Lifestyle Psychiatry: The Missing Tool in Mental Health Care

The Courage to Pivot: From Sick Care to Lifestyle Medicine

Welcome to another episode of Flip Your Script, a vodcast by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, hosted by ACLM President Dr. Padmaja Patel. In each episode, we explore five key takeaways on how lifestyle medicine is helping clinicians and leaders reimagine the future of healthcare. This episode, “The Courage to Pivot: From Sick Care to Lifestyle Medicine,” features Dr. Alicia Craig Rodriguez, a board-certified family nurse practitioner, educator, and leader in integrative health innovation at Florida State University’s College of Nursing. With a career spanning bedside nursing, pharmaceutical drug development, executive leadership, and academic innovation, Dr. Alicia shares the deeply personal and professional journey that led her to rethink how healthcare should be practiced. The conversation explores what it means to step outside your comfort zone in pursuit of meaningful change. After years leading the development of life-saving medications, Dr. Alicia realized that treating chronic disease required more than prescriptions alone. She discusses why she pivoted back to direct patient care, how lifestyle medicine reshaped her understanding of prevention and healing, and why clinicians must move beyond the traditional “expert model” toward coaching and empowering patients. You’ll also hear how Dr. Alicia pioneered the nation’s first full academic pathway to lifestyle medicine certification for nurse practitioners, the resistance she encountered along the way, and how evidence, innovation, and persistence helped transform skepticism into momentum. From redesigning healthcare education to creating clinical environments that support disease reversal and whole-person care, this episode offers an inspiring look at what’s possible when clinicians are willing to challenge the status quo. If you’re interested in lifestyle medicine, nursing leadership, chronic disease prevention, healthcare innovation, or transforming the future workforce of healthcare, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Subscribe to ACLM on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjJsNjWtUf30LiofumGRfQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjJsNjWtUf30LiofumGRfQ⁠⁠⁠] Learn more about ACLM's Academic Pathways: https://lifestylemedicine.org/academic-integration/health-profession-schools/ [https://lifestylemedicine.org/academic-integration/health-profession-schools/] Learn more about ACLM's LEADR program: https://lifestylemedicine.org/about-aclm/research-innovation/leadr-sma/ [https://lifestylemedicine.org/about-aclm/research-innovation/leadr-sma/] The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) is the medical professional society for physicians and other professionals dedicated to clinical and worksite practice of lifestyle medicine as the foundation of a transformed and sustainable healthcare system. Lifestyle medicine is a medical specialty that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions as a primary modality to treat chronic conditions including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.  Lifestyle medicine-certified clinicians are trained to apply evidence-based, whole-person, prescriptive lifestyle change to treat and, when used intensively, often reverse such conditions. Applying the six pillars of lifestyle medicine—a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and positive social connections—also provides effective prevention for these conditions. Connect with ACLM Online! Visit lifestylemedicine.org: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lifestylemedicine.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://lifestylemedicine.org/⁠⁠⁠] Find ACLM on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/lifestylemed/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/lifestylemed/⁠⁠⁠] Find ACLM on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/ACLifeMed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://x.com/ACLifeMed⁠⁠⁠] Find ACLM on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aclifemed/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/aclifemed/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠] Find ACLM on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-college-of-lifestyle-medicine/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-college-of-lifestyle-medicine/]

Fixing the System: Making Value-Based Care Actually Work

Welcome to another episode of Flip Your Script, a vodcast by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, hosted by ACLM President Dr. Padmaja Patel. In each episode, we explore five key takeaways on how lifestyle medicine is helping clinicians and leaders reimagine the future of healthcare. This episode, “Fixing the System: Making Value-Based Care Actually Work,” features Dr. Vivek Garg, President and CEO of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). With a background spanning clinical care, health policy, and value-based care innovation, Dr. Garg brings a uniquely comprehensive perspective on what it will take to redesign healthcare systems to better serve patients—and the clinicians who care for them. The conversation dives into why value-based care, while promising in theory, often falls short in practice. Dr. Garg explores the structural barriers—misaligned incentives, fragmented measurement systems, and lack of care continuity—that prevent meaningful progress. He also shares why simply adding more metrics isn’t the answer, and how shifting toward aligned, patient-centered outcomes could unlock real change. You’ll hear thoughtful insights on the importance of prevention, the role of lifestyle medicine in slowing and reversing chronic disease, and the urgent need to rethink how we define and measure success in healthcare. From “a thousand lights pointing in different directions” to the vision of a more cohesive, outcomes-driven system, this episode offers a clear-eyed look at where we are—and what must come next. If you’re interested in value-based care, quality measurement, healthcare policy, or building systems that truly support whole-person health, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Subscribe to ACLM on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjJsNjWtUf30LiofumGRfQ⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjJsNjWtUf30LiofumGRfQ⁠⁠⁠] The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) is the medical professional society for physicians and other professionals dedicated to clinical and worksite practice of lifestyle medicine as the foundation of a transformed and sustainable healthcare system. Lifestyle medicine is a medical specialty that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions as a primary modality to treat chronic conditions including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.  Lifestyle medicine-certified clinicians are trained to apply evidence-based, whole-person, prescriptive lifestyle change to treat and, when used intensively, often reverse such conditions. Applying the six pillars of lifestyle medicine—a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and positive social connections—also provides effective prevention for these conditions. Connect with ACLM Online! Visit lifestylemedicine.org: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lifestylemedicine.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://lifestylemedicine.org/⁠⁠⁠] Find ACLM on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/lifestylemed/⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/lifestylemed/⁠⁠⁠] Find ACLM on X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/ACLifeMed⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://x.com/ACLifeMed⁠⁠⁠] Find ACLM on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aclifemed/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/aclifemed/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠] Find ACLM on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-college-of-lifestyle-medicine/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-college-of-lifestyle-medicine/]

