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January 2026
Welcome member to
Your Home of Lifestyle Medicine News
Happy New Year! We hope you have had a positive start to 2026, with January offering a moment to reset, reconnect with routines, and look ahead to the year to come.
As always, we would like to take this opportunity to thank our growing Membership and the diverse, passionate Lifestyle Medicine community around us. We are extremely grateful for your continued support and engagement, and for the role you play in building an inclusive and collaborative network across the UK and beyond.
Below, you will find your guide to all things Lifestyle Medicine this month, highlights from January at BSLM, and a look ahead to what is coming up in February.
In this month's newsletter...
HEADLINE NEWS
We are delighted to announce that tickets for BSLM 2026 are now available to our members!
Our annual Lifestyle Medicine conference returns for a packed three-day programme, taking place from the 10th-12th September 2026, and bringing together the very best in evidence-based Lifestyle Medicine from across the UK and beyond. BSLM 2026 promises to be our biggest event yet, celebrating the journey of life through a Lifestyle Medicine lens.
This year’s conference will take place at the Arts Centre on the University of Warwick campus, set within 700 acres of beautiful countryside. We are excited to welcome you to this stunning new setting for what is always the highlight of our year.
There truly is no other conference quite like this in the UK. BSLM 2026 will bring together clinicians, scientists, researchers, health professionals and patients to share learning, challenge thinking and shape the future of health and care.
Full details are available on the BSLM website. You can find the link below.
We’re excited to share our launch video. Please help us spread the word far and wide by sharing it across your networks.
European Lifestyle Medicine Symposium 2026
If you cannot wait until September, there is another opportunity to connect, learn, and collaborate within the Lifestyle Medicine community this spring.
The European Lifestyle Medicine Council, in collaboration with the Croatian Lifestyle Medicine Association, will host an in-person European symposium at the University of Split Medical School on 9th to 10th May 2026. The event is centred on the theme Lifestyle Medicine: Bridging the Health Gap.
The symposium will bring together clinicians, researchers, educators, policymakers, and healthcare leaders from across Europe to explore the evidence base for Lifestyle Medicine. Key areas of focus include the drivers of health, the reversibility of non-communicable diseases, practical approaches to clinical implementation, and the continued development of Lifestyle Medicine across Europe.
The programme will feature expert-led presentations, interactive workshops, and dedicated networking opportunities. It is open to healthcare professionals, students, policymakers, and anyone with an interest in prevention and population health.
LIFESTYLE MEDICINE IN FOCUS
Some noteworthy lifestyle medicine features within the recent news in Britain.
We are pleased to highlight the Uisce Cliste: Healthy Hydration for Dublin project, which is a community-led initiative focused on improving access to safe and free drinking water in Cherry Orchard and Ballyfermot. The research team installed smart water fountains in local football clubs and delivered tailored hydration education for children, adolescents, and adults.
Project findings showed increased water intake and improved knowledge about healthy hydration among participants, alongside a 97% reduction in single-use plastic and aluminium waste. This low-cost intervention addresses both health and environmental challenges, including reduced reliance on sugar-sweetened beverages and lower exposure to microplastic.
BSLM is pleased to draw attention to this work as an example of how Lifestyle Medicine principles can be applied at a community level to support health, equity, and sustainability.
We are pleased to highlight the work of Dr Ellen Fallows, former BSLM Vice President, in her latest article with Dr Bogdan Chiva Guirca and Matthew Lau.
The article explores how Lifestyle Medicine integrates behavioural change with clinical care, including discussion of the six pillars and the opportunities and challenges of embedding lifestyle interventions into routine practice.
It is encouraging to see BSLM’s three core principles of lifestyle medicine reflected throughout the discussion, alongside a growing recognition of the role Lifestyle Medicine can play in supporting sustainable behaviour change, person-centred care, and improved health outcomes.
Lifestyle Medicine Advances launched in November 2025 and is now progressing towards its first issue in Spring 2026. Supported by a strong international Associate Editorial and Editorial Board, the journal is designed to strengthen the evidence base for lifestyle medicine.
We are welcoming original research, reviews and methodological papers from across the lifestyle medicine community. Full details on scope and submission guidance are available via the Lifestyle Medicine Advances website.
Alongside this, we are expanding our reviewer community and inviting research-active clinicians and academics with experience in manuscript review, and expertise in methodology and lifestyle medicine, to get involved from the outset.
