ACLM Conference Recap

Attending a conference is always an energizing experience. Attending the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Conference from October 27-30 was amazing. There were about 1,000 attendees in all kinds of healthcare related careers, including registered dietitians, pharmacists, physical therapists, physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and health coaches, to name a few. They all came together to learn the newest evidence-based programming, policies and practices in Lifestyle Medicine to pass on to patients and clients.

The basis of Lifestyle Medicine is a focus on incorporating lifestyle changes to treat illness. There are six foundational pillars: Nutrition, Physical Activity, Restorative Sleep, Stress Reduction, Social Connection, and Minimizing Risky Substances. There are strategies for incorporating each of the pillars into the lives of all patients. Lifestyle Medicine is not about living a “perfect” life, it is about optimizing health by making incremental choices that fit into your life. 

The energy at the conference was electric. I learned how the six pillars of Lifestyle Medicine are individually important for brain health and practical ways to modify the progression of dementia in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. I learned that nurse practitioners in western North Carolina are learning how plant-based foods affect college students and plan to expand the study to community members. I learned about a pay-what-you-can cafe in Fort Worth, Texas, that is discovering how food and social connection affect health.

I will take the energy and the strategies from the conference and incorporate them into the PhytoRx program. Stay tuned for ways to optimize health through phytochemicals combined with Lifestyle Medicine ideas that can mitigate symptoms, improve outcomes, and enhance vitality!

This article was part of the November 2024 e-news FRESH Rx. Subscribe for similar content delivered to your inbox.