A Plant Based Doctor’s Journey into

Lifestyle Medicine

P r o m o t i n g s u s t a i n a b l e h e a l t h a n d n u t r i t i o n

We will start at 8:05pm

Thank you to our Key Workers

LIFESTYLE MEDICINEThe 6 ares of focus

for improving health

P r o m o t i n g s u s t a i n a b l e h e a l t h a n d n u t r i t i o n

There is no substitute for

excellent personal hygiene & physical

distancing

IMPORTANT TRUTHS

We can strengthen our immune system & protect our long term health with

optimal nutrition & lifestyle habits

The Current Pandemic and our Health Goals

A lmos t 90% o f

h o s p i t a l i z e d patients have some

type of underlying condition with a

lifestyle component

P r o m o t i n g s u s t a i n a b l e h e a l t h a n d n u t r i t i o n

A W h o l e F o o d Plant Based diet

has been shown to prevent, treat and

even reverse many of these lifestyle

related diseases

P r o m o t i n g s u s t a i n a b l e h e a l t h a n d n u t r i t i o n

Healthy Living is the Best Revenge• Healthy dietary profile

(high fruit, veg, low meat)• Exercise > 150 mins/wk• BMI < 30• Non smoking

Health outcomes

Participants with all 4 factors at baseline had a 78% lower risk of developing a chronic disease

P r o m o t i n g s u s t a i n a b l e h e a l t h a n d n u t r i t i o n

Ford ES, Bergman MM ET AL. Healthy living is the best revenge: findings from the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition-Potsdam study. Arch Intern Med. 2009 Aug 10;169(15):1355-62. doi: 10.1001/archinternmed.2009.237.

In this pandemic, we are living in a real time perfect example of how Allopathic

and Lifestyle medical practices should co-exist

P r o m o t i n g s u s t a i n a b l e h e a l t h a n d n u t r i t i o n

Starting with Lifestyle Changes

• Most people have multiple lifestyle goals• The patient-driven agenda is the MOST important• The new vital sign: “What matters to you?”

• Consider starting with the goal the patient feels most confident in

• Success in one goal improves self efficacy and the opportunity to attempt others

P r o m o t i n g s u s t a i n a b l e h e a l t h a n d n u t r i t i o n

Self Care for Health Professionals

• Consider your own health behaviours• Be empathetic to the challenge of health behaviour

change• Role modelling has a profound impact

• Helps to reduce stress and burnout

• You can not effectively address patient health behaviours that you do not practise

P r o m o t i n g s u s t a i n a b l e h e a l t h a n d n u t r i t i o n

“Simply talking to your patients about your personal practices

improves your health promotion delivery”

P r o m o t i n g s u s t a i n a b l e h e a l t h a n d n u t r i t i o n

The Importance of Role Modelling

Physician counselling is strongly related to one's own health practices https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3058599/

References

Researches found that 80% of chronic disease could be prevented by four health lifestyle factors: never smoking, BMI <30, exercise 3.5hrs per week and adhering to healthy diet (high fruit and veg, low meat) Ford ES, et al. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2009 Healthy Living is the best revenge: findings from the European Perspective investigation into Cancer and Nutrition - Postdam Study

Having four health behaviours (smoking, poor diet, alcohol, physical inactivity) resulted in an estimated chronological ages of being 12 years older Kvaavik E, et al. Archives of Internal Medicine. 2010. Influence of individual and combined health behaviours on total and cause-specific mortality in men and women: the UK health and lifestyle survey

Research working on translating data into practice for professionals and systems to work together to solve the non communicable disease epidemics that we face Bland JS, Minich DM, Eck BM. Advances in Medicine. 2017. A systems medicine approach: translating emerging science into individualised wellness

Researches comment that Lifestyle Medicine should become the primary approach to the management of chronic conditions and more importantly, their prevention Bodai BI, et all. Permanenta Journal 2017. Lifestyle Medicine: A brief review of its dramatic impact on health and survival

There is a significant positive association between health care providers physical activity habits and counselling frequency Lobelo F, de Quevedo IG. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 2016. The evidence in support of physicians and health care providers as physical activity role models.

Review of pyschological, behavioural and environmental factors that contribute to adherence to health lifestyle behaviour changes. The authors provide examples as to how motivational interviewing and examining the transtheoretical model of behavioural changes can be used to increase patient physical activity levels Stonerock GL, Blumethal JA. Porgress in CVD. 2017. Role of counselling to promote adherence in healthy lifestyle medicine: strategies to improve exercise adherence and enhance physical activity

PBD shown to be cost effective, low risk interventions that can lower BMI, BP, HBA1C and cholesterol levels. They can also reduce the number of medications needed to treat chronic disease and lower IHD mortality rates. Physicians urged to consider recommending PBD to all their patients, especially if BP, DM2 or CVD or obesity Tuso PJ et al. Permanente Journal. 2013 Nutritional update for physicians: plant based diets.