Reviewer enquiries: Prof Yitka Graham, Editor-in-Chief — yitka.graham@bslm.org.uk
Other Lifestyle Medicine News and Events
We want to advise our readers that, as a charity, we welcome membership from organisations aligned with our aims, and in line with strict ethical and sponsorship policies in order to provide funding sources to the charity.
If you have a query around the subject matter we will happily discuss this with you, do drop us an email as we want to make sure this content is a good fit for you.
LifeMed Community: Peer-Practice Coaching Sessions – building confidence through practice
Many Lifestyle Medicine clinicians and health professionals tell us the same thing: learning about coaching is valuable, but confidence really grows through practice.
LifeMed Peer-Practice Coaching Sessions are designed to bridge that gap.
These sessions are practical workshops that provide structured and supportive space for
health professionals and coaches to practise coaching skills with peers who understand the realities of clinical work, behaviour change and personalised care. You take turns coaching and being coached, with facilitated reflection built in to support learning, insight and development.
A key part of each session is the opportunity not only to practise coaching, but also to experience being coached. This opportunity is hugely valuable for both personal development and for deepening coaching skills. It offers insight into how coaching questions land, what supports motivation and agency, and how subtle shifts in language and presence can influence outcomes.
These sessions are a welcoming space with no pressure to “get it right”. Peer-practice is about slowing down, experimenting, noticing what happens in the room, and learning through experience — all central to effective coaching and Lifestyle Medicine practice.
Peer-practice sessions are suitable for all health professionals and coaches at every stage of their coaching journey, from those learning to coach and wanting opportunities to practise, to experienced coaches looking to refine their skills or explore new coaching tools in a safe, supportive environment.
Yakult Science for Health: New Publication: Gut-Skin Axis Scoping Review
Yakult Science for Health has proudly collaborated with researchers from King's College London on a comprehensive scoping review investigating the influence of probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics on skin health and disease.
The team analysed 516 studies examining the relationship between these supplements and various aspects of skin health, from general skin condition to the management of diseases such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis and acne.
With Pancake Day approaching in February, Linwoods has shared a breakfast recipe that offers an evidence-informed take on a traditional favourite, combining enjoyment with nutritional value.
These light, flavourful pancakes incorporate Linwoods Milled Flaxseed, alongside lemon and naturally sweetened apple purée, providing a source of fibre, plant-based nutrients, and natural sweetness without added sugars. Topped with a warm blueberry compote, the dish delivers both palatability and nutritional density, while remaining straightforward to prepare.
This recipe serves as a practical example of how familiar foods can be adapted to support everyday healthy eating patterns, aligning taste with nutritional quality rather than positioning them in opposition.
LATEST NEWS AT BSLM
Lifestyle Medicine Perspectives in BBC Coverage
We’re pleased to see our President, Dr Alex Maxwell, featured in a recent BBC article exploring wellbeing trends for 2026.
Dr Maxwell highlights that while nootropics and brain training are attracting growing interest, the most effective support for long-term brain health continues to lie in proven lifestyle foundations such as quality sleep and regular physical activity.
He advocates a “back to basics” approach, encouraging people to engage with emerging wellness trends as complements to everyday healthy habits, rather than substitutes for them.
It’s encouraging to see lifestyle medicine perspectives contributing to the wider conversation about practical, evidence-based approaches to health.
We are so delighted to welcome Dr Toni Brunning and Dr Camille Hirons to new leadership roles at the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine. They are a fantastic addition to the leadership of our society and we can’t wait to see what the future holds now they’ve joined.
Dr Toni Brunning joins BSLM as Trustee and Co-Vice Chair of the Board. A Consultant Anaesthetist working within Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Toni brings extensive experience in medical leadership, education and governance, alongside a strong commitment to compassionate leadership, clinician wellbeing and sustainable medical careers. A Dip IBLM/BSLM graduate, she is deeply focused on embedding lifestyle medicine principles into mainstream healthcare and organisational culture.
We’re also pleased to welcome Dr Camille Hirons as Vice President. An NHS GP, Lifestyle Medicine certified physician and Fellow of BSLM, Camille brings a strong focus on health equity and neighbourhood-based delivery. Her work spans NHS innovation and transformation, the design and scale-up of lifestyle medicine services in underserved communities, and supporting system-wide implementation through the Lifestyle Medicine Accelerator. Both bring a shared commitment to practical, evidence-based lifestyle medicine that works for clinicians, patients and systems.
