self care
Lifestyle medicine is the nonpharmacological and nonprocedural management of chronic diseases that is practiced across many specialties in healthcare, as discussed in Lifestyle Medicine: Closing Research, Practice and Knowledge Gaps, our just-released book for health care professionals edited by Jeffrey Mechanick and myself. We were fortunate to have industry leaders author cutting-edge information in each…
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We live in an obesogenic environment where high calorie foods are plentiful and physical activity has been engineered out of our daily lives. Despite your best intentions, this makes it hard for you to carry out your healthy lifestyle behaviors. In my 40+ year career helping patients manage weight and boost health, PLANNING AHEAD has…
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Your daily routine directly impacts your health behaviors. But what happens when you daily routine gets so busy, you have trouble maintaining your healthy lifestyle? As your daily routines change, so can your health behaviors. Eating healthfully and exercising may be challenging with a stressful work or school deadline or new family obligations. Much of…
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Do you approach improving your weight and health with a more flexible or inflexible mindset? If you’re unsure, here are some questions to ask yourself: Are you someone who has strict rules you tell yourself you must follow? Do you have a long list of forbidden foods that you must not eat? Do you feel…
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Self-care is your ability to give your mind and body what they need in order to stay healthy and feel well. This includes eating well, being active, de-stressing, getting enough sleep, and engaging in leisure-time activities that bring you joy and help recharge your batteries. In my 40 + years treating patients, I’ve found that those…
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What does it mean to be healthy? According to the World Health Organization (WHO), “health is not merely the absence of disease but is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.” In Christina Caron’s recent New York Times article, When the Prescription is for a Dance Class, not a Pill, she describes a…
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A high stress level can quickly impede your healthy lifestyle routine. In my practice, stress and coping are topics I regularly address. I try and help patients see the connection between their life stressors, coping skills and overall health. The goal is to help patients cope more healthfully and keep the positive focus they need…
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When I see patients who are doing well following their new healthy lifestyle behaviors but complain that the scale isn’t budging fast enough, I ask them to make a list. On one side are all the positives they’ve been experiencing with their newfound healthier lifestyle such as being more active, easier to sit in an…
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Many people know that to manage weight better, you also need to manage your time so you can take better care of yourself; this may involve making time to stay active, eat regular, nutritious meals, get enough hours of restful sleep and practice de-stressing activities. But this isn’t always easy to do when low energy…
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One of my yearly medical student classes I teach is helping our future physicians practice improving their own health, one self-care behavior at a time. You may be surprised to know that health care professionals can also struggle to fit in time for exercise, plan healthier meals into a busy day, take time to de-stress…
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