My Professional & Personal Journey into Lifestyle Medicine
Dr. Dan Smithson's Biography and Credentials
Dr. Smithson was raised on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Northern Arizona where his family owned a trading post. After graduating from high school he served a 2 year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Southern Florida. Upon returning, he completed his undergraduate studied at Brigham Young University where he majored in microbiology and minored in chemistry. It was there that he met and married Elizabeth Vassel.
Dan’s medical training was at the University of Southern California, after which he completed his Family Medicine specialty training at St. Mary's Residency, in Grand Junction and Cortez, Colorado, with an emphasis in rural medicine. He’s been practicing in Baker City, Oregon since completing residency in 2000. His practice has included both clinic and hospital care.
He gave up obstetrical care (including surgical obstetrics) a few years ago to his younger partners and recently stopped in-patient hospital work to focus more time on lifestyle medicine in the clinic. Other services have included 15 years as the medical director of hospice, and traveling to a small outreach clinic once a month here in Eastern Oregon.
In 2019 Dan and Elizabeth, with their youngest of 5 sons, moved to the small remote town of Westport, South Island, New Zealand, where Dan worked for a year both in the clinic and hospital.
Dr. Smithson currently serves as the medical director for of 12 providers and 60 employees.
Dr. Smithson was raised on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Northern Arizona where his family owned a trading post. After graduating from high school he served a 2 year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Southern Florida. Upon returning, he completed his undergraduate studied at Brigham Young University where he majored in microbiology and minored in chemistry. It was there that he met and married Elizabeth Vassel.
Dan’s medical training was at the University of Southern California, after which he completed his Family Medicine specialty training at St. Mary's Residency, in Grand Junction and Cortez, Colorado, with an emphasis in rural medicine. He’s been practicing in Baker City, Oregon since completing residency in 2000. His practice has included both clinic and hospital care.
He gave up obstetrical care (including surgical obstetrics) a few years ago to his younger partners and recently stopped in-patient hospital work to focus more time on lifestyle medicine in the clinic. Other services have included 15 years as the medical director of hospice, and traveling to a small outreach clinic once a month here in Eastern Oregon.
In 2019 Dan and Elizabeth, with their youngest of 5 sons, moved to the small remote town of Westport, South Island, New Zealand, where Dan worked for a year both in the clinic and hospital.
Dr. Smithson currently serves as the medical director for of 12 providers and 60 employees.
Follow the Leader
In January of 2008 Elizabeth was introduced to the book Eat to Live written by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. She would share with me what she was learning about eating “Nutritarian” with excitement. At first I was resistant to what she was learning. Whenever she’d share a principle I’d usually reply with: “Show me the data.” Well, to my surprise, she would! (Read more about Elizabeth’s story Here.) Forgive my being a doctor-brain, science-minded guy but I hated it when someone would say something like: “We should limit processed foods”, what in the world does “processed” mean anyway? I started reading and would frequently look up the referenced cited to confirm the data myself. In addition to learning from Eat to Live I saw her transform as well. She lost weight, improved her mood, reversed several chronic health conditions, increased her energy and started participating in triathlons. At the same time I was struggling with extra weight of my own and high blood pressure which I blamed on genetics. I was addressing my issues by running and biking. It wasn’t unusual for me to jog 20-30 miles a week or cycle 120 miles a week without any change in my weight. Inspired by witnessing Elizabeth’s transformation, and learning the evidence to support her new lifestyle for myself, I decided I’d better jump on-board.
In January of 2008 Elizabeth was introduced to the book Eat to Live written by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. She would share with me what she was learning about eating “Nutritarian” with excitement. At first I was resistant to what she was learning. Whenever she’d share a principle I’d usually reply with: “Show me the data.” Well, to my surprise, she would! (Read more about Elizabeth’s story Here.) Forgive my being a doctor-brain, science-minded guy but I hated it when someone would say something like: “We should limit processed foods”, what in the world does “processed” mean anyway? I started reading and would frequently look up the referenced cited to confirm the data myself. In addition to learning from Eat to Live I saw her transform as well. She lost weight, improved her mood, reversed several chronic health conditions, increased her energy and started participating in triathlons. At the same time I was struggling with extra weight of my own and high blood pressure which I blamed on genetics. I was addressing my issues by running and biking. It wasn’t unusual for me to jog 20-30 miles a week or cycle 120 miles a week without any change in my weight. Inspired by witnessing Elizabeth’s transformation, and learning the evidence to support her new lifestyle for myself, I decided I’d better jump on-board.
