The Joy Prescription: Reversing Chronic Illness Through Lifestyle Medicine

As we approach the holidays and start organizing our menus with our favorite food traditions, it's essential to know that it's possible to enjoy great-tasting food without the extra holiday pounds and unhealthy side effects. Project Ownership was excited to join Dr. Jennifer Davis in the kitchen for a conversation on her approach.

As a physician specializing in lifestyle medicine and a certified culinary coach, Dr. Jenn is on a mission to help women live healthier, more joyful lives—without giving up the foods they love. Through her business, Healthy Living with Dr. Jenn, she focuses on reversing, treating, and preventing disease through evidence-based lifestyle changes that include nutrition, movement, restorative sleep, meaningful community connections, stress reduction, resilience, and toxin avoidance.

Simply put, Dr. Jenn helps people take back control of their health—reducing dependence on medications, improving health outcomes, and disrupting cycles of generational illness—while embracing joy along the way.

What inspired Dr. Jenn to become an owner, and how did she get started?

Dr. Jenn’s journey began as a doctor in pediatric critical care. In 2010, she became curious about plant-based eating as a way to care for the planet. What started as curiosity soon became conviction: she experienced profound health improvements and discovered evidence she had never encountered in medical school—that food could actually reverse disease.

As she witnessed more children developing “adult” conditions like obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes, Dr. Jenn knew the real change had to start with the family unit. She knew that parents and caregivers needed tools and support to build healthier homes.

For Dr. Jenn, food is more than fuel—it’s a source of joy and connection. Our memories, cultures, and love are often intertwined with the foods we eat. Recognizing this, she set out to build a new kind of community: one inspired by the “Blue Zones” of the world, where people consistently live to be 100 years old, lead healthier lives rooted in a plant-based diet, engage in daily physical activity, and foster strong social bonds. Her vision came to life when she created the evidence-informed Joy Lab, a supportive space where women in their 40s, 50s, and 60s learn, connect, and transform using her signature P.L.A.N.T.S. Model:

●  Personalization – Discovering your deep “why.” 

●  Learn – Understanding how food and lifestyle impact your body and how you can make positive changes.

●  Act – Taking steps to apply what you’ve learned.

●  Nurture – Being open to feeling and how you can make adjustments to make things work for your life.

●  Transformation – Becoming a healthy person, not just someone who practices healthy habits.

●  Steward – Inspiring others by sharing your journey.

What impact has ownership had on Dr. Jenn's life, family, and community?

For Dr. Jenn, entrepreneurship has unlocked creativity, freedom, and a renewed sense of purpose. Ownership has allowed her to expand beyond traditional medicine education and explore the art of healing through lifestyle and connection.

Her children have watched her journey—and it has sparked their entrepreneurial curiosity. They’re learning that they don’t have to fit into a single box and stay on one path forever. They even share what they’ve learned about lifestyle medicine with their friends.

Through her work, Dr. Jenn is helping her community redefine what lifestyle medicine looks like—showing that it can be delicious, sustainable, filled with joy, and a supportive group of others on similar journeys.

What fears or challenges did Dr. Jenn have before becoming an owner, and how did she overcome them?

Like many new entrepreneurs, Dr. Jenn found that being a business owner can be hard. After years of working in structured medical systems, building a business felt unpredictable—especially without a guaranteed paycheck. She continues to balance her career in urgent care while nurturing her growing business.

Dr. Jenn is learning to trust herself and trust in her vision as she moves forward. What keeps her going? Remembering why she started. When doubt creeps in, Dr. Jenn reflects on her clients’ transformations—the lowered blood pressure, reversed diabetes, renewed energy—and reminds herself that countless others are still waiting for their transformation.

What advice would Dr. Jenn give someone who’s never owned an income-producing asset but wants to start?

●  Find your “why.” It must be strong and rooted in something you deeply love.

●  Get clear on the transformation you’re offering your clients.

●  Seek wisdom from peers and mentors—through books, podcasts, engaging in conversations, and professional communities on LinkedIn and Facebook.

●  Stay grounded with a personal “beacon” to help keep you on track.

Connect with Dr. Jenn to Begin Your Journey of Healthy Living

Dr. Jenn believes healthy living should incorporate joy. She believes healthy living is attainable for everyone. She also believes healthy living can help improve outcomes for any health challenge and result in an improved quality of life. Her approach to lifestyle medicine specializes in supporting women between the ages of 40 and 69—especially those navigating perimenopause or menopause—who desire to make lasting lifestyle changes to enhance their quality of life.

For the woman who feels like she has already tried everything, Dr. Jenn’s lifestyle medicine program offers renewed hope. She doesn’t believe in restrictive diets or calorie counting. Instead, she meets women where they are and helps them create a personalized plan that honors both their health, culture, and joy. A plan that also addresses mindset, stress, sleep, and other factors that affect their health.

Through her Joyfully Thriving after Forty community, Dr. Jenn provides an ongoing community, accountability, and support to help her clients build and sustain their healthy lifestyle for life.

To learn more and connect with Dr. Jenn:

• Schedule a complimentary 20-minute discovery call to learn how Dr. Jenn can support your wellness journey: https://healthylivingwithdrjenn.com

  
  

• Connect with Dr. Jenn on social media @HealthyLivingWithDrJenn

  • o   Instagram | Facebook | YouTube