How it all started
The first few years as a medical student were devoted to gaining as much academic knowledge to prepare us for our clinical phase. However, just before entering the wards and commencing the clinical phase of my medical studies, I still felt like I knew next to nothing about its practice. Around this time, my grandmother was rushed to the hospital after my aunt noticed that she was confused and her speech was slurred. Further investigations revealed the cause, a diagnosis that everyone dreads; cancer. I had never seen my grandmother, such a strong lady, feel so defeated. I could see that she had so many questions running through her mind but most importantly, “Why?” Cancer didn’t run in her family. She had no reason to believe it was genetic. Was there a possibility that her lifestyle contributed to the disease? We didn’t have any answers. As someone who had been so independent her whole life, it was heartbreaking to see her being stripped of the control she had over something destroying her own body. The neurosurgeon removed the tumour. The oncologist planned a schedule for her radiotherapy sessions. But, no one gave her a role in her own treatment. There must have been some way we could have empowered her to enhance her quality of life and thrive through her treatment, while still making the journey meaningful. Would things have been different if doctors opened up and learned more about patients, beyond their disease?
Today, although she is not here with us anymore, this was the story that sparked the idea behind Lagom. I am a doctor who transitioned out of clinical medicine. Nevertheless, with the passion still in me, I wanted to contribute to our community and make an impact.
Why did I choose the route of lifestyle medicine? One of the biggest reasons why I decided to take a different path is because I felt a loss of balance in my physical, mental and social self. That’s when I had the amazing opportunity to work with my CEO and explore healthcare from another perspective. At the time, when I came across the field of lifestyle medicine, it was very new but intriguing to me because it resonated with what I had seen my grandmother go through and what I had personally experienced, tackling the loss of balance. After all, it's time we embrace the true meaning of health as quoted from the WHO constitution: "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."
Meet the Founder and Co- Founder
Phr. Gaffer Ng Kee Wei & Dr. Heera Senthil Kumar
Lifestyle medicine is an evidence based approach to comprehensive lifestyle changes that are used as a tool to PREVENT, TREAT and REVERSE chronic diseases by addressing the root cause. ‘Prevention is better than cure ’ but how often do we see this principle being emphasised? This is now a fundamental strategy in modern healthcare. There are 6 core pillars of lifestyle medicine- nutrition, regular physical activity, restorative sleep, avoidance of tobacco and moderate alcohol use, stress management, and positive social connectivity. These are all very normal parts of our daily lives, yet small modifications in these aspects can make a huge difference. This is why our organisation’s name is LAGOM, which indicates balance, in Swedish.
We always believe that the values we carry will touch people’s lives and that NOW is the focus. In line with what we envisioned, at The Lagom Clinique, we strive to make a difference in the PRESENT for a better FUTURE through incorporating lifestyle medicine as part of patient management and empowering people along the way. It is not one dimension or one thing; we are each a whole person. Join us and take control of your health!
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