2012 Articles

January 2012
Wellcoaches: Setting a Gold Standard in Health & Wellness Coaching
An interview with Margaret Moore, MBA

FULL ARTICLE
article excerpt:  “Behavior change is much more complicated than taking a pill.  Successfully implementing Lifestyle Medicine requires re-engineering life priorities and behaviors.  People have engaged in health-damaging habits over a lifetime, and health behaviors are notoriously difficult to sustain.  Little by little, most people revert to their old habits.  A coach, in partnership with the physician, supports people in re-engineering their lives so they can integrate self-care in a way that lasts.”

February 2012
Michael Holick, Ph.D, M.D.

FULL ARTICLE
article excerpt: Author of The Vitamin D Solution: A 3-Step Strategy to Cure Our Most Common Health Problem, Dr. Michael Holick, PhD, MD, is widely recognized as the foremost authority on vitamin D.  Professor of medicine, physiology and biophysics at Boston University Medical Center, he was first to identify the major circulating form of vitamin D in the body as 25-hydroxyvitamin D3. He later isolated and identified the active form of vitamin D as 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Dr. Holick considers vitamin D deficiency to be our most common health challenge, observing that vitamin D is "in a class by itself, with far-reaching effects on the body that align with the way hormones act to influence metabolic pathways, cellular functions, and the expression of myriad genes."

March 2012

Gunter Dymkova-Fuchs, Dr.HSc. MPH
The Fox Group, Consultants to the Healthcare Industry

FULL ARTICLE
article excerpt: Moving into leadership positions in medical, healthcare organizations, and academic institutions, Fuchs eventually founded The Fox Group, a select healthcare consulting firm that provides guidance and works alongside clients to implement necessary steps toward success.  The Fox group assists physicians, hospitals, outpatient rehabilitation clinics, and other healthcare providers to achieve strategic and operational goals.

April 2012

In Your Own Words

FULL ARTICLE
article excerpt: ACLM’s membership is distinguished by its diversity, bringing together progressive thinkers from a broadening range of careers, specialties, nations, and educational backgrounds; from medical students to physicians who have been practicing for more than 30 years. Through ACLM’s community of proactive professionals, we are reminded that our struggle for a lifestyle-oriented healthcare system is shared by countless others.
 
We’d like to use your words to answer the question: why have so many people from numerous backgrounds joined ACLM?

May 2012

The Lifestyle Medicine Movement

FULL ARTICLE
article excerpt: Following are some of the main projects we are working on as an organization. There is plenty of room for you to become involved, help make connections, or otherwise contribute professionally to the movement - look for the“action items” below. (partial list from article)
  • Lifestyle Medicine 2012 - The Annual ACLM Conference
  • Lifestyle Medicine Competencies Project
  • Practice Model Initiative
  • Lifestyle Vital Signs

June 2012

Richard Carmona, MD, MPH, FACS


FULL ARTICLE
article excerpt: We Welcome Dr. Carmona As Our Newest Advisor
  • 17th Surgeon General of the United States (2002-2006)
  • Vice Chairman, Canyon Ranch
  • CEO, Canyon Ranch Health Division
  • President, Canyon Ranch Institute
  • Distinguished Professor, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona    
As Surgeon General, Dr. Carmona focused on prevention, preparedness, health disparities, health literacy, and global health to include health diplomacy. He also issued many landmark Surgeon General communications during his tenure, including the definitive Surgeon General's Report about the dangers of second-hand smoke.

July 2012

An Interview with Wellness Pioneer, Kent W. Peterson, MD, FACPM, FACOEM, MRO


FULL ARTICLE
article excerpt: Changes during FEI's 4-week program are dramatic. Because of the residential setting and positive health culture, engagement is high. 97% complete health assessments; 98% participate in group fitness classes; 80% complete appointments for personal health coaching sessions. Ratings of every wellness component are above 6 out of 7 and some approach 7.

 

At the completion of the program participants rate the impact of the program. Here are some results.

  • 92% gained new insights into their health
  • 87% increased their exercise level (and some entered very fit)
  • 84% made dietary changes
  • 70% developed greater control over stress
  • 52% lost weight during the 4 weeks
  • 31% reduced their cholesterol

August 2012

Collaborations on Lifestyle Medicine

FULL ARTICLE
article excerpt: During its last session in June 2012, the AMA House of Delegates set another landmark by passing a resolution introduced by ACPM that supports the lifestyle medicine competencies. Now the competencies are incorporated into AMA policy, another big step forward in gaining recognition of the need for physicians to offer the services, skills and training required for providing quality lifestyle medicine services. As the term lifestyle medicine becomes more popular across the broader wellness community, one new challenge will be to clearly and scientifically define the latter and develop effective training programs.