Washington University Living Well Center

07/24/2025

Five years and countless lives changed! The WashU Living Well Center is redefining healthcare with personalized, proactive approaches that help participants live healthier, fuller lives. From integrating fitness and nutrition, to addressing the root of wellness hurdles, the Living Well Center is committed to whole-person care.

In just five years since the doors opened, the Living Well Center has accomplished so much:
1️⃣ Built custom patient pathways
2️⃣ Helped thousands of patients
3️⃣ Emphasized collaborative care
4️⃣ Developed an interprofessional team
5️⃣ Established a robust research platform

"We're just getting started," shares Devyani Hunt, MD, Medical Director of the Living Well Center.

07/21/2025

As we head into a week of extreme heat, the Female Athlete Program is encouraging all athletes to keep training indoors and to hydrate! Dehydration isn’t just about feeling thirsty — it can affect joint health, flexibility and athletic performance.

In addition to keeping an eye on early signs of dehydration, aim to lose less than 2% of your body weight during exercise and rehydrate after workouts — about 24 ounces of fluid for every pound lost.

07/05/2025

Five years of the Living Well Center means five years of personal care plans empowering patients to take control of their health and wellness through lifestyle medicine!

05/21/2025

Lifestyle Medicine Week encourages us to take control of our health by prioritizing six pillars of wellness. At the Washington University Living Well center, our experts are helping patients find a happier and healthier version of themselves through these practices every day.

What can you make a priority this week?

04/30/2025

Join us as we kick off the Movement Month of May in our upcoming Tai Chi session! Class starts May 6. Register now!
https://bit.ly/3FAUOfC

03/14/2025

Where were you five years ago when the COVID-19 pandemic began?

March 15th is International Long COVID Awareness Day - a reminder that COVID-19 is still here, and some people experience lasting symptoms.

Protect yourself by staying up to date on vaccines. If you're 65+ or immunocompromised, health experts recommend a second dose of the 2024-2025 COVID vaccine, ideally six months after the first, but as early as two months.

Learn more about Long COVID and find resources: LongCOVID-STL.org.
WashU Medicine Washington University in St. Louis Affinia Healthcare Care STL Health Family Care Health Centers Betty Jean Kerr People's Health Centers SSM Health - St. Louis BJC HealthCare City of St. Louis Department of Health Saint Louis County Department of Public Health Generate Health STL Community Health Commission of Missouri Community Health Commission of Missouri Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) Missouri Primary Care Association (MPCA) Missouri Hospital Association STLCHWCo

03/05/2025

"Right now we think that there are more people living with long COVID than realize it," Abby Cheng, MD, said. Through the Living Well Center, long COVID patients like Tanya Dotson are getting the help they need.

"Finding treatments that are helpful, so strategies, therapies, some medications; although we don't have a cure, we can help patients maximize their quality of life," Dr. Cheng told 5 On Your Side.

https://bit.ly/43iIHS4

For some, it's not much different than dealing with a cold or flu. But for others, COVID completely upended their lives.

01/07/2025

Later this month, we begin another session of our weight loss program in which we'll help participants take control of their health! The dietitian-led program is designed to help participants learn about their nutrition, drop excess weight and reduce the risk of chronic diseases associated with obesity.

12/10/2024

At the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Conference 2024, Devyani Hunt, MD, presented on the success of the Living Well Center. When people engage in the program, they are making measurable progress towards their health goals through lifestyle medicine. Participants are also feeling heard and understood through this support and care model.

Perhaps a patient testimony said it best, "I can never say enough about the Living Well Center. I thank them for helping me step into my own shoes and really feel empowered about this journey that I'm on, helping me gain language and an understanding of my body so that I can feel like I'm fighting with my head up now. I am forever grateful to them. So, may this program grow; it's beautiful what they do."

11/13/2024

A patient's digital art creation depicted just how torturous living with chronic pain can feel – in the shoulder blades and beyond. Our art therapy group focuses on how art can create connection and healing.

11/06/2024

"We are helping patients prepare for a life-changing surgery," explains Brian Neuman, MD, chief of the orthopedic spine division.

At the Living Well Center, patients scheduled for surgery to correct spinal problems learn how they play an important role in their own recovery. This one-of-a-kind program is designed by orthopedic spine surgeons and neurosurgeons and includes health topics such as good nutrition, smoking cessation, coping mechanisms for pain and more. Attendees get the opportunity to work with a nurse practitioner, a nutritionist and therapists in this newly launched Spine Surgery Optimization Program.

"We begin as far out as two months prior to surgery because we want people to be in the best physical and mental health possible before their procedure."

📸: Spine surgery team preparing with 3D model.

Learn more ⬇️
https://bit.ly/4ef1CPt

09/13/2024

Joshua Roman is an acclaimed cellist who has experienced first-hand the daunting effects of Long COVID. In honor of his journey and that of our community members, Abby Cheng, MD, and the St. Louis Long COVID Initiative are hosting a concert from one survivor to another...the first stop on Joshua's 'Immunity' tour.

Joshua will perform 'Immunity,' a unique program that combines music and storytelling into an emotional journey of the life-altering experience of ongoing long COVID.