Author: Leslie Toldo
Logan Wirebaugh’s first pregnancy was difficult. She became seriously ill and had to stop working.. However, her second pregnancy had an even more devastating, life-altering impact: her daughter was stillborn. Overwhelmed by grief, Logan went into a deep depression.
“It was pretty rough, and it put me, my fiancé, and our home into a really dark place,” Logan said.
That darkness seemed insurmountable at first, but then a visit to the McLaren Flint Family Medicine Residency Center gave Logan the glimmer of hope she desperately needed.
“Dr. Sara Elsayed suggested I try a new program they had called Lifestyle Medicine,” Logan said. “It was nine weekly classes. They gave us a book, and we had group discussions.”
There are six pillars in lifestyle medicine- nutrition, physical activity, stress management, restorative sleep, avoidance of risky substances, and social connection.
“This is an evidence-based, holistic approach that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions- the pillars- to treat chronic conditions,” said Dr. Elsayed. “That can include, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, depression, high blood pressure- a number of issues.”
Health providers get specialized training and can become certified in lifestyle medicine. The approach is designed to empower patients by getting them involved in making changes and tracking their progress.
“I enjoyed every class,” Logan said. “There were different topics every week, with different instructors. You got so many different perspectives from the other people in the classes, and it was really cool knowing I wasn’t alone.”
The classes had a huge impact on every aspect of Logan’s life. She’s even lost 20 pounds and five inches off her waist.
“I have been trying to stay more physically active. Even just one day a week, I make sure I am moving,” Logan said. “I have been focused on watching my portions. It’s all about taking baby steps.”
Making changes slowly and thoughtfully is a big part of the lifestyle medicine program.
“We want patients to know that these are changes they can make a little at a time,” said Dr. Elsayed. “It is not about a quick fix, or even about achieving perfection, it’s about setting realistic, achievable goals.”
For Logan, the most noticeable changes are not the physical ones she experienced over her nine weeks in the program.
“I think it has helped a lot with depression,” Logan said. “I still have my moments- losing a child isn’t just going to disappear. Things won’t happen instantly. It’s daily progress and believing in yourself. Even baby steps are progress, and you are not failing.”
For Logan, sharing this journey with classmates has been impactful on many different levels.
“It was an amazing experience to connect with my peers,” Logan said. “To be vulnerable and have that support and know that you are not alone, was everything to me.”
To learn more about the Lifestyle Medicine Program at the McLaren Flint Family Medicine Residency Center, click here, or call (810) 342-5656.