Significant and growing scientific evidence shows that the primary determinant of health or disease is not genetics, but lifestyle. Heart disease, diabetes, stroke, cancer and a wide variety of other chronic diseases are preventable with healthier behaviors. Moreover, they can be better managed, and even reversed, through lifestyle improvements.
In recognition of the connection between lifestyle and health, a relatively new style of treatment, known as lifestyle medicine, is increasingly being seen as an alternative to traditional treatments used on chronic diseases.
“To address the root cause of disease, disability and premature death — and economic costs for all employers seeking a healthy and fit workforce — we need a new paradigm which ‘de-medicalizes’ health,” says Dr. Michael Parkinson, senior medical director for UPMC Health Plan. “What we eat, how we move and how we think are the cornerstones of good health and living a long and productive life.”
Smart Business spoke with Parkinson about lifestyle medicine and how it can impact the health of employees and companies.
What is lifestyle medicine?
Lifestyle medicine is the use of lifestyle interventions in the treatment, management and reversal of disease. As aptly described by Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center, the interventions consist of:
- Forks: Incorporating more whole, plant-based foods into our diet. Reducing or completely eliminating refined and highly processed foods, meat and dairy products.
- Feet: Increasing daily physical activity to at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity.
- Fingers: Eliminating cigarettes or excess alcohol.
- Sleep: Ensuring we obtain adequate and deep sleep every night.
- Stress: Developing healthy coping mechanisms like exercise, meditation or mindfulness for life’s inevitable challenges.
- Love: Having and developing a commitment to a purpose, person or interest, which gives meaning to our lives.
Scientific evidence shows that lifestyle interventions can be effective in treating chronic disease, and can be equally and often even more effective than medication. Lifestyle interventions also have the benefit of not having as many risks or unwanted side effects.
So, what’s the cost? There is none, except choices, time and effort.
What chronic diseases can be effectively treated through lifestyle medicine?
Lifestyle medicine can both be effective in helping to prevent, but also to treat most chronic diseases. Many diseases affecting multiple organs, like heart disease, kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes, a majority of cancers, dementia and other conditions, are due to diets of modern-day processed foods which are high in added salt, sugars and fats but low in nutrients and micro vitamins. The result can be underlying inflammation, which can promote multiple common chronic diseases.
How does the emerging concept of lifestyle medicine support an employer’s wellness program?
A coordinated worksite wellness program emphasizing healthy behaviors, disease management, aligned policies and supportive environments can reduce total health care and productivity costs.
Loss of productivity from absenteeism and presenteeism can be more costly to a company than health-related costs. Effective workplace wellness programs follow the principles of lifestyle medicine.
Why is lifestyle medicine getting more attention now?
Frankly, we can’t afford to ‘medicalize’ environmentally and behaviorally caused disease with more treatments, tests and procedures. And doctors, frustrated often by lack of progress in treating and reversing disease, are beginning to explore this new approach based on sound science.
The challenge in the near term is twofold: paying for these services (as opposed to usual medical interventions under ‘fee for service’ reimbursement) and improving the skills of providers to provide them.
With the new payment models promoted by the Affordable Care Act and employers’ consistent and constructive engagement, we should begin to see more ways to improve employee and family health.
Insights Health Care is brought to you by UPMC Health Plan
