Marathon Family Health Team (MFHT) is looking for 30 eager and committed individuals to join their new Lifestyle Medicine Program! The program is all about empowering participants to make lasting positive lifestyle changes and helping them feel their best.

What is Lifestyle Medicine?

Lifestyle Medicine is an evidence-based medical approach that focuses on changing certain behaviours to prevent, treat and manage chronic illnesses that are often a result of lifestyle habits that are within your power to change (if you wish to do so). This practice incorporates the six vital pillars of good health into one’s life: physical activity, nutrition, sleep health, stress management, avoiding risky substances (e.g. tobacco, alcohol, drugs) and social connection. The overall goal is to make meaningful, long-term changes that can benefit all aspects of a person’s life for years to come. A unique aspect of the program is having the ongoing support and encouragement of a health coach.

Why is the MFHT implementing the Lifestyle Medicine Program?

Working through the six pillars of health requires a lot of time and appointments with practitioners often aren’t long enough to focus on all of them. To address this barrier, MFHT developed a specific program to support patients as they improve their health. The goal of this program is to share good, evidence-based information and to enable patients to create and achieve their wellness goals. The program is all about meeting participants where they are at and developing a personalized program with the guidance of a health coach who has specific skills and knowledge. We know how hard it can be to change your health, so we are hoping that having a holistic program that provides free access to support from a Lifestyle Medicine Coach will help people be more successful.

What is the role of the Lifestyle Medicine Coach?

Lifestyle health coaching is on the rise due to the many benefits that are tied to working one-on-one with a qualified professional. Recognizing that every person is different, the Lifestyle Medicine Coach supports and guides participants as they set individualized goals based on their priorities, life experiences and preferences. The Lifestyle Medicine Coach will help participants gain the knowledge, tools and confidence to be in the driver’s seat of their own care. When needed, they will also help connect participants to additional support or resources.

What will the Lifestyle Medicine Program look like at MFHT?

MFHT is going to be starting with a 6-month pilot program. This will allow us to trial the program with a small group of participants and receive valuable feedback to make this program successful moving forward. Participants will work through the 6 pillars of health mentioned above based on their goals and priorities. The aim is to work on one pillar a month which will allow an opportunity for education on specific topics and for participants to set or modify goals. At the end of the 6-month pilot program, participants will have learned and applied components of each pillar into their lifestyles.

For support and accountability, the Lifestyle Medicine Coach will be following up with participants in between each pillar visit. Monthly group check ins will also be offered so that participants have a chance to connect with others working through the program.

Registration is now open and participants will be accepted on a rolling basis. Must be 18 or older to participate. If you are interested in participating, please complete this registration form.

Where can people go for more information?

Anyone interested in the program can contact Lindsay by calling 1-807-229-2068 or emailing [email protected].