Experts say lifestyle, not medication, is key to preventing chronic diseases.

By Chioma Obinna

During the 2026 Global Lifestyle Medicine Health Week, health authorities warned that Nigeria could face a growing burden of chronic diseases unless the focus shifts from “sick care” to preventive, lifestyle‑based healthcare.

Experts at Martlife Detox Clinic, Nigeria’s first Modern Mayr Medicine centre, said conditions such as infertility, chronic fatigue, hormonal imbalance and digestive disorders could be markedly reduced through healthier lifestyles, detoxification and improved gut health.

In a statement signed by the clinic’s management, Prof Oladipo Ashiru cautioned that overreliance on drugs, without addressing poor nutrition, inadequate sleep, stress and toxin accumulation, is worsening non‑communicable diseases across the country.

“Lifestyle medicine is not about perfection. It is about direction. Start with one meal, one hour of sleep, one deep breath,” Ashiru said.

The clinic explained that Modern Mayr Medicine, developed by Austrian physician Franz Xaver Mayr, focuses on gut restoration, detoxification and mindful eating as the foundation for overall wellness.

Since its establishment in 2012, Martlife has applied these principles in Nigeria long before lifestyle medicine became a global movement.

“Modern Mayr Medicine is lifestyle medicine, and then some. It addresses not just what you eat, but how well you digest, how thoroughly you eliminate waste and how deeply you rest. That is the foundation of fertility, hormonal health and vitality,” the clinical team explained.

The clinic identified poor eating habits, environmental toxins, stress and inadequate elimination of body waste as major contributors to the rise in chronic illnesses.

It further argued that many Nigerians unknowingly suffer from digestive dysfunctions that hinder proper nutrient absorption even when eating healthy meals.

“You can eat bitter leaf, ugu, ogbono and utazi daily, but if your colon is backed up or your liver is congested, you are not truly absorbing nutrients or clearing waste,” the experts noted.

The specialists also linked liver congestion and exposure to indoor mold during the rainy season to fertility challenges and hormonal disorders, particularly among women undergoing assisted reproductive treatments. They said the clinic’s approach combines conventional diagnostics with bioenergetic testing, colon hydrotherapy and personalised detox programmes tailored to patients’ health conditions.

According to the team, the growing global acceptance of lifestyle medicine validates what the clinic has practised for over 14 years.

Globally, Lifestyle Medicine Health Week, observed from May 17 to 22, promotes six pillars of healthy living: balanced nutrition, regular exercise, restorative sleep, stress management, social connection and avoidance of harmful substances.

Martlife, however, said gut cleansing and proper elimination should be considered a “seventh pillar” because “without a clean gut, no lifestyle intervention reaches the cells.”

The clinic urged Nigerians to adopt simple health routines such as avoiding late‑night meals, increasing water intake and reducing processed foods.

As part of the week’s activities, the clinic announced discounted bioenergetic testing and wellness therapies for residents seeking lifestyle‑based interventions for chronic conditions.

Founded in 2012, Medical Art Centre and Martlife Detox Clinic operate from Maryland, Lagos, offering fertility care, detoxification and lifestyle medicine services.

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