Medical Education: Nutrition Curriculum Reformation and Lifestyle Medicine- Today’s Need

As social and scientific authorities on health and wellbeing, physicians are expected to practice evidence-based medicine. Despite this respect and responsibility, physicians are consistently facing challenges in addressing the extensive body of evidence that proves the power of lifestyle modifications on disease prevention and treatment. Some of these challenges stem from the lack of education and training during medical school [1]. The health care education system is under scrutiny for creating a void which fosters the public’s acceptance of years of suffering with chronic disease as an unavoidable fate. 6 in 10 adults in the US have a chronic disease, most of which are attributable to preventable, lifestyle related health issues, such as smoking, diabetes, decreased physical activity, obesity, alcohol consumption, hypertension, poor diet, high lipid levels and psychosocial factors [2-4]. The behemoths of chronic illness, namely heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, can be prevented, battled, and reversed through daily decisions-decisions of what to pack in your lunchbox or whether to step onto that dreaded treadmill. The argument is supported by the American Heart Association reports in the context of hypertension (a critical risk factor for cardiovascular disease) [5], that some of the lowest blood pressures observed have been documented in individuals that eliminated meat from their diet [6]. As cancer remains one of the most enigmatic bodies of disease, the American Cancer Society recommends complete nutrition and physical activity in the prevention of cancer [7,8]. Diabetes, yet another illness on the list of top ten killers in the US, is a double whammy as it is, in itself, a leading cause of death, and a cause of other chronic illnesses [9]. The American Diabetes Association states that remission of type 2 diabetes can be achieved either through costly and dangerous bariatric surgeries, or simply through lifestyle efforts [10]. Beyond the grips that lifestyle can have on direct mortality, is the fact that quality of life can be greatly affected. While it may not be impending death that is the concern, how about the quality daily living? To be able to live feeling healthy and happy? To be free of the lists of symptoms and mountains of medications that clutter and complicate so many lives? Lifestyle changes towards a wholefood plant-based diet have shown remarkable efficacy in helping to avoid and reduce polypharmacy by helping patients come off of statins, β blockers, and even insulin as their conditions improve with lifestyle changes [11-13]. These changes, such as a plantbased diet and increased exercise regimen, have also been shown to improve the state of mental well-being, including an association with improved moods and lower risk of depression [14,15]. This information, however, is not new news. Lifestyle modifications have an irrefutable impact on the burden of chronic disease and in shaping quality of life, and the scientific evidence is abundant and readily available.


Introduction
As social and scientific authorities on health and wellbeing, physicians are expected to practice evidence-based medicine.
Despite this respect and responsibility, physicians are consistently facing challenges in addressing the extensive body of evidence that proves the power of lifestyle modifications on disease prevention and treatment. Some of these challenges stem from the lack of education and training during medical school [1]. The health care education system is under scrutiny for creating a void which fosters the public's acceptance of years of suffering with chronic disease as an unavoidable fate. 6 in 10 adults in the US have a chronic disease, most of which are attributable to preventable, lifestyle related health issues, such as smoking, diabetes, decreased physical activity, obesity, alcohol consumption, hypertension, poor diet, high lipid levels and psychosocial factors [2][3][4]. The behemoths of chronic illness, namely heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, can be prevented, battled, and reversed through daily decisions-decisions of what to pack in your lunchbox or whether to step onto that dreaded treadmill. The argument is supported by the American Heart Association reports in the context of hypertension (a critical risk factor for cardiovascular disease) [5], that some of the lowest blood pressures observed have been documented in individuals that eliminated meat from their diet [6]. As cancer remains one of the most enigmatic bodies of disease, the American Cancer Society recommends complete nutrition and physical activity in the prevention of cancer [7,8]. Diabetes, yet another illness on the list of top ten killers in the US, is a double whammy as it is, in itself, a leading cause of death, and a cause of other chronic illnesses [9].
The American Diabetes Association states that remission of type 2 diabetes can be achieved either through costly and dangerous bariatric surgeries, or simply through lifestyle efforts [10].
Beyond the grips that lifestyle can have on direct mortality, is the fact that quality of life can be greatly affected. While it may not be impending death that is the concern, how about the quality daily living? To be able to live feeling healthy and happy? To be free of the lists of symptoms and mountains of medications that clutter and complicate so many lives? Lifestyle changes towards a wholefood plant-based diet have shown remarkable efficacy in helping to avoid and reduce polypharmacy by helping patients come off of statins, β blockers, and even insulin as their conditions improve with lifestyle changes [11][12][13]. These changes, such as a plantbased diet and increased exercise regimen, have also been shown to improve the state of mental well-being, including an association with improved moods and lower risk of depression [14,15]. This information, however, is not new news. Lifestyle modifications have an irrefutable impact on the burden of chronic disease and in shaping quality of life, and the scientific evidence is abundant and readily available. (36%) provide less than half that much" [18]. their responsibilities to society, the precarious position of teaching nutrition in US schools raises a major concern that the goals of these schools fall short and that many future doctors will not be appropriately prepared to deal with the components of modern medical practice" [1].

Medical Education -Nutrition Curriculum
As current medical students at the California University of curriculum is also available to complete independently to allow physicians to integrate this knowledge into their individual medical specialties. As an organization, ACLM provides the necessary curriculum and opportunity for health professionals to obtain a baseline of knowledge and standard of care to be used as a first treatment approach in medical practice.

Final Considerations
As chronic disease rates continue to skyrocket and healthcare disparity grows, reformation of medical education and medical practice is long overdue. We must start from the roots, in educating and equipping the health professionals of tomorrow with the powerful tool that is lifestyle medicine.