BSLM Newsletter December 2021
No images? Click here
Dear member,
This is our last newsletter of 2021, so from the entire team at BSLM: a very merry Christmas and happy new year! Despite the difficulties everyone has faced over the past year or two, we hope you have had a good year and can carry that over into 2022.
At BSLM, we have an exciting year planned, with announcements for the Learning Academy (and more) expected in the coming months, so stay tuned to hear about it all!
One of the biggest issues associated with lifestyle medicine is with the misconceptions surrounding it, and a lack of understanding as to what it actually involves. In response to these issues, BSLM are running a What is Lifestyle Medicine campaign and will continue to share consistent messaging in this regard. Our Chairman, Dr Rob Lawson, has also written a blog aimed at highlighting the rise in recognition of its benefits and current status within healthcare.
This understanding within the healthcare community is important in growing the influence of lifestyle medicine and ensuring it can build a healthier society. The evidence-based approach it utilises is key in improving these lives and reducing the risk of chronic disease.
You can read the full blog by Rob here.
As 2021 draws to a close, so do the 2021 IBLM Exams for all our aspiring lifestyle medicine physicians, professionals and practitioners. BSLM hope that you all exceeded your own expectations, and we are looking forward to continuing this journey with you all next year and beyond...
If you have not yet undertaken the diploma, enrolments are open for the 2022 Exam, so that you can obtain certification from the International Board of Lifestyle Medicine (IBLM).
If you want more insight on the diploma, check out the above video. You can apply for the 2022 certification here.
IN THIS MONTH'S NEWSLETTER
- Announcement on the upcoming January webinar
- New partnership with the MAN V FAT programme
- Sir Jules Thorn Virtual Group Consultation Clinical PhD Studentship
- Catch up on the latest lifestyle medicine news, including new blog releases
- Get the latest NHS Network news stories
BSLM Monthly Member Webinar
Our next member webinar takes place on Tuesday, January 18 and will look at another two key lifestyle medicine topics.
Local GP, Dr Peter Churn will be explaining how he puts lifestyle medicine into practice, while Dr Rohini Bajekal will be exploring Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and the impact lifestyle medicine can have.
The webinar, which is free to BSLM members, starts at 7pm and there's a chance to put your questions to Peter and Rohini at the end of the session.
New Man V Fat Weight Loss Programme
The BSLM are delighted to be working with MAN v FAT to pilot their fantastic digital weight loss programme.
MAN v FAT Challenge is an online weight loss provision targeted specifically at engaging men, which traditionally are a hard to engage demographic. The 14 week programme brings men together into teams with a dedicated coach, where they will compete against other teams to score points for weight loss and competing challenges.
These weekly challenges are based around three core principles: increasing physical activity, improving diet and nutrition, and building healthy habits to embed sustainable lifestyle changes.
These principles are intrinsically linked to BSLM, forming part of the 6 pillars of lifestyle medicine. This makes this partnership perfect going forward, contributing towards a healthier lifestyle within our society.
If you have a patient who is eligible and ready to make a lifestyle change, just hand them a voucher (e-vouchers available for online appointments) with promo code BSLM. A dedicated coach will make contact to complete sign up.
Sir Jules Thorn VGC Clinical PhD Studentship
Applications are being sought for a new PhD studentship through Newcastle University.
The Sir Jules Thorn Virtual Group Consultation Clinical PhD Studentship is open to candidates with an upper second class degree or above in Medicine, Nursing or Allied Health Profession (or cognate discipline).
The three-year PhD starts in April 2022 and will involve carrying out research for a national evaluation study into the rollout of virtual group consultations.
Supervision will in part be carried out by BSLM Director of Science & Research Dr Fraser Birrell, who says the project will "appeal to a Lifestyle Medicine-oriented clinician wanting to acquire research experience/expertise in innovative care models, becoming a leader and independent researcher in this area."
Applications close 9th January 2022.
This newsletter contains images. Download them for the full experience
Lifestyle Medicine Latest News
Mental Health at Christmas
Although Christmas is a time for celebration, for many it is the time of year that they struggle most. There are numerous problems that people have to deal with, and mental health is one of the biggest.
Rehab 4 Addiction have written a blog that provides tips on how to cope with the various mental health issues people face during this time. This includes problems such as anxiety and stress, eating disorders, addiction and depression.
Read the full blog here.
The Gut Disorder Epidemic
An apparent epidemic of gut complaints may be down to the fact that many modern food trends don't sit well with our large intestine. There is a clear variety of conditions that range in severity, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
Dr Gerald Davies explores this epidemic, providing fascinating insight into the function of the gut and how to create a healthy Microbiome.
You can check out the full blog here.
Lifestyle Medicine and the Social Determinants of Health
In the UK, healthy life expectancy is stalling and inequalities are widening. So where does lifestyle medicine come in? And how do we ensure our evidence-based discipline reduces inequalities - rather than widens them?
