regular rhythm of easily digested foods, endurance-based movement, a group of respected and respectful colleagues aligned with purpose, you’re approaching flow. Add to all of that environmental conditions that are streamlined, limit distractions and support long work hours and you have a recipe for complete biological alignment. 

An Activator thrives in motion, whether that is acute problem-solving, thinking on their feet or running down the field, variety and movement are key. Surrounded by spontaneous-loving people, staying well fueled with lots of small snacks and guarding against the cold and winds, this is Activator flow.

A Connector could be the one running down the field, finding those gaps. They thrive in teams, on and off the field. When they stay fueled with fun, flavorful foods and plenty of sunshine, enveloped in colorful spaces with plenty of opportunity to express themselves, they enjoy flow.

A Guardian thrives when all of the basics of food, shelter, finances and health are met for those they love. Built to protect, their bodies crave lifting heavy things and all day movement, but need to fuel up early in the day to keep going.

A Diplomat thrives on their own time, in their own space. When they feed their brains knowledge, their bodies lots of good veggies and their hearts deep connection, this is when they thrive. Add to that walks in nature, peaceful and beautiful surroundings and heavy things to lift. This is a Diplomat in flow.

A Sensor craves routines and rules with systems and processes for everything. One or two close friends will be privy to occasional deep discussions, but for the most part they prefer their own company. Their minds crave knowledge, need constant, easily accessible fuel to keep up with continuous thought and a bit of highly technical movement to keep things in flow.

Yes, you can power down that field, walk confidently onto the stage or passionately tackle those checklists and hit momentary bouts of flow. But when you tune out the voices that tell you to try harder and work more just to hit an acceptable level of productivity, you leave quiet space to listen to the guidance of your dominant biological driver.

When we tap into the true science of flow, we learn that when we stop striving to ‘get in the zone’, that’s when we achieve it. 

If you are looking to get in flow the biological way and help your clients do the same,  learn more here.

Our environment has a direct impact on both physical and mental wellbeing whether we realise it or not. Studies have found instant changes in the activity of the brain through simply viewing different environments. With nature scenes activating the parts of the brain associated with empathy and love and urban scenes activating the parts of the brain associated with fear and anxiety.

Furthermore, the benefits of living in or close to a green space has been linked to lower rates of high blood pressure and depression, a reduction in the risk of heart disease and better sleep. Whereas living in an urban area has been linked with increased mortality and reduced life expectancy, particularly due to the increase in exposure to things like air pollution, traffic congestion and noise pollution. 

Time in nature has also been shown to have other surprising benefits. A classic study by Robert Ulrich put gallbladder surgery patients into 2 groups; 1 group were provided with a view of trees and the other a view of a wall. The study found that patients with the view of trees could tolerate pain better, appeared to have fewer negative effects, and spent less time in a hospital.

Unfortunately, our current way of life is moving us away from nature. It is estimated that 70% of the world’s population will live in an urban area by 2050 and currently the average American spends around 90% of their awake time indoors. Given the dramatic impact time in nature can have on both physical and mental wellbeing, it is important that as urbanisation continues to expand, that we prioritise spending time in nature as a key part of our health plan. 

So, how much is enough?

A study published in Nature determined the minimum threshold of time spent in nature to maintain good health and mental wellbeing is 120 minutes a week. However, unlike other healthy habits such as exercise, there doesn’t seem to be an ‘upper limit’, meaning the more the better. 

Going Green- Tips to get more nature time

• Hikes and nature walks: Kill two birds with one stone and get some physical activity in alongside time in nature, check out apps such as All Trails to find popular trails near you that match your ability levels.
• Gardening: Spend time in your back garden planting food and tending to plants. Getting your hands in the soil and sun on your face can be a great way of gaining all of the health benefits of nature with additional physical activity and of course, the reward of growing your own food.
• Outdoor Breaks: Take your lunch break outside, a simple 20 minute outdoor break can provide just as much of an energy boost as grabbing that next cup of coffee.
• Nature Gazing: Even if you can’t get out into nature, taking time out to look into nature can help to lower stress. Additionally, spending 2-10 minutes daily (even if through a window) viewing morning and evening sunlight has been found to support mental, physical and immune health by regulating circadian rhythms. 

However you get it, time in nature is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to improve your physical and mental health. If you are a health professional, add ‘time spent in nature’ to your assessment protocol and look to support your clients in at least reaching the minimum recommendations outlined above. 

References:

Callaghan, G. McCombe, A. Harrold, C. McMeel, G. Mills, N. Moore-Cherry & W.     Cullen (2021) The impact of green spaces on mental health in urban settings: a scoping review, Journal of Mental Health, 30:2, 179-193, DOI: 10.1080/09638237.2020.1755027

Mireia Gascona, Margarita Triguero-Mas David Martínez Payam Dadvand, MD, David Rojas-Rueda Antoni Plasènciaa , Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen – Residential green spaces and mortality: a systematic review http://diposit.ub.edu/dspace/bitstream/2445/99572/1/gascon2015_2007.pdf

Russo A, Cirella GT. Modern Compact Cities: How Much Greenery Do We Need?. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018;15(10):2180. Published 2018 Oct 5. doi:10.3390/ijerph15102180

Ulrich, R. S. (1984). View through a window may influence recovery from surgery. Science, 224(4647), 420-421.

