Most of the diseases prevalent worldwide – cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer – are preventable. Yet they remain among the leading causes of death today because of poor choices and lifestyle habits.

This is made clearer by the fact that there are tons of conventional treatments available for these diseases. But drug or no drug serious but preventable diseases loom large over billions around the world.

Enter lifestyle medicine. Lifestyle medicine is an evidence-based approach to treating and preventing the onset of disease. The catch? Nothing! Proponents and practitioners of this wonderful field simply aim to replace unhealthy habits with healthy ones, such as eating a balanced diet, exercising and managing stress.

Lifestyle medicine highlights six ways you can take charge of your health now and in the long run:

1. Eat healthily

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) recommends following an eating plan that largely features fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.

These foods contain lots of important nutrients that keep your body in shape, including fiber, protein, complex
carbohydrates and an array of vitamins and minerals.

Plus, recent studies show diets filled with whole, nutrient-dense foods are typically associated with a lower risk of developing serious diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.

You can use the Healthy Eating Plate as a guide for making balanced meals. According to the guide, you should fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, a fourth of it with whole grains and another fourth with protein sources like fish, poultry and nuts. Skip sugary drinks and use healthy oils like olive, coconut or avocado oil.

2. Be physically active

Regular and consistent physical activity is a necessary piece of the optimal health equation. And you don’t have to be a fitness geek or a professional athlete to reap the benefits of regular exercise either.

Previous research has shown that daily moderate-to-vigorous aerobic physical activity has both immediate and long-term benefits. For instance, exercising can instantly improve your mood and relieve stress. Exercising also plays an important role in maintaining strong bones as you age. Exercise also aids in weight loss.

Plus, exercising helps lower your risk of developing diseases. Lack of regular physical activity is a leading cause of chronic disease.

For optimal health, exercise for at least 30 minutes per day. Examples of doable exercises are jogging, going up and down the stairs, yoga, brisk walking, bicycling and gardening.

3. Manage stress

The word “stress” these days is usually perceived as a bad thing. It’s usually associated with things like burnout and fatigue. But stress can be good in that it helps you overcome daily challenges and pushes you to reach your goals. Stress helps you accomplish tasks efficiently and may even give you a mental boost.

However, modern life and its trappings set people up to be in a prolonged state of stress. Problems that arise at work, financial difficulties and relationship problems can easily leave you exhausted to the detriment of your health. Experts say chronic stress can raise your risk of depression, obesity and diabetes, to name a few.

Setting goals around stress management can help you reduce the negative impact of stress on your health. This entails figuring out what you will do to relieve stress and how long you plan to do so. Examples of stress-relieving activities include meditating, listening to music, walking in nature and watching a movie.

4. Avoid or stop risky substance abuse

Addictive substances like tobacco and alcohol are linked to serious health problems. Smokers can look forward to a lung cancer diagnosis, while heavy drinkers can expect to lose their livers to alcoholic steatohepatitis. Both diseases can result in death.

There is no magic pill that will make people stop drinking and smoking. Instead, lifestyle medicine proponents promote treatment methods that engage people, such as individual and group counseling. Counseling promotes active participation and helps people not feel embarrassed about their addictions.

5. Get enough sleep

Sleep is an extremely important part of human health. It’s practically your body’s “Reset” button. During sleep, your brain “cleans” itself, sorting through all of the information it received during the day and discarding extraneous ones. Levels of hormones that regulate growth, metabolism and appetite also fluctuate.

So when you don’t get enough sleep or have poor quality sleep, you may experience a host of problems, such as a decreased ability to recover from illness, a strained immune system and a greater susceptibility to disease. So aim to get at least seven hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. It helps to establish a regular sleep schedule, which you can do gradually by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.

6. Maintain social connectedness and relationships

Your social connections and relationships affect your physical, mental and emotional health. Studies show that isolation and loneliness are associated with increased mortality and morbidity, particularly among people with lifestyle-related conditions.

Strengthen your social connections by making and spending time with your friends and family, reaching out to check up on them during the week and being there if they need you.

If you’d like to form new connections, try volunteering. It is believed to improve mental health. You can help at your local animal shelter as well or adopt a pet to connect with other animal lovers in your community. Join an online community of people who share your interests or participate in community activities.

Lifestyle medicine is a unique approach to health that promotes building healthy habits that help the body heal and protect itself from diseases. It encourages participation and addresses the underlying, often lifestyle-related causes of chronic diseases. So practice the tips above for a sound mind and a healthy body.

Sources:

EcoWatch.com

HSPH.Harvard.edu

Healthline.com

SleepFoundation.org