For the BSLM blog this month, GP and BSLM Learning Academy Director, Dr Ellen Fallows, argues for a new approach, based on ‘3 principles of lifestyle medicine’. To be effective we need to combine the skills of lifestyle medicine with the knowledge (the six pillars) alongside a commitment to addressing the socio-economic determinants of health.
Read Ellen's blog on the socio-economic determinants of health
BSLM Annual Conference 2021: The EICC Returns to In-Person Events
In early September, we hosted our annual lifestyle medicine conference, with a total of over 750 guests attending over the 3-day hybrid event. It was a great success, with last year's conference being restricted to virtual-only, as the in-person attendees enjoyed the face-to-face interaction it brought.
The Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) provided a fantastic venue for the conference to go ahead in, and have recently released an article on BSLM2021 and its benchmark as the return of in-person events.
Read the full post here.
Cochrane Sustainable Healthcare Joins Forces With the BMJ
In order to explore new ways to make health systems healthier, Cochrane Sustainable Healthcare has partnered with the British Medical Journal to release a new podcast series.
The podcast is called 'The Recovery - Voices of action towards sustainable healthcare' and is co-hosted by The BMJ’s Editor in Chief Dr Fiona Godlee and journalist and Bond University health researcher Dr Ray Moynihan.
The series will feature compelling and inspirational conversations with healthcare researchers, doctors, and activists from around the world who are actively working to wind back medical excess and forge more sustainable healthcare systems to improve our health, wellbeing, and climate.
Find out more by clicking here.
NICE Updates Guidelines to Managing Long-term Effects of Covid-19
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence have updated the guidelines for managing the long-term effects of Covid-19.
This guideline covers identifying, assessing and managing the long-term effects of COVID-19, often described as ‘long COVID’. It makes recommendations about care in all healthcare settings for adults, children and young people who have new or ongoing symptoms four weeks or more after the start of acute COVID-19. It also includes advice on organising services for long COVID.
Check out the full guidelines here.
Hybrid Academic Conferences: A Greener and Better Future for Conferences?
Although the virtual aspect of conferences has been somewhat forced upon us in recent years, given the Covid-19 pandemic, it has highlighted the opportunity to evolve how future conferences take place.
A hybrid approach brings many benefits that may not be seen in as great effect with either a solely in-person or virtual conference. The BJGP have spoken on the nature of hybrid conferences and how they could become more frequently adopted in the future.
Read here.
Plant Based Nutrition
8 week distance learning course - starts Feb 7th 2022
BSLM has teamed up with the University of Winchester to offer an eight-week course in Plant Based Nutrition. The course is designed for health professionals who would like to incorporate evidence-based nutrition into their practice and will help you answer questions such as what is a healthy plant-based diet; how can it be achieved; and what are the benefits?
NEdPro Global Centre's Key Project
The NNEdPro Global Centre’s key project under the nutrition education domain is the Nutrition Education Policy for Healthcare Practice (NEPHELP). The NEPHELP initiative aims to improve nutrition education to help healthcare professionals recognise and treat nutrition related problems.
If you are a GP or an Independent Primary Care Practitioner in the UK, please fill in the short form, by clicking the link below, to request free access to the Nutrition Education Policy in Healthcare Practice (NEPHELP) Virtual Learning Environment.
Plant Based Health Online: Virtual Group Consultations
Plant based health online (PBHO) is a CQC regulated lifestyle medicine healthcare service providing online support from a doctor-led team of healthcare professionals. There are currently still spaces available for colorectal, prostate and breast cancer groups. Plant Based Health Online uses an evidence-based diet and lifestyle approach to support patients living with common chronic illnesses and cancer. They are now running virtual group consultations for cancer survivorship, type 2 diabetes, weight management and other conditions. You can find out more about their services by visiting the Plant-Based Health Online website here
Reset Your Health
Until May 5th, 2022 (Online)
Reset Your Health is an informative and individualised online programme which equips the user with evidence-based nutritional advice and the practical skills they need to eat healthily. Using a detailed ingredient-based algorithm RYH provides recipes personalised to an individual’s food preferences, dietary requirements and health conditions helping reverse health conditions caused by lifestyle.
Afternoon Tea with Docs
Every Sunday at 5pm (Online on Zoom)
Join Dr Linda Mizun and Dr Erica Lin every Sunday for relaxed and educational health and lifestyle medicine discussion aimed at health professionals and the general public.
Lifestyle Medicine in Clinical Practice
Until January 1st, 2022 (Online)
Online Digital CPD Course 2. Accredited for 10 CPD hours by BSLM. This course has been created for busy NHS clinicians to enable them to practice evidence- based Lifestyle Medicine with their patients. CPD which is inspiring and will help you to feel more fulfilled in your career.
Social Prescribing Link Workers can Help Reduce Health Inequalities
Health care is about far more than responding to ill health, with it key to addressing and preventing drivers such as social injustice and health inequalities. This personalised care approach plays a crucial role in empowering and enabling people to take control of their own health and wellbeing, improving health outcomes. There are multiple ways in which an effective societal implementation of social prescribing can improve these outcomes, such as helping GPs and increasing the recruitment of SPLWs.
