Rethinking Health Beyond the Disease Model
In today's digital landscape, podcasts, YouTube videos, and social media influencers expose a fundamental issue within the health and fitness industry: the ambiguity surrounding the definition of ‘health.’ This ever-expanding interpretation has led to confusion, debates, and contradictions, diluting the true essence of health and wellness. More information than ever is available, yet clarity remains elusive.
The Power of Perspective in Defining Health
Perspective shapes our understanding of health, influencing even those with specialised knowledge. Just as a train appears larger as it approaches and smaller as it moves away, our perception of health is influenced by our past experiences, professional training, and societal narratives. The critical question we must ask is: Are we merely managing disease, or are we proactively building resilience and optimising function?
Influence of Perspective
Perspective determines how we interpret information. A train seems enormous when it’s rushing toward us, but insignificant when viewed from a distance. Likewise, a simple cup of tea may be appealing or unappealing based on our past experiences. These everyday examples illustrate how life experiences and training shape our decision-making processes. When it comes to health, the same principle applies: Are we responding based on deeply ingrained perspectives, or are we questioning our assumptions and redefining health in meaningful ways?
The Misconception of ‘Optimal Health’
Traditional definitions of health often equate it with the absence of illness or injury. However, ‘optimal health’ suggests a continuum that the conventional Biomedical Model of Disease fails to acknowledge. While modern medicine excels in diagnosing and treating conditions, it does not necessarily promote longevity, strength, or metabolic resilience.
From a clinical standpoint, health is often measured by reference ranges—if a person falls within them, they’re deemed ‘healthy.’ But does that mean they are truly thriving? Standard medical assessments do not account for strength, endurance, or body composition as indicators of well-being. The absence of disease does not equate to vitality.
Health vs. Performance: Are We Asking the Right Questions?
What constitutes ‘optimal’ health is highly individualised. The physiological needs of a marathon runner differ drastically from those of a powerlifter, an office worker, or a retiree. Yet, health recommendations often fail to consider these distinctions.
Take fasting and resistance training, for example. Many assume these interventions benefit everyone equally, but consider this perspective from a nationally recognised strength athlete:
“Intermittent fasting causes measurable lean mass loss in my case. If I switch to super-slow, lightweight training, I lose muscle, become weaker, and feel physically diminished. Yet, from a clinical standpoint, my BMI would drop, deemed a ‘health benefit.’ But am I actually healthier?”
The Limitations of Super-Slow Resistance Training
Super-slow resistance training is often promoted for insulin sensitivity, sarcopenia prevention, and longevity. However, these claims are often generalised without considering an individual’s baseline fitness level:
- Someone who is already insulin-sensitive will not experience infinite improvement.
- A strength athlete switching to super-slow training could suffer muscle loss rather than gains.
- While low-intensity training reduces injury risk, it also limits adaptive response.
- Building strength requires stress. The body adapts to resistance, and the more stress applied (safely), the greater the adaptation. If the goal is to enhance function, progressive overload—not minimising stress—is the answer.
The Divide Between Medicine and True Health Optimisation
Medical professionals are trained to diagnose and treat disease, not optimise human performance. In contrast, sports scientists and strength coaches prioritise functional capacity and adaptation.
Physicians assess health using disease markers such as cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose. Athletes and coaches measure strength, endurance, and resilience as primary indicators of well-being. Both perspectives offer value, but they serve different purposes. True health requires integrating both approaches.
The Missing Link: Sarcopenia, Protein, and Strength Training
Sarcopenia—age-related muscle loss—is a prime example of where the Disease Model fails. It is often ignored in clinical settings until it manifests as frailty, falls, fractures, or functional decline. Yet, it begins decades before those symptoms appear.
Research shows that muscle mass peaks between ages 25-30, stabilises until 50, and then declines, accelerating after 60. By the 80s, individuals may have lost 35-40% of their muscle mass and 20-40% of their strength. However, this is preventable with proper intervention.
The Consequences of Sarcopenia:
- Loss of independence
- Increased risk of falls and fractures
- Metabolic dysfunction (insulin resistance, obesity, inflammation)
- Higher mortality rates in chronic disease patients
1. Protein Intake & Nutrient Status
Protein is widely misunderstood. The conventional recommendation of 0.8g/kg of body weight per day is inadequate for maintaining lean mass in aging populations. Evidence suggests that 1.2-1.5g/kg is necessary, particularly when paired with resistance training.
Specific amino acids, such as leucine (abundant in whey protein), play a critical role in muscle preservation. However, these interventions remain underutilised in clinical medicine because they fall outside the scope of the traditional Disease Model.
2. Strength Training: The Ultimate Adaptive Stimulus
- Muscle growth does not occur without sufficient stress. Adaptation demands challenge.
- Light, slow resistance training does not induce meaningful strength adaptations.
- Fasting without resistance training accelerates muscle loss.
- Progressive overload is the key to maintaining function and longevity.
Redefining Health Beyond Clinical Markers
The Disease Model excels at identifying abnormalities—elevated cholesterol, hypertension, and insulin resistance. But it fails to recognise preclinical dysfunction.
A strong, well-nourished, resilient individual may have ‘abnormal’ lab results while being physiologically superior. A sedentary, under-muscled individual with normal clinical markers is not optimally healthy—they are merely not yet diseased.
Final Thoughts: Are You Avoiding Sickness or Cultivating Strength?
If we seek true health, we must move beyond conventional definitions and embrace stress, adaptation, and precision nutrition. The missing therapeutic link is not a lack of science—it is the failure to apply it correctly.
The question remains: Are we merely avoiding sickness, or are we actively cultivating strength? For those who choose the latter, muscle is medicine, and protein is the foundation upon which longevity is built.
Take the First Step Toward True Health
Stop waiting for symptoms to appear—start building resilience today. Whether you need personalised nutritional strategies, performance-driven training, or a deeper understanding of your body’s biochemistry, we can guide you.
Optimise Your Health – Book a Consultation Today! Your body’s full potential is waiting. Will you take the first step?
