Is Lifestyle Medicine actually medicine, or is it wellness advice with a doctor attached?
I hear a version of this question often. It’s a fair one. Because unlike in the US, Lifestyle Medicine isn’t yet a formally recognised specialty in Germany, so there’s no established shorthand for what it is.
It’s an evidence-based clinical discipline that treats nutrition, movement, sleep, stress and other everyday factors, as part of a patient’s medical history and treatment plan. And it’s a structured part of conventional medicine, not a substitute for it.
I trained as a general surgeon, and I’m currently completing my Lifestyle Medicine accreditation through the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine (BSLM). The consultations are long, the plans are written down and the goal is the same as any other branch of medicine: a measurable improvement to your health.