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Specialties

Lifestyle Medicine

St. Luke's recognizes that good health can be more than fixing problems after they appear. Quality of health often begins with the choices we make every day for ourselves, our families, and our communities. Those choices are at the center of lifestyle medicine, an emerging specialty focused on preventing, treating, managing or even reversing many of the most common chronic diseases in today's world.

The World Health Organization estimates that up to 80% of non-communicable conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and stroke are preventable when we make better choices in these key areas:

  • Increasing consumption of whole, plant-based foods
  • Increasing aerobic activity
  • Getting enough sleep
  • Decreasing use of tobacco, alcohol, and other unhealthy substances
  • Maintaining healthy relationships
  • Managing stress

At St. Luke's, we'll work with you to achieve optimal health through lifestyle changes that are right for you. We not only provide information and tools you need, we also help you build a system of support and resources to achieve and maintain your best health.


Highlights & Resources

Featured Programs

Providers

  • Charmin R. Aschenbrener, RD

    Nutritional Counseling for Adults

    Biography

    Charmin Aschenbrener, RD earned her bachelor's degree from Oregon State University and completed her dietetic internship at Idaho State University. She is a facilitator for both the Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP), a lifestyle improvement course; and Cooking Matters, classes on healthy eating and cooking.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients
  • Amanda S. Helsley, LCSW

    Amanda S. Helsley, LCSW

    Mental Health

    Biography

    Amanda (Mandy) Helsley, LCSW offers supportive counseling to assist with psychological needs related to financial needs and creating a stable environment. In addition, she can assist patients in building coping skills to help lower stress and improve day-to-day life.

    Mandy earned her bachelor's degree in social work from Boise State University with a certification in dispute resolution. She earned a master's degree in social work from Northwest Nazarene University, specializing in clinical practice and administration.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients

  • Jennifer T. Shalz, MD

    Lifestyle Medicine

    Biography

    Jennifer Shalz, MD is medical director of St. Luke’s Heart Health and Rehabilitation as well as the Care Transitions program, which helps patients with congestive heart failure be successful at managing their health at home. She is also medical director of St. Luke’s outpatient tobacco treatment clinics. Her interests are in behavior change, primary and secondary prevention of chronic disease, and a holistic approach to maximizing quality and quantity of life.

    Dr. Shalz earned her medical degree from Tufts University Medical School on an Air Force health professions scholarship. She served in the military, completing her internal medicine residency at David Grant Medical Center at Travis Air Force Base in California. She practiced at multiple VA institutions, then transitioned to supportive oncology before bringing her chronic disease management and palliative care skills to her current positions at St. Luke’s. She serves on a national expert committee for the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation and is a member of St. Luke’s Heart and Vascular Board.

    Availability

    Accepting new patients

  • Nancy N. Taylor, NP

    Availability

    Accepting new patients

Related Specialties

Sign Up for a Free Information Session on How to Improve Your Health

  • Information Session about CHIP: Boise Anderson Center

    Health Management Classes
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    Free, No Registration Required

    CHIP is a whole-person health program that will help you to make long-lasting lifestyle changes.

  • Information Session about CHIP: Ketchum

    Health Management Classes
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    Free, No Registration Required

    CHIP is a whole-person health program that will help you to make long-lasting lifestyle changes.

  • Information Session about CHIP: McCall

    Health Management Classes
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    Next Date & Time
    Wednesday, Aug 28, 2019 12 p.m.-1 p.m.
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    CHIP is a whole-person health program that will help you to make long-lasting lifestyle changes.

  • Information Session about CHIP: Meridian Meadowlake

    Health Management Classes
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    Next Date & Time
    Tuesday, Sep 10, 2019 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
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    Free, No Registration Required

    CHIP is a whole-person health program that will help you to make long-lasting lifestyle changes.

Picture Your Health.

How do you define health? Physical? Mental? Social? Health goes beyond medical care. It's how we take care of ourselves, how we interact with our communities, how we take care of each other.

Let St. Luke's support your health, however you define it.

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