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Lifestyle Counseling

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Primary Care in Astoria

Whole-Person Wellness at mediDental care in Astoria

Preventing and managing chronic illness often starts with the choices we make every day. At mediDental care, we offer personalized lifestyle counseling services focused on nutrition, exercise, and smoking cessation—because we believe that better health begins with better habits. Lifestyle counseling addresses key lifestyle factors such as sleep, diet, exercise, and substance use, recognizing their significant impact on health and the development of chronic diseases. Lifestyle counseling is tailored to individuals and their unique needs, ensuring that each person receives support that fits their specific situation. As your trusted partner for primary care in Astoria, our team is here to guide you with empathy, evidence, and a plan that works for you through personalized care.

Whether you’re managing diabetes, improving your heart health, or simply ready to feel your best, we’re ready to support your goals with one-on-one guidance. Lifestyle counseling empowers individuals to take control of their lives and overall well-being, helping to prevent chronic diseases and improve both mental and physical health.

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What Is Lifestyle Counseling?

Lifestyle counseling is a series of targeted conversations and coaching sessions with your primary care provider or wellness team, where providers assess and determine a person’s readiness for change. Providers assist individuals by offering targeted support and guidance to help them overcome barriers and achieve sustainable lifestyle changes. It focuses on understanding and assessing the behaviors that most affect your health—and how to change them sustainably.

Focus Areas Include:

  • Nutritional guidance and meal planning
  • Exercise recommendations and physical activity tracking
  • Smoking cessation and tobacco use reduction
  • Weight management
  • Stress reduction and mental wellness

Why It Matters: The Link Between Habits and Health

Unhealthy habits contribute to many of the leading causes of illness and death in the U.S., including heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and certain cancers. By making positive changes and adopting lifestyle changes, you can reduce risk, improve energy, and live longer.

Conditions Lifestyle Counseling Can Help Prevent or Manage:

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • High cholesterol
  • Obesity
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Chronic stress or anxiety
  • Smoking-related illnesses (COPD, cancer)

Our job is to help you make progress—not perfection—starting with small, achievable changes.

Nutrition Counseling in Astoria

Healthy eating doesn’t mean giving up all your favorite foods—it means learning how to fuel your body effectively. Education is a key part of our nutrition counseling, helping you make informed choices and understand the impact of your habits. Our team works with you to develop a realistic eating plan that fits your life, fostering a positive attitude toward nutrition changes.

What We Cover:

  • Macronutrient balance (carbs, protein, fat)
  • Portion control and calorie needs
  • Reading food labels
  • Managing cravings and emotional eating
  • Cultural dietary considerations
  • Special diets (low-sodium, diabetic, Mediterranean)

We’ll help you create a sustainable, satisfying nutrition plan to meet your goals—whether it’s lowering cholesterol, managing blood sugar, or improving digestion.

Exercise & Physical Activity Counseling

You don’t need a gym membership or intense workouts to see results. Consistency and enjoyment matter more. We help you move in ways that feel good and fit your schedule, while helping you develop healthy exercise habits.

We also address any physical conditions that may limit your movement or activity, ensuring your exercise plan is safe and effective.

Our approach focuses on developing long-term exercise routines that support your overall well-being.

Our Approach:

  • Current activity level and movement history
  • Goal setting for endurance, strength, or flexibility
  • Walking, yoga, home routines, or structured programs
  • Managing exercise with chronic pain or illness
  • Motivation and accountability tips

Physical Activity Guidelines:

  • At least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week
  • 2+ days per week of muscle-strengthening activities
  • Stretching and mobility exercises for daily wellness

Movement is medicine—and we’ll help you build it into your lifestyle.

Smoking Cessation Counseling

Tobacco is one of the most preventable causes of disease and death. If you smoke or vape, it’s important to actively commit to specific goals for quitting. This commitment, supported by strategies like goal-setting and self-monitoring, greatly increases your chances of lasting success. Quitting is the single most impactful decision you can make for your health—and we’re here to support you at every step as you take action to achieve a smoke-free life.

How We Help:

  • Understand your nicotine use pattern and triggers
  • Identify your “why” for quitting
  • Create a quit plan with timeline and milestones
  • Recommend nicotine replacement therapies (patch, gum, lozenge)
  • Prescribe medications like bupropion or varenicline if needed
  • Offer emotional support and stress management tools

Quitting is hard, but you don’t have to do it alone. We’ll meet you where you are and guide you forward.

