| | | | Dear ,
Happy Holidays from all of us at Blue ZonesTM Health! Thank you for your commitment to your patients and for the collaboration you bring to our network. We wish you and your teams a healthy, peaceful end to the year.
Some quick announcements...
- Thank you to those who joined us for our recent Appreciation Dinners. From the Longevity Kitchen Showdown in SD and LA to the farm-to-table gathering in the Inland Empire, these evenings stood out for the energy, conversation, and sense of community they created. Many attendees told us it was one of the most memorable events they’ve been to in years. We’re grateful to everyone who made the time to be there. We’re excited to plan for more in 2026!
- It is with excitement and pride that we congratulate all of the providers who have worked so hard to see their pledge through by sitting for the Lifestyle Medicine Board Exam last month. We appreciate everything you do to bring lifestyle medicine into the care you provide.
- The ACLM conference was one of this year’s biggest highlights. Check out this 1-minute clip of our Chief Clinical Officer, Cono Badalamenti, speaking to a packed room!
| | | | | | Honoring Dr. Dexter Shurney | | It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of Dr. Dexter W. Shurney, Chief Health Officer for Blue Zones and Blue Zones Health. Dr. Shurney profoundly shaped the direction and vision of our work. His lifelong dedication to prevention, equity, and evidence-based lifestyle medicine elevated our work and strengthened the mission we pursue alongside you. | | | | In one of his final messages, recorded shortly before his passing, Dr. Shurney reflected on the future of this work and the pride he felt in being part of it.
For those wishing to honor his legacy, the family has requested that memorial contributions be directed to The Dexter W. Shurney Well-Being Fellowship by HERO, supporting the continued advancement of preventive and lifestyle medicine. If you choose, you may donate here.
We mourn this tremendous loss and hold Dexter’s wife, Florence, and his family in our thoughts during this difficult time. His influence endures, and we remain committed to carrying forward the work to which he dedicated his life. | | | | How we support your patients | |
Community Prescriptions: We gather activities from community centers across Southern California and bring them together so your patients can easily find support that fits their lifestyle and health goals. Virtual Programs: Virtual weekly classes led by our Well-Being Advisors and health coaches, designed to support your patient’s health goals. These include nutrition, movement and mindfulness classes, along with group coaching sessions. | | | | | | | | Research Corner
Here some recent highlights in the world of lifestyle medicine:
A whole-food, plant-based intensive lifestyle intervention for people with type 2 diabetes was more effective for improving glycemic control than standard medical care. It also reduced the need for diabetes and cardiovascular medications and induced diabetes remission in some participants. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis of lifestyle interventions for cardiometabolic risk found that multicomponent programs combining diet, physical activity, and behavioral support produced significant reductions in weight, blood pressure, and glycemic indices, reinforcing lifestyle medicine as a cornerstone for chronic disease prevention and management. A systematic review of 61 eHealth interventions for chronic disease found that dynamically tailored digital tools often improved patients’ lifestyle measures, but clear advantages over usual care were inconsistent because of heterogeneous designs and variable study quality. The authors highlight the need for more rigorous, theory-driven designs and better reporting to clarify when dynamic tailoring truly benefits patients. A review of 30 co-created lifestyle interventions for adults in community and healthcare settings found small to moderate improvements in physical activity, diet, and mental health, with effects generally stronger for mental health than for behavior change. The study noted that interventions worked best when specific groups (such as people with chronic conditions or those in disadvantaged areas) were clearly defined and meaningfully involved from needs assessment through implementation and refinement. A position statement from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine outlines lifestyle medicine as a high-value, whole-person framework for preventing, treating, and in some cases achieving remission of chronic disease across diverse settings, modalities, and populations. The paper defines nine core elements, including accessibility, integration, equity, and cost-effectiveness, and argues that lifestyle medicine can help achieve the Quintuple Aim by improving health outcomes, patient and provider experience, health equity, and costs. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 trials of digital health for older adults with chronic diseases living alone found small but significant improvements in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, while changes in blood pressure, lipids, quality of life, depression, and hospital days were not statistically significant but generally trended in a favorable direction. The study emphasizes that digital health can support self-management for this high-risk group but needs to be paired with home- and community-based care and digital literacy support to maximize benefit.
Our ABLM Study Group
Providers sitting for the 2025 Lifestyle Medicine Exam gathered virtually over the course of nine weeks to review key topics, share resources, and help each other stay motivated—and included a guest appearance from Dr. Dysinger! This series was such a hit amongst providers that it was extended to Thanksgiving week. Thank you to everyone who showed up and participated—we look forward to doing it again next year!
Thanks for reading!
Before you go...
With Cheer and Good Health,The Blue Zones Health team
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