LEXINGTON — A panel of experts in nutritional science, lifestyle medicine, athletic training, and clinical nutrition addressed a large audience at the Lexington Medical Society’s Dinner Social, Healthy Living Symposium, held May 12 at the Signature Club.
The symposium was co-chaired by Christine Ko, MD, LMS president, and Sara Police, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Pharmacology and director of nutritional sciences education at the University of Kentucky College of Medicine. Panelists included Alex Kidwell, MS, RD, LD, CLC, assistant professor in the Department of Athletic Training and Clinical Nutrition at the University of Kentucky and an advanced practice dietitian, and Sarah Schuetz, MD, a board-certified internal medicine and lifestyle medicine physician in Lexington.
The Healthy Living Symposium is part of Ko’s presidential emphasis on physician wellness. In her opening remarks, Ko noted, “Doctors are human too, and therefore vulnerable to chronic illnesses and mental health struggles. We also struggle with trying to eat right, exercise more, and get enough sleep — advice we give our patients on a regular basis. We have local experts to share with us the lowdown on hot topics such as intermittent fasting, supplements, fad diets, the gut microbiome, and sleep health.”
Nutrition, Longevity, and Evidence-Based Guidance
Police provided an overview of key topics in health and nutrition, including insights from Blue Zones research, which identifies regions with the longest-living populations. She compared major dietary patterns — including ketogenic, vegan, vegetarian, wholefood plantbased, and Mediterranean diets — and discussed macronutrients, micronutrients, gut health, exercise, and the importance of social engagement.
Addressing the popularity of detox products, she emphasized,
“Cleansing supplements is a marketing term. The liver, the kidneys, and the GI tract are the body’s natural cleansing organs.”
Supplements: Benefits, Risks, and Practical Counseling
Professor Kidwell reviewed the pros and cons of dietary supplements, the role of the FDA in regulating them, and practical strategies for clinicians counseling patients.
“Avoid supplements with ‘proprietary blends’ of ingredients,” she advised. “You don’t know how much of what is in them.”
Lifestyle Medicine and the Six Pillars
Schuetz highlighted the Six Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine, emphasizing the interconnected roles of sleep, nutrition, physical activity, and stress management in longterm health.
Engaged Audience and Future LMS Events
The symposium concluded with a lively Q&A session with LMS physicians, medical students, family members, and guests. Questions about how to counsel patients on supplement use were especially popular.
Upcoming LMS events include:
- Ironcology Survive the Night Marathon Relay — LMS will field a team of 10 runners on July 18–19
- Pickleball Social at the new Pickleball Kingdom facility — August 1
- Kentucky Medical Association Annual Meeting — August 22–23 at the Louisville Marriott East
- LMS Dinner Social: Longevity and Brain Health Symposium — October 13 (planning underway)
For more information about the Lexington Medical Society programs, services, and events go to lexingtondoctors.org.