Please join us in welcoming Toni and Camille to their new roles!
Child Poverty Strategy: A Necessary Step, But Not Enough-By Dr Alex Maxwell MBBS, MRCGP, Dip BSLM, MNU (Dist), FBSLM. President of the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine
The UK’s new child poverty strategy marks a significant step in policy, but the scale and urgency of child poverty remain to be a pressing issue.
In our latest blog, Dr Alex Maxwell, BSLM President, reflects on what poverty means for children in everyday life, from housing instability and food insecurity to the growing pressures on schools and community services.
The strategy includes welcome measures, such as recognising the multidimensional nature of poverty, introducing a “deep material poverty” measure, and lifting the two-child limit in Universal Credit. However, Dr Maxwell argues that these measures will only lead to lasting change if backed by sustained funding, clear accountability, and leadership that prioritises children most at risk.
Aligned Org Highlight: Living Proof: The Chronic Pain Recovery Story Behind ‘Live Well with the Drug Free Doctor’
Did you watch Dr Rangan Chatterjee’s recent Channel 4 documentary, Live Well with the Drug Free Doctor, which featured a chronic pain recovery story?
This story belongs to Fiona, who recovered from chronic pain using neuroplastic (or ‘mind-body’) approaches, including Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT).
Chronic pain affects an estimated 28 million people in the UK. It can be challenging to treat and the root causes are often unclear. In fact, persistent pain is not always a sign of ongoing injury or illness. Instead, it is frequently driven by learnt neural pathways and nervous system dysregulation. Structural and organic causes for symptoms must, of course, always be ruled out by doctors.
PRT offers a structured, brain-based approach to treating unexplained chronic pain (and other persistent symptoms). It combines pain science education, somatic practices and emotional awareness to reduce pain by addressing the underlying neural patterns that keep it going.
This approach is supported by growing research including randomised controlled trial evidence in chronic back pain.
Using PRT, Fiona was able to reclaim her life and is now an Ambassador for Living Proof, a UK-based not-for-profit organisation that exists to raise awareness of the neuroscience behind many chronic symptoms – and to raise hope for recovery using nervous-system informed approaches.
If you would like to learn more about mind-body approaches to treating chronic pain and symptoms, you might be interested in a number of learning opportunities provided by Living Proof:
- On 17th February, Fiona (who featured in the documentary) will be telling her recovery story in detail at ‘Stories of Hope Online’ including Q&A, where participants can put their questions about healing to Fiona and a panel of recoverees
- On 24th March, Vanessa Blackstone (therapist and Director of the Pain Psychology Center) will be a special guest at ‘Stories of Hope and Science’, where she will share her own chronic-pain recovery story - along with a presentation on PRT.
(To register for these events, please click on the links above.)
More generally, if you are curious about how mind-body approaches can be used to support patients with chronic unexplained symptoms, Living Proof offers a CPD-accredited course for healthcare professionals: a detailed introduction to using mindbody medicine in practice. It is written and presented by Dr Sarah Hadfield, GP and Mind-body Practitioner. This course is available to BSLM members at a discounted price through the members' site.
Both Fiona & Sarah shared more information at one of BSLM Monthly Webinars – watch back via the link below!
Aligned Org Highlight: Mind Over Mountains: a nature-based social prescribing offer
Mind Over Mountains is a UK mental health charity offering nature-based wellbeing walks and weekend retreats for adults aged 18+. Our year-round programme supports people experiencing mental health challenges who might benefit from spending time outdoors in nature with like-minded individuals, enjoying community-based support that complements, or sits alongside, other treatment.
Day walks are free and combine guided walking, mindfulness, reflective practices, and access to professional mental health support throughout the session. Trained walk leaders, along with a coach and counsellor, create a safe, inclusive space where participants can feel comfortable opening up.
This approach nurtures wellbeing, builds confidence, and fosters social connection. Participants have the chance to take positive steps towards supporting and restoring their own mental health while connecting with others in nature.
Mind Over Mountains events are ideal for anyone experiencing low mood, anxiety, stress, burnout, social isolation, or long-term mental health challenges. Events run across England and Wales, with bursary places available for retreats.
