The Curriculum
The Foundations curriculum provides a strong introduction to each of the six pillars of lifestyle medicine. Infused into the document is a special focus on understanding the principles and practice of behavior change as these are key to the successful practice of lifestyle medicine. After introducing the pillars and the fundamentals of behavior change, the curriculum integrates these concepts for students by discussing 3 of our major diseases: cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.
The document includes guidance for faculty on how to develop and implement an elective. Additionally, it consists of discussion questions, activities, experiential learning opportunities and an abundance of practical clinical tools that faculty can use to complement instructional content from readings and videos.
Foundations has been designed with a medical school elective in mind but can be used for other health professional training programs. It will be particularly easy to work into a physician assistant or nurse practitioner training curricula.
Finally, the curriculum is comprehensive enough that it can be taught by avid trainees who have a background in lifestyle medicine as well as by existing faculty.
The Six Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine
Stress Management
Managing stress can lessen anxiety, depression and immune dysfunction and can mitigate negative physical effects.
Restorative Sleep
Adequate sleep — both quantity and quality — optimizes cellular repair and plays a critical role in mental well-being.
Physical Activity
Regular physical activity contributes to overall health by improving physical fitness, reducing the risk of chronic diseases and boosting mood and cognitive function.
Avoidance of Risky Substances
Avoiding risky substances such as tobacco, excessive alcohol, and drugs helps to maintain physical and mental health by reducing the negative impact they have on the body and mind.
Nutrition
Nutrition plays a vital role in lifestyle medicine by providing the body with essential nutrients for optimal function, preventing chronic diseases, and promoting overall health and well-being.
Positive Social Connections
Positive social connections provide emotional support, a sense of belonging, and opportunities for growth, contributing to overall physical and mental well-being.
Behavior Change: A critical component that is often overlooked
Over 60% of deaths in the US are strongly linked to lifestyle factors. These conditions are largely avoidable if patients can make lifestyle changes. As experts, the medical profession has relied on telling patients what they ought to do. While this can work reasonably well for acute care, it has not worked well in the chronic care realm. Often, the approach leaves patients frustrated that they can’t change their behaviors and providers discouraged that patients do not listen to them.
The field of LM recognizes the importance of training providers to help patients change behavior as well as advocating for better lifestyle habits. The second section of the Foundations curriculum is dedicated to building skills in this area. Practice activities are also included throughout the curriculum to reinforce the material by providing additional practice opportunities for students.