I’m writing this from inside one of the most challenging periods of my life. But as I look around me, I realize I am not alone. Everywhere I look, I see people under a level of pressure and stress that I have never known before. Many are struggling to keep their heads above water. Some are working incredibly hard to feel better but are applying principles that simply aren’t suitable for their specific biology. Others are avoiding the work of wellness altogether, simply because the path feels too difficult or overwhelming to start.
My own story began six months ago when I lost my dog Utah — my companion, my shadow, the heartbeat of my home for fourteen years. His death was the thread that, when pulled, seemed to unravel everything else.
Before I could even fully process the silence Utah left behind, my body began to speak in other ways. As my nervous system struggled to find its balance, I injured my foot. Then later, as the other foot was taking on the extra load, I injured that too. Then, whilst managing that, I was told I needed to have a skin lesion removed from my face — likely a basal cell carcinoma. It turns out I had been carrying this BCC unknowingly for almost ten years. While it was a more minor lesion, the procedure required plastic surgery to create a flap over my eyebrow to excise it tidily. The procedure itself was straightforward. But when the stitches came out and I saw the scar for the first time, my nervous system reacted in a way I hadn’t anticipated. I am still awaiting the biopsy results.
I am the face of my business — quite literally — and however small this may seem to someone else, seeing that change in my reflection was genuinely confronting. I found myself questioning why I was so distressed by it. When I looked into my own biological profile, the answer was right there: my system is naturally highly reactive and appearance-aware. My biology is wired for high sensitivity regarding self-esteem and anxiety.
A visible change to my face wasn’t just a “cosmetic” issue; it was a biological trigger that felt disproportionately intense for my specific system. Understanding this changed everything. My distress wasn’t a sign of “vanity”—it was a sign that my biology was working exactly as it was designed to. There is a unique psychological weight to being a health leader; the pressure to “look” the part of vitality while feeling unraveled inside is a burden many carry quietly. Alongside all of this, business pressures that so many of us carry quietly.
Family challenges that were hard to manage from so far away — my family is in the UK, and some things simply cannot be handled easily across a distance. And the weight of what is happening in the world: the tensions involving Iran have rippled outward in ways that go beyond the fuel crisis and register in my nervous system. There have been moments — more than a few — where I have felt genuinely at the end of my tether. And yet. Through all of it, I kept moving. My daily breathing practice continued. I cooked real meals. I slept. I showed up for my clients and friends — and if I am honest, that act of showing up for others gave me as much as it gave them. Not because I had it all together, but because something deeper kept guiding me back to what my body actually needs. That something is an understanding of my HealthType.
What is a HealthType?
The HealthType concept is based on the ph360™ system, a sophisticated platform built on 15 sciences and AI over 20 years of research. It maps your unique biology, hormonal tendencies, and structural design to show exactly how you are designed to function. I trained as a Personalised Health Coach in the ph360™ system six years ago, and it has become the foundation of my business because of its incredible accuracy.
Unlike a generic health plan, it explains why your body responds the way it does to everything: food, movement, connection, and stress. Finding your type is a non-invasive process based on body measurements and a questionnaire that reveals how your unique structure and biology are functioning right now.
I am an Activator — and as an Activator, my joints were screaming because they were the “storage unit” for my grief. As an Activator, I am wired for movement and expression. When pressure builds, my nervous system needs an outlet. Stillness creates inner tension. Silence amplifies stress. And when I suppress what I am feeling rather than expressing it, my body tells me — through my joints.
Joint inflammation is the Activator’s stress signal. I have learned to read it. That is why, even on my worst days these past six months, I kept moving. Even when the walks were short and my feet were sore. Even when my heart wasn’t in it. My body knew what it needed, and understanding my HealthType gave me the language to trust that — to choose movement not as discipline, but as medicine.
But here is what I want you to understand: if you had been living my life these past six months, the right coping strategy for you might look completely different. Not just slightly different. Fundamentally different.
