John Seivert: Embracing Lifestyle Medicine and Healthy Lifestyles

Physical Therapists are increasingly recognizing the importance of Lifestyle Medicine in improving the health and wellness of their patients. Lifestyle Medicine focuses on helping people adopt and sustain healthy behaviors that can positively impact their quality of life. This evidence-based practice promotes whole food, plant-predominate dietary lifestyle, regular physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and positive social connections as primary therapeutic modalities for treating and reversing chronic diseases.

According to the Health, United States 2019 Report, a significant percentage of people over the age of 65 suffer from conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. These noncommunicable diseases are primarily caused by behaviors like inactivity, smoking, poor eating patterns, and excessive body weight.

Integrating Lifestyle Medicine into Physical Therapy practice provides a path to improve society’s health and wellness by coaching clients to make meaningful and lasting changes in their health. Lifestyle Medicine has six pillars that healthcare professionals should address with their patients, including exercise/physical activity, nutrition, sleep, social connection, stress management, and substance abuse.

By focusing on these pillars and making improved lifestyle choices, individuals can live a healthy and active lifestyle well into their later years. Healthcare providers, including Physical Therapists, play a crucial role in guiding and supporting patients in making these positive changes for better health outcomes.