From Buzzwords to Breakthroughs: Making High-Value Care a Reality

Welcome to another episode of Flip Your Script, a vodcast by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, hosted by ACLM President Dr. Padmaja Patel. In each episode, we explore five key takeaways on how lifestyle medicine is helping clinicians and leaders reimagine the future of healthcare. This episode, “From Buzzwords to Breakthroughs: Making High-Value Care a Reality” features Dr. Samrina Marshall, a pediatrician and lifestyle medicine leader with deep expertise in value-based care and population health. With experience spanning Medicaid populations, health systems, and national strategy, she shares how lifestyle medicine can transform the way we define—and deliver—value in healthcare. The conversation unpacks why “high-value care” has become such a buzzword—and what it actually means in practice. Dr. Marshall explores how today’s healthcare system often falls short, and why a shift toward whole-person, patient-centered care is essential. She also breaks down how lifestyle medicine provides the missing “how”—offering sustainable, scalable solutions that address the root causes of chronic disease. You’ll hear powerful insights on aligning patients, providers, and systems, advancing health equity, and integrating lifestyle medicine across all points of care—from clinics to communities. If you’re interested in value-based care, healthcare transformation, or practical strategies to improve outcomes while reducing costs, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Subscribe to ACLM on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjJsNjWtUf30LiofumGRfQ⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjJsNjWtUf30LiofumGRfQ⁠⁠⁠] Lifestyle Medicine as a Framework for High-Value Care: A Position Statement From the American College of Lifestyle Medicine: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15598276251390437 [https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15598276251390437] ACLM's Innovator's Council: https://lifestylemedicine.org/potential-partner/innovators-council/ [https://lifestylemedicine.org/potential-partner/innovators-council/] ACLM Resources: https://connect.lifestylemedicine.org/resources/aclm-resource-landing [https://connect.lifestylemedicine.org/resources/aclm-resource-landing] The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) is the medical professional society for physicians and other professionals dedicated to clinical and worksite practice of lifestyle medicine as the foundation of a transformed and sustainable healthcare system. Lifestyle medicine is a medical specialty that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions as a primary modality to treat chronic conditions including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.  Lifestyle medicine-certified clinicians are trained to apply evidence-based, whole-person, prescriptive lifestyle change to treat and, when used intensively, often reverse such conditions. Applying the six pillars of lifestyle medicine—a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and positive social connections—also provides effective prevention for these conditions. Connect with ACLM Online! Visit lifestylemedicine.org: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lifestylemedicine.org/⁠⁠⁠ [https://lifestylemedicine.org/⁠⁠⁠] Find ACLM on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/lifestylemed/⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/lifestylemed/⁠⁠⁠] Find ACLM on X: ⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/ACLifeMed⁠⁠⁠ [https://x.com/ACLifeMed⁠⁠⁠] Find ACLM on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aclifemed/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/aclifemed/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠] Find ACLM on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-college-of-lifestyle-medicine/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-college-of-lifestyle-medicine/]