The Six HealthTypes — and what stress looks like in each
We are surrounded by well-meaning guidance about how to handle stress. Meditate. Journal. Exercise. Rest. The advice contradicts itself constantly, because it is written for a generic human being who does not exist. Your hormonal profile, your nervous system, your structural type — these shape how you experience stress, how your body stores it, and crucially, what it actually needs to release it. The following are the 6 structures, though strictly speaking there are millions of types. Not one of us is the same:
Connector | Stress sign: Shallow breathing
The Connector’s world runs on oxytocin — on belonging, warmth and the freedom to connect with others. When stress enters, it is usually because something is blocking that connection. Quick Fix: They need a hug, unconditional acceptance, and the reassurance that they are loved. Regular sleep and meals in visually calming surroundings help restore their peace.
Guardian | Stress sign: Weight gain
Guardians are the great nurturers. Their stress is triggered when their space feels threatened or out of order. Their body can respond by holding weight, as if bracing against uncertainty. Quick Fix: Tending to something—a garden, a home project, or their people—helps them feel grounded. Predictable meals and intense afternoon exercise shift the day’s accumulated stress.
Diplomat | Stress sign: Sugar cravings
The Diplomat is most stressed by time pressure and the feeling of failure. Their cortisol is highly responsive to timing, making when they eat as important as what they eat. Quick Fix: Hydration and morning steadiness are key. They need a trusted friend to help them reframe the narrative from “I failed” to “what did I learn?”
Sensor | Stress sign: Cold & weight loss
Sensors are intuitive and warm, but stress causes them to withdraw and that physical warmth to disappear. Their body physically cools. Quick Fix: Reach for a sweater, a warm tea, or a hot bath. They need to retreat consciously—no screens, no noise—to let their nervous system recover.
Crusader | Stress sign: Spine & neck tension
The Crusader is driven by progress; their greatest stress arrives when they feel stuck or behind. This creates tension in the sympathetic nervous system, often showing up in the spine and neck. Quick Fix: Take regular breaks away from the desk to stretch and breathe. Warmth and movement help release what the mind is holding.
Activator | Stress sign: Joint inflammation
The Activator needs to act and express. When they cannot move or have an impact, frustration and isolation set in. Quick Fix: Movement is the release valve. Whether explosive or gentle, the body needs to “shake off” the pressure to prevent it from settling in the joints.
Personalised Health superior to DNA testing
Finding out your HealthType is more useful than a DNA test. Each new client I take on or registers for health coaching or my online health and fitness programme gets the assessment. I am often asked about DNA testing, and whilst it has its place, there is an important limitation worth understanding.
A DNA test is a static snapshot; it would show the same genetic result whether you took it at age one or age seventy. But your body at those two ages is completely different — different structure, different hormonal landscape, different needs entirely. DNA alone cannot tell you how your body is functioning right now, in this season of your life.
Furthermore, HealthType considers epigenetics—how your current environment, stress levels, and lifestyle are interacting with your genes in real-time. The HealthType assessment can tell you what you need now. When you understand your structure and your biology, something shifts. You stop fighting your body and start working with it. You become more balanced and begin to find your way back to joy.
Does your body know what it needs?
Looking back over these six months, I can see how many times I followed an instinct that was my biology speaking. The urge to keep moving when everything hurt. The need to maintain my breathing practice even when sitting still felt impossible. The way preparing a meal restored a sense of agency when so much felt out of my hands. And showing up for my clients and friends. For an Activator, having impact isn’t optional; it is part of how we stay well. I didn’t white-knuckle my way through this period. I followed an inner compass calibrated by understanding how my unique body works. You have that compass too.
When you understand your HealthType, you stop guessing and start knowing. The fog lifts. The right choices become clearer. And even in the middle of difficulty, you can find your footing — and eventually, your joy. The question worth sitting with is simply this: when life gets hard, are you reaching for what works for someone else — or for what actually works for you?
Free webinar-Stress isn’t the problem
Tuesday the 5th May 7pm NZT
About Rachel Marks
Through her coaching practice, Rachel helps people uncover their personal blueprint for health and wellbeing — so they can make choices that truly work for them. Trained six years ago as a ph360 Personalised Health Coach, she is the creator of the world’s first personalised online wellbeing programme based on your genes. She supports clients not just with movement, nutrition and stress management, but with strategies for sustainable health and wellbeing.