We (can) have more influence on health…
We live in these complex, miraculous bodies. Beyond genetic good fortune, much of our quality of life depends on our what physical challenges or illnesses we experience, how we maintain and use our physical body. Behavioral medicine is the application of psychological science to foster health-related change, protect health and follow through with personal health goals. It can also support a treatment plan a person and physician have developed.
Protecting Health
Naturally, protecting and maintaining a healthy body is ideal. Yet it’s rarely too late to experience some benefit. The activities we pursue, foods we eat, physical activity, chemical exposure, adequate rest, restorative activity and healthy relationships impact our health at the cellular level. Research also demonstrates that psychologically restorative activity and our mental mindset influence both our emotional wellbeing and our physical health.
Chronic Illness
Modern lifestyles present new challenges for bodies that evolved over millions of years. Most of the health chronic challenges people face today are related to the modern lifestyle and response to stressors that show up in the body through chronic inflammation.
Chronic illness interferes with our comfort, energy and abilities. Conditions such as diabetes, obesity, cardio-vascular disease, and food allergies can limit activity or reduce the quality of our lives. When we suffer such medical difficulties, our spouses, children, family and co-workers often are often affected.
Economists have demonstrated that chronic illness has not only medical and psychological costs but also economic ones. Medical expenses, time off work and income impact a family’s finances. Business and industry experience reduced employee effectiveness and absenteeism, while nation productivity and health care also reflect the costs.
Chronic illness may not always have an immediate impact such as in the case of chronic pain or an acute diabetic crisis. The negative consequences of high blood pressure, cardio vascular disease, diabetes or respiratory disease emerge years later as do the effects of continuous alcohol and drug use.
Changes you make now can decrease, delay or in some cases reverse a dangerous health condition. We can work tighter to help you remain healthy, manage current illness and, in some cases, recover.
So what is behavioral medicine?
Most of us can think of changes we intended to make that we did not put into practice. The challenge is to make necessary changes going forward. I share my expertise as a behavioral specialist and years as a consultant to prevention specialists to help you develop a realistic plan. We’ll apply the principles of psychological science to your situation and goals. We collaboratively select strategies and conduct experiments. Then we work together to help you prepare and successfully implement various approaches, monitor progress and adapt to challenges or obstacles. We revise and revise and revise again to help you progress and live your healthiest life.