Six Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine
Lifestyle medicine practitioner uses evidence-based, prescriptive lifestyle interventions such as nutrition, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, social connection, and avoidance of risky substances to address disease. The use of these modalities, known as the six pillars of lifestyle medicine, prevent, treat and reverse many of the global most devastating chronic disease.
Type of nutrition that we choose in our daily life determines our health outcome. Poor lifestyle choice such as ultra processed food (UPF) and how we cook our food such as frying and broiling will influence the quality of the nutrient, furthermore, will also produce harmful agents for our body tissue.
Globally, it is estimated that up to 11 million deaths per year may be associated with unhealthy dietary habits. Evidence supports the use of a whole food, plant-predominant diet to prevent, treat and reverse chronic illness.
"You are what you eat", although it is likely to be true, it is highly important as a Lifestyle medicine practitioner to be committed to being non-judgmental in helping patients to improve their health. By acknowledging each person's unique conditions and circumstances, we will be able to address their individual needs in dietary and nutritional advices.
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Physical activity refers to bodily movement that requires energy expenditure above basal level. The World Health Organization has identified physical inactivity as the fourth leading risk factor for mortality worldwide. Inactive lifestyles are also a proven risk factor for a range of chronic diseases, including heart attacks, strokes, type 2 diabetes and depression. Physical activity can reduce the risk of developing a range of chronic health problems, as mentioned above. Regular, consistent physical activity is an important part of overall health and resiliency.
It is highly important that a lifestyle medicine practitioner, to help patients chooses and incorporate physical activity into their daily lives. Sometimes just helping people reduce the amount of time they spend sitting can make a big difference.
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Sleep has a important role with health and chronic disease pathophysiology. It is not only how much you sleep, but also when you sleep and how well our sleep is. Sleep is essential for restoring our energy levels and giving our bodies a much-needed rest. We are becoming increasingly aware of its wider health benefits – as well as the harmful effects of poor sleep and sleep deprivation. Improving sleep quality can improve attention span, mood, insulin resistance and can reduce hunger, sluggishness and more.
It is important for a Lifestyle Medicine practitioners, to focus on supporting people to sleep well, as part of overall efforts to improve health and wellbeing.
Health is defined by the World Health Organisation as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease of infirmity.” Our lifestyle choices, as well as genetic, socio-economic and environmental factors, all have an impact on our mental health. Chronic stress may impact health outcomes, include weight gain, hyperglycemia and hypercholesterolemia. Managing negative stress can lessen anxiety, depression and immune dysfunction and leads to improved well-being. It is important as a Lifestyle medicine practitioner to utilize non-pharmaceutical “lifestyle” as first line interventions in the prevention, treatment and management of many common mental health conditions.
The risks associated with harmful and toxic substances – such as alcohol, tobacco or recreational drugs – are well known. Use of tobacco and excessive alcohol consumption have been shown to increase risk of chronic diseases and death. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death. Those who smoke has 10 years shorted life expectancy. Drinking too much alcohol can also place us at greater risk of death and injury from accidents – and even violence. Lifestyle medicine utilize Approaches and techniques as strategy to reduce and prevent this unhealthy behavior.
It is important as lifestyle medicine practitioners, to assist and support patient to understand this unhealthy behavior and make meaningful change for their life.
It is worth knowing that connectedness is the reason what makes life most worth living. Human is a social being and connection with family and community will give life purpose and meaning. Connecting with others not only helps us to survive but to thrive. Social connections have beneficial effects on physical, mental and emotional health. Studies have shown that loneliness can be as harmful to our health. High levels of loneliness can increase the risk of heart attack and strokes by 30 per cent. Too much of screen time and online reducing the amount of “face to face” time we spent with each other.
It is important for a Lifestyle medicine practitioner to encourage healthy relationship and advocates for greater in person connection to reduce the risk of loneliness and isolation.
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Indonesian Lifestyle Medicine Association