Lifestyle Medicine Program Helps Midland Man Reclaim His Health
Husband, Sports Fan, Pivio Lifestyle Medicine Participant
"My habit now is to plan ahead. We keep the recommended staples at home, and when we go out, I prepare in advance."
Last year, MyMichigan Health began offering a lifestyle medicine program called Pivio to its employees as a pilot program. The 12-week program is designed to teach healthy, lasting habits for the lasting overall health and well-being of attendees. When MyMichigan employee Doug Goka, manager, information technology, learned about Pivio, he took the opportunity to join a cohort along with his wife. As a result, they are living happier and healthier lives.
Goka has worked at MyMichigan Health for nearly 26 years. He had attempted diets in the past to get his weight under control, but nothing truly stuck. After a particularly busy and stressful 2022, Goka found himself with high blood pressure, diabetes and poor eating habits that were tough to break.
“I was so busy that I found myself frequently making the best choice out of bad options,” Goka shared. “I could feel the impact it was having but was having a hard time making a change. When I heard about the Pivio program offered at MyMichigan Health, I talked with my wife about it. She agreed to try it with me, and I’m so glad she did. It has been great to have the support at home.”
The Pivio program begins with virtual meetings twice a week, then tapers down to one weekly as attendees learn and become comfortable with changes in their routines. It uses a lifestyle medicine approach as a complement to traditional medical care, using foods, exercise and mindfulness to proactively care for a person’s overall health. It has also been shown to reduce and even reverse early onset conditions such as pre-diabetes/diabetes, coronary artery disease, osteoarthritis and more.
“Pivio offers a sustainable plan of action, built on six pillars of lifestyle medicine: a whole food, plant-rich eating pattern, regular physical activity, meaningful social connection, avoidance of risky substances, sleep and rest, and stress management,” said Jennifer Felten, R.N., B.S.N., project manager, lifestyle medicine, MyMichigan Health. “We know that focusing on replacing unhealthy behaviors with positive ones can help to improve whole-person health. This program offers the tools needed to do that and connects people to others on the same journey.”
Goka was impressed by the abundance of resources at his disposal throughout the program. He enjoyed video, book and web resources, sharing strategies and recipes with others in the group and learning stress reduction techniques.
“My habit now is to plan ahead,” Goka said. “We keep the recommended staples at home, and when we go out, I prepare in advance. Instead of snacks at the Lions game, I eat a healthy meal before and after. It’s not hard; it takes the worry out of it for me and I feel so much better.”
In fact, Goka is amazed by his results. Before beginning the program, he was on many medications that have since been discontinued and he’s down to a half-dose of blood pressure medication. His A1C is under control and he’s sleeping better. “I honestly thought it would take longer,” he said.
“Participants in recent Pivio cohorts within MyMichigan Health have been successful in improving biometrics including waist circumference, weight, BMI and blood pressure; lab work, including blood sugar, cholesterol, HgA1C and markers of inflammation, and overall wellbeing scores,” Felten reported. “Because of this initial success, the program will continue to be offered to employees and expanded to cardiovascular patients within our service areas.”
Goka would highly recommend the Pivio program to colleagues and anyone interested in improving their health and quality of life. “I was ready. The time was right for me. If I can do it, anyone can,” he said.
Those interested in the lifestyle medicine program are encouraged to speak to their health care provider. The Pivio program is currently open to MyMichigan Health cardiovascular patients. Those interested in learning more about the Pivio program may register for an upcoming informational session. Registration is available at www.mymichigan.org/pivioinfosession.
