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The history of medicine shows how societies have changed in their approach to illness and disease from ancient times to the present. Today, most deaths or diseases are attributable to three factors: tobacco use, poor diet and lack of physical activity. Health care costs continue to climb, and the system is quickly becoming unstable and unsustainable. Leading health organizations have recognized that the nation’s burden of disease will not improve without lifestyle interventions. Despite all this, conventional medicine appears to be the dominating form of medicine being delivered by most providers nowadays. But, how does conventional medicine differs from lifestyle medicine?
In conventional medicine, medications or surgical interventions are often the highest level of care. Disease is thought to occur from exposure to a pathogen or environmental factor, or from genetic predisposition. Treatments may be acute for targeting pathogens, or they may be long-term for controlling disease and/or risk factors that can reduced the chances of getting sicker. In this disease focused approach in conventional medicine, patients are the recipients of care and, other than complying with the treatment they are not required to make significant changes. Providers are considered responsible for care and outcomes, while the patient is a passive receiver of medical services.
In contrast, lifestyle medicine is a distinct field of medicine aimed at “treating the cause” of most of our modern diseases with the strongest evidence-based modalities available. Since, most modern diseases are caused by lifestyle, lifestyle must be part of the cure. Although portions of lifestyle medicine (especially nutrition and physical activity) are included in other fields of medicine, lifestyle medicine is distinct because lifestyle change is prescribed as the first-line and most important therapy for disease treatment and reversal. Evidence-based medications and other modalities are used, but only to supplement changes in lifestyle. Lifestyle medicine requires patient engagement and responsibility for treatment outcomes. Treatments are long term. In addition, lifestyle medicine decreases reliance on medications and therefore reduces medication side effects. Finally, providers act as both a medical expert and a coach.
It is evident that lifestyle medicine has countless benefits when compared to conventional medicine. Lifestyle medicine is cost saving, unlike most non-lifestyle medical services. Lifestyle practices and health habits are the most important determinants of positive health outcomes. Improving unhealthy behaviors is foundational to effective medical care, disease prevention and health promotion.
Source: John K, Shull J. Foundations of Lifestyle Medicine, 2019.
