By Dr Lydia Altini MBBCh DipIBLM NBCHWC “No western disease has been reported to be other than rare or uncommon in communities subsisting largely on foods rich in starch and fibre and low in fat, salt and sugar.” Dennis Burkitt, MD As a medical student, I remember...

By Amanda Oakes-Cornellissen Living in a hyperconnected world In today’s digital age, screens have become inseparable from daily life – used for work, education, social connection, and entertainment.  However, what was once a tool for convenience has increasingly...

By Dr David Glass We fall and scrape our knees, and a few weeks later,  the scars are barely visible.  We slip off a rock and land hard on our chest, breaking a rib.  For a few weeks, we have to sleep at night lying propped up in bed because of the pain.  But six...

By Dr Nyasha Gogoma Picture this: rose petals strewn across the floor, a heart-shaped box of chocolates, a chilled bottle of wine, and a gourmet candlelit dinner – a Valentine’s Day scene straight out of a TikTok. The 14th of February can be a highly polarising day;...

By Dr Megan Michaux Perhaps the black sheep of the lifestyle medicine family, the harmful substances and behaviours pillar, often gets pushed aside during discussions and consultations. Why? Maybe because it is one of the most challenging areas to change, or because...

Dr Lydia Altini MBBCh DipIBLM In early November, the first-ever South African clinical practice guideline for treating adult obesity was published in a Special Issue of the South African Medical Journal (SAMJ).1 With obesity now a global epidemic driving major health,...

By: Dr Megan Michaux As healthcare professionals, most of our training focuses on the classic one-to-one consultation. We’re taught how to listen actively, show empathy, and keep the conversation centred on the patient in front of us. But what happens when the...

There is a huge societal stigma associated with addiction.  Many people view addiction as a sign of weakness or lack of willpower.  But we now have a whole new understanding of addiction and its management.  The following points will be covered briefly in this blog:...

By Dr Odette Vos As lifestyle medicine practitioners, we often find ourselves caught in a familiar cycle: patients presenting with chronic disease symptoms, motivated at least verbally for change, and yet, weeks or months later, we find ourselves treating the same...

By Dr Tumi Moshoeshoe-Mthombeni The Earth is in a state of emergency, and its symptoms are manifesting in our daily lives. From the sweltering heat of our cities to the parched farmlands, climate change is not a distant threat but a present-day reality that is deeply...