Lifestyle modifications can effectively decrease chronic disease risk but studies show little to no time during patient encounters is spent on lifestyle medicine counseling. The SMART-EST goal framework facilitates both a rich discussion of lifestyle medicine and a comprehensive patient-centered action plan for health behavior change. The tenets of the SMART-EST goal-setting process are discussed.

During the winter months, absenteeism or decreased productivity at work or school can often be attributed to symptoms of the common cold. Many people seek over-the-counter (OTC) products for their symptoms, and some of the commonly purchased products are those with high-dose supplements of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). The common cold causes enormous morbidity worldwide, and it is important to know the effects of vitamin C for both preventive and therapeutic purposes to correctly recommend the proper OTC product for these symptoms. The purpose of this article is to review the current data on the relationship between vitamin C and immune function, specifically, the utility of vitamin C supplementation in the prevention and treatment of the common cold.

Although fewer individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) drink alcohol, the potential and severity of harm associated with its consumption is higher in persons with diabetes. Alcohol use affects glucose metabolism and results in various potential adverse effects both from acute ingestion and chronic ingestion in persons with T1DM. The purpose of this article is to describe the effects of alcohol on glucose metabolism and diabetes control in persons with T1DM and propose counseling pearls for providers working with patients in this population.

Lifestyle medicine behaviors such as a healthy diet, physical activity, and tobacco avoidance, are the cornerstone of treatment in many chronic disease conditions, especially those related to the cardiovascular system. In fact, 80% of premature heart disease, stroke, and diabetes may be prevented through modification of these behaviors. The rate-limiting step in cardiovascular disease prevention is the implementation and maintenance of healthy lifestyle behaviors. The purpose of this paper is to provide and discuss a series of tools and strategies that can be used by health care providers to promote health behavior change in their practice.

Contemporary hormonal contraception formulations contain lower doses of estrogen, have new synthetic progestin components, and provide novel methods of delivery that have not been studied extensively in relation to breast cancer risk. Given that hormonal contraception is the leading method of birth control in the United States, it is important to reevaluate risk using current formulations. Recent studies including contemporary hormonal contraception formulations will be described.

Pediatric poisoning remains a common, preventable childhood injury and incidence is on the rise. Child-resistant packaging has been shown to prevent pharmaceutical poisoning, but must be applied and used appropriately to be effective. Prescription drug use among adults is also increasing and may be contributing to the problem through a greater number of medications in the child’s environment. Drug take back programs are designed to reduce the number of unused medications in the home. These programs are expanding and health care providers should be aware of and encourage safe drug disposal practices.