Dr. Mark Percival
Naturopathic Physician
Doctor of Chiropractic
Founder: Health Coach

Co-Author: Shape Shift - The Shape Intelligence Solution

Getting Healthy While Creating Your Ideal Shape

 

Dr. Percival shifted his focus and career path in healthcare after a dramatic recovery from a serious spinal injury in 1974 under the care of a Doctor of Chiropractic. At that time, he had spent 6 weeks with medical specialists being assessed and treated for pain and paralysis in his lower body, without result. His chiropractic care proved so practical, rational and straightforward and his response and healing experience was so exceptional, that he turned his attention from his pursuit of a doctorate in Psychology to one in Chiropractic.

 

Tragedy struck his brother in 1977, when he reacted adversely to what was to be a “low risk medical procedure” and was left with extensive hypoxic brain damage. At that time Mark found profound and lifesaving interventions in the field of Naturopathic Medicine. This inspired Mark to go on to earn a doctorate in Naturopathic Medicine following completion of his chiropractic degree. His passionate pursuit of authentic, practical resources in a health arena much broader than conventional medical practice and status quo, led him to identify, further develop and integrate advanced systematic approaches to health and healing. His innovations proved both novel and effective enough to garner international attention and broad multidisciplinary support.

 

He went on to develop himself as an educator, author, uniquely effective clinician and Health Coach®, a term which he coined in the 80’s and trademarked internationally in 1990. Mark's passion and enthusiasm for health and healing have been contagious and are supported by his ability to reduce complex topics to easily understood models and more practical approaches. His broad academic background in biology, psychology, chiropractic, naturopathic and functional medicine, combined with his extensive clinical experience with thousands of patients over three decades, and his last 10 years developing healthcare technologies, have shaped Mark to become a special resource in the field of functional, integrative and collaborative healthcare.

 

Mark spent 33 years in clinical practice before taking a sabbatical to advance the technologies required to make lasting improvements in health care. He refers to his clinic work as his “real world laboratory”. It's where he has pioneered more functional and effective approaches to enhancing human performance, prevention and treatment of the chronic diseases. 

 

His recognition of critical gaps in health care, combined with his empathy for those who are suffering with preventable conditions continue to drive his development of more systematic and efficient approaches. The successes he has witnessed continue to inspire his work and personal path to this day. Mark’s primary interest is in the co-creation of the tools and systems that enable broader access to the health insights, trend tracking tools and resources that he knows will improve individual's mental, emotional and physical performance and health with certainty.

 

Dr. Mark’s passion is to contribute to the development of the tools and systems that empower people to become more health-response-able (i.e. able to respond to their unique day-to-day challenges in ways that support and protect their health, happiness and performance). With the right mix of tools, understandings and inspiration, people are able to champion their personal health and vitality, and advocate that others they live, work and share with do similarly. Dr. Mark understands that health and happiness are contagious and that inside each of us is a “health coach” with the inclination to help others around them. The health and happiness of the teams he has brought together over the years to work and co-create is a great example of these principles at work.

 

As one of Complementary and Alternative Medicines most respected advocates and mentors, throughout the 80’s and 90’s his international audiences included thousands of health practitioners and members of the public throughout Canada, United States and Australia. The following list represents some of the more notable programs and  workshops he has led the development and presentation of:

            Principle-Centered Leadership in Healthcare

            Physician Heal Thyself

            21st Century Medicine

            The Mind-Body Connection

            Stress Management Simplified 

The Anti-Inflammatory Lifestyle

            Functional Dietetics

            Infant Nutrition

            The Disease-Detoxification Connection

            Healthcare is State Management

            Guilt-free Indulgence – An Art Worth Mastering

            Shape Shift®, The Science Behind Weight and Shape Regulation

 

Mark is also an author, most recently co-authoring Shape Shift®, with renowned researcher and critical thinker extraordinaire - Dr. Gregory Kelly, ND. Their book is believed by many to be the definitive work on how best to understand and solve for personal weight, shape and related health issues.

           

Mark has extensive experience across two continents with:

• Healthcare providers seeking better outcomes;

• The limitations of existing Payer and Provider systems;

• The discontent of the typical patient seeking prevention and resolution over “symptom management”;

• The deeply flawed and ineffective understandings surrounding weight regulation and obesity.

 

Dr. Mark is quick to point out that early detection is frequently being confused with actual prevention. Not taking away from the value of medical procedures that catch diseases earlier than later, they must not be confused with assessments and interventions that identify and address the early dysfunctions and can prevent diseases from developing. Preventing preventable chronic illnesses, estimated to consume 50-60% of ALL our healthcare dollars and resulting in personal and family hardships beyond description, can be a practical reality. This is accomplished in large part by enabling healthcare consumers to understand their personal risks and associated needs more clearly and to meet these needs simply, directly and inexpensively. This can and must begin to happen many years before the onset of chronic disease.

 

Dr. Mark’s personal vision and stand is that: “Affordable healthcare for all is an achievable goal with the appropriate understandings, tools and support systems”. Health Coach® has established the foundation from which physicians, the public, companies and their employees are able to more effectively work toward this goal.

 

Current market trends in health care strongly support Mark’s vision and work here. Most notable are:

• Health & Vitality Promotion (salutogenesis)

• Self-directed, Personal Health Response-Ability

• Value-based Healthcare

• Evidence-based Healthcare

• More effective Risk Stratification and Management (financial and health risk)

• Corporate Investment in Employee Well-Being

• Transparency (Cost & Outcomes) – Self-Insured Employer Fiduciary Accountability

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As of 2020, Mark suspended all other activities to focus on the development of the tools and technologies which he felt were essential to the successful advancement of personal health, vitality and well-being. He partnered with his two daughters, Dr. Aspen Percival, N.D., and Alexis Percival, B.Comm and contracted with a remarkable IT development firm in order to do so. With a targeted release date for their V-Metrics: Health Creation System July 2022, effective, affordable health promotion and support will soon be available in their headquarters in Kelowna, BC, with expansion across Canada, United States and then globally to ensure swiftly thereafter.

On release of their platform Mark will continue to pursue the collaboration, alliances and partnerships that accelerate both the deployment of V-Metrics technology and the development of the advanced technologies required to close the gaps in conventional healthcare systems and approaches. The table is set for major advances and the improvements in healthcare that will result.