And health news prescribing lifestyle changes.

That's what a new program with Appalachian Regional Health Care aims to do.

Earlier this year, the health system launched the lifestyle medicine service line at its clinic in hazard.

Making the initiative the first of its kind in Kentucky.

Lasso medicine is a medical specialty that uses evidence based everyday lifestyle interventions, as are for for a medical care.

And that may differ a little bit from primary care.

Because we do not prescribe medication, we prescribe lifestyle changes.

We focus on whole person health and going back to the root causes and what's causing some of these chronic conditions such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, obesity.

We focus on six core areas.

But they call the pillars of lifestyle medicine, which are nutrition, physical activity, stress management, sleep avoidance of risky substances, as well as positive social connection.

So we see how all of those interact together, and ways that we can make some small habit changes to reduce our risk of chronic disease, treat chronic disease, and even often hopefully reverse chronic disease.

So rural populations like the ones that are in our community.

So we do have higher rates of diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease.

So, you know, just in comparison to rural areas with those being higher acreage that they're real need to establish this service line to really hone in on those last changes for our patients.

You know, we have we do have great resources within the system, and we are continually trying to increase the amount of resources we have for our patients so we can give them the best care possible so they don't have to travel.

You know, some people may not have the means to be able to drive to receive care.

So anyway, we're we can meet that patient's needs to reduce their risk of chronic disease, reduce their hospitalization rates, reduce their medication costs.

That's what I urge.

That's what we're going to try to do.

So my role as a provider, you know we want to give evidence based interventions.

But also I take on the role as a health coach in my opinion.

So I really bring the patient in to be a part of our team together.

I don't just tell them what to do.

We go through and we assess their readiness to change and we discuss their why.

Why did they come see me?

Why do they want to improve their overall health and optimize their longevity?

And then once we establish that, we can take a look at their past medical history, recent lab work, and discuss, how are we going to do this?

How are we going to improve your hemoglobin A1, see how are we going to improve your sleep and your energy?

And we discuss this in great detail and let them be truly involved in the decision making.

And so that makes it very personalized for the patient.

I tell them all the time I'm like, if there's anything that I can do, it's I want to see you live healthier, longer.

We have one body.

We have to take care of it.

Appalachian Appalachian Regional Health Care has also participated in Food Is Medicine, another program that focuses on prevention but solely through nutrition.