My Lifestyle Doc

My Lifestyle Doc Internal Medicine/Lifestyle Medicine Board Certified Physician

08/19/2026

🎙️ NEW EPISODE: Can Lifestyle Changes Help You Hurt Less?

When it comes to joint and musculoskeletal pain, the answer may involve more than just treating the joint.

This week on The Starting Gate, we’re joined by Dr. Heidi Prather, PM&R physician and founder of the Lifestyle Medicine Program at Hospital for Special Surgery, to explore how our overall health can influence pain, function, recovery, and even surgical outcomes.

We talk about:
🦴 Why the same treatment doesn’t work for everyone
🥗 How nutrition and metabolic health can influence pain and recovery
🏃‍♀️ When it’s okay to move through pain—and when you should stop
😴 The important roles of sleep and stress in musculoskeletal health
🤝 How social connection and community can support recovery
🏥 How lifestyle medicine may help patients prepare for and recover from orthopedic surgery

One of the biggest takeaways? Sometimes treating pain means looking beyond where it hurts and addressing the health of the whole person.

🎧 Listen to the latest episode of The Starting Gate wherever you get your podcasts.

ExerciseIsMedicine

Yesterday was my last day seeing patients at My Lifestyle Doc.It’s hard to put into words what this chapter has meant to...
07/02/2026

Yesterday was my last day seeing patients at My Lifestyle Doc.

It’s hard to put into words what this chapter has meant to me. Opening a medical practice and building a business from the ground up has been one of the most rewarding and humbling experiences of my career. Along the way, I’ve learned so much about entrepreneurship, collaboration, and what it truly takes to bring Lifestyle Medicine to our community.

One of my favorite parts has been partnering with so many incredible local businesses and organizations, all with the shared goal of making Lifestyle Medicine a real option for people in Lexington. Most importantly, I’ve had the privilege of caring for patients who trusted me with their health. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your journey. It has truly been an honor.

I’m also incredibly grateful to have worked alongside Dr. Dotson. Building this vision together has made this experience even more meaningful. Finding someone who shares the same passion and vision is such a gift and I am so grateful to have her in my life.

As many of you know, My Lifestyle Doc is closing. While that makes this goodbye bittersweet, it isn’t the end of our mission. In many ways, it’s just the beginning.

Dr. Dotson and I are incredibly excited about what’s next. We’ve been working behind the scenes on an opportunity in Kentucky that will allow us to take Lifestyle Medicine to a whole new level and make an even greater impact. While we can’t share all the details just yet, we promise it will be worth the wait.

The dream has always been bigger than my small practice. It’s always been about helping more people experience the power of Lifestyle Medicine in the state of Kentucky and creating lasting change in the way healthcare is delivered. This next chapter brings us one step closer to that vision, and we can’t wait to bring you along for the journey.

Thank you to every patient, every community partner, every colleague, and everyone who has supported My Lifestyle Doc over the years. You helped make this dream possible, and we’re so grateful.

Stay tuned—big news is coming soon on how you can come see us this fall!

05/05/2026

We think motivation is the starting point.
It’s not.

It’s easy to show up for others—our kids, our family, our responsibilities.

But when it comes to ourselves, it suddenly feels negotiable.

The truth is, motivation comes after you start.
Not before.

If you’re stuck in that mental back-and-forth, stop waiting to feel ready.

Focus on your mindset.

Decide you’re showing up—no matter how you feel.

That’s how routines are built.

That’s how consistency happens.

Start small. Start imperfect. Just start.

05/01/2026

Can you prescribe an exercise like a medication?

For high blood pressure, the answer is yes—and one of the simplest options might surprise you: wall squats.

Recent research highlights isometric exercises (muscle contractions held in a static position) as an effective adjunct for hypertension management. Wall squats are one of the most practical ways to apply this.

Why wall squats?

When you hold a wall squat, your large leg muscles contract without movement. This creates a temporary increase in blood pressure during the hold, followed by a rebound effect—improving blood vessel function and lowering resting blood pressure over time.

What the research shows:

* Isometric training can lower systolic blood pressure by ~8–10 mmHg
* That reduction is comparable to some first-line medications
* Benefits are seen when done consistently, just a few times per week

This is a **supplement**, not a replacement for medications when they’re indicated.

Best results come when paired with other lifestyle strategies:

* Nutrition (DASH-style, reduced sodium)
* Additional Physical activity
* Sleep
* Stress management

** Not appropriate for everyone so consult your doctor about whether adding wall squats to your routine is right for you.

Dr Dotson and I had the opportunity this weekend to speak with a group of pelvic floor physical therapists about the pow...
04/27/2026

Dr Dotson and I had the opportunity this weekend to speak with a group of pelvic floor physical therapists about the power of lifestyle medicine—and what an incredible experience it was.

They were engaged, thoughtful, and truly eager to learn how lifestyle interventions can support the work they’re already doing with patients every day.

We love the challenge of exploring how lifestyle medicine fits into every area of healthcare, because it does. From movement and nutrition to sleep, stress, and behavior change—these foundations have a role in every specialty.

Grateful for the opportunity to share, collaborate, and continue building bridges across professions.

Thank you, , for the invitation!

Today, Dr. Dotson and I had the opportunity to speak with Med-Peds residents about what it really means to prescribe lif...
04/20/2026

Today, Dr. Dotson and I had the opportunity to speak with Med-Peds residents about what it really means to prescribe lifestyle medicine.

Because improving health isn’t just about telling patients to “live a healthy lifestyle”—it’s about helping them figure out how to make it work in their real lives.

We talked practical strategies, behavior change, and how small, consistent habits can lead to meaningful outcomes.

We love having the opportunity to teach about this powerful tool for patients! And the best thing is, residents love learning about it.

MyLifestyleDoc

04/11/2026

Same habit—better view.

A change of scenery doesn’t change what matters most. Movement, consistency, and taking a little time for yourself still count—no matter where you are.

Vacation reminded me that these habits aren’t about perfection or routine—they’re about how you feel. More energy, a clearer mind, a chance to slow down and actually be present.

You don’t need a perfect schedule or the “right” moment to take care of yourself. Just something simple you can come back to, again and again.

04/10/2026

There’s something about stepping away from the routine that reminds you what really matters.

Recently took some time to get away, slow down, and just be present—and it was in the smallest moments that I felt the biggest shift. Watching the sunset, putting the phone down, not rushing to the next thing… just allowing myself to decompress.

We talk so much about nutrition, exercise, and sleep—and those matter—but this is part of health too. Creating space to pause. To breathe. To actually experience your life as it’s happening.

The truth is, we don’t need a vacation to do this… but sometimes it reminds us how much we need it.

Coming back with a renewed reminder to build more of these small, present moments into everyday life.

MyLifestyleDoc

04/03/2026

It’s always powerful to see just how much can change when someone truly commits to their health.

Labs that once raised concern can shift dramatically—sometimes in a matter of months—when consistent lifestyle changes are put into place.

Because the biggest impact often doesn’t come from a single decision…
It comes from daily habits.

What you eat.
How you move.
Your sleep.
How you manage stress.

These are the areas where we can make the most meaningful progress in our health—and they’re also the foundation of lifestyle medicine.

It’s not just about knowing what to do.
It’s about learning how to make it work in your real, everyday life.

Small steps. Done consistently.

That’s where real change happens.

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3131 Custer Drive Suite #2
Lexington, KY
40517

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