Learn More About
Lifestyle Medicine
What is Lifestyle Medicine?
Lifestyle Medicine is an evidence-based medical specialty that empowers individuals to make sustainable behaviour changes across six key pillars of health - nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management, social connection, and avoidance of harmful substances.
It also takes into account the broader social and environmental factors that influence health, known as the wider determinants of health.
By addressing the root causes of illness, Lifestyle Medicine offers a powerful approach to preventing, treating, and even reversing chronic diseases. In 2024, it was formally recognised by the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) as a medical specialty supported by a robust and growing evidence base.
Tools we use in practice
We use a range of practical tools to support behaviour change, patient engagement and service delivery. These are the kinds of frameworks and approaches our teams use day-to-day when delivering lifestyle medicine in real-world NHS settings.
Below are a few examples to give you a flavour of how we work.
Lifestyle Medicine Wheel
A simple, visual tool used to support patient reflection across the six pillars of lifestyle medicine. It helps individuals quickly identify areas of strength and areas for change, creating a starting point for meaningful conversations and goal setting.
SMART Goals & FITT Framework
These frameworks are used to support structured, realistic goal setting. They help patients translate intentions into clear, achievable actions, while ensuring changes are tailored to their individual context and capacity.
Behaviour Change & Habit Stacking
This approach focuses on building sustainable habits through small, manageable changes. It supports patients to integrate new behaviours into existing routines, making change more achievable and longer-lasting.
Co-design Toolkit
An example of the tools and approaches used to involve communities in the design of services. Co-design helps ensure services are relevant, accessible and shaped by the people they are intended to support.
Lifestyle Medicine Service Assessment
If you’re exploring how lifestyle medicine could work in your setting, this short assessment is a useful place to start. It will help you get a sense of where you are now, and what might be needed to move forward.
Explore further
A small selection of trusted resources to explore further, grouped around the six pillars of lifestyle medicine.