Lifestyle Medicine
The six pillars of lifestyle medicine—nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management, social connection, and avoidance of harmful substances—are powerfully evidence-based strategies for preventing, treating, and even reversing chronic disease. A plant-predominant diet supports heart and metabolic health, while regular movement improves longevity, mental clarity, and physical resilience. Prioritizing quality sleep and managing stress protect against inflammation and burnout, enhancing emotional and cognitive function. Strong social ties are linked to greater wellbeing and lower mortality, and avoiding risky substances significantly reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease, and early death. Together, these pillars form the foundation of long-term health and vitality. I have included the details of my personal health plan.
If you want a plan that fits your life - not a generic 12-week fix - I’ll help you get there, using science, reflection, telling your story, and support. Small changes. Clear steps. Big difference. Be part of The Lifestyle Medicine Club! And let’s build something that works for you.
Physical Activity
Early morning rowing and exercise as a middle-aged athlete, incorporating Heart Rate Monitoring and VO2 Max training — 70 percent easy, 20 percent steady, 10 percent hard exercise each week. My routine includes sea swimming, cycling, gym strength training, mountain hikes, lunchtime walks, and a long-distance endurance event once a year. For me, movement is connection, community, purpose, and play.
Sleep & Recovery
I aim for 7–8 hours of sleep per night, aligning my daily rhythm with regeneration. I track my sleep to support performance and well-being — rest is, to me, an equal pillar of strength.
Connection & Purpose
I engage in community-based activities and mentor individuals using positive psychology. Building strong bonds, maintaining boundaries, and embracing humour are key elements in my approach. I also connect with friends through playing music and participating in sports and events with friends and through community outlets.
Nutrition
I follow a whole-food diet, including oats, eggs, fish, vegetables, lean meat… My eating habits are mindful, seasonal, local, and focused on real nourishment rather than restriction. However, in line with a low-toxin, high-vitality lifestyle, I rarely drink alcohol or processed foods, which has supported my physical performance and emotional balance. Supplements I use only include Vitamin C and Creatine, chosen with intention. And, of course, plenty of water!
Emotional Health
I incorporate ‘morning meditation with Eckhart Tolle’, journaling, nature immersion and fishing into my routine. Social sea swimming and positive conversations also serve as emotional regulation tools. Daily practices of mindfulness, self-compassion, breathwork, and creative flow through writing, painting, and piano. I track negative thoughts and I continue to reflect, engage in self-awareness, and participate in weekly Group Therapy for Mental Health, with evidence-based science at the core of my practices.
Meaning & Motivation
Guided by Self-Determination Theory — autonomy, competence, and relatedness — I am driven by helping people, community, adventure, creative writing, and social discourse. As a lifelong learner with academic interests in philosophy, psychology, literature, and lifestyle medicine, I coach from the inside out, holding space for others to achieve their plans, because I’ve walked that path myself. My approach integrates SMART goals, health and fitness, and emotional resilience-building into daily life.
Coaching Philosophy:
My mentoring is rooted in integrity, emotional intelligence, and evidence-based tools, with a strong focus on walking the talk. I wouldn’t ask anyone to do something I haven’t done myself. My life, habits, and mindset are all part of the work I share. I believe in joy through discipline, resilience through action, and healing through honesty. My coaching blends lived experience with scientific training, combining deep empathy, practical tools, and performance principles to support personal growth, creativity, health, and connection.
My Approach to Health
My own personal health plan above has been evolving over time, with consistent refinement, including a research stint at the Royal College of Surgeons, inspired by lectures from Dr. Beth Frates, MD — Harvard Medical School faculty and President of the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine.
I’ve aimed to make it more general, accessible, and less “sciency” than the original. When creating a Personal Health Plan, I suggest starting with simple, positive activities—things you enjoy or are curious to try—and gradually replacing negative habits with them.
Small, consistent actions using habit-forming techniques can create powerful change. I first developed my plan by incorporating positive changes over time, gradually building confidence and momentum. Eventually, I found myself living a life that felt more aligned. If you’d like to create your own personal health plan — something that fits your life, your pace, and your purpose — I’d love to help.
I’ve come to understand that true transformation often begins at the point of facing tricky moments. I’ve learned skills on how to rebuild, discover both new and innate strengths, and find renewed purpose. Now, I’m passionate about helping others break through their barriers to create lasting change, because it’s never too late to rewrite your story.
One unexpected turning point for me was taking up sports and adventure, particularly indoor rowing, after the age of 40. Now, at 50, I compete in Ireland and Europe in my age category — in 2000m & 5000m distances. Apart from my VO₂ max and heart rate being at far superior levels than in my 30s, rowing has become both a social outlet and a form of mindfulness. It’s another activity that keeps me present, connected, and grounded.
This is balanced with plenty of R&R, meditation, active rest, creativity, and community activities. This approach and attitude are also central to my coaching and mentoring, where letting go, breathing, staying focused in the moment, and supporting crew members, are key elements to sustained progress.
Over time, my lifestyle has shifted towards a low-toxin, high-vitality approach, focusing on what sustains rather than depletes. By consciously reducing harmful inputs — physical, emotional, and digital - I now live in alignment with a positive and healthy life and by the pillars of Lifestyle Medicine. I have outlined in my personal health plan here to show I practice what I preach and constantly update and evolve the plan.