• I attended the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine conference in September in Newcastle where presentations and ideas were shared from health care professionals, and individuals from non-medical backgrounds, from around the world. Our current healthcare system is primed to rescue bodies from the river, but rarely goes upstream to find out why they are going in. Lifestyle Medicine addresses this problem head on. The BSLM was started in 2016 with a few hundred members has grown rapidly to several thousand today. Doctors, nurses, psychotherapists, physiotherapists all dedicated to getting to the root of health problems, not just treating the symptoms. A patient centred approach that addresses lifestyle factors that may be impacting health. Then supports change with education and advice. Promoted by the likes of Dr Rangan Chatterjee and the late Dr Michael Mosley, lifestyle medicine is being seen by many as the way forwards
• But can’t the NHS provide this kind of service?
• The NHS is in crisis, these are the words of Lord Darsi who recently released his Independent Investigation into the NHS. He stated that “I have been shocked by what I have found during this investigation – not just in the health service but in the state of the nation’s health” he recommends “shift in the model from ‘diagnose and treat’ to ‘predict and prevent”, but can the NHS offer that kind of change when it has said the same thing several time over the years, while the nation grows sicker.
• So, who takes responsibility?
• More companies are deciding to take matters into their own hands with work based lifestyle medicine clinics. They are realising the benefits of helping staff get access to confidential evidence based medical services, that help motivate and identify what areas in life need addressing to improve their health. The benefit to the employee is a tangible benefit of employment and better health, the business benefits from reduced absenteeism and better presenteeism from employees.
• Lifestyle Medicine is the vehicle for changing your health for the better.
• James Baldwin an American Civil rights activist once said, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced”. His poignant words echo across many areas of life. One of those being personal health. Until you face the state of your personal health how do you know what areas to change for the better? How is your diet affecting your mental health? How much ultra processed food do you eat? How healthy is your sleep pattern? Do you get enough sunlight? Is your lack of sunlight affecting your mood, or your immune system? Lifestyle Medicine addresses these issues, and many more, head on.
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