FAQs

How is Lifestyle Medicine different from Functional Medicine?

Lifestyle Medicine is an evidence-based medical specialty focused on using everyday behaviors as primary treatment. It’s built on six core pillars: nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management, substance use, and social connection. The goal is to prevent, treat, and even reverse chronic disease using interventions supported by large-scale clinical research and public health data.

While our foundation is Lifestyle Medicine, our approach is highly individualized and precision-based. We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all plans. Instead, we use your unique data—your lifestyle, preferences, goals, and (when applicable) wearable or lab insights—to tailor recommendations that are realistic, sustainable, and specific to you.

Functional Medicine, on the other hand, often centers around individualized testing and targeted interventions such as advanced lab panels, supplements, and elimination protocols. While some aspects can be helpful, it is not a formally recognized medical specialty and can vary widely in approach, cost, and level of scientific support.

In this practice, we prioritize evidence-based, personalized care—helping you actively guide your health using strategies that are both scientifically grounded and built for real life.

This is both the past and the future of medicine. Check out the list of leaders below who agree.

Lifestyle Medicine in Leadership

ACLM members and lifestyle medicine–certified physicians and health professionals are increasingly serving in leadership roles across major health organizations in the U.S. and globally. Examples include:

Bobby Mukkamala, MD, DipABLM — President-Elect, American Medical Association (AMA)
Michael Suk, MD, JD, MPH, MBA, DipABLM — Chair, AMA Board of Trustees
Tiffani Bell Washington, MD, MPH, FAPA, DipABLM, DipABOM — Vice Chair, AMA Women Physicians Section Governing Council
Elizabeth Whalen, MD, MPH, DipABLM — Medical Director, New York State Office of Public Health
Lydia C. Alexander, MD, MFOMA, DipABLM, DipABOM — President, Obesity Medicine Association
Ramaswamy Viswanathan, MD, DrMedSc — President, American Psychiatric Association
Evelyn Montgomery Jones, MD, DipABLM — President, Kentucky Medical Association
Satheesh Kathula, MD, DipABLM — President, American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin
Rachel M. Dolhun, MD, DipABLM — Principal Medical Advisor, The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
Michael Chin, MD, MPH, DipABLM, FACOEM — Senior Medical Advisor, Amazon Global Medical & Health
Sade (Badejo) Adenekan, MBChB, MSc, MFOM, FRSH, DipIBLM — Regional Medical Director (EMEA), American Express
Eliza Ng, MD, MPH, FACOG, DipABLM — Chief Medical Officer, Coalition of Asian-American IPA
Greg Weidner, MD, FACP, DipABLM — Vice President, Care Model Design & Innovation; Senior Medical Director, Virtual Care, One Medical
Phyllis MacGilvray, MD, DipABLM, FAAFP — Dean, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville
Laura Ross, PA-C, AACC, CLS, DipACLM — President, Academy of Physician Associates in Cardiology
Michael Stack, BS, ACSM-EP, ACSM-EIM, ACSM-PAPHS, CSCS — President, Physical Activity Alliance
Carrie Jaworski, MD, FAAFP, FACSM — President-Elect, American College of Sports Medicine
Eldesia Granger, MD, DipABLM — Medical Officer, CMS Innovation Center, State & Population Health Group
Manasi Kekan, MD, MMM, FACP, DipABLM — Medical Director, AmeriHealth Caritas
Stephen Dahmer, MD, DipABLM — Director, Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine
Lisa Barker, MD, MHPE, DipABLM — Managing Medical Director, OSF Healthcare St. Joseph Medical Center
Sarah Zallek, MD, FAASM, FANA, FAAN, DipABLM — Vice President & Chief Medical Officer, OSF Healthcare St. Joseph Medical Center
John Vozenilek, MD, DipABLM — Vice President & Chief Medical Officer for Innovation & Digital Health, OSF Healthcare
Maria Fernanda Levis, MD, MPH, DipABLM — CEO, Impactivo Consulting
Rich Safeer, MD, DipABLM, FACLM — Chief Medical Director, Employee Health & Well-Being, Johns Hopkins Medicine
Cate Collings, MD, MS, DipABLM, FACC, FACLM — Treasurer, Physical Activity Alliance

Are you a primary care provider?

I am a Family Nurse Practitioner, which means I can order labs, prescribe medications, and make clinical recommendations—and in some cases, we do.

That said, this practice is not designed to replace your primary care provider.

We work alongside you, your PCP, and your speciality providers. Our goal is to provide a deeper, more personalized level of care—focusing on lifestyle, behavior change, and root causes—so that, when possible, you and your PCP can reduce or even come off certain medications over time.

