Lifestyle Medicine is the use of evidence-based lifestyle therapeutic interventions—including a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, regular physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and positive social connection—as a primary modality, delivered by clinicians trained and certified in this specialty, to prevent, treat, and often reverse chronic disease. (As defined by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine)
Lifestyle Medicine can also be defined as, “The application of environmental, behavioural, medical and motivational principles to the management (including self-care and self-management) of lifestyle-related health problems in a clinical and/or public health setting” (Egger et al, 2017).
An important aspect of Lifestyle Medicine includes understanding the numerous societal and environmental drivers which impact non-communicable diseases. These are more challenging to modify as they require change at societal and political levels.
Lifestyle Medicine is the foundation of conventional medicine and bridges the gap between health promotion and clinical practice. The majority of clinical practice guidelines for non-communicable diseases support Lifestyle Medicine as the first line of treatment. Despite this, very little about the practical implementation of Lifestyle Medicine is taught at medical schools. Ideally, Lifestyle Medicine should involve and include clinicians, allied and public health professionals, healthcare executives, researchers, scientists and educators working together to prevent, manage and treat conditions that result from:
- Unhealthy diet or nutrition
- Physical inactivity
- Inadequate and poor quality sleep
- Chronic stress and anxiety
- Smoking
- Overconsumption of alcohol
- Lack of social connectedness
- And many more societal and environmental influences
Lifestyle Medicine is a scientific discipline and a global movement for a positive change in health, healthcare, society, environment and our future.
If you support lifestyle interventions as the first-line therapy for many chronic diseases, and if you support advocating for policy change so that a healthier society and environment can be created, then please become a member or sign up to our newsletter to be kept informed.
ABOUT SALMA
MISSION
SALMA seeks to nationally promote Lifestyle Medicine as the first and optimal treatment option for chronic diseases of lifestyle; to collaborate with international evidence-based and physician-led lifestyle medicine organisations to represent South Africa in advancing lifestyle medicine globally; to support our members in their individual practices to promote the principles of Lifestyle Medicine, thus working towards eradicating the root causes of non-communicable diseases.
OUR BOARD
DR DARCELLE SCHOUW
Msc Sports Science, PhD Family Medicine, LMCA
Chairperson
Dr Darcelle Schouw, is a Lifestyle Medicine Practitioner, Senior Implementation Science Researcher at Stellenbosch University, the University of Cape Town and CDIA, and Founder and CEO of Lifestyle Med. With a Master’s degree in Sports Science, a PhD in Family Medicine and accreditation through the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine (BSLM), she brings over 30 years of experience to her passion for helping people live healthier, fuller lives.
DR MELISSA JANSE VAN VUREN
MBChB, MSc Sport and Exercise Medicine, PhD (Can)
Treasurer
Dr Melissa Janse van Vuren completed her undergraduate medical degree in 2015 at the University of the Free State. Although she initially wanted to become a surgeon, her initial training made her realise the great need for preventive care rather than treating complications of chronic conditions. She then went on to complete her Master’s in Sport and Exercise Medicine through Stellenbosch University and is currently pursuing a PhD focused on improving university students’ health and lifestyles. She is also busy with her Lifestyle Medicine accreditation through SALMA.
She has her own GP practice in Worcester where she integrates Sport and Lifestyle Medicine. Her approach centres on making science-based care simple, personal, and achievable, helping people live healthier, fuller lives, with a particular focus on physical activity and cardiometabolic health.
Outside of work, she enjoys running, the outdoors, music, painting, getting creative in the kitchen with healthy recipes, and spending time with her husband and their two dogs.
DR TSHEGOFATSO MAIMELA
MBBCh, MMed (Community Health), FCPHM(SA)
Director
Dr Tshegofatso Maimela is a Public Health Medicine specialist, academic and health systems leader with interests in preventive health and Lifestyle Medicine, health systems strengthening, digital health and health promotion. She holds a joint appointment with the University of the Witwatersrand and Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital, with responsibilities spanning undergraduate and postgraduate medical teaching, training and professional development.
As a Director of SALMA, she aims to grow academic partnerships, strengthen the organisation’s research portfolio, and contribute to advancing a national research agenda for preventive health and Lifestyle Medicine, integrating evidence-based prevention and health promotion across clinical practice, health professions education and health systems.
