As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, many people are taking stock of health factors they might have let slide or that got worse during months on end of staying at home.Whether health issues are newly discovered, or if patients have struggled with diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity or other chronic conditions for quite some time, lifestyle medicine doctors are encouraging patients to take steps toward reversing disease by giving them the resources and support to do it.About a year and a half ago, Eva Delgado made a commitment that got her where she is today.”This is the happiest that I’ve been in a long, long time,” said Delgado.But getting to that happy place has been a journey for Delgado.On medication for Type 2 diabetes, carrying excess weight and struggling with lack of energy and other health risk factors, Delgado made a lifestyle change with the goal of improving her health and reversing disease. It’s a change that began with her mindset.”I had to be positive. I had to be motivated. I had to set my goals of what I wanted to achieve,” said Delgado. “In doing so, I have so many benefits.”She joined a healthy lifestyle program support group through Kaiser Permanente, which continued its regular check-ins in a virtual format during the pandemic.Next came an overhaul in her nutrition. Delgado transitioned to a plant-based way of eating — enjoying the process of preparing her meals at home.Then came movement. Exercise she did right in her own back yard.”I think many people have heard, ‘OK, you should go on a better diet, you need to exercise.’ But how do you really do this?” said Dr. Rajiv Misquitta, an internal medicine physician and medical director of Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento’s Lifestyle Medicine Department.Misquitta’s work involves not only treating patients with chronic disease, but also educating them on how to prevent or even reverse it, something that’s a challenge for some patients to grasp at first.”They know that they have to take medications,” Misquitta explained. “But is there another method to actually treat this that can be holistic and maybe even reverse the disease?”Along with nutrition and exercise, another key component of lifestyle medicine is stress reduction, according to Misquitta.He suggests three ideas to help keep anxiety at bay:1. Practice daily moments of mindfulness”Just take a minute out from what you’re doing, close your eyes, take a deep breath and focus on your breath,” he said.2. Take a walk”Walking outside takes your mind off everything and it’s almost like meditation,” Misquitta continued.3. Find gratitude about something that happened in your day”Studies have shown having gratitude actually makes you feel better,” he said.No drastic measures. No magic pills. Simple steps that anyone can take, starting today.”It’s more than just treating the disease, it’s transforming their lives,” said Misquitta.As someone who’s proof that transformation is attainable, Delgado encourages others to find balance in their professional and personal lives to make lifestyle changes like this happen.”It’s been a very, very gratifying journey for me because I am so busy, and I’m still able to make it work,” she said.The lifestyle changes Delgado incorporated helped her to lose weight and maintain that weight loss. She’s experienced improvement with sleep and energy levels. She exercises without pain. And she’s managed to drastically lower her blood sugar levels — effectively reversing her Type 2 diabetes.She only has one slight regret, and that is not starting this process sooner.”What took me so long? I shoulda done this years ago!” Delgado exclaimed. “But it’s never too late to start.”
As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, many people are taking stock of health factors they might have let slide or that got worse during months on end of staying at home.
Whether health issues are newly discovered, or if patients have struggled with diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity or other chronic conditions for quite some time, lifestyle medicine doctors are encouraging patients to take steps toward reversing disease by giving them the resources and support to do it.
About a year and a half ago, Eva Delgado made a commitment that got her where she is today.
“This is the happiest that I’ve been in a long, long time,” said Delgado.
But getting to that happy place has been a journey for Delgado.
On medication for Type 2 diabetes, carrying excess weight and struggling with lack of energy and other health risk factors, Delgado made a lifestyle change with the goal of improving her health and reversing disease. It’s a change that began with her mindset.
“I had to be positive. I had to be motivated. I had to set my goals of what I wanted to achieve,” said Delgado. “In doing so, I have so many benefits.”
She joined a healthy lifestyle program support group through Kaiser Permanente, which continued its regular check-ins in a virtual format during the pandemic.
Next came an overhaul in her nutrition. Delgado transitioned to a plant-based way of eating — enjoying the process of preparing her meals at home.
Then came movement. Exercise she did right in her own back yard.
“I think many people have heard, ‘OK, you should go on a better diet, you need to exercise.’ But how do you really do this?” said Dr. Rajiv Misquitta, an internal medicine physician and medical director of Kaiser Permanente South Sacramento’s Lifestyle Medicine Department.
Misquitta’s work involves not only treating patients with chronic disease, but also educating them on how to prevent or even reverse it, something that’s a challenge for some patients to grasp at first.
“They know that they have to take medications,” Misquitta explained. “But is there another method to actually treat this that can be holistic and maybe even reverse the disease?”
Along with nutrition and exercise, another key component of lifestyle medicine is stress reduction, according to Misquitta.
He suggests three ideas to help keep anxiety at bay:
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1. Practice daily moments of mindfulness
“Just take a minute out from what you’re doing, close your eyes, take a deep breath and focus on your breath,” he said.
2. Take a walk
“Walking outside takes your mind off everything and it’s almost like meditation,” Misquitta continued.
3. Find gratitude about something that happened in your day
“Studies have shown having gratitude actually makes you feel better,” he said.
No drastic measures. No magic pills. Simple steps that anyone can take, starting today.
“It’s more than just treating the disease, it’s transforming their lives,” said Misquitta.
As someone who’s proof that transformation is attainable, Delgado encourages others to find balance in their professional and personal lives to make lifestyle changes like this happen.
“It’s been a very, very gratifying journey for me because I am so busy, and I’m still able to make it work,” she said.
The lifestyle changes Delgado incorporated helped her to lose weight and maintain that weight loss. She’s experienced improvement with sleep and energy levels. She exercises without pain. And she’s managed to drastically lower her blood sugar levels — effectively reversing her Type 2 diabetes.
She only has one slight regret, and that is not starting this process sooner.
“What took me so long? I shoulda done this years ago!” Delgado exclaimed. “But it’s never too late to start.”