What is Lifestyle Medicine?
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The wider medical profession has long understood that lifestyle and behavior plays a critical role in overall health. What’s sometimes been less well understood, however, is how to make behavior change actually stick.
Areas we look at include any current illnesses or health issues, your metabolic health indicators, any micronutrient deficiencies, as well as social support networks, food habits, cultural influences, sleep and physical activity routines, and stressors such as work- or family-related pressures.
“Our focus is on applying the science of behavior change to non-pharmacological, lifestyle-based interventions that support each patient’s health journey. ”
That’s where lifestyle medicine comes in. As lifestyle medicine practitioners, our work is grounded in the principle of rigorous, evidence-based care. We work in collaboration with our patients, as well as their primary care providers and any other medical specialists they may be working with.
Our focus is on applying the science of behavior change to non-pharmacological, lifestyle-based interventions that support each patient’s health journey. Specifically, we work on improved:
Nutrition
Sleep
Movement and physical exercise
Emotional and mental health
Social relationships
Like most lifestyle medicine practitioners, one of our founding principles is patient-centered care. That means we don’t simply champion the latest ‘fad diet’ or ‘superfood’ and prescribe it to everyone. Instead, we work with you to understand your specific health circumstances and goals.
This includes any health conditions you may have, the lifestyle factors that may be a contributing or mitigating factor, your genetics, as well as the ways that your environment may influence your behaviors. (e.g. work or family pressures, stress, etc.)
We then combine this understanding with our knowledge of the latest research (for example, we might look at the impact of specific foods on diabetes, or how technology might disrupt sleep), and we work with you to develop a practical plan that moves you toward lasting, impactful changes.
Throughout that process, we’re constantly applying the latest research on behavioral science and what makes behaviors either easy or difficult to adopt and maintain.
We call our approach the Whole Health Method, and you can read more about that here. Broadly speaking, the method is informed by some insights you’ll see across the field of lifestyle medicine. These include:
A focus on real foods and wholesome ingredients
An emphasis on plant-forward eating, meaning increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables in every meal
A belief in daily movement and active lifestyles
A prioritization of patients’ mental and emotional wellbeing, as this is central to being able to sustain behavior change
When you sign up as a patient with Whole Health Partners, you probably shouldn’t expect a ‘quick fix.’ Our model is based on establishing a long-term partnership, and working with you over months—even years if necessary—to make sure that the changes we make together stick.
Why This Matters
American College of Lifestyle Medicine: The ACLM is the medical professional society responsible for certifying lifestyle medicine practitioners, and for helping to ensure that the discipline remains grounded in the latest science regarding health, lifestyle and behavior change. Our founder, Jenni Grover MS RD LDN, is certified by the ACLM as a Lifestyle Medicine Practitioner.
What would you like help with?
Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance
Blood Glucose Management, Diabetes, Insulin Resistance, Hypertension, High Cholesterol, Thyroid Disease, Hormonal Health
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Perimenopause/Menopause
