What is the modern meaning of lifestyle medicine?
In theory, it could be everything… but in practice, we have come to depend upon Dr. Beth Frates to show us.
As a nationally recognized leader in lifestyle medicine, Beth Frates, MD, wears many hats: Harvard Medical School faculty, international speaker, course creator, author, and physician. However, her personal life deeply mirrors the values she teaches. While leading a classroom, writing a book, or designing a curriculum, she prioritizes wellness for everyone: students, patients, and herself.
Building a Career Around Lifestyle Medicine
Dr. Frates started studying and teaching lifestyle medicine long before it became a buzzword. As early as 2008, she launched the first Lifestyle Medicine Interest Group (LMIG) at Harvard Medical School. Today, that model has grown to over 108 LMIGs across the U.S. and in four additional countries.
These groups help medical students and faculty learn about the six pillars of lifestyle medicine: nutrition, physical activity, stress management, social connection, sleep, and avoiding risky substances.
She also shapes the field through her role as Associate Professor, part-time, at Harvard Medical School. Her influence spans across more than 100 countries, where her teaching materials are used in universities and medical schools.
Her courses, books, and programs bring lifestyle medicine to life in classrooms, clinics, and communities worldwide.
Courses That Make a Difference
Dr. Frates has designed multiple courses at Harvard Extension School and Harvard Medical School, including:
- Lifestyle Medicine 101
- Culinary Psychology (co-created with a Chef and Therapist)
- Wellness from the Inside Out: Cell to Community
- Empowering People to Change: The Science and Art of Behavior Change
Her latest Harvard online offerings continue to draw hundreds of students per cohort. The Health and Wellness: Designing a Sustainable Nutrition Plan course attracts learners from around the world. Another course, Lifestyle and Wellness Coaching, focuses on practical coaching skills and is already receiving excellent feedback.
These courses deliver information and create transformation. Students leave with the tools to change lives, starting with their own.
Leading by Example
Dr. Frates steps beyond the conventional definition of a teacher; she’s a motivator and mentor. Her speaking engagements span five continents. She’s presented at events in Portugal, Finland, Greece, Singapore, Nigeria, and China, and many more, bringing lifestyle medicine into diverse cultural conversations. At each event, she emphasizes real-world strategies for creating sustainable health changes.
She also helped raise funds for the MGH Revere food pantry by organizing a 5K with her LMIG students. For her creativity and leadership, she received the 2021 LMIG Innovation Award from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
Education and Research
Dr. Frates has co-authored several widely used resources, like:
- The Lifestyle Medicine Pocket Guide: A Clinical Guide for Physicians, Medical Students, and Healthcare Professionals is a primary source for evidence-based guidance, research summaries, and patient counseling examples.
- Her latest work, for which she served as book co-editor and co-authored several chapter, Essentials of Clinical Nutrition in Healthcare, published by McGraw Hill, focuses on the role of nutrition in medical education, something she believes is missing in most healthcare training programs.
In every book and article, she tries to make complex science clear, accessible, and useful for clinicians and patients alike.
Creating Systems for the Future
Dr. Frates says, “Working toward a healthy body, peaceful mind, and a joyful heart.”
- Through her nonprofit, PAVING the Path to Wellness, Dr. Frates supports tools and frameworks that promote mental, physical, and emotional well-being. The PAVING approach stands for Positivity, Awareness, Values, Imagery, Next Steps, and Gratitude. It’s a framework that guides individuals through behavior change with mindfulness and intention.
- She also teaches lifestyle medicine to the residents in the Occupational Medicine Residency, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, and to residents in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Residency at Harvard Medical School. Her work ensures that tomorrow’s physicians are prepared to treat chronic conditions with more than just medication.
On social media and LinkedIn, Dr. Frates often shares tips, course updates, and highlights from her speaking engagements. She connects with fellow professionals, students, and the wider public in ways that reflect her warm, approachable teaching style.
On her LinkedIn recommendations, students and peers consistently mention how her energy, clarity, and compassion have influenced their careers and health journeys.
Conclusion
Lifestyle medicine isn’t just something Beth Frates teaches; it’s who she is. Her career, from Harvard classrooms to international stages, proves that it’s possible to live in alignment with your values while transforming the health of others.
Want to create healthier lifestyles for yourself or your patients? Dr. Frates’ courses, coaching programs, and resources might be the place to start.
