About Lifestyle Medicine
SALMA aims to establish and expand the practice of Lifestyle Medicine in South Africa by providing resources, facilitating certification and providing support to its members.
What is lifestyle medicine?
Pillars of change
Physical Activity
Recommendations support 75 -300 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week.
Healthy Eating
Lifestyle Medicine supports the use of a whole food plant-based diet as treatment for lifestyle-related chronic disease, which increases the intake of nutrient dense, antioxidant rich foods.
Stress Management
Mind-body and cognitive behavioral therapies have been associated with improvements in immune function, chronic pain, anxiety and depression.
Avoidance of Risky Substances
The presence of an addiction or risky use doubles the risk of chronic diseases.
Restorative Sleep
The recommended hours of sleep are 7-8 hours each night.
Positive Social Connections
Positive moments of social connection correlate with positive physiological responses.
We are excited to invite you to our August Webinar!
AUGUST 2026 Webinar
This month we are delighted to welcome Mia Lombard, a MSc Med Neuroscience graduate from the University of Cape Town, with training in psychiatric genetics and epigenetics. Her academic work focused on how early-life environments – particularly maternal psychological distress during pregnancy – can influence child neurodevelopment and mental health through epigenetic pathways. This work shaped her passion for translating complex neuroscience into practical, evidence-based strategies. She now applies this knowledge to animal behaviour and wellbeing, combining her neuroscience background with evidence-based, positive reinforcement approaches to understand behaviour from the inside out and support the physical, emotional and behavioural wellbeing of animals and their caregivers.
In this session, you’ll:
- Describe the prevalence and clinical relevance of maternal psychological distress in South Africa and other LMIC’s (Low-and-middle-income countries).
- Explain how prenatal psychological distress may influence child neurodevelopment and mental health through epigenetics.
- Interpret key findings from a South African birth cohort study linking maternal distress to early language development outcomes.
- Recognise pregnancy as a biologically sensitive window in which maternal mental health may influence child health outcomes via epigenetic mechanisms.
MISSED OUT ON OUR WEBINAR?
WATCH it here….
What is Lifestyle Medicine?
WHAT WE OFFER
Education
We provide CPD accredited education for medical and health professionals to support the integration of Lifestyle Medicine into their practices
Certification
Membership
Join the Lifestyle Medicine movement and support us to advocate for a change in healthcare so together we can address the underlying drivers of non-communicable diseases in South Africa.
Find a Certified Lifestyle Medicine Health Professional
Lifestyle medicine certified clinicians have specialised knowledge in the practice of lifestyle medicine. They are trained to apply evidence-based, whole-person, prescriptive lifestyle change to treat and, when used intensively, often reverse chronic conditions including, but not limited to obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
FEATURED ARTICLES
Whats new…
Kale Pesto
This tasty and nutrient-packed pesto can be used on sandwiches, in nourish bowls, and as a pasta sauce. Ingredients 2 packed cups of curly kale, washed 2 cups fresh basil, washed 1-2 garlic cloves 1 1/2 tbsp nutritional yeast 1 1/2 tbsp cashew butter or other nut...
Rethinking Our Approach to Lifestyle Change in Chronic Disease: A Call for Action
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...
A Prescription for Resilience: Tackling South Africa’s Climate Health Crisis with Lifestyle Medicine
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...
Getting Creative with Legumes: Minty Pea and White Bean Dip
Did you know that eating legumes most days will help you live longer? Dietary surveys in blue zones found that 95% of 100-year-olds ate plenty of legumes, including various beans, lentils and peas as part of their predominantly plant-based diet. Not only are they...
Dahl recipe (Durban style)
This is a recipe for Durban-style Dhal, an Indian plant-based curry that is delicious and cozy. Perfect for a chilly winter day! Ingredients: 2 cups Yellow split peas One onion Garlic and chili (as much as you like) 1 tomato optional Cinnamon sticks Curry leaves...
Precision Living – Tailoring Lifestyle to Beat Obesity-related Cancers
By: Amanda Oakes-Cornellissen Cancer is one of the most formidable diseases worldwide, and its impact intensifies when combined with obesity. In their April 2025 perspective “Personalized Lifestyle Interventions for Prevention and Treatment of Obesity-Related...