Wayne S. Dysinger, MD, MPH
Welcome to the worldwide Lifestyle Medicine movement! The non-communicable disease epidemic must be stopped. As you join this conference, you are stating that you are willing to do things differently, to hit non-communicable diseases at their root cause, and join with other health professionals to work together for a new approach to health care delivery. I look forward to sharing and serving together.
Biography
Wayne Stephen Dysinger, MD, MPH is a Lifestyle Medicine physician who has a long record of experience in both Lifestyle Medicine and academia. Dr. Dysinger completed medical school at Loma Linda University in 1986. This was followed by a Family Medicine Residency at Florida Hospital, and a Preventive Medicine Residency back at Loma Linda University. He also completed his Masters in Public Health at Loma Linda University. Dr. Dysinger began his career working with the Guam SDA Clinic. His next job was helping to start a Family Medicine Residency in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1995 Dr. Dysinger moved to New Hampshire where he helped Dartmouth University, an Ivy League college, start both a Family Medicine Residency, and then a unique Leadership Preventive Medicine Residency that focused on quality improvement and population health skills.
In 2003 Dr. Dysinger was recruited back to his alma mater, Loma Linda University, to be the chair of the Preventive Medicine Department. Over the next 12 years he filled this role, during which time he helped to start an innovative Family and Preventive Medicine Residency that focused on Lifestyle Medicine and Global Health and was actively involved in medical school education. Dr. Dysinger also participated in research, acquired grant funding, and quadrupled the size and capacity of the Preventive Medicine Department. He helped to build clinical activities in not only Lifestyle Medicine, but also Occupational Medicine, student health, and underserved care.
Dr. Dysinger was one of the founders of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, and was the third President of that organization. He has helped build the Lifestyle Medicine movement from a concept to a significant force that is spreading around the world. In 2015 he helped to start the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine, and subsequently became the founding Chair of that organization. He has since also become the chair of the International Board of Lifestyle Medicine, promoting evidence-based Lifestyle Medicine certification around the world. He is currently on the board of the American College of Preventive Medicine where he helps to coordinate the Lifestyle Medicine strategic initiatives of that organization. Dr. Dysinger has also served in board or consulting roles for the American Medical Association, the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research, the American Medical Student Association, and the Ardmore Institute of Health.
Dr. Dysinger currently serves as Chief Executive Officer for Lifestyle Medicine Solutions, a new model primary care clinic concept that is built on Lifestyle Medicine principles along with a value based primary care funding mechanism. His practice goal is to make the Lifestyle Medicine choice available to every patient, and to create valid career options in Lifestyle Medicine for every health practitioner. Dr. Dysinger is also the Medical Director of the Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP) and an active faculty at Loma Linda University. He remains a sought after speaker, and has lectured or provided consultation around Lifestyle Medicine in Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia and the South Pacific.
On a personal note Dr. Dysinger is married with four children. He constantly works on his personal life values of imperfect balance, deep honesty, surrendered courage and quiet joy. He is an active athlete who loves to travel and spread the Lifestyle Medicine message around the world.
An Overview of Dr. Dysinger's Presentations
The Transformative Power of Lifestyle Medicine
Objectives: RCTs for LM; LM and Genes; LM and behavior change
Abstract: Lifestyle Medicine is the foundational recommendation in established protocols for all the leading chronic diseases. This is because the evidence base for Lifestyle Medicine – founded on randomized controlled trials and large multi-year cohort trials – is incredibly strong, and increasing every year. Lifestyle Medicine not only has the power to prevent, treat and even reverse chronic disease, it can also can overcome much in the way of gene expression.
To be successful at Lifestyle Medicine, health care practitioners must understand the basics of health behavior change, including motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy and positive psychology. Depending on the patient’s condition, change can be achieved gradually, or be pushed forward in a more progressive way.
Sleep Problems - The Most Effective Interventions
Objectives: Sleep’s role in chronic disease; Sleep improvement factors
Abstract: Sleeping 7-8 hours per night is directly connected to less chronic disease, greater happiness, and more efficient functioning throughout the day. High quality sleep is clearly connected to the incidence of heart disease, cognitive functioning, and multiple other disease states. Adjusting sleep patterns is an important component to many chronic disease treatment recommendations.
For patients who have difficulty sleeping, the first goal is a thorough sleep history to document the specific challenges leading to insomnia. A variety of non-medication, non-supplement approaches to sleep are available to assist patients in improved sleep quality and quantity. Addition of meditation regimes are documented as critical and valuable in assisting patients in improved sleep hygiene.
Lifestyle Medicine Groups and Programs
Objectives: Med Ed lit review; Pursuing LM careers; LM program summaries
Abstract: State of the Art Lifestyle Medicine uses a variety of groups and programs to maximize patient care. Shared medical appointments create efficiencies, and amplify the understanding that we heal best in community. Intensive therapeutic lifestyle change (ITLC) programs offer systematic team based approaches to achieving health behavior change rapidly. These programs use evidence based tools for stimulating successful outcomes. Support groups serve as locations to provide accountability and structured assistance in maintaining initial health behavior change. Training in facilitating group visits and implementing ITLC programs are available in a variety of settings.
Lifestyle Medicine Assessment and Implementation
Objectives: Nutrition prescriptions; Physical activity and chronic disease; Nutrition and Exercise assessments and clinical prescriptions
Abstract: To prescribe lifestyle, health care providers must first thoroughly assess patient health practices. This includes development of deep knowledge of nutrition and physical activity patterns. Once current practice is understood in detail, specific customized nutrition and exercise prescriptions can be written.
To write a lifestyle medicine prescription, health care providers should use specific, measurable, and time connected recommendations that support detailed and achievable health behavior change. These should be written down for the patient to take home for future review and to support accountability at follow up visits.
Anti-Cancer Lifestyle Medicine
Objectives: EB cancer prevention and treatment; Communicating cancer risk and promoting prevention
Abstract: The greatest risk factors for cancer include smoking and unhealthy lifestyles around exercise and nutrition. Foods that increase inflammation and suppress the immune system increase cancer incidence and prevalence. Foods that provide high anti-oxidant levels decrease the risk of cancer development.
There is strong evidence for the use of Lifestyle Medicine to support primary, secondary and tertiary cancer prevention. Breast, prostate and colon cancer specifically have evidence of the value of whole food, plant based nutrition and ongoing exercise for prevention and treatment. Assisting patients at high risk for cancer using Lifestyle Medicine is an important public health intervention.