Adopting lifestyle medicine is crucial for improving healthcare in Malaysia. This approach focuses on preventing and treating chronic diseases by tackling their root causes. The Malaysian Society of Lifestyle Medicine (MSLM) emphasizes that integrating lifestyle medicine into the Value-Based Healthcare (VBHC) system can make a real difference.
Dr. Siva Poobalasingam, the president of MSLM, notes that lifestyle medicine offers a fresh way to address health issues, especially as Malaysia shifts toward a system that prioritizes patient well-being and sustainable practices.
He highlights six key areas of lifestyle medicine:
- Eating mostly plant-based foods
- Staying active with regular exercise
- Managing stress effectively
- Getting enough sleep
- Avoiding harmful substances
- Cultivating strong social connections
These elements can shift diabetes care from solely treating the disease to preventing it or even reversing it.
In a recent conference, Deputy Health Minister Datuk Lukanisman Awang Sauni stressed the importance of VBHC, which focuses on providing value in healthcare rather than just volume. Dr. Siva pointed out that this aligns with lifestyle medicine’s goal of ensuring healthcare practices offer real health benefits.
He also mentioned a successful pilot program at the Seremban 2 Health Clinic that merges VBHC with lifestyle medicine. This initiative has shown promising results in reducing diabetes cases and severity, leading to calls for its wider rollout.
Furthermore, MSLM is teaming up with the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine from Harvard Medical School to bring their Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) program to Malaysia. This is the first time this program will be offered outside the U.S. and aims to teach effective stress management techniques.
Overall, embracing lifestyle medicine could pave the way for a healthier Malaysia.
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