Integrating evidence-based lifestyle medicine into comprehensive psychiatric care.
Mental health is influenced by far more than medications alone.
While medications and psychotherapy remain essential components of psychiatric treatment, growing research demonstrates that sleep, nutrition, physical activity, cardiometabolic health, and other lifestyle factors can significantly influence emotional well-being and treatment outcomes.
At Jauregui Psychiatry, lifestyle medicine is not used as a replacement for evidence-based psychiatric treatment — it is used as a complementary approach that helps patients optimize both their mental and physical health. Every recommendation is individualized and based on your diagnosis, medical history, goals, and readiness for change.
What is neuroplasticity and why does it matter so much?
The brain's ability to adapt, reorganize, and form new connections throughout life helps explain why sleep, nutrition, physical activity, and stress management can meaningfully influence mood, cognition, and treatment outcomes.
Our lifestyle-informed approach.
When clinically appropriate, discussions may include the following areas — always alongside, never in place of, evidence-based psychiatric treatment.
Sleep & Circadian Rhythm
- Sleep quality and duration
- Sleep hygiene
- Circadian rhythm optimization
- Sleep-related behaviors
- Referral for sleep studies or Sleep Medicine consultation when indicated
Nutrition & Brain Health
Nutrition plays an important role in overall brain health and may influence mood, cognition, energy levels, inflammation, and metabolic health.
When appropriate, dietary patterns may be reviewed using validated assessment tools that help identify opportunities for improvement and support a collaborative conversation about healthy habits.
- MEDAS — Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener, a brief, validated tool for reviewing dietary patterns.
- REAP-S v2 — Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants (Short Version), a quick screen of overall eating habits.
- HEI-2020 — Healthy Eating Index, a standardized measure of diet quality relative to national guidelines.
Movement as Medicine
Exercise has been shown to benefit many individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, insomnia, ADHD, and other psychiatric conditions.
- Current activity level and exercise habits
- Sedentary behavior
- Individualized physical activity goals
- Safe exercise recommendations
- Referral to exercise professionals when appropriate
Stress & Recovery
- Daily stressors
- Relaxation techniques and mindfulness
- Behavioral activation
- Recovery strategies
- Building sustainable, healthy routines
Mental and physical health are closely connected.
Cardiometabolic Risk Factors
- Weight and metabolic health
- Blood pressure
- Diabetes risk
- Cardiovascular wellness
- Smoking cessation
- Preventive health screening recommendations
- Coordination with your primary care provider
A Fuller Picture of Wellness
These conversations support comprehensive psychiatric care and may help identify opportunities for collaboration with your broader healthcare team:
- Cardiorespiratory fitness
- Physical activity levels
- Sleep quality
- Nutrition and body composition
- Cardiometabolic health
- Preventive wellness
My Life Check
The American Heart Association's self-assessment of key lifestyle and cardiovascular health behaviors.
Visit My Life Check →PREVENT™
The American Heart Association's online calculator estimating 10- and 30-year risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure.
Learn about PREVENT →Perceived Stress Scale
A brief, validated self-report measure of how unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloaded life has felt recently.
When indicated, multi-marker blood biomarker panels can also be ordered upon request to support more quantitative, individualized risk prediction.
Referrals across your care team.
When you're interested and it's clinically appropriate, recommendations may include referrals to qualified healthcare professionals, coordinated with your care team whenever possible.
- Primary Care Physicians
- Registered Dietitians
- Exercise Physiologists
- Physical Therapists
- Certified Health & Wellness Coaches
- Sleep Medicine Specialists
- Diabetes Prevention Programs
- Smoking Cessation Programs
- Community Wellness Resources
Additional wellness resources
Upon request, information may be provided regarding reputable, evidence-based programs and services related to nutrition assessment, fitness evaluation, cardiorespiratory fitness testing (e.g., VO₂ max testing), body composition analysis, healthy lifestyle coaching, and preventive wellness services.
These resources are intended to complement — not replace — ongoing medical care. Patients are encouraged to discuss participation with their primary care provider whenever appropriate.
Whole-person psychiatric care starts with a conversation.
Your initial evaluation focuses on your psychiatric concerns first — lifestyle factors are explored only where they're clinically relevant to your care.