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Our mission is to reduce lifestyle-related death and disease in society through clinician-directed interventions with patients.

The Institute of Lifestyle Medicine (ILM) is at the forefront of a broad-based collaborative effort to transform the practice of medicine through lifestyle medicine. This critical transformation is motivated by research indicating that modifiable behaviors — especially physical inactivity and unhealthy eating — are major drivers of death, disease, and healthcare costs. While the medical profession is generally aware of this, there has yet to be a systematic and comprehensive effort to incorporate lifestyle medicine into standard practice. We accomplish this by providing professional education focusing on knowledge, skills, tools, and clinician self care and by creating resources for patients.

FOOD, WE NEED TO TALK

Juna and Eddie tackle the most requested health and fitness topics since the podcast originally aired in December 2019! With guidance from some of the world's top experts, some witty banter, and a good helping of dad jokes, Juna and Eddie dive deep into the science behind intermittent fasting, metabolism, aging, fat loss, microbiome and more. Find out what works, what doesn't, and why regularly on Food We Need to Talk, a science-based, humor-laced approach to health and fitness. The podcast features 24-year-old Juna Gjata, who is sick of her eternal fight to get thin, and Dr. Eddie Phillips, ILM Director, who seeks to help her make peace with food (while still eating a healthy diet).

VIEW the podcasts and each new episode. What's on your plate?

 

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ILM BOOKSTORE

Publications and resources available to learn more about lifestyle medicine and enhance your work with patients/clients. Click here.

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The Institute of Lifestyle Medicine (ILM) was founded to reduce lifestyle-related death & disease through clinician-directed interventions with patients.

ILMLifestyleMed
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aclifemed American College of Lifestyle Medicine @aclifemed ·
30 Oct

Taking care of your health and quality social connection were the major determinants of health and happiness shown by the 85-year @Harvard study of adult development. Interestingly, loneliness is as detrimental as cigarette smoking, high bp. @robertwaldinger #LM2024

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dramycomander Amy Comander MD, DipABLM @dramycomander ·
30 Oct

Congrats to Dana Haggett, CNP, on presenting her poster, “PAVING the Path to Wellness: Lifestyle Medicine to Improve Outcomes in Breast Cancer Survivors“ at the American College of Lifestyle Medicine meeting! #LM2024 @MGHCancerCenter @MGHLifestyleMed @MGHBreastOnc @ACLifeMed

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Upcoming Courses/Events

Lifestyle Medicine Tools for Promoting Healthy Change ~~ June 12 - 13, 2025. Click here for details as they become available. Continuing medical education credits available.

 

Sign Up for the ILM mailing list for course updates and additional ILM news. 

 

Learn about ILM and CHEF Coaching events, new courses, & resources!

Sign up to receive ILM's bi-monthly newsletter The Lifestyle Medicine Landscape, as well as announcements about upcoming ILM events, new courses, and helpful resources! There is also an option to sign up for announcements regarding CHEF Coaching programs, classes, and opportunities. Sign up on one or both email lists!

Please note: We take your privacy very seriously and we will never send you spam. You may unsubscribe at any time.

