Everything you need to know about Lifestyle Medicine?

Why do we need lifestyle medicine?

As doctors, our knowledge about health and the human body has never been better, yet people’s health is getting worse. There’s a catalogue of treatments available for every condition, but they don’t seem to be working.

Rates of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and mental illness are on an upward trend, with no sign of easing. For example; 3.4 million people die each year as a result of high blood sugar levels, and the World Health Organisation predicts deaths from diabetes will double between 2005 and 2030. In England, 31% of men and 26% of women have high blood pressure, and globally it’s predicted that 1.5 billion people will have high blood pressure by 2025. These diseases not only reduce quality of life, but also cause people to die prematurely.

So, why is it that our health is getting worse, when the treatments available are getting better? Well, chronic diseases are complex. They are often caused by a combination of lifestyle factors which build up over years, for example, an unhealthy diet or physical inactivity.

Treatments, like medication, can certainly help, but it’s hard to effectively treat (or even better- reverse) a disease, without firstly looking at what caused it in the first place. To truly improve health, you need to look for the root cause of a problem. Only when you do that, will you see a lasting improvement in health and wellbeing, which is where Lifestyle Medicine comes in.

What is Lifestyle Medicine?

In Lifestyle Medicine, we use scientific, evidenced- based lifestyle changes to help prevent disease, treat existing chronic diseases and improve overall health.

We focus on 6 core pillars of health:

• Physical activity and exercise
• Diet and nutrition
• Sleep
• Stress reduction and mental health
• Harmful substance reduction or cessation, for example, tobacco, drugs and alcohol
• Healthy relationships

Who would benefit from Lifestyle Medicine?

Lifestyle Medicine is for everyone, here’s some examples of how it can be used:

1. To reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases and certain types of cancer

By taking a deep-dive into your medical history and lifestyle, a lifestyle medicine doctor can identify habits and risk factors which may increase your risk of developing certain diseases. Once these are identified, lifestyle changes can be recommended to put you back on track and prevent health problems in the future.

2. To improve or reverse existing chronic diseases.

Did you know that it is possible to completely reverse, or improve your chronic disease through lifestyle changes? It’s true! Studies show that diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, can be completely reversed through lifestyle interventions. Using lifestyle medicine, specific lifestyle interventions can be prescribed to help improve your disease.

3. To reduce regular medication or prevent need for medication

Taking regular medication can potentially get you down. Not only might it restrict your daily activities, but medication can sometimes cause intolerable side-effects and other health problems too. By making lifestyle changes and improving your health, you may be able to reduce your medication and the side-effects they might be causing you.

4. To improve Sleep

A good night’s sleep makes all the difference. It boosts mood, increases your energy, and helps you to make healthier food choices the next day. Lifestyle medicine looks at how your daily habits impact sleep and gives recommendations on how to optimise a good night’s your lifestyle for a good night’s sleep.

5. To improve mental wellbeing

Lifestyle changes can help improve your overall mental wellbeing, and can be used alongside other treatments, such as talking therapies and medication to improve mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders.

Lifestyle medicine has never been important. Even small changes can make an improvement to your long- term health and it’s never too late to take a step in the right direction.

If you are interested in taking a proactive step with your health book a Well Woman or Well Man health check with us where you will have a lifestyle focussed assessment complete with a full blood test and a health and wellness plan to help your immediate and longer term health.

Our health assessments can be used if you already have a chronic disease diagnosis and are looking to improve your management of it, if you are feeling tired, stressed or are suffering with poor sleep or if you are generally well and looking to prevent your future risk and optimise your health.

Click here for more information on our high value Well Woman and Well Man health checks.

One5 Health is a doctor-led, private medical practice with two central London clinic locations, offering a high value prevention and lifestyle first approach to primary care.

Written by Dr Jessica Howitt MBCHB MRCGP DRCOG Dip IBLM/BSLM

Dr Howitt is a One5 Health GP and board certified lifestyle medicine physician.

Updated December 2021