What is Lifestyle Medicine, and will it work for you?
As a health and wellbeing coach, I use a lifestyle medicine approach to helping individuals resolve chronic health conditions, reclaim their vitality, and boost energy, mood, and emotional balance. But what is lifestyle medicine? How does it differ from the standard Western medical approach? And will it work for you?
Standard Western Medicine vs. Lifestyle Medicine
When you visit a doctor with a health concern, the attention is laser-focused on that specific concern and its symptoms. Often, the doctor will prescribe a particular medication to alleviate the symptoms; sometimes, the drug is used long-term as a health management strategy. While this approach might relieve symptoms, it has a few fundamental failings. It tends to overlook the root cause of the issue by focusing in too closely on specific symptoms, it takes no account of how interdependent all bodily systems are, nor does it empower you, the patient, to play an active role in their recovery.
I’m sure the adage “A pill for every ill” is true, but that does not make it a route to sustainable good health. It’s a firefighting approach, tackling blazes when they pop up in different areas but never dowsing the heart of the fire. My firm belief is that you must work with your body with a long-term sustainable approach if you want to achieve fundamentally better health outcomes for both physical and mental health. Relying solely on external intervention is nothing more than a temporary sticky plaster solution. Taking medications might resolve your symptoms in the moment, but they also add to the load on the liver, do nothing to support the body’s systems or resolve the root cause and may even introduce new symptoms or side effects.
How can I feel better?
Your health concern is your body’s way of communicating a message. There is a fundamental dysfunction in the body’s systems or the way the body is being cared for. Your body is sounding an alarm to bring attention to its needs. By taking medication, you are silencing the body’s alarms without thoroughly checked the environment for danger. Shutting off the alarms and not changing how you are being in, or caring for, your body is an enthusiastic invitation to degenerative health.
Understanding Lifestyle Medicine
What is lifestyle medicine? Lifestyle medicine is a holistic approach to healing that explores symptoms within the context of the whole body. Many interlinking systems make up the body, meaning exploring issues in isolation is an overly simplified approach.
Lifestyle medicine explores all the factors which could be contributing to your health concerns and symptoms. We use this exploration to help us identify the areas that need to be addressed to create robust healing in your body using a natural approach. Together, we devise a plan of achievable targeted optimisations to help you build habits which support your health and help you reach your goals. You can expect to resolve your original symptoms while elevating your overall health baseline to a much higher level. The positive feedback loop you introduce through this approach helps you sustain these more supportive habits over the long-term, making positive change for your future so much easier to achieve.
The great news is there is no downside to lifestyle medicine. Sure, you have to participate actively and take responsibility for how you’ve contributed to your suffering health. Rightly so. Taking personal responsibility is the first step to change. Do you want to be free of chronic health conditions, achieve your weight loss goal, sleep better, feel more positive and less anxious, enjoy better energy, and have greater emotional resilience? Lifestyle medicine can definitely help you achieve this.
When I started using lifestyle medicine, I discovered that I had never truly felt healthy before. This is likely to be the case for the majority of people. We get used to our baseline, whatever that is, without realising it can change, and when we focus our attention on improving it, we feel great! Lack of energy, lack of libido, and lack of motivation are all improved; those niggly issues, barely noteworthy individually but together creating a malaise of poor health, are largely resolved; mental health improves with less anxiety, better mood and outlook, and a new zest for life to go forth and create your dreams.
Taking Responsibility for Your Health
The essence of lifestyle medicine lies in empowerment. It encourages individuals to take ownership of their health. It involves making conscious lifestyle changes, embracing healthier habits, and understanding that healing requires effort and commitment. It’s not just about solving a specific problem; it’s about safeguarding your future wellbeing.
A study by Frank B. Hu and his team at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health estimates that adhering to a healthy lifestyle could prevent about 80% of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes cases and 40% of cancer cases. We are but a product of the choices we make each day.
The main obstacle is that many of us don’t know what healthy habits look like or which habits unknowingly sabotage our health. Working with a health and wellbeing coach can broaden your understanding in this area, giving you a foundation of knowledge that will help you support yourself with healthier habits in the moment and for your future.
Lifestyle Medicine – The Holistic Approach to Wellness
The benefits extend far beyond symptom relief when you take a lifestyle medicine approach to healing. You address the root cause of your problems by making minor, manageable lifestyle tweaks. It’s not just about resolving your current issues; it’s about enhancing your overall wellness. Lifestyle medicine isn’t a quick fix; it’s a solution that brings sustainable long-term benefits, resolving your current health concerns whilst fortifying your body against future health issues.
Conclusion
In a world accustomed to “a pill for every ill,” lifestyle medicine stands out as a holistic and proactive approach to health and wellbeing. What is lifestyle medicine? It’s primarily about listening to your body, understanding its signals, and making informed choices which support your health. By taking responsibility and being guided on healthier alternatives, you address current health concerns and pave the way for a healthier, more vibrant future.
Are you ready to take charge of your health through lifestyle medicine? Start your journey toward holistic wellness where your efforts today secure a fabulous tomorrow.