Lifestyle Medicine And Its Dramatic Impact
As a rule in the Perry Household we generally support each other through good times and bad. There is an exception to the rule… when Tim (Dad) finds evidence that he is “right”. That usually means lectures punctuated with “this makes so much sense… why did it take so long” or “this has been intuitively obvious for thousands of years.” Luckily it doesn’t happen often (just kidding, Dad).
A new article from Sept 20, 21017 in The Permanente Journal has laid bare many of the problems in conventional Western medicine (and, as we always say, there is much positive in conventional Western medicine as well but there must be a more holistic approach to the person).
It starts with a pretty brazen statement:
By ignoring the root causes of disease and neglecting to prioritize lifestyle measures for prevention, the medical community is placing people at harm. Advanced nations, influenced by a Western lifestyle, are in the midst of a health crisis, resulting largely from poor lifestyle choices. Epidemiologic, ecologic, and interventional studies have repeatedly indicated that most chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and type 2 diabetes, are the result of lifestyles fueled by poor nutrition and physical inactivity.
But that is just the warm-up:
Currently, multiple forces maintaining the status quo exist at the systemic level. Special interest groups, including certain lobbyists, maintain barriers by spending monies to influence governmental and professional targets. For example, national dietary guidelines are watered down out of a concern over the economic interests of certain industries instead of reflecting on the evidence-based recommendations regarding the consumption of meat and dairy products. On the societal level, the hedonistic aspects of food are promoted over their health and nutritional aspects.
And just in case there was any doubt:
Lifestyle medicine addresses principles that are the cornerstone of health and well- being. The current practice of prescribing medications or performing surgery for nearly every illness must be revisited. A paradigm shift to lifestyle medicine needs urgent implementation. Dramatic effects using lifestyle interventions have been demonstrated in patients with chronic conditions. Several large studies have conclusively shown that diet and exercise modifications not only substantially improve long-term survival but also result in a portrait more nearly approaching total health. As an example, a prospective study of 23,000 participants evaluated adherence to 4 simple recommendations: No tobacco use, 30 minutes of exercise 5 times per week, maintaining a BMI of less than 30 kg/m2, and eating a healthy diet as previously described. Participants who adhered to these 4 recommendations had an overall 78% decreased risk of development of a chronic condition during an 8-year timeframe. Furthermore, in participants adhering to these recommendations, there was a 93% reduced risk of diabetes mellitus, an 81% reduced risk of myocardial infarction, and a 36% reduction in the risk of the development of cancer.
Source: Lifestyle Medicine: A Brief Review of Its Dramatic Impact on Health and Survival
Holistic Health
What we do outside the clinic walls bears heavily on our health. We are pretty comfortable that our use of “holistic health” fits in with Lifestyle Medicine. Holistic Health requires an open-mindedness to look at therapies that 1) do no harm, 2) fit your Lifestyle and Beliefs, and 3) offer you a benefit. Our challenge HealthCare Too are the ABCs of Holistic Health:
Awareness for holistic options,
Benefits from proper use,
Coordinated Care for optimum health.
If you want to be part of the family and “enjoy” Tim’s lecture on how healthcare needs to change, please feel free to read Will We Always Wait Until It’s Too Late?
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