Purpose of the Blog: What is Lifestyle Medicine?

Hey there, and welcome to the Simply Rooted blog!

I’m so excited to have you join me as I share all things health and wellness while diving into the tips and tricks of navigating Lifestyle Medicine… from someone who has transformed her own health and approach to medicine because of it.

In short, Lifestyle Medicine is a holistic approach to health and wellness that focuses on evidence-based practices promoting the natural functioning of your body… because when in it’s optimal state, your body is in fact designed to heal itself. The main ways you can see such drastic advancements in your health because of lifestyle medicine is through developing healthy eating habits, regular physical activity, consistent stress management, and good sleep hygiene.

This lifestyle medicine blog will serve as a valuable resource for you as you start to make positive changes to your health habits. I will be covering a range of topics from nutrition, exercise, mindfulness, sleep hygiene, and stress management, while offering practical ways to implement these practices into your daily routine!

Ultimately, I want you to be empowered to take control of their health and well-being by making informed choices for your body, while adopting healthy lifestyle habits along the way.

So, what exactly is “Lifestyle Medicine”?

Lifestyle medicine is a medical approach that focuses on using lifestyle interventions, such as nutrition, physical activity, stress management, sleep hygiene, and avoidance of harmful toxins, to prevent and treat chronic diseases. The goal of lifestyle medicine is to address the root causes of disease and promote optimal health and wellness through healthy habits and behavior change.

The key principles of lifestyle medicine include:

• Personalized care: Lifestyle medicine recognizes that each individual is unique and requires personalized care that takes into account their specific needs, goals, and circumstances.

• Whole-person care: Lifestyle medicine views the body and mind as a whole, interconnected system, and considers all aspects of a person’s life when creating a care plan.

• Evidence-based practice: Lifestyle medicine relies on evidence-based practices and scientific research to inform treatment decisions.

• Collaboration and teamwork: Lifestyle medicine practitioners work collaboratively with other healthcare providers and professionals, as well as with patients and their families, to achieve optimal health outcomes.

Lifestyle medicine is important because chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, are largely preventable through healthy lifestyle habits. In fact, studies have shown that up to 80% of chronic diseases are caused by lifestyle factors, such as poor diet, lack of physical activity, and inability to manage stress. By addressing these underlying factors, lifestyle medicine can help prevent and even reverse chronic diseases, leading to better health outcomes and quality of life!

Lifestyle medicine differs from traditional medicine in that it takes a more proactive, preventive approach to healthcare, rather than a reactive, symptom-focused approach. Traditional medicine often relies on medications and procedures to treat symptoms or manage chronic conditions, while lifestyle medicine focuses on addressing the root causes of disease and promoting health through healthy lifestyle habits. And what I truly love most about it — lifestyle medicine recognizes the importance of the patient’s role in their own health and emphasizes patient education and empowerment.