What is Lifestyle Medicine, Is This Future Medicine?

Lifestyle medicine is an evidence-based approach to preventing, treating, and reversing chronic diseases by using therapeutic lifestyle interventions (TLIs). These interventions focus on modifying lifestyle factors such as diet, physical activity, sleep, stress management, and social connection.

 

               :The six pillars of lifestyle medicine:

 

1.    Whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern: This involves eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes, and limiting processed foods, red meat, and sugary drinks.

 

2.    Regular physical activity: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week, plus strength training exercises on two or more days a week.

 

3.    Restorative sleep: Aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep per night

 

4.    Stress management: Techniques such as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing can help manage stress levels.

 

5.    Avoidance of risky substances: This includes quitting smoking, limiting alcohol intake, and avoiding illicit drugs.

 

6.    Positive social connections: Spend time with loved ones and participate in activities that you enjoy.

 

Benefits of lifestyle medicine:

 

Prevent or reverse chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and some forms of cancer.

Improve mental health and well-being.

Boost energy levels.

Improve sleep quality.

Reduce stress.

Increase lifespan.

If you are interested in learning more about lifestyle medicine, you can talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian.

 

Here are some additional resources:

 

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine: https://lifestylemedicine.org

The American Council on Exercise: https://www.acefitness.org

The National Institutes of Health: https://www.nih.gov