How I Developed a Passion for Lifestyle Medicine

It’s always fun to meet new people and learn about them -- where they grew up, their hobbies, their job, etc. When it’s my turn to share about myself with others, topics that come up often include my family, my small hometown in Virginia, my ability to speak Spanish, and my love of 80s and 90s TV and music hits. 

It isn’t too long into the conversation, however, before I start talking about my passion, Lifestyle Medicine (LM). That phrase is met with curiosity and sometimes skepticism. I explain that LM is not a different practice from conventional medicine but is instead the foundation of it. It simply emphasizes comprehensive lifestyle behaviors instead of pills and procedures. The latter are important to medicine, but they’re only half of the picture. The six pillars of LM are: (1) whole food, plant-predominant nutrition, (2) regular exercise, (3) quality sleep, (4) stress management, (5) positive relationships, and (6) the avoidance of risky substances. 

My passion for LM begs the question, “What led you to become so passionate about it?” The answer stems from professional and personal experience. When I was in graduate school, my teachers required me to study national data about the top causes of disability and premature death. Across many sources and sets of data, the answers consistently included conditions like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke, and kidney disease.

Scary stuff. Even scarier if we feel like there’s nothing we can do about it. As I continued to pursue a career in health, however, I established relationships with physicians who introduced the idea of LM. I learned that over 80% of visits to a doctor’s office are related to conditions rooted in lifestyle. The lion’s share of our top causes of disease can be prevented, treated, and sometimes reversed through changes in the way we live. 

I decided I wanted to implement LM in my personal life. I started predominantly eating whole grains, fruits and veggies, beans and legumes, and nuts and seeds. I was already exercising regularly, but I was able to identify and address gaps in my exercise regimen (e.g., balance and flexibility). I stopped watching TV late at night and started going to bed earlier. I found creative outlets for stress release and started being more intentional about relationship building. I was already avoiding substances, though in my studies I found additional reasons to avoid them that reinforced my decision.

And guess what? My health improved. Factors like my blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar are all excellent. I’m physically fit and enjoy an active life with my family. My energy and mood are better throughout the day because I’m sleeping well. I enjoy a wider variety of foods now than before. My social circle is deepening and expanding, and because one of my creative stress outlets was learning to play the piano, I’ve even picked up a great hobby along the way! 

I couldn’t stop with only my own health improvements. Next I helped my family to implement Lifestyle Medicine. My husband lost weight and feels better. My daughters are excited when I make foods like whole grain spaghetti, sweet potatoes, and broccoli (really -- no joke!). 

And now I want to help everyone just like you, friends. The classes and coaching I offer are designed to help you implement the pillars of Lifestyle Medicine at your pace. I hope you’ll join me in this journey of better living because I know it’ll revolutionize your health and well-being. You deserve to live your best life!