lifestyle medicine

what are the six pillars of lifestyle medicine?

• mental wellbeing

• healthy relationships

• healthy eating

• physical activity

• good quality sleep

• avoidance of harmful substances and behaviours

what are the three key areas of knowledge in lifestyle medicine?

• foundation knowledge - science and context

• lifestyle pillars - what to change

• clinical skills - how to support change

what are the four clinical skills relevant to lifestyle medicine?

• person-centred care

• lifestyle history and behaviour change

• multidisciplinary support

• integration with medicines and procedures

what are epigenetics?

• changes in gene expression without changing the DNA sequence

• lifestyle factors can turn genes on or off - comprehensive lifestyle changes can alter gene expression

• early-life exposures (e.g. famine or maternal diet) can affect lifelong health

describe the differences between acute and chronic inflammation

• acute inflammation - normal response to injury or infection

• chronic inflammation - prolonged low-grade inflammation contributes to diabetes, obesity, heart disease, cancer and alzheimer’s

• lifestyle factors such as poor diet, stress and sleep deprivation increase inflammation

describe the effects of chronic inflammation on metabolic health and insulin resistance

• chronic inflammation can cause insulin resistance and other metabolic dysfunctions

• lifestyle improvements can reverse or prevent these effects

• poor diet, inactivity and sleep deprivation can cause cells to respond less to insulin, leading to a risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome

• this can be improved by exercise, weight management and a balanced diet

describe effects and management of the gut microbiome

• the gut hosts microorganisms that influence digestion, immunity, metabolism and mental healthy

• a healthy microbiome means diverse beneficial bacteria, leading to improved physical and mental health

• an unhealthy lifestyle can lead to dysbiosis which is linked to obesity, diabetes, depression and autoimmune conditions

• diet, sleep, stress, alcohol, and medications all influence gut microbiome health

• prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics can help support a healthy gut

what is the healthy heart rate range for an adult?

60-100bpm

what is a healthy blood pressure range for an adult?

between 90/60 mmHg and 120/80 mmHg

describe the healthy range of BMI

• below 18.5 – you're in the underweight range

• 18.5 to 24.9 – you're in the healthy weight range

• 25 to 29.9 – you're in the overweight range

• 30 to 39.9 – you're in the obese range

• 40 or above – you're in the severely obese range

• these values change for different ethnicities, genders and lifestyles