Taking the Plunge
By that summer I’d seen and read enough and was ready to jump in 100%. I committed to eating only what Elizabeth put in front of me. Like so many others I found it not only delicious but very filling. After having eating a big meal it was not unusual for her to place more food in front of me. I remember once when this happened I responded with “you want me to eat that too?!” “Yep”, she said. Well, I did and I kept on eating that way and in 6 weeks I’d lost 20 pounds. I was so excited I began to read the books about diet and nutrition. I soon came to the realization, that with very few exception, they were all teaching the same basic principle-- that eating a whole-foods, plant-based diet was the most effective treatment for most the the chronic diseased that my patients had. I began sharing what I’d learned with my patients. My office staff also noticed the transformation and wanted to learn more. I started to share with them what I’d learned and how I’d been able to change. I soon learned, however, there is a huge difference between knowing what to do and actually putting it in to action. Although our local bookstore sold a lot of Dr. Fuhrman’s books (“Eat to Live” and “Eat for Health”) only a very small percent of my patients would actually followed the advise. I suspect only a few really bought the book and even fewer actually read it. On the opposite end of the spectrum, however, was the fulfillment and joy I received when I saw someone actually make the changes that reversed their illness.
By that summer I’d seen and read enough and was ready to jump in 100%. I committed to eating only what Elizabeth put in front of me. Like so many others I found it not only delicious but very filling. After having eating a big meal it was not unusual for her to place more food in front of me. I remember once when this happened I responded with “you want me to eat that too?!” “Yep”, she said. Well, I did and I kept on eating that way and in 6 weeks I’d lost 20 pounds. I was so excited I began to read the books about diet and nutrition. I soon came to the realization, that with very few exception, they were all teaching the same basic principle-- that eating a whole-foods, plant-based diet was the most effective treatment for most the the chronic diseased that my patients had. I began sharing what I’d learned with my patients. My office staff also noticed the transformation and wanted to learn more. I started to share with them what I’d learned and how I’d been able to change. I soon learned, however, there is a huge difference between knowing what to do and actually putting it in to action. Although our local bookstore sold a lot of Dr. Fuhrman’s books (“Eat to Live” and “Eat for Health”) only a very small percent of my patients would actually followed the advise. I suspect only a few really bought the book and even fewer actually read it. On the opposite end of the spectrum, however, was the fulfillment and joy I received when I saw someone actually make the changes that reversed their illness.
I Quit!
My enthusiasm was tempered as I saw few patients making the changes for which I’d hoped. I realized that while most people want to prevent and treat illness without medications I was woefully lacking in the skills to help them actually make the necessary changes. I came to the realization that I simply had not been taught how to practice that kind of medicine. I slowly reverted back to the “old ways” of practicing—see a patient every 15 minutes, making a diagnosis and prescribing a pill to help control their disease. I found I just didn’t have time or knowledge to invest the type of education they deeded to actually reverse their disease. I learned that their is a big difference between knowing what to do and actually doing it. What I was lacking (as most of us practicing modern medicine) wasn’t the what-to-do but the how-to-do.
My enthusiasm was tempered as I saw few patients making the changes for which I’d hoped. I realized that while most people want to prevent and treat illness without medications I was woefully lacking in the skills to help them actually make the necessary changes. I came to the realization that I simply had not been taught how to practice that kind of medicine. I slowly reverted back to the “old ways” of practicing—see a patient every 15 minutes, making a diagnosis and prescribing a pill to help control their disease. I found I just didn’t have time or knowledge to invest the type of education they deeded to actually reverse their disease. I learned that their is a big difference between knowing what to do and actually doing it. What I was lacking (as most of us practicing modern medicine) wasn’t the what-to-do but the how-to-do.
ACLM2022 Live Conference,
Orlando, Florida
I Found “My People”
Elizabeth and I continued to practicing what we’d learned and to study and grown our knowledge. While I’d heard about the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) I didn’t really look into the organization until 2020. I joined in 2021. Elizabeth and I attended the national conference in the fall of 2021. Although COVID prevented an in-personal meeting that year it was almost immediately apparent that we’d found a like-minded crowd. What we learned reinforced what we knew and added more including lifestyle changes beyond nutrition (read more about the 6 pillars of lifestyle medicine here). One of the components it added what how to help people bridge the gap between learning what to do and actually putting it into practice. In other words, how to actually change behavior and the science behind it. This is Elizabeth’s area of focus as a health and wellness coach. I committed to learn as much as I could and by the Fall of 2022 took the national board exam and became certified through the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine. Since then I’ve been focusing more and more on lifestyle medicine in my practice helping as many people as are interested.
Elizabeth and I continued to practicing what we’d learned and to study and grown our knowledge. While I’d heard about the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) I didn’t really look into the organization until 2020. I joined in 2021. Elizabeth and I attended the national conference in the fall of 2021. Although COVID prevented an in-personal meeting that year it was almost immediately apparent that we’d found a like-minded crowd. What we learned reinforced what we knew and added more including lifestyle changes beyond nutrition (read more about the 6 pillars of lifestyle medicine here). One of the components it added what how to help people bridge the gap between learning what to do and actually putting it into practice. In other words, how to actually change behavior and the science behind it. This is Elizabeth’s area of focus as a health and wellness coach. I committed to learn as much as I could and by the Fall of 2022 took the national board exam and became certified through the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine. Since then I’ve been focusing more and more on lifestyle medicine in my practice helping as many people as are interested.