Gebre Nida, MD, FACE, DipABLM, and Josie Bidwell, DNP, RN, FNP-C, DipACLM, FACLM, were among the first practitioners to enroll in the “Blue Zones® Certification Course for Physicians and Health Professionals.” In a Q&A, they talk about what made them want to earn the certification, why they thought the time investment was reasonable, and how their new knowledge will affect how they approach lifestyle medicine. Since its launch in the middle of November, nearly 400 clinicians have registered for ACLM’s “Blue Zones Certification Course for Physicians and Health Professionals.”
This early indication of the strong enthusiasm for practical, evidence-based approaches to longevity, well-being, and health equity is a sign of the program’s success. ACLM’s expertise in therapeutic lifestyle medicine and Blue Zones’ decades of research into the world’s longest-lived and happiest populations combine for the certification. Together, these methods provide clinicians with a framework that addresses the environments, systems, and social norms that influence health across the lifespan in addition to individual behavior change.
Josie Bidwell, DNP, RN, FNP-C, DipACLM, FACLM, professor and clinical director for preventive medicine and director of the Office of Well-being at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and Gebre Nida, MD, FACE, DipABLM, chair of the Cone Health Lifestyle Medicine Steering Committee and lead physician at Cone Health Reidsville Endocrinology in North Carolina, are two of the first clinicians to earn Blue Zones Certification. In this Q They also discussed how the principles of Blue Zones complement lifestyle medicine and emphasize the importance of a population-based health approach.
Why did you decide to get Blue Zones Certification?
Nida: I was motivated by a desire to connect real-world, lived human experience and evidence-based lifestyle medicine. As an endocrinologist, I frequently advise patients on nutrition, physical activity, stress, and connectedness. However, I was drawn to Blue Zones because it goes beyond just providing advice and focuses on how people actually live in environments that naturally encourage longevity and well-being. The chance to learn directly from the original Blue Zones principles and assist in putting those insights into use in the community and clinic was incredibly appealing.
Bidwell: As a clinician working in population health, the additional knowledge and training I would receive in the application of well-established lifestyle medicine strategies to communities and populations bolstered my desire to pursue this training. Additionally, the collaboration of two formidable organizations like ACLM and Blue Zones ensured that only the most compelling evidence would be presented.
What aspects of the certification process did you find to be most useful?
Bidwell: The workbook portion was my favorite. It was very helpful to be able to think back on the lesson and figure out how to incorporate it into my own practice. The activities in the subsequent modules, which assist the clinician in developing a business case for implementing these changes with stakeholders, were particularly useful. This is a skill that is rarely taught in standard healthcare training.
Nida: The emphasis on systems and the environment rather than individual willpower stood out the most. The Blue Zones approach highlights how default choices—social norms, food environments, built-in movement, and a sense of purpose—shape outcomes over decades, in contrast to lifestyle medicine’s usual emphasis on patient-level behavior change. In addition, I was pleasantly surprised by how easily these ideas could be applied to clinical discussions, even in a busy medical practice.
How might getting certified affect how you work with patients or practice?
Nida: My shift from prescriptive counseling to collaborative, context-aware conversations has been bolstered by the certification. I now examine patients’ sense of purpose, social connections, daily routines, and environmental obstacles with greater focus. I assist patients in identifying small, enduring changes that are in line with their values and daily reality rather than making recommendations that are framed as “add-ons.” Chronic endocrine conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and osteoporosis have all benefited from this strategy. My clinical practice focuses heavily on type 2 diabetes, which was recently referred to as the “defining disease of the century.” Working with empowered patients, I now have better tools to prevent, treat, or put it into remission.
Bidwell: Now that I have more confidence, I can talk about how the fundamental principles of lifestyle medicine don’t have to be the same for everyone to benefit. In addition, I have already based one of the topics of my radio show on Blue Zones, and some patients actually came to the clinic after hearing it.
What advice would you offer to clinicians interested in the certification but concerned about the time commitment?
Bidwell: This certification was very adaptable to my needs. Each session only required approximately one hour of dedicated time due to the module structure. I was able to seamlessly incorporate this into meetings at the beginning or end of my day.
Nida: I would encourage them to see the certification as a reframing tool rather than an additional burden. The time investment is manageable, and the perspective, communication, and clinical relevance are substantial returns. The principles can significantly enhance patient engagement, professional fulfillment, and prevention-focused care regardless of specialty.