DR TUMISO MALATJI
MBChB (UCT), MFAM, MEd (WITS), FCPHM (SA)
Director
Dr. Tumiso Malatji is a specialist in public health medicine and family medicine, with over 15 years of experience in the public sector across various health system levels. She is Head of the Clinical Unit of Public Health Medicine for the Limpopo Provincial Department of Health, where she oversees programs related to Communicable Disease Control, Infection Prevention and Control, Environmental Health, and Child Vaccination. Additionally, as a senior lecturer at the University of Limpopo, she teaches undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Public Health Medicine. A highly knowledgeable healthcare expert, Dr. Malatji has expertise in communicable and non-communicable disease prevention and control, health system management, and research. She has been instrumental in the public health response to the recent COVID-19, Cholera, and measles outbreaks in Limpopo. In 2023, Dr Malatji completed the International Health Program in Public Health Leadership at the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington.
Prof Heike Geduld
MBChB DipPEC MMed FCEM FIFEM
Vice – Chair
Heike is an Emergency Medicine Specialist currently employed by the Western Cape Department of Health and Wellness. She is an Extraordinary Associate Professor in Emergency Medicine at Stellenbosch University having spent the last 20 years in academic emergency care and health professions education. Heike has a deep commitment to global health and African health systems development and was a founder member of the African Federation for Emergency Medicine and the Women in Global Health South African Chapter.
After her own health journey, Heike is a passionate advocate for Lifestyle Medicine and is in the process of completing her SALMA accreditation. She is driven by the potential for lifestyle medicine principles to underpin all healthcare training and through integration into our health service, improve the health and wellness of all.
Amanda Oakes-Cornellissen
B.Sc. Physiotherapy MLife Med
Secretary
Amanda Oakes-Cornellissen qualified as a Physiotherapist from the University of the Free State in 2001 and has since built a diverse career in both public and private practice. She currently runs her own private Physiotherapy practice in Kathu, Northern Cape, where she continues to support individuals in achieving better health and wellbeing.
Her passion for preventive healthcare and sustainable lifestyle change led her to pursue further studies in Lifestyle Medicine. In 2018, Amanda obtained her Postgraduate Diploma in Lifestyle Medicine from Avondale University in Australia, followed by a Master of Lifestyle Medicine from the same institution in 2022. In February 2026, she qualified as a Health & Wellness Coach through HCA (Health Coaches Academy) in the UK. She is currently a PhD candidate through Avondale University, with a continued focus on advancing the application of Lifestyle Medicine to improve the mental health of a clergy cohort.
Outside of her professional and academic pursuits, she enjoys experimenting with new plant-based recipes, staying active at the gym, and teaching Pilates classes to Kathu residents.
Dr TUMI MOSHOESHOE
MbChB, FCP(SA), MMed Internal Medicine (Wits), Diploma Lifestyle Medicine (IBLM), Diploma HIV Management (SA)
Director
Dr Tumi Moshoeshoe-Mthombeni, MD, FCP(SA) is a Specialist Physician and Lifestyle Medicine practitioner committed to advancing evidence-based, whole-person approaches to the prevention and management of chronic disease. She completed both her undergraduate medical degree and postgraduate specialist training at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), and obtained her Diploma in Lifestyle Medicine through the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) in 2024.
Her academic interests include chronic disease prevention, metabolic health, obesity, health behaviour change and patient self-management. Her research has explored the role of health education and self-management behaviours in improving outcomes for people living with chronic disease, with her work published in the medical literature.
Dr Moshoeshoe-Mthombeni is the founder of U-Reap Health, a Johannesburg-based Lifestyle Medicine practice, and co-founder of TLC Lifestyle Medicine, focused on health and stress-management education. She serves on the Board of the South African Lifestyle Medicine Association (SALMA), where she leads the Academic Portfolio, working to strengthen evidence-based Lifestyle Medicine education and advance its integration into mainstream healthcare and medical education across Southern Africa.
PAST BOARD AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS
DR DAVID GLASS
MBChB, FCOG (SA), DipIBLM
Chairperson
DR JENNIFER BRUENTRUP-TAYLOR
MBChB, BScHons (Reproductive Biology), DipIBLM
Vice Chairperson
DR LYDIA ALTINI
MBBCh, DipIBLM, NBC-HWC
Secretary
DR ROXANNE BECKER
MBChB, DipIBLM
Board Member
Dr Yakira Mishan
MBBCh, DipIBLM
President
Dr Caela Van Niekerk
MBBCh
Treasurer
Dr Eden Lurie
MBChB
Website Management Portfolio
Dr Nyasha GRACE GOGOMA
MBBCh, DipIBLM
President
Dr MEGAN Michaux
MBChB
Vice President
Dr odette vos
MBChB / DipPEC / Msc Public Health
Public Relations Portfolio
Dr PRISCILLA DJAN
MBChB
Social Media Portfolio
KIRSTEN STEENKAMP
AppSocSci (Psychology)
Community Manager