A brief (ok maybe a little in-depth) introduction to your private (and free) 4 Doctors
We are so fortunate to live in such a technologically advanced time. Just 100 years ago, TV’s didn’t exist and even up to the 1930s a computer was a PERSON whose job was to calculate things.
Thanks to our opposable thumbs, capitalism, commercialism and the exponential explosion of technology, we live in an age where you can read these words on a little device that has an answer for everything, brings you food, provides entertainment, predicts the weather, connects you with your cousins on the other side of the planet, and fits comfortably (well most of the time) in your pocket.
Yet for all our advances in technology, collectively, we are the fattest, sickest, most depressed, most sleep deprived, most stressed, most malnourished, most dehydrated, most disconnected humans that have ever existed.
So, what’s going on?
How can it be that we have all this technology, all this medical, nutritional and exercise science telling us exactly what we need to do to be healthy, when the reality is the opposite?
To me, it seems that somewhere along the way, our recent ancestors decided that we should put the evolution of tech ahead of our own wellbeing, that we shouldn’t let our fragile human-suits get in the way of progress!
It’s OK though, there’s a solution for everything that ails us so we can keep on keeping on;
You’re sick? Use this spray.
You’re depressed? Take this Prozac.
You’re tired? Drink this coffee.
You’re stressed? Take this benzodiazepine.
Your food isn’t giving you the same nutrition it gave your grandparents? Here, use this supplement.
You’re dehydrated? Drink this liquid that has SOME water in it.
You’re lonely? Follow this person for inspiration.
You’re fat? Let us remove a bit of your stomach.
As much good intention as there is behind all these solutions, there’s an even greater opportunity for profit to be made.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for advancements in medical science and technology that give us better tools to help us on our journey into the future.
What concerns me is the indoctrination of our population to first seek out an external solution to any disease we may experience in the hopes that we may continue the habits and lifestyle that are (in most cases) the cause of said disease. This cultural programming is not necessarily solving the core issue that the disease is presenting.
So how about another system? One with clear warning signs – hell, even some fences – at the top of the hill to prevent us from free-falling into a negative health spiral. One that is simple enough that anyone, at any age, from any culture can use to check in on themselves. How about one that predates all the industry and commercialism of the last 150 years? How about one that has its roots in ancient Greece…?
In the beginning;
Hippocrates, regarded as the father of modern medicine, theorized that there are 3 “physicians” that govern the welfare of the human body;
1) Dr Quiet
2) Dr Diet
3) Dr Happy
Dr Quiet
Dr Quiet is the Chief Physician. He oversees our ability to heal.
It has always been known that sleep is the great healer of the body; it is the state in which our bodies repair.
For example, when we go to the gym and rip our muscles apart through resistance-based exercise, the muscles need rest in order to grow. Otherwise, they just keep getting ripped up until they deteriorate and an injury forces us to stop.
When we get sick, our bodies (try to) force us to stay in bed so our immune system can do its thing without distraction.
It’s known that insufficient sleep increases the risk of type 2 diabetes (6). Perhaps the 65,000 New Zealanders who developed diabetes between 2010 and 2018 could benefit from a sleep routine!
Dr Quiet is not just about sleep though. It’s about taking time for yourself. Reconnecting to yourself and learning to listen to your body. Everyone is so busy these days. We’re permanently distracted. Whether it be our careers, our education, our relationships, our families, our pets, there’s always something drawing attention away from one thing that really matters; ourselves.
POP QUIZ; How much time do you set aside to be alone? To remove yourself from stressful environments and distractions, to really connect with yourself and give yourself the 3R’s – recharge, rebalance and repair?
Dr Diet
Dr Diet is the nurturer. He’s the one keeping us energized and regulating our regeneration.
He’s the one that seems to cause the most heated debates across all platforms; Should we eat this carrot? This animal? That milk? Is “fasting” just another term for skipping meals? What about my coffee though? FAR OUT!
After we’ve spent a bit of time with Dr Quiet, it becomes a lot easier to hear Dr Diet’s prescription.
We’re all different. We’ve all evolved from different environments and have different cultural backgrounds. What this means is your mate Jenny might really thrive on a plant-based diet, while YOU might not – one man’s medicine is another man’s poison, after all.
I know from my own personal experience that I cannot last long on a vegetarian diet. Does that make me a carnivore? Nope. Does that make me a monster? Nope.
However, if I become sick because I am not fuelling my body with the right foods that it needs, then I’m doing a disservice to both to myself and the planet.
By understanding the vast ecosystem that our beautiful planet has allowed us to evolve in, I make sure that the meats (and vegetables) that I do consume are, at best, sourced from organic farms and at worst, are free-range and hormone-free. I detest intensive farming on all sides; both animal and vegetation.
POP QUIZ: How’s your diet? Do you feel energized? Are you eating the right mix of foods to support Dr Quiet in his 3R’s?
Dr Happy
Dr Happy is the overseer of the whole environment.
When we’re not happy, what happens? Our bodies become stressed. We begin to over (or under) eat. We seek more distractions to fill the hollow void of our own self-pity.
When we are happy, what happens? We are resilient, we have a balanced diet and a deeper connection with ourselves and others.
