Overview
By choosing to make appropriate lifestyle changes after completed treatments for colorectal cancer, you may reduce the risk of cancer recurrence. If you have been treated for colorectal cancer, you may be eligible for our Living Well After Colorectal Cancer Shared Medical Appointments (SMAs).
Your participation in this unique and enjoyable series of seven group appointments, held every other week, may help you improve your health and well-being through common sense and sustainable modifications.
What is lifestyle medicine?
Lifestyle medicine is the use of health-promoting foods, physical activity, stress relief techniques and other lifestyle interventions as the primary treatment tool for preventing or managing chronic diseases.
Studies indicate that diets rich in foods containing dietary fiber, increased physical activity and regular practice of stress relief techniques, such as meditation and yoga, may reduce risk of colorectal cancer recurrence and other chronic diseases.
We want to offer everyone the opportunity to gain the necessary essential knowledge to make often simple modifications of the current lifestyle to establish beneficial self-care practices.
Where is Living Well After Colon Cancer SMA offered?
This SMA is available at the Center for Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine in the serene environment at the Cleveland Clinic’s Lyndhurst campus.
- For more details and to schedule your appointments, call 216.448.4325, option 4 or email cim@ccf.org
- Download the Living Well After Colorectal Cancer fact sheet.
How the Program Helps
Each group appointment will address one key lifestyle feature that is pertinent to survivors of colorectal cancer. Discussions and practical experience will focus on lifestyle changes that positively impact health, as you learn:
- How to transition to healthy eating and food preparation.
- How to safely increase physical activity and fitness.
- How to recognize psychological stress and use tools that provide relief.
Will I have to leave my primary care physician or my colorectal cancer treatment team?
No, you will keep your own primary care physician and colorectal cancer specialists. During the appointments, lifestyle medicine physicians will work with primary care and medical oncology teams and lifestyle medicine experts (professional chef, registered dietitian, behavioral health coach and yoga therapist) to address the lifestyle-related aspects of your condition(s).
How will I maintain my progress at home?
After each group appointment, a limited set of key self-care practices will be suggested for you to experiment with and implement into your daily life between the appointments. Your successes and ideas to overcome potential encountered challenges will be discussed at the next group appointment. Regular practice, even of small improvements, leads to sustainable lifestyle modifications
Insurance Coverage
Shared medical appointments are covered by most insurance plans. Participants are responsible for insurance copays for each appointment and for a one-time charge for program materials. (Cleveland Clinic employees have no copay for the physician component of this program.) Material fees are non-refundable.
To register or reserve your spot, please call 216.448.4325, option 4.