Ulrich, R. S., Simons, R. F., Losito, B. D., Fiorito, E., Miles, M. A., & Zelson, M. (1991). Stress recovery during exposure to natural and urban environments. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 11(3), 201-230. 

Want to lose weight? Exercise and eat healthy.

More energy? Simple, eat right and exercise. 

What about reducing the risk of chronic disease? Duh! Move your body daily and increase your veggies. 

The starting point for most health professionals when it comes to helping their clients achieve goals is nutrition and exercise. Two absolutely foundational pieces of the health puzzle. But did you know there are other areas you could address that can in some cases, have just as much of an impact on our clients overall health as a change in activity and nutritional intake?

Let’s explore the uncommon areas of your clients’ lifestyle you might be leaving on the table in your consultation room and how to address these in your next session. 

Environment 

Assessing your client’s indoor places and outdoor spaces.

Why?

Because dampness in a home can cause molds harmful for health and clutter can restrict air flow, causing build up of dust and other allergens. In the outdoor setting, particularly if you live in a city or built up area, you have to consider air pollution which can contribute to heart disease and respiratory conditions such as Asthma, as well as noise and light pollution which can interfere with circadian rhythms and sleep cycles.

What can you do as a health professional?

Assess your clients’ indoor and outdoor environment to see if there are any potential stressors or factors that could be influencing their quality of life. Recommend frequent bouts in nature for those who live in built up areas and support the reduction of light and noise pollution to improve down time and sleep patterns.

Seek to increase your understanding around environmental issues relating to health so that you can better support your clients to make changes to their environment.  

Work

83% of US workers suffer from work-related stress, with 25% saying their job is the number one stressor in their lives. For many it is work that is the cause of poor health habits and the frustration for many health practitioners as it gets in the way of positive behaviour change. Whilst it may seem like the only solution you can provide to your clients is for them to ‘leave their job’. There are many things you can do to help reduce stress at work and actually use it as a place to practice healthy habits.

• Feeling a sense of purpose

When was the last time you sat with your client to discuss their deeper why? Working with clients on finding a sense of purpose can be a powerful way to increase motivation and increase feelings of both physical and mental wellbeing. When they are able to tie this sense of purpose into the work they do, it may help to reduce stress associated with their job, or it might just show them that what they are currently doing is not right for them. Either way it can open a positive conversation to take action on improving their feelings around the work they do.

• Becoming aware of natural strengths

Some of the major contributors to work stress are; poor team cohesion, lack of clarity, insufficient support and poor management/communication. Whilst you may not be able to control the work environment when it comes to management, you can support your client in ‘controlling the controllables’ by increasing awareness of their natural communication styles vs others to help foster better relationships and communication pathways. As well as creating more awareness around their natural strengths (and weaknesses) so that they can meet daily tasks with greater feelings of self-efficacy and clarity.

• Planning and Time-management

Gaining an understanding of your clients typical day at work can help you when it comes to setting realistic and achievable health goals that can work into the demands of the work environment. Supporting your client to plan these health goals into their working day and keeping them accountable to them may also naturally start to help create more structure and routine in other areas of their work schedule as they aim to add new healthy habits into their to-do list.

Workplace wellness has become a hot topic due to the significant risks associated with both physical and mental health. As a practitioner it is important that you have the tools to support people in all walks of life.

Social 

Wide-ranging research suggests that strong social ties are linked to a longer life. In contrast, loneliness and social isolation are linked to poorer health, depression, and increased risk of early death.

As a result, assessing a client’s social life and relationships should be as high up the list as looking through a diet diary or exercise history. Does your client spend quality time with friends, family members/loved ones? Are there any relationships that are currently causing stress? Does your client feel loneliness or isolation?

If diving deeper into relationships is not within your skillset or scope of practice, seek out a strong referral network with a psychologist or counselor, so that when you do begin to assess the social aspects of a person’s life, you can safely support your client by referring them to an expert to help deal with any deeper issues should they arise. 

Remember, ALL aspects of the environment can influence gene expression and consequently affect health. Just because a person is exercising regularly and eating healthy does not mean your work is done. Sleep, work, stress, social life, the environment all have important roles to play in the overall health picture. It is your duty as a health professional to understand the bigger picture of your clients lifestyle to formulate a personalized and integrative health program, which can and should of course involve other expert practitioners within your network to support as needed.

This is the future of client-centered, precision health care.

Want to learn more about assessing and managing these areas of your clients lifestyle AND join a network of health, fitness and medical professionals who practice with precision? 

Enroll in the PHA Level Course, details on the next intake can be found here