The field of medicine has come a long way in the past 150 years. From vaccines to antibiotics, X-rays to insulin, cancer treatments to organ transplants, the advancements that humans have made in healthcare are remarkable. 

Thanks to these developments, illnesses that were once considered death sentences are now treatable. But what if you could reverse that illness by changing some of your day-to-day behaviors? Or what if such behaviors could dramatically decrease your chances of getting such an illness in the first place? These are the goals of lifestyle medicine.

What is Lifestyle Medicine?

Lifestyle medicine is a branch of medicine that focuses on helping you prevent, treat and even reverse chronic health conditions through behavioral changes. Practitioners in this field can guide you through making and sustaining these changes so that your body can function better and ultimately heal itself from certain chronic conditions (or prevent them from developing at all). 

This doesn’t mean eliminating conventional medicine from your treatment. Lifestyle medicine can be one component of a larger therapy plan.

Why Is Lifestyle Medicine Important?

According to the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM), 60% of the U.S. adult population have at least one chronic disease. This is a staggering statistic, especially given that most chronic diseases are preventable. 

By implementing lifestyle medicine, you can address the root causes of many of these chronic conditions: unhealthy lifestyle choices. The ACLM states that at least 80% of U.S. healthcare spending is related to issues that develop from unhealthy lifestyle choices.

What Health Conditions Can Lifestyle Medicine Help Prevent or Treat?

Lifestyle medicine can help to prevent, treat or reverse these chronic health conditions:

• Heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Cancer
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Chronic pain
• Obesity
• Gastrointestinal issues
• High blood pressure

How Can I Apply Lifestyle Medicine to My Life?

You can apply lifestyle medicine to your own life by prioritizing its six pillars:

• Healthy eating
  • Eat more plant-based foods (fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes)
  • Eat less ultra-processed foods (sugary drinks, frozen meals, fast food)
• Physical activity
  • Get 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic exercise a week spread out over four or five days OR
  • Get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week spread out over four or five days
• Good sleep habits
  • Get seven to nine hours of good-quality sleep a night
  • Avoid looking at screens for an hour or so before bed
• Avoidance of harmful substances
  • If you feel ready to cut down on or quit tobacco, alcohol or other drugs, talk to your doctor first and look for local support groups
• Strong social connections
  • Check in with your family and friends on a regular basis
  • Join a local club / meetup group for people who share your interests
• Stress management and mental wellness
  • Seek out a therapist you’re comfortable with for regular sessions
  • Take a few minutes each day to meditate, pray or otherwise focus on the present moment

Simple, right? Just kidding. Although many of us already know that these behaviors are important to our health, we also know they can be difficult to consistently implement. 

How Can I Stay Consistent in Practicing Lifestyle Medicine?

Implementing the behavioral changes promoted in lifestyle medicine is not easy. Most of us have unhealthy routines and habits that developed out of convenience or comfort and are very hard to break. 

You can improve your chances of staying consistent by asking a partner, relative or friend if they’d like to make one or more of these changes with you. Together, you can:

• Cheer each other on
• Hold each other accountable
• Inspire each other
• Help each other through setbacks

It’s always easier to make changes when you have someone else by your side.

I’m Just Trying to Get By—How Am I Supposed to Practice Lifestyle Medicine?

You might be tight on time and money and are just trying to get through each day in one piece. Eating three healthy meals a day, exercising for 30 minutes a day, and allocating money for weekly therapy sessions is not feasible for everyone.

But remember: making minor tweaks is better than doing nothing. You don’t have to perform these behaviors perfectly to benefit from them. For example:

• If you can’t swing three healthy meals a day, try one
• If you don’t have time to take one 30-minute walk a day, try taking a few five-minute walks
• If you can’t afford weekly therapy, try monthly sessions or look for therapists that offer sliding-scale fees