In this video from the 2024 UC Davis Wellness Academy, Heather Martin, PharmD, CDE, discusses the powerful impact that adopting wellness habits can have on reducing the need for medications in managing chronic health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Through real-life examples and research-backed strategies, Dr. Martin offers practical guidance on how lifestyle changes can complement medication and, in some cases, even reduce or eliminate the need for prescription drugs. Whether you’re struggling with a chronic condition or simply seeking to improve your overall health, this presentation is full of valuable information to support your wellness journey.
Quick insights
- Managing chronic conditions with medication and lifestyle: Dr. Martin highlights her role as a clinical pharmacist who helps patients manage and reduce their medication needs through effective lifestyle changes.
- Chronic conditions and the emotional, financial, and physical burdens: Many conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, can be improved with wellness practices that reduce the need for medications, ultimately helping patients manage their conditions more naturally.
- Real-life impact of lifestyle interventions: Research shows that adopting wellness habits—such as following the DASH diet, lowering sodium intake, and staying physically active—can significantly reduce the need for medications.
- Blood pressure management through lifestyle: Reducing sodium and following a heart-healthy diet can lower blood pressure as effectively as medication, a finding supported by research published in the New England Journal of Medicine .
- Type 2 diabetes management through diet and exercise: Studies show that a combination of diet and exercise can lead to substantial weight loss, reduce the need for diabetes medications, and improve blood sugar control.
Featured expert: Heather Martin, PharmD, CDE
Heather Martin, PharmD, joined the pharmacy department at UCDH in 2019 after serving both clinical and leadership roles in Ambulatory Care with Kaiser Permanente Northern California where she began her career in 2002 after graduating from the University of Illinois Chicago PGY1 residency with an emphasis in Primary Care.
Her clinical practice in primary care has included direct patient-care experience in hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, asthma, COPD, thyroid, osteoporosis, depression, smoking-cessation, anemia, anticoagulation, and medication therapy management (MTM) programs. She has spent much of her clinical career in Diabetes management and earned a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist (CDCES) credential in 2014. Working with this population she has relied extensively on motivational interviewing techniques and advanced this skillset by becoming a Certified Health and Wellness Coach (CHWC) in 2017.
Video highlights
00:00 – Introduction
Dr. Martin introduces herself and sets the stage for a discussion on integrating wellness practices to manage chronic diseases and potentially reduce medication dependency.
00:29 – Role of pharmacists in wellness
She shares her background and the evolution of her practice philosophy, which combines medication management with proactive wellness strategies.
01:25 – Challenges of chronic conditions: Dr. Martin discusses the emotional, financial, and physical challenges patients face with chronic conditions and the common dissatisfaction with dependency on medications.
02:21 – Preventive and wellness focus
Insights into how many chronic conditions are preventable and manageable through lifestyle changes.
03:17 – Medication vs. wellness practices
Clarification on the role of medications and wellness practices, with a strong disclaimer about consulting healthcare providers before altering medication routines.
04:11 – Empowering patients through information
Dr. Martin emphasizes the importance of patient education in managing health conditions and explores alternatives to medication.
05:06 – Case study on hypertension
Detailed explanation of how lifestyle modifications like the DASH diet and sodium reduction can significantly impact blood pressure management.
07:19 – Research findings on the DASH diet
Presentation of research findings that show the effectiveness of dietary approaches in lowering blood pressure comparable to medication.
09:16 – Resources and support
Direction to resources like the American Heart Association for further support and information.
11:12 – Diabetes management through lifestyle
Discussion on how Type 2 diabetes can be managed effectively with lifestyle changes, potentially reducing medication use.
15:15 – Comprehensive lifestyle changes
Summary of various lifestyle changes and their specific impacts on health, like improving blood pressure, reducing cancer risk, and managing diabetes.
19:52 – Setting SMART goals
Dr. Martin outlines how to set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals to initiate and sustain health improvements.
25:14 – Rewarding healthy behaviors
Suggestions for healthy ways to reward oneself for achieving wellness goals, avoiding food-based rewards.
29:00 – Continuous improvement and goal reassessment
Encouragement to continually assess and adjust wellness goals to maintain motivation and achieve long-term health improvements.
30:35 – Additional resources and reading
Recommendations for further reading on habit formation and health, including books like The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg and Atomic Habits by James Clear.
Resources
- American Heart Association
- SAMHSA – Support for Reducing Alcohol Use
- Kick It California – Smoking Cessation
- DASH Diet Information
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References
- Appel, L. J., Moore, T. J., Obarzanek, E., Vollmer, W. M., Svetkey, L. P., Sacks, F. M., Bray, G. A., Vogt, T. M., Cutler, J. A., Windhauser, M. M., Lin, P. H., & Karanja, N. (1997). A clinical trial of the effects of dietary patterns on blood pressure. New England Journal of Medicine, 336(16), 1117–1124. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199704173361601
- Look AHEAD Research Group. (2013). Cardiovascular effects of intensive lifestyle intervention in type 2 diabetes. New England Journal of Medicine, 369, 145-154. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1212914
- American Heart Association. (n.d.). DASH eating plan. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/dash-eating-plan
- Sacks, F. M., Svetkey, L. P., Vollmer, W. M., Appel, L. J., Bray, G. A., Harsha, D., Obarzanek, E., Conlin, P. R., Miller, E. R., Simons-Morton, D. G., Karanja, N., Lin, P. H., & Aickin, M. (2001). Effects on blood pressure of reduced dietary sodium and the dietary approaches to stop hypertension (DASH) diet. The New England Journal of Medicine, 344(1), 3-10. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM200101043440101
- Huckfeldt, P. J., Frenier, C., Pajewski, N. M., Espeland, M., Peters, A., Casanova, R., & Pi-Sunyer, X. (2020). Associations of Intensive Lifestyle Intervention in Type 2 Diabetes with Health Care Use, Spending, and Disability: An Ancillary Study of the Look AHEAD Study. JAMA Network Open, 3(11), e2025488. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.25488