Abstract
“The dedication and perseverance of the healthcare workers during the pandemic challenges, through stress and burnout, inspired both hope and unity in the face of adversity.”
It is our distinct honor and pleasure to serve as guest editors for this special issue of the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine and present the work of many of the thought leaders who are passionately working towards changing the current healthcare paradigm. Curating articles from LM2022: Redesigning Healthcare Better was made even more special because of the fact that LM2022 was our first in-person Lifestyle Medicine annual conference, after 2 years of virtual meetings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The deep and thoughtful insights presented throughout the articles reminds us of just how important it is to keep pushing boundaries to make Lifestyle Medicine the central theme of a redesigned healthcare.
Addressing entrenched systems when seeking to innovate or improve, however, is no easy undertaking. Perhaps the fact that for the first time in modern history we were all reminded of how intricately interconnected we are, can serve as the awakening healthcare has needed. The pandemic’s destructive force felt worldwide showed us that an infection in 1 remote corner of the world in no time can appear at another, leaving a trail of devastation that we are still weathering through today. But in the words of the famous Greek philosopher, Epictetus, “Every difficulty in life presents us with an opportunity to turn inward and to invoke our own submerged resources. The trials we endure can and should introduce us to our strengths.” And without a doubt, as we emerge from the pandemic, so does the ray of hope that the house of medicine finally sees in Lifestyle Medicine its core strength.
It is well established that the leading causes of disease, disability and death are vastly preventable using evidence-based lifestyle strategies. Chronic diseases and underlying health conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity led to a much higher risk of severe complications from the SARS-COVID19 virus. As hospitals tried to cope with infection surges and limited beds, the world kept being reminded that through better lifestyle habits we can strengthen the immune system, reduce the incidence of chronic diseases, and improve overall health and well-being. In this edition of the journal, this common thread is seen throughout the exemplary work of experts while they highlight the strategies and significant effort and resources that are required to challenge and rethink long-held assumptions and approaches.
After 2 years of not being able to hold in-person meetings, LM2022 provided all of us the opportunity to come together once again to leverage the power of our network to empower each other and Lifestyle Medicine. We want to especially thank the leadership and staff at the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) who did an incredible job of successfully organizing the LM2022 conference despite all the challenges. The LM community especially has emerged from the pandemic stronger and more resilient, now armed more than ever with the tools, knowledge and additional evidence needed to showcase the power of Lifestyle Medicine.
We also want to sincerely thank and congratulate all the healthcare professionals who, against all odds imposed by the chaos of a global pandemic, continued to forge the message of Lifestyle Medicine for the prevention, treatment, and potential reversal of common chronic diseases. The dedication and perseverance of the healthcare workers during the pandemic challenges, through stress and burnout, inspired both hope and unity in the face of adversity. And as we look to the future, it is clear that Lifestyle Medicine has a crucial role to play not just in redesigning healthcare better, but also in bettering the lives of healthcare providers directly. We continue to be excited and inspired by the amazing contributions of so many who have helped the field reach a tipping point and opened the door to even more incredible opportunities ahead.