How to decrease your reliance on medical interventions?
Lifestyle diseases call for lifestyle prevention
As modern societies have undergone a shift from infections to non-communicable diseases being the primary cause of poor health, our language surrounding health has also evolved. “Lifestyle diseases” are non-communicable diseases.
By definition, they‘re caused by personal choice. Therefore, they are preventable.
Dealing with non-communicable diseases can come with a hefty price tag. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritize primary prevention and stay vigilant about early symptoms of such ailments to maintain your personal health. If people don’t take responsibility for improving their lifestyle choices, it is anticipated that the prevalence of these lifestyle diseases will only continue to rise over time.
The causes of illness
The health condition of a population in the developed world is significantly determined by lifestyle. Lifestyle diseases are caused by lack of physical activity, unhealthy eating, alcohol, substance use disorders and smoking tobacco. These habits significantly increase your risk of developing serious health conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes.
In turn, these conditions can significantly increase your risk of developing chronic non-communicable diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, and vascular dementia.
Modern treatment of lifestyle diseases
Lifestyle changes are the first line of treatment recommended in many practice guidelines. As a result, lifestyle is not only a public health concern but also a clinically relevant issue in the management of various illnesses, particularly chronic diseases. To address the existing gaps and provide continuity between preventative medicine and current patient-centered clinical practice, the emergence of “lifestyle medicine” is gaining traction.
Lifestyle medicine not only focuses on preventing illnesses by reducing risks but also on managing and treating conditions that have already developed, often in a more cost-effective way than traditional treatments involving drugs.
They say preventive medicine is the best medicine, and we agree. When it comes to lifestyle diseases, prevention through lifestyle changes is key.
Five main goals of healthcare improvement
A lifestyle medicine approach to population care has the potential to arrest the decades-long rise in the prevalence of chronic conditions and their burdensome costs. Patient and provider satisfaction often results from a lifestyle medicine approach, which strongly aligns the framework for healthcare improvement that aims to achieve five main goals:
- better health outcomes,
- lower costs,
- improved patient satisfaction,
- improved provider well-being,
- and advancement of health equity.
Lifestyle medicine is the foundation for a redesigned, value-based and equitable healthcare delivery system, leading to whole person health.
The burden of chronic disease: mental health
Lifestyle is directly related to various health conditions such as coronary disease, stroke, hypertension, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), osteoporosis, neoplasms, back and muscle pain, migraines, constipation, allergic pathologies, sexually transmitted diseases (STD), infertility, erectile dysfunction, and numerous mental disorders.
Among these, mental illnesses contribute significantly to the overall disease burden due to their high prevalence, early onset, persistence, and dysfunction.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says that mental health problems contribute to 31% of the years people live with a disability, and 1.4% of the years people lose due to illness or death. However, this figure is likely underestimated, as it excludes suicides. Schizophrenia and related psychoses, bipolar affective disorder, major depression, and panic disorder are the primary contributors to the global disease burden. By 2030, unipolar depression is predicted to be the primary cause of the total disease burden.
Our proposed solution
We have developed myAVOS, a groundbreaking digital wellness app that leverages cutting-edge design and technology to support those living with or affected by dementia and its comorbidities, which often include conditions such as hypertension and diabetes.
With a powerful risk calculator that uses advanced algorithms to calculate an individual’s potential for late-life dementia, as well as monthly cognitive assessments using speech-enabled digital biomarkers, myAVOS offers unparalleled insights into your cognitive health. Plus, with a conversational interface providing access to a curated database of answers, it’s like having a personal assistant in your pocket.
To top it all off, myAVOS also integrates with wireless devices to track your lifestyle habits and provide personalized guidance on lifestyle changes to prevent the onset of lifestyle diseases.
Join the myAVOS community today and take control of your cognitive health journey!
Ready to transform your life, but feeling uncertain? Let’s take the first step together!
Start by downloading myAVOS from the US App Store today! With this innovative digital wellness application at your fingertips, you can gain unparalleled insights into your own brain fitness and receive personalized guidance on lifestyle changes.
And while you’re at it, don’t miss out on our must-read article on how to make lifestyle changes that can transform your well-being. And for even more information on the power of lifestyle modification, check out this insightful piece.
Credits: Meet Albrecht Tribukait PhD, MBA, a transformational leader with over 20 years of international experience at the intersection of science, policy, and regulation in Biotech and FMCG industries. With extensive expertise in national and supranational regulation of consumer and non-food products, Albrecht has published scientific and clinical research and established groundbreaking partnerships with NGOs and government research organizations. Holding a Ph.D. in Natural Sciences and an MBA from Anaheim University Akio Morita School of Business, Albrecht also holds postgraduate certificates from Oxford and Hull.
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