Dr. Kathryn Hall, a Lifestyle Medicine physician and the owner of FellFoot Lifestyle Medicine, has patients, friends, and family with health concerns such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity. They ask, “So there's really nothing I can do?”
Dr. Hall responds, “You may have the genetic predisposition for some of these conditions, but there's a tremendous amount that you can do. Eighty percent of chronic diseases are preventable with lifestyle modification.”
Currently, Dr. Hall has a 90-year-old patient with type 2 diabetes who has improved her condition to the point that she could stop taking insulin. After 10 years of insulin-dependent type 2 diabetes, this patient’s hemoglobin A1C is now on target.
Dr. Hall supports doctors in helping patients reach their goals, “Primary care physicians only have a few minutes to spend with each patient. No time to dive into every aspect of a patient’s health.”
Dr. Hall considers herself an accountability partner for her patients. “If someone says, ‘Hey, I'm gonna go start a yoga program’, I want to hear about it. I want you on Friday to text me that you went,” says Dr. Hall.
The goal is to help patients get their health back on track before medication is needed. “In Lifestyle Medicine, we believe that there is a lot more that you can do before you need to start taking medication,” explains Dr Hall.
“It seems more often than not, I am facilitating de-prescribing…I've had people come off blood pressure medication, off CPAP, and more,” says Dr. Hall.
“With a few small changes, you can improve your health. But with an intensive lifestyle intervention and an overhaul of your habits, you can sometimes reverse chronic disease,” explains Dr. Hall.
A mother with two young children may find it difficult to transform her health habits overnight. However, someone who has more time in their schedule or had a recent health scare, such as a heart attack, might be ready to make big changes to their lifestyle.
“Some people need small steps over months. Some people need a life overhaul,” says Dr. Hall. “Together, we sort out what intervention is needed that fits into your life at the time of your life.”
In helping people to maximize their healthspan, Dr. Hall prefers very specific goals around nutrition, exercise, sleep, and stress management with her patients. Other expertise includes the menopause transition and pre-surgery health optimization. These factors are tracked and recorded over a period of time. Dr. Hall does this in both one-on-one and group coaching settings.
With regard to losing weight, patients’ resolve wither away as the months go by without seeing visible change. It’s important to remember that there is much more to losing weight than exercise and nutrition. According to Dr. Hall, “Stress management and a consistent sleep schedule also play a key role in weight loss and overall health.”
Dr. Hall appreciates the community that surrounds her, “Media is the right place and it is, in my mind, a future blue zone. I think that this community, which is so interconnected, has a focus on sidewalks, bikes, sustainability, healthy food, the farmers market - everything is so interconnected that this is the right place to do this work. I think people will believe in this approach. The future of medicine is prevention.”
Dr. Kathryn Hall’s goal is to get people healthy to increase their healthspan so that it matches their lifespan. She focuses on the Six Pillars of Health: Nutrition, Movement, Sleep, Avoidance of Substances, Social Connection, and Stress Management. She’s offering “2025 New Year. New You. Kickstart Program!” A six-week all-virtual group coaching program beginning 12/30/2024.