What is Bridge to Better Health?
The Bridge to Better Health program (B2BH) is a scientific lifestyle intervention program designed to prevent and reverse diseases caused by lifestyle.
What is Lifestyle Disease
Lifestyle diseases are usually chronic, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that cause discomfort and disability and require cost and ongoing medical attention to provide comfort and minimise symptoms. Sufferers often experience gradual deterioration of health, loss of independence and early death. During this time, individuals can become significant burdens both physically and financially on their family and society.
Lifestyle diseases include a range of disorders such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, obesity, some cancers, respiratory diseases, GIT disorders and mental health conditions.
Lifestyle Medicine as treatment for Lifestyle Disease
Research and anecdotal evidence demonstrate that disease progression can be prevented, halted, or even reversed when individuals follow Lifestyle Medicine principles. This includes revising:
- What we eat (e.g. too much, too little, of highly processed foods, and insufficient fresh produce)
- How we move and how often (inactivity)
- Our sleep quality and quantity
- Consuming addictive items (alcohol, kava, cigarettes, drugs, inappropriate medication use)
- Stress management
- Managing environmental toxins, to name a few.
Program Delivery
The B2BH program runs over 12 sessions scheduled over 6-8 weeks. During this time, participants learn new concepts through presented material, group activities, and food demonstrations, and they are encouraged to practice their newfound skills at home.
Further Information about B2BH
B2BH is a lifestyle education program developed by ADRA Australia. Its messages are characteristically found universally in Lifestyle Medicine interventions.
The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is the official humanitarian agency of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. ADRA Australia is part of the global ADRA network, extending to more than 100 countries. We work with communities in Australia and overseas to help them lift themselves out of poverty and create a brighter future.