Dr Happy can either enhance or stifle the best prescriptions from Dr Quiet and Dr Diet.
We all know the saying; laughter is the best medicine.
In my own personal experience with counsellors and therapists, I can say that there are probably an equal, if not larger, portion of therapists in New Zealand who understand that a number of mental health issues are a result of poor diet and lifestyle choices.
POP QUIZ: On a scale of 0-10, 0 being ZERO and 10 being EXTREMELY HIGH what’s your level of happiness? Do you feel a sense of joy, excitement and anticipation when you wake up? Do you respond to events, or are you in reaction mode 24/7? How is your relationship with your 5 closest friends? How’s your relationship with yourself and with your food?
Well, there you have it; a brief introduction to the only 3 Doctors you’ll ever need. I promise they’re with you all the time; free of charge!
BUT HANG ON TOM, THE TITLE IS “THE FOUR DOCTORS”!?
Ah yes! You got me!
Well, the Four Doctors system was developed by Paul Chek for the 21st century.
You see, in Hippocrates’ day, people didn’t have desk jobs as we’ve come to know them in the last 3 generations. Our ancestors lived in a time where daily activity was not something that needed to be scheduled in (they also lived off fresh, local, organic foods!). Manual labour was the way and transportation was predominantly on foot.
Fast forward to the 20th Century; Desk jobs are king. The 9-5 has been established and manual, physically intensive jobs have been outsourced to machines to increase both efficiencies and profitability.
Globally, more people are bound to their desks during the day and at the same time, have the “luxury” of being able to sit down anywhere at any time and be entertained by whatever they choose while consuming as many “food-like” substances they can get their hands on.
So, who’s the 4th physician you ask? Why it’s Dr Movement, of course!
Dr Movement
This guy is so mysterious that even some of the world’s top athletes can’t seem to get an appointment with him! But just like the other 3 Dr’s, I PROMISE he’s with you all the time!
With the amount of bootcamps, gyms, home workouts, HIIT facilities, YouTube channels etc, etc, etc, you’d think that collectively we’d be in peak physical condition… But we’re not.
I see people in gyms throwing weight around with no respect to the equipment or their own capabilities.
I see people running down the street with no awareness of their gait (or what their heads are doing). I see people REPEATEDLY attended the very same group training workout that CONTINUES TO CAUSE THEIR NIGGLING (if not serious) INJURIES.
I see people continuing to wear supportive straps and tapes on their joints like it’s some kind of “rite of passage”.
I see people sitting stationary for 6-8 hours a day and then try to make up for it by exhausting themselves for 30 mins doing the most ridiculous “latest craze” movements their trainer [or worse; some influencer who IS at the top of their game and giving suggestions to the wider public without the ability to assess and qualify the viewers level of skill] has put together for all their clients that week because they’re too lazy (admittedly, more likely; time poor) to comprehensively assess their clients and get specific to the clients ACTUAL physical needs and abilities.
Fitness related injuries are on the rise each year in New Zealand (9) as more and more people follow the crowd to their local generic routine exercise facility, rather than getting unique advice that’s specific to the individual. With that in mind, you can understand why we all need to book an appointment with Dr Movement immediately!
Here are some quick tips from yours truly;
1) You DON’T need to exercise to extremes; stress summates.
2) Know your level – Settle down, Jerry. You’re not F***ing Rambo.
3) Nail the basics.
From an evolutionary perspective, we are the pinnacle of the ape species. Yet we have renovated our environment with so much protective padding that we no longer need to take advantage of our unique physicality to continue our rein at the top of the food chain.
It is for this reason that we must spend time with Dr Quiet; learn to listen to our bodies and give them time to recharge, rebalance and repair.
We must spend time with Dr Diet to understand the best fuel for us as individuals; to learn to nourish our bodies so we can be as healthy as we can be.
To have a good long sit down with Dr Happy and get to the crux of what brings us the most joy and excitement.
Once we have nailed the prescriptions of the first 3 Dr’s, we’ll be in a better position to take suggestions from Dr Movement.
At the end of the day, we are slaves to our hormones. And our hormones respond to the environment that we give them. It’s a reciprocal relationship that is unique to each of our individual needs.
POP QUIZ: How do you feel physically? Do your workouts leave you feeling energized or broken? Are you pain-free and confident in your physical abilities?
Can you see the potential this system has to help you make healthier choices that are right for YOU?
Here’s the thing, now that I’ve {briefly} introduced you to the 4 Doctors model, my goal is to help you better understand your own individuality by guiding you through the 4 Doctors as they relate to the seasons;
Spring = Dr Happy
Summer = Dr Movement
Autumn = Dr Diet
Winter = Dr Quiet
While I have a rough idea of the knowledge I’d like to share with you all throughout the year, I would also like to keep it relevant to you so that you can get the most out of these posts. With that in mind, if you do have any topics or questions that you’d like me to cover, you can suggest them in the comments below. I can’t guarantee to cover every individual’s needs, and some of your suggestions may already be in the pipeline, but if there are consistencies in the questions or topics requested, I’m more than happy to share my knowledge and experience with you all.
You deserve the best human experience!
Tom
References