Medications aren’t bad—they’re often necessary and incredibly helpful. But most primary care visits are limited by time, and that’s where we come in.

We bridge the gap between medical care and real life—helping you implement the habits, routines, and strategies that actually move the needle on your health.

My therapist recommended you. How can you help me in my mental health journey?

Mental health is not just about what happens in a therapy session. Your sleep, movement, nutrition, stress load, and daily habits all directly impact how your brain functions and how you feel.

That’s where we come in.

We work alongside your therapist to support the biological and behavioral side of mental health—helping you build the routines and systems that make therapy more effective and sustainable.

This can include:

Improving sleep quality and consistency
Building a realistic, structured movement routine (including strength training and aerobic exercise)
Optimizing nutrition to support mood, energy, and focus
Nervous system regulation and stress management strategies
Creating daily structure and habits that reduce overwhelm
Prescribing and/or De-prescribing SSRIs and other medications to help improve outcomes

We don’t just recommend these strategies—we teach you how to use them, so you can apply them in your real life.

Our goal is to help you take back control of your health and your life—giving you the tools, structure, and confidence to actually influence how you feel day to day.

We also use a precision, individualized approach, meaning your plan is tailored to your life—not a generic checklist.

We do not replace therapy, diagnose psychiatric conditions, or take over mental health treatment. Instead, we act as an adjunct layer of care—helping you translate insight into action and build lasting change.

I want to get off my GLP-1, but I'm nervous. Can you help?

Yes—this is one of the most common reasons people come to us.

GLP-1 medications can be incredibly effective tools for weight loss and metabolic health. But coming off of them without a plan often leads to weight regain, loss of muscle mass, and a frustrating cycle of starting over.

That’s where we come in.

We help you transition off GLP-1 medications in a structured, strategic way—with a focus on maintaining your results and supporting your metabolism long-term.

Our approach includes:

Building a high-protein, high-fiber nutrition strategy to support satiety and muscle preservation
Implementing strength training and movement to protect lean mass and metabolic rate
Gradually adjusting habits as medication support decreases
Addressing hunger, cravings, and energy regulation without relying on medication
Creating a sustainable routine you can maintain long after the medication is gone

We take a precision, individualized approach, meaning your plan is tailored to your body, your lifestyle, and your goals—not a generic “reverse diet” or one-size-fits-all protocol.

The goal is not just to come off the medication—it’s to help you keep the results and take back control of your health.

If you and your prescribing provider decide it’s appropriate to discontinue your GLP-1, we can support you through that process safely and effectively.

Have you heard of Culinary Medicine?

Yes—and I’m incredibly excited about it.

Culinary Medicine is an evidence-based approach that combines nutrition science with practical cooking skills. It’s about translating what you should eat into how to actually make it work in your real life—your kitchen, your schedule, your preferences.

This is a rapidly growing area within the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and aligns perfectly with our approach: practical, sustainable, and rooted in real behavior change—not just theory.

We’re currently developing educational classes and workshops that will be available to both our patients and the broader community.

These will focus on:

Building simple, nutrient-dense meals
Making healthy eating realistic and enjoyable
Navigating busy schedules without defaulting to convenience foods
Bridging the gap between nutrition knowledge and actual execution

I’m also an avid home cook, about 75% plant-based, and a mom of two—so I understand the reality of getting food on the table. As a provider, I practice what I preach—my goal is to make food both healthy and delicious, because life is too short for bad food.

Food isn’t just about health—it’s also about pleasure, connection, and enjoyment. Culinary Medicine helps bring all of that together.

How does this work?

We start with an initial visit—just like you would with any medical provider.

During this visit, we take the time to understand your goals, your history, and what’s actually realistic for your life. From there, we develop a personalized plan and work together through ongoing follow-ups to adjust, refine, and make sure it’s working. If it makes sense for you, you can sign a release form so I can collaborate with your other providers as well.

I am a Family Nurse Practitioner, which means I can order labs, make recommendations, refer you to other providers, and prescribe medications when appropriate. But what makes this different is the level of time, attention, and personalization you receive. And the core focus - on sustainable lifestyle change as the best avenue for health and longevity.

Think of it as having a nurse practitioner who:

Spends more time with you
Meets you where you are
Focuses on sustainable, real-life change—not quick fixes

For those who want more support, there is also a concierge option, which gives you more direct, real-time access to me through messaging and ongoing guidance between visits. It's like a Nurse Practitioner and a full service Coach wrapped up in one.

This is a collaborative, ongoing process—not a one-time appointment. We work together to build a plan you can actually follow and evolve it as your life and goals change.