What is Lifestyle Medicine

Lifestyle medicine is a branch of evidence-based medicine in which comprehensive lifestyle changes (including nutrition, physical activity, stress management, social support and environmental exposures) are used to prevent, treat and in some cases reverse the progression of chronic diseases by addressing their underlying causes.

Lifestyle Medicine is not functional medicine; integrative medicine; complementary medicine or alternative medicine.

Conceptually Lifestlye Medicine is not new, as Health care professionals we are familiar with Lifestyle risk factor modification which has been part of medical practice for decades. However in the busy consultation of today there is often not sufficient time to deal with lifestyle adequately. Knowledge base around how best to address lifestyle factors has increased greatly in recent years.

Traditionally risk factor modifications focused on Nutrition, Physical activity, Smoking cessation and Alcohol. There is also increased recognition of the roles that Sleep, Stress and Social connection play in chronic disease management.

Lifestyle Medicine goes beyond educating patients, it involves using behaviour change strategies to collaborate with and empower patients.

It is about being informed of and using the community services that are available to patients for example exercise referral and social prescribing.

Using the Lifestlyle Medicine model in the consultation the patient is an active participant not a passive recipient of healthcare advice and management.