I was all excited about my new invention - I was going to start the field of lifestyle medicine. This would be a specialty focus in diet, exercise, nutrition, stress reduction, etc. However, like many new inventors, I discovered that my invention was....already invented. Yes, lifestyle medicine is already a field of medical specialty. Yet, as a family physician, I still have rich opportunities to practice lifestyle medicine with my patients.
Often, as part of the documented treatment plan, I've noted - TLC discussed/advised. What does that mean? Well, it is my shorthand for Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes were discussed and advised for the patient.
TLC is just that - Tender Loving Care for your body. Eating the right foods, weighing a healthy amount, getting physical activity, avoiding stress, getting adequate rest, not smoking, not drinking a lot of alcohol or caffeine - all of these are great ways to not only feel better but are also important to healing diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, depression, and diabetes.
Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes are also one of the hardest things to do. It is far easier to pop a pill for your high blood pressure than it is to cut out the salt in your diet, lose 20 lbs and start a walking program. However, guess which option is cheaper, more effective, healthier and has fewer side effects?
More to come on specific elements of TLC...
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