What Is Lifestyle Medicine?
A Modern Approach to Feeling Your Best
At Dr. Seltzer Lifestyle Medicine, our goal is simple: help you feel your best and stay healthy long-term. But what exactly is lifestyle medicine, and how is it different from traditional medical care?
Lifestyle medicine focuses on preventing disease, optimizing health, and helping you feel great at every stage of life.
Instead of waiting until illness develops, lifestyle medicine looks at the underlying factors that influence your health. Things like nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress, and metabolic health.
Preventative Care Instead of Reactive Care
While traditional medical care often focuses on treating disease after symptoms appear, lifestyle medicine focuses on preventing disease before it starts.
At our practice, we also take the time to investigate when patients simply don't feel like themselves. Many people assume feeling tired, sluggish, or “off” is just part of getting older—but it doesn't have to be.
There is no reason you shouldn't feel as good in your 40s, 50s, or 60s as you did in your 20s when your health is properly supported.
Lifestyle Medicine Helps With Chronic Conditions
If you’ve already been diagnosed with a chronic condition and are looking to manage or improve it, lifestyle medicine can be super helpful.
Conditions that often benefit from lifestyle-focused care include:
Weight management and obesity
Hormone imbalances
Thyroid disorders
Fatigue and low energy
Stress-related health concerns
By improving key lifestyle factors such as nutrition, movement, sleep, and metabolic health, many patients experience significant improvements in symptoms, lab values, and overall well-being.
That’s because lifestyle medicine works best when medical care and healthy lifestyle strategies work together.
Balancing Medications and Lifestyle Medicine
Lifestyle medicine doesn't mean avoiding medications when they are helpful. In some cases, medications such as GLP-1 treatments for weight management may be recommended.
However, medications are always used alongside lifestyle strategies, including:
Food tracking
Strength training
Meeting protein goals
This approach helps ensure patients maintain muscle, improve metabolic health, and achieve sustainable results.
A Personalized Treatment Plan for Every Patient
Lifestyle medicine is not one-size-fits-all. At Dr. Seltzer Lifestyle Medicine, every patient receives a customized plan designed around their individual health history, goals, and lifestyle.
Your care begins with a 60-minute initial evaluation, where Dr. Seltzer reviews:
Your detailed medical history
Any lab work from the past six months
Current symptoms or health concerns
Medications and supplements
Your daily habits, including sleep, stress, nutrition, hydration, and exercise
After reviewing this information, additional labs may be ordered to gain deeper insight into your health. In these instances, you will receive a lab slip to complete testing at your in-network laboratory.
When you return for your second appointment, that will be a 60-minute planning visit. During this time, we review your results and build a personalized strategy to help you reach your goals.
A Better Way to Approach Health
Lifestyle medicine is about more than just treating symptoms. It's about helping you feel your best, prevent disease, and build habits that support long-term health.
By combining medical expertise with personalized lifestyle strategies, our goal is to help patients improve energy, optimize health, and maintain results for years to come.
FAQs about Dr. Charlie Seltzer’s Lifestyle Medicine Approach
How long is my appointment?
All of our appointments are designed to allow time for meaningful discussions about your health.
Typical visit lengths include 60 minutes for the first appointment, 30-60 minutes for the second appointment, and 30 minutes for any follow-ups.
Are appointments in-person or virtual?
We understand that convenience matters. Patients can switch between virtual and in-person appointments, depending on their needs and schedule.
Do you offer lab testing and diagnostics?
Yes, we regularly order lab testing to help guide treatment plans. Common labs include blood work, hormone panels, metabolic markers, and thyroid testing.
How do I maintain my treatment plan?
Patients receive guidance designed to support sustainable results. Your plan may include personalized calorie and protein targets, a strength-training focused exercise plan, and lifestyle recommendations to support energy, metabolism, and overall health.
The goal is to create realistic habits that work with your lifestyle.
How do you measure progress?
Progress looks different depending on the health goal.
For weight management, we track progress using the scale, how clothing fits, and changes in body composition.
For hormone health, progress is often measured by how patients feel, including improvements in energy, sleep, mood, and overall well-being.
How many follow-up visits will I need?
Follow-up frequency depends on the reason for care.
Typical follow-up schedules include:
Weight management: Monthly visits for accountability and progress monitoring
Hormone optimization: Every 3–6 months, depending on stability
Thyroid management: Once per year
Patients can always schedule appointments sooner if needed. If you need adjustments to your medication, a visit is required to ensure the change is properly documented and monitored.
Can I talk to someone in between visits?
We believe access to your care team is important. Patients can message our team with questions between appointments, and we are typically available seven days a week to respond.
