Lifestyle is Medicine.
What is it?
According to the American College of Lifestyle Medicine: “Lifestyle medicine is the evidence-based practice of helping individuals and families adopt and sustain healthy behaviors that affect health and quality of life. Examples of target patient behaviors include, but are not limited to, eliminating tobacco use, improving diet, increasing physical activity, and moderating alcohol consumption.”
Why lifestyle medicine?
Healthy living has been shown by an overwhelming body of scientific evidence to be one of the most effective means to halt the epidemic of chronic diseases.
The focus areas of lifestyle medicine
There are 7 main focus areas of lifestyle medicine:
Healthy whole foods plant-based nutrition
Regular physical activity
Adequate rest
Stress management
Strong social/family connections
Abstinence from harmful substances such as tobacco, recreational drugs and alcohol
Faith & Purpose
Unhealthy lifestyle choices underlie many chronic diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, stroke, obesity, osteoporosis, and many cancers. By promoting healthy lifestyle choices, Lifestyle Medicine treats the root issue of these diseases, not just the symptoms.