Why Lifestyle Medicine Is A Good Idea
By LeAnna J. Carey | Apr 05, 2011
Cicero said that the art of medicine is valuable to us because it is conducive to health, not because of its scientific interest. You have to admit, there is a great deal of wisdom packed into that statement and begs the question, where is medicine now and where does it need to go? With healthcare spending growing faster than inflation and national income [1], it would appear that we should focus on something more sustainable than treating disease, invasive procedures and writing prescriptions.
One area that is holding promise is Lifestyle Medicine where promoting a healthy lifestyle engages consumers in new levels of conversations with their physician. Lifestyle medicine is defined as the application of environmental, behavioral, medical and motivational principles to the management of lifestyle-related health problems in a clinical setting [2].
I recently, had the opportunity to discuss with author physician, Dr. Stuart Seale, MD and innovator physician, Dr. Virginia Gurley, MD, the importance of personal health choices, sleep, nutrition, and how personally rewarding it would be for both physician and patient to connect over the elements of integrative and lifestyle medicine. The discussion over what truly constitutes health and how this topic relates to the fundamental changes needed in our healthcare system coming from physicians is not only motivating, but a call to action for all of us in healthcare to look at our own health behaviors and willingness to be mindful for a healthier lifestyle. I hope that you enjoy this podcast where two physician thought-leaders are doing more that philosophizing, but leading the way in transforming the way we think about and create health.
[1]Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Office of the Actuary, National Health Statistics Group, National Health Care Expenditures Data, January 2010
[2]Egger, Garry; Andrew Binns; Stephan Rössner (2007). Lifestyle Medicine. McGraw-Hill. ISBN 9780070138179