In this article, we continue our series on The Six Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine. Thus far, we’ve covered two pillars – nutrition and exercise and now we’re discussing stress management. Effective stress management is vital for health as too much stress on the mind and body results in negative health outcomes. We interviewed DPC health practitioner, Adam Courchaine, PA-C, MPAS, President of NuMed Direct Primary Care based in Centennial, Colorado for more insight on adequate stress management. 

In the traditional healthcare system, providers tend to focus on physical health indicators, which often lag behind chronic stress and mental health issues. It is not sufficient to focus on physical health without seeking answers from the deeper questions around purpose, life satisfaction, relationships, and behavioral health indicators that go beyond whether a person is depressed or suicidal.