Your Best Well-Being

Taking good care of yourself to increase and protect your wellness results in your best performance in every area of life, and prevents the onset of chronic illnesses that limit so many people in later life. When you are alert, energized, and strong, you can achieve your goals most easily . So take the lead in becoming the healthiest you can be!

You can feel better than you ever have before, through the personal practice of what is called Lifestyle Medicine. Simply put, that phrase means that your choices empower your vitality, each and every day. You can navigate your way into better health by making changes in the way you live. And those changes will have a strong, broad impact on all aspects of your well-being. 

Simply put, the best medicine is to “eat well, move more, stress less, and love more.” 

EAT WELL
Perhaps the most important choice you can make to improve your health is to upgrade your diet. Choose to eat whole foods, mainly plants, and reduce or eliminate your intake of animal products (including dairy and eggs), fat, sugar (including alcohol), and refined carbohydrates. Enjoy the delicious taste of vegetables and fruits, which serve as the best ‘medicine’ due to their high density of nutrients that heal your body. Learn about eating well.

MOVE MORE
Engage in exercise that you enjoy—have fun as you increase your energy. Dance, hike, run, walk, swim, chase your dog! Tone your muscles with strength training. Learn about moving more. 

STRESS LESS
Stress is corrosive, steadily deteriorating our well-being, sometimes without our awareness. What calms you? Choose a stress management technique such as meditation and/or yoga. Walk in the beauty of nature, and breathe deep to recenter yourself. As much as possible, change your life to reduce stressful situations. Learn about stressing less. 

LOVE MORE
“People who feel lonely, depressed, and isolated are three to ten times more likely to get sick and die prematurely from virtually all causes when compared to those who have strong feelings of love, connection, and community,” says Dr. Ornish. Enhance the social relationships you already have, spending more time with your connections, and get creative in considering how to expand your social network through shared activities, volunteering, classes, and so forth. All kinds of relationships are good for us. Learn about loving more. 

Do these changes seem too difficult to make? They can be challenging, for sure. For example, for some of us, it is hard to pass up a cheeseburger for a veggie plate—I know it is for me! Yet, the benefits of lifestyle medicine far outweigh any sacrifice you feel you are making. The advantages will become obvious as you see the amazing difference in your health—you will lose weight, gain energy, see clearer skin, and notice an improvement in your mood and outlook. Dr. Ornish encourages us:

Because the underlying biological mechanisms that affect our health are so dynamic, when you make lifestyle changes…you’re likely to feel so much better so quickly that it makes these choices worth doing—not just to live longer, but also to feel better in ways that matter most. After all, what’s the point of living longer if you’re not enjoying life?

Enjoying life—yes! That’s the goal, to enjoy life by making strong choices that energize and strengthen us. You create your vibrant future! 

 Schedule a free, exploratory conversation. 

Navigate Your Vocational Journey

 Sources: 

American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Ornish Lifestyle Medicine
Undo It! How Simple Lifestyle Changes Can Reverse Most Chronic Disease, Dean Ornish, MD & Anne Ornish

What Happens to Your Body When You Cut Out Alcohol (even briefly), Style Blueprint

Dr. McDougall's Health & Medical Center