The Katz Institute for Women’s Health (KIWH), the only network of experts devoted to every aspect of women’s care, is putting women first. The below content was originally published in its entirety on Northwell Health’s blog, The Well and exemplifies KIWH’s commitment to raise health for all women.
There’s strong science behind the practice of genuine, wellness-based medicine, says Penny Stern, MD, MPH, chief of preventive & lifestyle medicine at Northwell Health’s Katz Institute for Women’s Health. There’s even a whole specialty devoted to the field, known as lifestyle medicine. “The idea is to give patients the tools and skills they need to make permanent lifestyle behavior changes,” explains Stern. It’s also often more accessible—and affordable—than you might think. Here, Stern addresses five common myths about wellness and lifestyle medicine.
Myth: Lifestyle medicine is different from conventional medicine.
“Lifestyle medicine is the foundation of conventional medicine,” says Stern. It’s defined as the use of evidence-based lifestyle therapies—including a whole-food, plant-based diet, regular exercise, sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances like cigarettes and alcohol, and positive social connections—as the primary treatment, she explains. Generally, clinical practice guidelines for chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 diabetes all support lifestyle changes—such as diet, exercise, and more. “Healthy lifestyle behaviors can help both treat and, in some cases, reverse many of these chronic diseases,” she says.
Myth: Lifestyle medicine is a new concept.
In fact, it’s been around since the days of Hippocrates, who’s widely regarded as the father of Western medicine, says Stern. And indeed, one of Hippocrates’ pithiest bits of medical advice was: “If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health.” The reason why the topic may have taken on more urgency, stresses Stern, is the fact that we’re now living in an epidemic of chronic diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure, and chronic pain. “Over the last century, we’ve changed the ways we ship and store food, and we’ve disincentivized physical activity, so that we have an over abundance of calories combined with a much more sedentary lifestyle,” she explains. Right now, rates of chronic disease have never been higher: more than half of U.S. adults have at least one condition, which eats up about 90% of health care spending, according to the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
Myth: Only certain people benefit from lifestyle medicine.
Everyone can benefit from lifestyle medicine, no matter your age or health needs. “Even if you’re young and healthy, you still need to learn about the pillars of a healthy lifestyle,” Stern points out, adding that much of that learning can be aided by your doctors. “It’s not enough to just give a patient a pamphlet about eating right—it’s important to discuss how lifestyle behaviors have contributed to the patient’s disease or condition.”
That’s where consulting with a lifestyle medicine physician comes into play. “In addition to evaluating the patient’s medical problems, we are able to dive into the more granular details of a patient’s health and lifestyle, such as: What are the stressors in their lives that interfere with them getting enough sleep, what are the barriers that prevent them from purchasing healthy food, and so on,” Stern explains.
Myth: Lifestyle medicine isn’t covered by insurance
A lifestyle medicine consultation is covered exactly as are visits with physicians and other clinicians, says Stern. (It’s coded for insurance purposes just like a regular primary care visit.) But there’s one big difference: “if someone comes in as a new patient, they can expect to spend a significant amount of time with me going through areas that are giving them trouble, like diet or exercise,” she explains. If the lifestyle medicine doctor thinks you can benefit from more focused care—for example, meetings with a dietician, or therapist, these visits are generally covered as well. “Lifestyle medicine is grounded in the importance of interdisciplinary teamwork with other medical specialists. So we work closely together to ensure optimal results for our patients.”
Myth: It’s almost impossible to find a lifestyle medicine physician.
Several major medical centers, like Northwell, have centers for wellness where lifestyle medicine physicians may be practicing. The American College of Lifestyle Medicine also lists some of the lifestyle medicine physicians currently in practice.
To learn more about lifestyle medicine visit: https://www.northwell.edu/katz-institute-for-womens-health/find-care/lifestyle-medicine.