Lifestyle Medicine is the use of healthy lifestyle habits to prevent and treat common chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
Are you living with:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Prediabetes
- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Health concerns related to excess weight
Our lifestyle medicine experts can help you reach your health goals.
Lifestyle Medicine is a simple and powerful therapy:
Nutrition
Choose whole plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.
Sleep
For adults, 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep per day is vital for physical and mental health.
Physical activity
Regular and consistent exercise is essential for optimal health.
Stress management
Enhance stress reduction techniques for improved wellbeing.
Substance use
Avoid tobacco, excess alcohol, and other risky substance use.
Healthy relationships
Social connectedness is essential for emotional health and higher quality of life.
In our program, you will have access to our team of lifestyle medicine trained experts:
- Doctor and/or nurse practitioner
- Registered dietitian
- Health coach
- Exercise trainer
- Psychologist
- Community health worker
Our comprehensive programs last 6+ months and include:
- Weekly group classes
- Individual appointments
- Classes on reading nutrition labels, grocery shopping, meal planning and preparation
- Recipes and cooking tips/demonstrations
- Exercise classes, including cardio, strength training and flexibility
- Sleep and stress management techniques
- Community of people supporting you
Program sites include:
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Vanderbilt
Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
Plant-based eating means eating more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, lentils, peas, nuts, and seeds and reducing or avoiding animal foods, sweets, and highly processed foods.
Plant-based eating has many health benefits:
- Can lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar
- Reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers
- Can help with weight loss
- Decreases inflammation in the body
- May reduce the need for medications
To join this program, you should be interested in eating more plant based. But we welcome you even if you are not ready to go 100%. Our team will work with you to make changes at whatever pace you are comfortable with.
You should be prepared to participate at least once a week over a 6-month period. Keeping in regular contact with our team will help you be more successful in making lifestyle changes.
We understand that emergencies happen. If you need to miss an appointment, please contact our program staff or send a message through MyChart to let us know. However, please be aware that you may not be able to continue with the program if you miss three or more appointments.
NYC Health + Hospitals accepts many insurance plans. Some program services may not be covered by your plan; there may be copayments or out-of-pocket costs depending on your plan. Our finance team is available to discuss your individual situation.
Our primary goal is to help you get healthier, lower your risk of disease complications, and improve your overall well-being. Our doctors will review your medications and recommend adjustments as needed. We will focus on helping you adopt the healthiest possible lifestyle.