As coach for the AARP Fat
2 Fit online community, I ask experts to share their insight on issues
involving fitness. One such expert is Dr. Maxine Barish-Wreden, the comedical director of the Sutter
Downtown Integrative Health program in Sacramento, California.
I asked Dr. Max (as her patients
call her), “What is the relationship between lifestyle and the medical problems
your patients come to you for?” Her answer follows:
As a practicing internist, I see
many patients in my office who are dealing with medical symptoms and diseases
that are the result of unhealthy lifestyle choices—poor
nutritional intake, excessive caloric intake, sedentary lifestyles, tobacco
abuse, chronic stress, ongoing unhappiness and social isolation.
Over time, these
choices have led to a costly epidemic of many chronic medical conditions,
including obesity, heart and vascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure,
dementia, arthritis and cancer. The good news is that the human body has a
phenomenal capacity to heal, even after many years of poor self-care.
When we clean up our diets by
eating less meat and more plant-based foods; when we exercise, cut calories and
lose weight; and when we slow down and savor our lives more, we
give ourselves the opportunity to heal, and our bodies often respond
miraculously. It's never too late to begin. Healing is yours when you focus
your intention, attention and action on what you want for yourself.
As her comments convey, Dr. Max strongly believes in the capacity
of the human body, psyche and spirit to heal, given the appropriate
environment. Through treatment of her patients and through her writing, Dr. Max
guides and informs individuals on the positive effects of lifestyle
choices—including nutrition and exercise—on health and wellness.
Maxine
Barish-Wreden, MD
Dr. Maxine Barish-Wreden is the
coauthor of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to
Secrets of Longevity and also coauthors a syndicated newspaper column with
her medical partner, Dr. Kay Judge. Dr. Max holds a bachelor’s degree in
nutrition from the University of Maryland and graduated from the University of
Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine. She has a long-term interest in
complementary medicine, particularly the mind-body-spirit connection.
Comments