In the News

  • Lifestyle Medicine Initiative Trends for 2023
    Global Wellness Institute; June 29, 2023
    "Lifestyle Medicine is a rapidly evolving field that aims to promote health and prevent chronic diseases by addressing lifestyle factors such as nutrition, physical activity, stress management, sleep and social support. The Medical Wellness Initiative predicts some of the future trends." 
  • THE CARLAT REPORT; GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY
    Q&A; July/August/September Issue 2023; "Lifestyle Medicine: How to Promote Healthy Change in Older Adults." Read and learn about tackling behavioral changes.
  • "Dr. Phillips believes that lifestyle medicine awareness and education is important for the future of better healthcare and that having public institutions, like the Los Angeles Public Library, provide this type of health education to the community is imperative to addressing the epidemic of preventable chronic diseases.” June 2023. Read LALP Blog.
  • A new study says you might need to exercise twice as much. But who's got the time? "For people that are getting started, the more pragmatic things are, incorporate it into your day wherever you can," Dr. Eddie Phillips says. It’s sort of a – get on a bike desk in my office because I have one; meet friends for a walk rather than just sitting down for coffee.” WBUR Radio Boston. August 16, 2022. Read and learn. Share with patients and clients.
  • For Extra Protection From COVID's Worst Effects, Look to Lifestyle Medicine | Opinion ~~ Newsweek, March 1, 2022. BETH FRATES, MD, ILM Director of Medical Student Education and Faculty Member, Harvard Medical School. "One encouraging result of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic is that it has elevated public awareness of the crisis of chronic disease—those underlying conditions so often associated with worse outcomes—and the urgent need to address it. Six in 10 U.S. adults have a chronic disease and 4 in 10 have two or more, many of them lifestyle related, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Fortunately, for those looking to make positive lifestyle behavior changes, the growing field of lifestyle medicine can help them achieve their goals and improve their health."
  • Harvard Health Letter: Three Ways to Enhance Your Walking Workouts. July 2021. “All steps count. But some count a little more than others,” says Dr. Edward Phillips, assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at
    Harvard Medical School." Read, learn, and share with patients and clients. July 2021 Heart Letter
  • Creating A Healthier Conversation Around Pandemic Weight Gain "...the misconceptions around BMI and the relationship between weight and health in the pandemic with Juna Gjata and Dr. Eddie Phillips of WBUR's "Food, We Need to Talk" podcast." Listen & Learn.
  • Harvard Health Letter: What to look for in an online exercise video for older adults. January 2021. "Online exercise videos aren't regulated. And trying to keep up with a workout that isn't designed for older adults could lead to injury," says Dr. Edward Phillips, ILM Director and Founder, and assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School and Whole Health medical director at VA Boston Healthcare System. Read and learn.
  • Harvard Health Blog: Making the most of physical activity apps. December 2020. Current research can help guide individuals in the use of apps and social networks with the goal of increasing physical activity. Learn more from Dr. Beth Frates about assisting your patients and clients in this area.
  • Lifestyle Medicine. Edward M. Phillips, MD, Elizabeth P. Frates, MD, David J.Park, MD; "Lifestyle medicine is a rapidly evolving field of medicine that crosses specialties and numerous health professions that focus on the root cause for most causes of premature death, chronic disease, and health care costs." Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America.  Read and learn.

  • 'Code Blue' documentary hits home for Colorado Springs ER doctor. March 2019. Larry Cohen, an emergency room doctor at UCHealth Memorial Hospital and the first doctor in Colorado Springs to be board certified in lifestyle medicine, says the 'code blue' film supports his beliefs about making lifestyle changes for better health. Read the article.

  • Culinary Medicine: A Recipe for Better Health. U.S. News & World Report. November 2018. "Dr. Rani Polak, a physician, chef and research associate at Harvard Medical School, says no one knows precisely who was the first doctor to translate mom's dinner table advice into a prescription for patients."
  • Prescription for Activity Task Force (PfA). Developed in late 2017 the Task Force seeks to mobilize healthcare to help more Americans prioritize and celebrate physical activity and thus achieve recommended physical-activity levels, improve health outcomes, and reduce health disparities.
  • The American Board of Lifestyle Medicine announces physicians and health professionals who have earned distinction of being first-ever to be Board-certified in the field of lifestyle medicine. November 17, 2017. Congratulations to everyone!
  • A Web-Based Lifestyle Medicine Curriculum: Facilitating Education About Lifestyle Medicine, Behavioral Change, and Health Care Outcomes. JMIR Publications. Dr. Beth Frates, et al.
  • American College of Preventive Medicine Adds New Elective Course. Lifestyle Medicine Core Competency Curriculum – an Introduction to Culinary Medicine.
  • Culinary Coaching Added to Wikipedia. Culinary coaching is a form of health coaching which is aimed at helping people to cook more nutritious meals at home. Culinary coaching was developed and defined between 2015-2017 at the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine.
  • Lifestyle as Medicine: The Case for a True Health Initiative. American Journal of Health Promotion, Dr. Beth Frates, et al.

  • Magic Pill Exercise Podcast receives Edward R. Murrow Excellence in Innovation Broadcasting award. Congratulations, Eddie Phillips, MD!

  • Program Profile Lifestyle as Medicine: Institute of Lifestyle Medicine (ILM), Harvard Medical School. The Institute of Lifestyle Medicine (ILM) plays a critical role in today’s complex medical landscape; Alternative and Complementary Therapies, April 2017.

  • Advancing Lifestyle Medicine Education in Undergraduate Medical School Curricula Through the Lifestyle Medicine Education Collaborative (LMEd).  American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. December 2016.  Authors Jennifer L. Trilk, PhD, Dennis Muscato, MS, Rani Polak, MD.

  • Can America's Doctors Lead Us to Better Health? Medical Economics, April 2016. "It’s no longer enough to treat disease and keep symptoms at bay. Our doctors need to lead us to better health," writes Dr. Edward Phillips and Helen Durkin.

  • Lifestyle Medicine Education Collaborative (LMEd). Learn more about this initiative in medical schools and join the conversation.