Lifestyle Psychiatry: The Missing Tool in Mental Health Care

Welcome to another episode of Flip Your Script, a vodcast by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, hosted by ACLM President Dr. Padmaja Patel. In each episode, we explore five key takeaways on how lifestyle medicine is helping clinicians and leaders reimagine the future of healthcare. This episode, “Lifestyle Psychiatry: The Missing Tool in Mental Health Care” features two visionary leaders advancing the integration of lifestyle medicine into psychiatry: Drs. Gia Merlo and Ramaswamy Viswanathan. Drawing on decades of clinical experience, leadership within organized medicine, and global advocacy, they share how lifestyle interventions are transforming mental health care. The conversation explores the growing momentum behind lifestyle psychiatry and why it’s emerging as a critical “fourth tool” alongside psychotherapy, pharmacology, and somatic treatments. You’ll hear powerful personal stories that sparked their journeys, along with real-world examples of how addressing physical health, nutrition, movement, connection, and purpose can profoundly impact mental health outcomes. If you’re interested in mental health innovation, clinician well-being, patient-centered care, or how to bring lifestyle medicine into your practice or specialty, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Subscribe to ACLM on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjJsNjWtUf30LiofumGRfQ⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjJsNjWtUf30LiofumGRfQ⁠⁠⁠] The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) is the medical professional society for physicians and other professionals dedicated to clinical and worksite practice of lifestyle medicine as the foundation of a transformed and sustainable healthcare system. Lifestyle medicine is a medical specialty that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions as a primary modality to treat chronic conditions including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.  Lifestyle medicine-certified clinicians are trained to apply evidence-based, whole-person, prescriptive lifestyle change to treat and, when used intensively, often reverse such conditions. Applying the six pillars of lifestyle medicine—a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and positive social connections—also provides effective prevention for these conditions. Connect with ACLM Online! Visit lifestylemedicine.org: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lifestylemedicine.org/⁠⁠⁠ [https://lifestylemedicine.org/⁠⁠⁠] Find ACLM on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/lifestylemed/⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/lifestylemed/⁠⁠⁠] Find ACLM on X: ⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/ACLifeMed⁠⁠⁠ [https://x.com/ACLifeMed⁠⁠⁠] Find ACLM on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aclifemed/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/aclifemed/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠] Find ACLM on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-college-of-lifestyle-medicine/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-college-of-lifestyle-medicine/]

How Physical & Occupational Therapists Are Leading Lifestyle Medicine Forward

Welcome to another episode of Flip Your Script, a vodcast by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, hosted by ACLM President Dr. Padmaja Patel. In each episode, we explore five key takeaways on how lifestyle medicine is helping clinicians and leaders reimagine the future of healthcare. This episode, "How Physical & Occupational Therapists Are Leading Lifestyle Medicine Forward," features three trailblazing leaders from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine’s Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Member Interest Group (MIG): Drs. Wendy Price, Ginger Garner, and Nola Peacock. Drawing on their extensive clinical experience, these experts share how integrating lifestyle medicine into rehabilitation can break the cycle of "revolving door" care and treat the root causes of chronic conditions. The conversation dives into why physical and occupational therapists are uniquely positioned to deliver lifestyle medicine. You’ll hear a candid discussion about the role of a "coach approach" in reducing provider burnout. By empowering patients to take the driver’s seat in their own health journey, clinicians can shift from being the sole "fixers" to becoming collaborative partners in long-term well-being. The episode further explores the critical role of policy and advocacy in scaling these practices to a national level. If you’re interested in patient empowerment, trauma-informed care, health coaching, or how to advocate for lifestyle medicine within your own profession, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Subscribe to ACLM on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjJsNjWtUf30LiofumGRfQ⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsjJsNjWtUf30LiofumGRfQ] The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) is the medical professional society for physicians and other professionals dedicated to clinical and worksite practice of lifestyle medicine as the foundation of a transformed and sustainable healthcare system. Lifestyle medicine is a medical specialty that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions as a primary modality to treat chronic conditions including, but not limited to, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.  Lifestyle medicine-certified clinicians are trained to apply evidence-based, whole-person, prescriptive lifestyle change to treat and, when used intensively, often reverse such conditions. Applying the six pillars of lifestyle medicine—a whole-food, plant-predominant eating pattern, physical activity, restorative sleep, stress management, avoidance of risky substances, and positive social connections—also provides effective prevention for these conditions. Connect with ACLM Online! Visit lifestylemedicine.org: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://lifestylemedicine.org/⁠⁠⁠ [https://lifestylemedicine.org/] Find ACLM on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/lifestylemed/⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.facebook.com/lifestylemed/] Find ACLM on X: ⁠⁠⁠https://x.com/ACLifeMed⁠⁠⁠ [https://x.com/ACLifeMed] Find ACLM on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/aclifemed/?hl=en⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/aclifemed/?hl=en] Find ACLM on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-college-of-lifestyle-medicine/ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/american-college-of-lifestyle-medicine/?viewAsMember=true]