Local doctor to share new lifestyle health techniques with Longboaters

Dr. Coeurlida Ashby loved working as a doctor at her internal medicine practice until she realized how little time it gives for patients to heal. 

“There were a lot of patients that needed time and the system isn't really set up for giving them that kind of time,” said Ashby. “I realized very early on in my career that I was practicing medicine in a way that I knew wasn't sustainable for me as a healer.”

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This led to an existential crisis. Ashby didn’t know if traditional medicine was the best outlet for “her healing art.” So, she went to the only thing that made her feel better: health and fitness.

Ashby poured most of her free time into bodybuilding and learning about nutrition. She started teaching her health techniques to clients after hours and saw a significant difference in her mood. She also noticed that implementing a healthy lifestyle reversed chronic diseases for most of her clients. 

In 2017, Ashby discovered the lifestyle medicine concept and immediately knew it was her calling.

The Paradise Center will host Ashby for an exclusive presentation on lifestyle medicine from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on June 3. 

Lifestyle medicine focuses on implementing lifestyle changes that promote healthy fitness and nutrition to prevent chronic diseases. Ashby said that lifestyle medicine is based on six pillars from ancient Chinese tradition. The pillars include sleep, nutrition, fitness, social connections, mental health and toxins you put in your body. 

Ashby’s presentation will serve as an introduction to lifestyle medicine for Longboaters. It will provide an interactive discussion for participants to understand and see the benefits of incorporating these lifestyle changes. 

She will cover how it improves overall health, boosts energy and vitality, manages stress and prevents and reverses chronic diseases. She will mainly focus on heart disease and metabolic health. 

Ashby earned her medical degree in internal medicine from Yale University School of Medicine. She completed her residency training at Yale New Haven Hospital where she served as chief resident of the Yale Internal Medicine Primary Care Program. 

Ashby got a lifestyle medicine certificate in 2020 and has become a leader in the field through her recognition in the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine. She now runs her own practice, Conscious Health, in Sarasota.

Ashby hopes the presentation will interest Longboaters to start thinking about their everyday habits and how their lifestyle affects their health. She is open to giving consultations at The Paradise Center’s Medical Suite if people are interested. 

“I think lifestyle medicine is a missing resource right now on Longboat,” said Ashby. “It is incredible the potential impact it could have on reducing suffering and disease burden. I love the atmosphere of having a space for movement at The Paradise Center, having a physical therapist in the same building and having potential other providers. It is just the type of setting that lifestyle lends itself to. They're definitely on the right track and this would be adding right in the mix.”