Home | About Lifestyle Medicine
Lifestyle medicine is an evidence-based medical specialty that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions to treat, reverse, and prevent chronic conditions, including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.
The State of Healthcare
Our current healthcare system is broken.
An estimated 60% of Americans—and far too many children—have at least one chronic disease, reaching an epidemic level. These diseases contribute to the approximately $4.5 trillion in healthcare costs that American taxpayers cover every year. Yet, the vast majority of chronic conditions are treatable. This chronic disease epidemic is also affecting our medical professionals: 62% of physicians describe feelings of burnout.
Chronic Disease Prevalence in the US: Sociodemographic and Geographic Variations by Zip Code Tabulation Area
Burnout in Healthcare Workers: Prevalence, Impact and Preventative Strategies – PMC
Medscape Physician Burnout & Depression Report 2024: ‘We Have Much Work to Do’
About Chronic Diseases | Chronic Disease | CDC
Fast Facts: Health and Economic Costs of Chronic Conditions | Chronic Disease | CDC
It is a far reaching field experiencing rapid growth and innovation that is focused on supporting behavior changes through the six interconnected pillars of lifestyle medicine: optimal nutrition, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, connectedness, and risky substance avoidance. With aggressive goals of health restoration, lifestyle medicine offers hope and healing for clinicians, patients and our nation.
The Case for Lifestyle Medicine
Poor overall diet quality is the leading single cause of premature death in America. Optimal nutrition is essential to the root-cause treatment of chronic conditions. The American College of Lifestyle Medicine recommends an eating pattern based predominantly on a variety of minimally processed vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.
Regular physical activity is essential to offset a sedentary lifestyle, manage chronic conditions, and support overall health. Adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity per week to help prevent issues like osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.
Unhealthy sleep is associated with the most common causes of premature death and disability, and it can lead to an increased risk of impaired memory, dementia, and cardiovascular disease. Quality sleep powerfully supports chronic disease treatment and overall well-being. Adults should strive to create the right conditions to get 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep every night to allow the body to rest and repair.
Chronic stress can exacerbate health issues like cardiovascular disease, depression, insulin resistance, and many others. Stress management strategies are crucial for overall health as well as in the treatment of chronic disease.
Meaningful interactions are a key factor in human happiness, longevity and the treatment of chronic diseases. Strong social connections, as well as having a sense of purpose and meaning, affect physical, mental, and emotional health, and can even reduce the risk of depression and dementia.
Risky substances like alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs dramatically increase the risk of death and chronic disease, and exacerbate the ill effects of disease. Other risky behaviors and exposures can negatively impact mental and physical health. Addressing these behaviors with evidence-based approaches is an essential element of health restoration.
Aruna Nathan, MD, DipABLM
“ACLM is the only organization that offers the clinical framework to deliver whole person care in the real world, right now through team collaboration and the six key pillars of that put the patient first.”
Rak Jotwani, MD, DipABLM
“Everyone’s chasing the latest wellness edge. But here’s the thing: none of it matters if you don’t have the basics down first…eating mostly whole foods, moving your body regularly, prioritizing sleep, connecting with people you care about, managing stress in sustainable ways…These are the fundamentals. The foundation. The behaviors that actually create health.”
Mahima Gulati, MD, DipABLM, FACLM
“I cannot imagine a future where lifestyle medicine is not the bedrock of a functioning healthcare system. Just like a human being needs oxygen to breathe and live, our healthcare needs lifestyle medicine not just to thrive, but to survive.”
Nathanael Smith, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, RN, DipACLM
“Joining ACLM gave me the tools and evidence-based training I had long been searching for to truly address the root causes of chronic disease. As a board-certified lifestyle medicine professional, I’m now able to make a meaningful, lasting difference in my patients’ lives—and in my own.”
From major health systems to health plans, universities and forward-thinking companies, lifestyle medicine has gained traction with countless organizations across the country.
Together, we are proving that sustainable whole-person health isn’t just the future—it’s happening now.
We work closely with companies and organizations that share our belief in the benefits of lifestyle medicine. Together, we are committed to advancing a sustainable system and standard of care through lifestyle medicine.
Connect with us
ACLM’s Health Systems Council (HSC) unites leading health systems dedicated to transforming healthcare by integrating lifestyle medicine. Members collaborate to share best practices, tackle challenges, and drive the systematic adoption of lifestyle medicine to address chronic disease.
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ACLM’s Innovators Council unites leading health systems, health plans, ACOs, and self-funded employers committed to transforming healthcare. These forward-thinking, risk-bearing stakeholders are integrating lifestyle medicine to achieve the Quintuple Aim and drive sustainable systems change.
ACLM partners with colleges and universities nationwide to embed lifestyle medicine curriculum across the spectrum of medical and healthcare professional education.
ACLM’s network of Platinum Partners is a select group of organizations and companies that share our commitment to reducing the burden of chronic disease. Through novel products and solutions, these partners are invited to share their work with our clinical community.
ACLM’s annual conference brings together mission-aligned companies and organizations whose products, services, and solutions support the principles of lifestyle medicine. All partners are carefully vetted to ensure alignment with ACLM’s values, creating a high-quality experience for attendees and sponsors alike.
ACLM partners with mission-aligned nonprofits dedicated to making lifestyle medicine the foundation of health care. Together, we build networks, launch strategic initiatives, and collaborate on campaigns that drive lasting impact and shared success.
Redefining health care takes a united effort. Purpose-driven partners and philanthropic leaders power ACLM’s mission—igniting the steps needed to transform our system into one that truly treats, reverses, and prevents chronic disease.
Make an Impact
ACLM is driving at-scale change across key areas to shape the future of healthcare. From advocating for payment alignment to investing in clinical workforce development, ACLM is setting the foundation for a world where lifestyle medicine is broadly adopted as an essential part of healthcare.
ACLM is the leading provider of lifestyle medicine education, certification, and training for every member of the interprofessional care team. We collaborate with a range of partners to integrate education as the first step toward achieving systemic transformation.
ACLM is advancing efforts to ensure lifestyle medicine works both inside and outside clinic walls through individual and system-wide access to scalable delivery models, practical tools and supportive community networks.
Research and strategic innovation are foundational to ACLM’s work. By anchoring lifestyle medicine in clinical evidence, we ensure its credibility, scalability and sustainability, while innovation advances the continued growth and evolution of the field
We collaborate with leading national coalitions to advance lifestyle medicine in three key areas: aligning reimbursement and quality standards for practice, integrating it within medical education, and expanding access for all.
Join a community of purpose-driven professionals committed to shaping the future of healthcare. In addition to clinical training, free and discounted continuing education and board certification, you’ll also get the chance to connect with leaders, reignite the joy of healing and make a real impact on the world. .
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