Caption: Top, from left to right: Lisa McDowell, MS, RD; Abigail McCleery, MPH, RD; Alexandra Babcock, MPH, RD.  Bottom, from left to right: Clisty Kinlin, RD, CDE; Laura Ritter, RD, CDE; Eugene Liu, MD; Rebecca Daniel, MD.

 

First program in southeast Michigan led by certified Lifestyle Medicine practitioners


ANN ARBOR, Mich. (April 28, 2021) – Saint Joseph Mercy Health System has launched a new Lifestyle Medicine program which uses evidence-based practice to support patients on their journey to whole health.  The new program, which is the first of its kind in southeast Michigan, provides access to a team of certified Lifestyle Medicine specialists that educates, equips and empowers patients to protect their health through healthy lifestyle choices.

 

"The goal of our new program is to provide support to individuals and teach them to hardwire best practices that optimize their own personal health and potential," said Lisa McDowell, director of Lifestyle Medicine and Clinical Nutrition at Saint Joseph Mercy Health System.  "COVID-19 has shown us that it is now more important than ever to make healthier choices to transform your health and lead the fullest life possible."

The Lifestyle Medicine program focuses on six pillars to encourage the prevention, treatment and reversal of chronic disease.  These pillars include:

 

  • Whole food, plant predominant diet
  • Regular physical activity
  • Restorative sleep
  • Stress management
  • Avoidance of risky substances
  • Positive social connections

 

St Joe's practitioners, including seven physicians and registered dietitians certified in Lifestyle Medicine through the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, established the new program headquartered at St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor. The program is made up of offerings including individual consultations, group classes, and culinary medicine.


Patients can schedule individual appointments with a Lifestyle Medicine practitioner who will navigate them on their whole-health journey, directing them into an array of new program offerings at St. Joe's for the prevention, treatment, and reversal of disease. Patients will have a tailored treatment plan for their individual needs that works seamlessly with their primary care doctors.

 

One of the new offerings is the Lifestyle Medicine Intensive Program, which combines individual consultation and group classes over the course of eight weeks to provide in-depth education in the six pillars of Lifestyle Medicine.  Applying the science of behavior change, patients will learn stress management strategies, have access to fitness professionals, and gain culinary prowess for preparing plant-predominant meals.

Whether looking to mindfully lose weight, take control of chronic conditions, or learn how to develop healthy habits for the whole family, those interested can sign up for a consultation and learn more about group classes at stjoeshealth.org/LifestyleMedicine.  Interested members of the public can also contact the program directly by emailing  LifestyleMedicine@stjoeshealth.org or calling 734-712-7451.

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About Saint Joseph Mercy Health System

Saint Joseph Mercy Health System (SJMHS) is a health care organization serving seven counties in southeast Michigan including Livingston, Washtenaw, Wayne, Oakland, Macomb, Jackson, and Lenawee. It includes 548-bed St. Joseph Mercy Ann Arbor, 497-bed St. Joseph Mercy Oakland in Pontiac, 304-bed St. Mary Mercy Livonia, 66-bed St. Joseph Mercy Livingston in Howell, and 133-bed St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea.  Combined, the five hospitals are licensed for 1,548 beds, have five outpatient health centers, six urgent care facilities, more than 25 specialty centers; employ more than 15,300 individuals and have a medical staff of nearly 2,700 physicians.   SJMHS has annual operating revenues of about $2 billion and returns about $115 million to its communities annually through charity care and community benefit programs.