TLC—when I was growing up that meant tender loving care. In today’s world the initials TLC also stand for Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes. This TLC is the latest term to describe medically based, structured, supportive programs to help people lower their risk and to reverse life-threatening conditions such as hypertension, stroke, diabetes and heart disease. The purpose of this program is to help people improve eating habits, exercise, manage stress, quit smoking, and learn how to lead an active life style. Unfortunately, due to being inundated with patients and lack of time, the medical profession often ignores TLC. That is something that is very costly to both the patient and to the economy as a whole. It is much cheaper to improve your health without drugs or surgery.
Dr. Neil Gordon, M.D., PhD, who is a preventive cardiologist, headed a study published in 2004 in the Journal of Cardiology, reported the effectiveness of a 12-week community- based lifestyle management program. This particular program was geared toward people with hypertension, abnormal cholesterol, and diabetes. Dr. Gordon and his team found that many of the patients achieved their goals–without medication. Specifically:
·67% of people lowered their blood pressure to their stated goals
·39% of people lowered their blood sugar to acceptable levels
·21% of people lowered the LDL Cholesterol to their goal level
It is important when beginning a TLC program that you are first evaluated to access your current health status and to see what your risk of disease is. Then you need to state your outcome goals for the program. Do you want to lower cholesterol, blood pressure or blood sugar? Do you need to quit smoking? And now how are you going to reach those goals? You may choose a combination of dietary change along with a well-rounded exercise program. You may also need to add some behavioral therapy into the equation. Each program needs to be set up individually, keeping in mind the patient’s abilities to exercise, their daily schedule, and their capacity to stick to a program.
It may be easier to prescribe drug therapy for a patient. If the root cause can be treated and preventative measures can be taken, this should be the first step. Even if one needs to take medication, those medicines will likely work much better in conjunction with TLC. TLC doesn’t just treat the symptoms; it treats the underlying problems and works to prevent you from getting unhealthy. TLC is so effective that 54% of US Corporations have incorporated it into their work place. The results are more productivity in the workplace as workers take less sick-days, and workers get more tasks accomplished each day.
There is no doubt that there are times when drug therapy is the only recourse. But always ask you doctor if you can try TLC first. Go and see a lifestyle coach or personal trainer and try it first. Try the websites for the American Heart Association at www.americanheart.org or Medline Plus at http://medlineplus.gov/healthyliving.html for some help and guidance. Even if it doesn’t work completely, it can lower your drug dosages substantially. And even if you are perfectly healthy, TLC is the best preventative medicine around. Using Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes is great way to “add hours to your day, days to your year, and years to your life.”
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Alan Freishtat is an A.C.E. CERTIFIED PERSONAL TRAINER and a LIFESTYLE FITNESS COACH with over 10 years of professional experience. He is the co-director of the Jerusalem-based weight loss center Lose It! together with Linda Holtz M.S. and is available for private consultations, assessments and personalized workout programs. Alan also lectures and gives seminars and workshops. He can be reached at 02-651-8502 or 050-555-7175, or by email at [email protected].
(Alan Freishtat – YWN)
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One Response
Mr. Freishtat would wholeheartedly agree that the biggest change one can make to reducing high blood pressure, higher than healthy blood sugar levels, and lowering LDL cholesterol is a radical shift in diet away from junk food. Tour your local kosher market and survey the huge inventory of products with a hechsher designed to titillate the taste buds and kill you. U’becharta b’chaim applies in the food market, too.