Takeaways

• Chronic illnesses are diseases that last for at least 1 year and may negatively impact an individual's quality of life. Examples include diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and heart disease.

• Unfortunately, a large percentage of individuals with chronic diseases fail to manage their conditions due to reasons like non-adherence to medications.

• Individuals with chronic diseases could get the tools, knowledge, and support they need to follow their healthcare regimens—and prevent further illness—through health coaching.

If you are managing a chronic illness, you're not alone. One in 4 Singaporean adults over 40 has at least one chronic disease.

Left unmanaged, chronic diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension can wreak havoc on your body and could lead to other illnesses, failed treatments, and death. While many chronic diseases can be managed with medications alone, others may require life changes such as exercising and dietary changes. What's more, some would prefer to control their illnesses without medication due to forgetfulness, side effects, or other concerns. 

Fortunately, health coaching for chronic diseases helps patients manage their illnesses and prevent further illness. 

What is a Chronic Disease? 

Chronic illnesses are diseases that last for at least one year. The severity of the illness varies by the disease and patient. Some patients may be able to manage their symptoms through lifestyle changes or health coaching for chronic diseases, but others may require ongoing medical care, such as routine medications. 

Examples of chronic diseases include: 

• Diabetes  

• Hypertension 

• High cholesterol 

• Asthma 

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

• Arthritis 

• Alzheimer's 

• Heart disease 

• Cancer 

How Do Chronic Diseases Impact Your Life? 

Each chronic illness has its unique symptoms, some of which may not be as obvious as others. These symptoms can impact your life by: 

• Making it more challenging to take care of yourself

• Reducing your self-esteem 

• Causing stress and mood disorders such as anxiety and depression 

• Restricting your ability to work 

• Causing financial difficulties 

• Increasing your stress, which could make you prone to illnesses, experience sleep disturbances, and cause fatigue

What is Health Coaching? 

Health coaching for chronic diseases will help equip you with the knowledge, tools, skills, and confidence to manage your illness. The time you will need to commit to health coaching for chronic diseases will depend on your provider and the disease. Health coaching may be performed in person or remotely, like we do at NOVI, but could depend on your provider. 

How Does Health Coaching Help an Individual with Chronic Disease? 

Health coaching can provide you with benefits such as: 

• Self-management support, including the promotion of healthy behaviors and lifestyle changes and teaching illness-specific skills

• Disease-based knowledge, including answering any questions you may have about your illness, medications, and other treatments

• Aiding you in the navigation of the healthcare system, including assistance with locating and engaging in other medical services 

• Emotional support, which can help you cope with the emotional impact of your chronic illness 

The Science Behind Health Coaching 

Health coaching has been beneficial in controlling high blood pressure, diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, arthritis, and more. 

This is especially true in communities where other healthcare services may not be as readily available. In these clinical studies, health coaching has helped patients reduce their need for drug therapy and other forms of treatment. 

The Cost of Failing to Manage Your Chronic Disease 

Failing to manage your chronic diseases can worsen your illness, cause the development of other conditions, result in treatment failures, and increase your risk of death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), non-adherence to medications alone results in 30 to 50 percent of treatment failures and up to 125,000 deaths per year. 

So, why are these numbers so high? 

First, treatment adherence can be problematic for many patients experiencing difficulty caring for themselves or mood-related disorders. Furthermore, patients encouraged to participate in drug therapies may fail to take their medications due to forgetfulness, unpleasant side effects, or lack of swift improvement. 

For these patients, health coaching for chronic diseases can help provide the motivation and resources necessary for patients to follow their healthcare regimens and improve their quality of life. 

Where to Find Health Coaching for Chronic Diseases in Singapore 

Chronic diseases can be debilitating, but with the right lifestyle changes and treatment plans, you can minimize your illness's impact on your life and prevent the disease from worsening. Health coaching for chronic diseases can help you do just that by providing the tools, knowledge, and support you need to take back control of your life. 

Here at NOVI Health, we are committed to providing you with personalized care and health solutions to help you control and manage your chronic illnesses and their symptoms. We approach patients using motivational interviewing and health coaching that can be used alone or in conjunction with medical care. 

Once you avail of NOVI Magnum our complete chronic disease management bundle, you’ll get 3 months of NOVI Optimum (our health coaching service), we’ll review your lifestyle habits, identify sustainable changes in your life that can improve the outlook of your chronic disease, and provide steps you can take to achieve your goals. 

Through our proprietary app, NOVIFY, you’ll get access to your own dedicated health team: a fitness coach, a dedicated dietitian, to provide you with a personalized exercise and diet plan to help manage your illness. 

Are you looking for health coaching for chronic diseases? Don't let your illness dictate your life. Learn more about our NOVI Magnum to take back control of your life.