Your Coaching Journey: Transformational Coaching – A Way of Facilitating Lasting Change
Are you a doctor with an interest in Lifestyle Medicine?
Are you looking to help people make transformational change?
Would you like to help others decide on their own lifestyle choices
Learning transformational coaching techniques will allow you to support individuals and members of groups to create lasting change in their habits and behaviours. Gaining a transformational coaching qualification will help you to feel confident, and competent in coaching sessions within a variety of settings. It will provide you with a wide range of tools to help you to address a multitude of topics that might be brought to the coaching room.
Our internationally accredited Doctors’ Transformational Coaching Diploma is built on foundations of psychology, change-theory and theories of holistic practice, and this approach allows you to work at a deep level with the people you are coaching.
You will learn to help clients explore their beliefs, values, assumptions and ways of seeing the world. You will also learn to help them see their inner and outer worlds with new perspectives, providing them with the agency and motivation to bring about the change they would like to see.
Our Transformational Coaching approach incorporates elements from a variety of coaching and psychological disciplines including:
- The Solution Focused Approach to Coaching
- Person Centred Coaching
- Coaching with Strengths, Values and Purpose
- Positive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Behavioural Coaching
- The Gestalt Approach to Coaching
- Transactional Analysis
Working with us you will be able to gain an accredited coaching qualification in six months from the comfort of your own home whilst working with other doctors in online workshops.
- Accredited by the Association for Coaching (ACCT)
- Approved as CPD by the UKIHCA
To find out about our upcoming courses, download a free PDF, and see what other doctors are saying about this programme visit:
https://yourcoachingjourney.com/doctors-coaching-diploma/
Use Code LM26 for a 20% discount code
If the time’s not right for you just yet, download the PDF and you will receive updates from us by email about future courses.
What's happening in our communities?
Live Well East Lothian Update
Is there something like Live Well East Lothian that you refer your patients to, or something that instills a sense of community and wellbeing? Let us know below, we'd love to share initiatives like this one near you!
Our Podcasts
Microbiome Medics Newest Release:
S1 Ep.36: From High-Stress Law to Holistic Healing: Katherine Saville’s Cancer Journey
FEATURED BSLM EVENTS
Head to the dedicated BSLM events page for the full list of upcoming events...
Welcome back to Webinar Season!
We hope you enjoyed our January return...
... And are looking forward to our upcoming webinar in February
Our previous webinars are below if you want to catch up on them!
Schedule the following in your diary for February 2026!
Future Patient Congress and the Menopause in Practice Conference | 5th February | Grand Connaught Rooms, London
The Future Patient Congress is the perfect opportunity for delegates attending to extend their education, as well as for those interested in the emerging science of longevity to learn how to extend the scope of their practice.
Lifestyle Medicine in Practice Seminar | 10th February 9:30-4:30 | Online Zoom Webinar
This event will showcase Lifestyle Medicine in practice. It will provide the data that lifestyle medicine is the foundation and solution to making a difference in reducing the impact of long-term health conditions for ourselves, and our patients. This event offers 7hrs CPD.
Best Practice London 2026 | 25th-26th February | Olympia London
Join them on 25-26 February at Olympia London for two days of real practice, fresh thinking across 5 dedicated theatres, organised into 4 core streams. Designed for every part of the primary care workforce, the agenda combines practical insights with innovative ideas, and offers the chance to earn up to 12 CPD points.
Neighbourhood health and Group Clinics | ELC Programme | 25th February 12:30-13:30
Join their popular masterclass series and hear from the award-winning pioneers of the Neighbourhood Group Clinic model - Dr Matthew Dolman and Helen Rostron from North Sedgemoor PCN (Somerset).
Learning Academy
This Month’s Learning Academy Update
Happy new year from the Learning Academy. We are excited about the forthcoming developments this year, including more offerings for other team members such as non-clinical staff, moving towards true multi-disciplinary LM education.
Following on from the weight management day last month, the recording is now online if you would like to catch up, alongside recordings of our other CPD days check out the full catalogue here: CPD Seminars
Wishing you all the best for 2026,
The Learning Academy team.
Thought about doing our Core Accreditation?
NHS NETWORKS
Top News Stories in January
Nature boosts mental wellbeing during winter months
Community mental health services
Podcast on frailty and its role in neighbourhood health
Junk food ad ban to protect children’s health
Email us - office@bslm.org.uk