How Lifestyle Counseling Works at mediDental care

1. Initial Health Assessment

  • Detailed history of the patient's eating, activity, and smoking habits
  • Weight, BMI, blood pressure, and labs as needed
  • Mental health screening to understand the patient's barriers and support needs
  • Regular review of the patient's health data and progress to monitor adherence and adjust goals

The information gathered during the initial assessment is used to develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to each patient's unique needs.

2. Collaborative Goal Setting

  • What’s most important to you—energy? blood sugar? confidence?
  • Set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Timely)—for example, walking 10,000 steps per day.
  • Prioritize one or two small changes at a time.

Our team will encourage you to set realistic goals and support you as you work to achieve them.

3. Personalized Plan

  • Tailored nutrition and activity schedules
  • Resources for recipes, trackers, apps, and local programs
  • Coordination with specialists (dietitians, physical therapists, mental health counselors) if needed
  • Our team assists clients in identifying barriers, setting achievable goals, and implementing their personalized plans
  • In addition, we offer supplementary resources and services to further support your health journey

4. Follow-Up & Support

  • Regular check-ins (monthly or quarterly)
  • Engage participants in regular follow-up to ensure progress and sustained commitment
  • Celebrate progress and troubleshoot roadblocks
  • Ongoing support helps develop a better understanding of each client's needs, motivations, and barriers
  • Update goals based on your evolving needs

The Role of Mindset and Mental Wellness

Behavior change is as much about mindset as it is about knowledge. Our team takes a genuine interest in understanding your unique challenges, health history, and lifestyle to provide personalized support. Mental health therapists play a crucial role in supporting behavior change and managing lifestyle-related health issues, ensuring you receive comprehensive care. We support you with motivational coaching and resources that help you:

  • Overcome self-criticism or all-or-nothing thinking
  • Build confidence through progress
  • Reframe setbacks as learning experiences
  • Reduce guilt or shame around health goals

While we offer guidance and encouragement, you are ultimately responsible for making and sustaining the changes that lead to better health.

Your mental health matters—and our compassionate approach keeps that front and center.

Who Should Consider Lifestyle Counseling?

Lifestyle counseling is for patients and anyone looking to make a healthy change, especially if you:

  • Have been diagnosed with a chronic condition
  • Are trying to lose or maintain weight
  • Want to quit smoking or vaping
  • Have low energy, poor sleep, or high stress
  • Are unsure how to eat or exercise for your body and life
  • Are patients who face potential barriers to adopting healthier habits, such as challenges with motivation, self-efficacy, or making progress

Why Choose mediDental care for Lifestyle Counseling in Astoria?

  • Integrated care: Lifestyle guidance is part of your primary care visit
  • Personalized coaching: No one-size-fits-all plans
  • Culturally inclusive: We understand food, tradition, and identity
  • Holistic mindset: We support the whole person, not just lab results
  • Ongoing accountability: Regular check-ins to keep you on track
  • Guided support: Our team will lead you through every step of your lifestyle change journey, helping you overcome barriers and achieve your goals

At mediDental care, we empower you—not pressure you—to take the next right step. If you are interested in reducing your pain and improving your health, contact us today to get started.

Book Lifestyle Counseling in Astoria Today

Your next step toward better health could start with one conversation. At mediDental care, our lifestyle counseling services help you gain clarity, build confidence, and create a life that supports your well-being.

📍 Located in Astoria, Queens
📞 Call us or book your appointment online

You don’t have to do it alone. Partner with mediDental care—your leader in lifestyle-focused primary care in Astoria.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to be sick to benefit from lifestyle counseling?

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No! This service is for anyone looking to improve wellness and prevent disease—even if you feel healthy now.

Will I get a meal plan or diet?

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We offer general guidance and can refer you to a registered dietitian for detailed meal planning. Our focus is sustainable changes.

Can you help me quit vaping?

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Yes. We offer the same counseling and support strategies for vaping as we do for cigarette use.

Is lifestyle counseling covered by insurance?

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Often yes, especially if part of managing a diagnosed condition. We can check your benefits.

What if I don’t stick to the plan?

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That’s okay. Change takes time. We’ll work with you without judgment and adjust your plan as needed.

Find Us

Get in Touch

Address:

2246 31st St, Astoria, NY 11105

Hours of Operation

Monday
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Tuesday
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Wednesday
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Thursday
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Friday
Closed
Saturday
Closed
Sunday
11:00 am - 4:00 pm