Len De Nys
MSc. Rehabilitation sciences and Physiotherapy
PhD Student 'Stress, Healthy Ageing & Physical Exercise (SHAPE)'
Founder of Huis der Levensstijl
Len De Nys works on the 'Stress, Healthy Ageing and Physical Exercise' (SHAPE) project during his PhD journey. His mission is to share his clinical and academic knowledge about Lifestyle Medicine and targeted diet and lifestyle interventions with therapists and the lay public to ultimately bridge the gap between science and clinical practice.
"You can definitely increase your health span by creating long-lasting healthy habits"
Len De Nys
About Len De Nys
Experience and expertise
Healthy Ageing education
I want to create awareness about the science of targeted diet- and lifestyle interventions to increase healthspan. That is why I founded the 'House of Lifestyle', a place for education and consultancy for healthy ageing and longevity. I'm always in for a talk or a lecture about diet-and lifestyle strategies for health and well-being.
Personal story
Through personal and clinical experiences, I discovered the effectiveness of healthy lifestyle strategies in tackling chronic health conditions. Through my in-depth knowledge and passion about the science of Lifestyle Medicine, I hope to inspire professionals and patients on their health journey.
About my courses
Translating the latest relevant scientific knowledge about healthy ageing and diet-and lifestyle interventions into clinical practice.
Creating healthy and long-lasting habits
Providing the right information doesn't always result in long-lasting healthy behaviours. You will get insights on how to create healthy habits to change your behaviour to sustain your health.
Theoretical background and practical tools
I gather novel and innovative scientific knowledge about diet- and lifestyle interventions in the Healthy Ageing field. I aim to provide tips and tricks applicable in clinical practice.
Topics of the courses and special expertise
Currently, the focus of my courses is in the area of diet- and lifestyle interventions for (1) Healthy Ageing, (2) Stress and sleep management or (3) Auto-Immunity.
Publications
The effects of physical activity on cortisol and sleep
Managing stress and having good quality sleep are essential for health, and both factors seem to be affected by physical activity. Although there is an established bidirectional relationship between stress and sleep, remarkably few studies have been designed to examine the effects of physical activity on cortisol, a biomarker for stress, and sleep. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review.
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Exercise can reduce stress and improve sleep – particularly for women with breast cancer
An article that explains the research we conducted about stress and sleep for the lay public. With over 5000 reads in two months, we might conclude that many people suffer from stress and sleep complaints.
The Conversation article (June 2022)
Minder stress en betere nachtrust dankzij lichaamsbeweing
Blogpost in EOS
Stress en slaap zijn verbonden en kunnen positief beïnvloed worden door lichaamsbeweging. Welk soort beweging heeft de beste impact op stress en slaap? Wat is het beste tijdstip om aan lichaamsbeweging te doen? PhD-onderzoeker Len De Nys onderzocht het en schreef er deze blog over.
The effects of physical activity on cortisol and DHEA(S) in older adults
Systematic review and meta-analysis
Age-related changes affect the ratio between two steroid hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (sulfate) (DHEA[S]). Physical activity (PA) may buffer the effects of chronic stress and counteract the aging decline of DHEA(S). Therefore, a systematic review was conducted to understand how PA influences physiological markers of cortisol and/or DHEA(S) and whether there is a difference in observational associations or experimental effects in older adults aged 65 years and older.
Inspirational downloads
Be inspired and inspire your community
Combat Long-COVID with lifestyle interventions
Guide
This is a guide for healthcare professionals looking to get to the root cause of their patient's ongoing disease symptoms. This is a health-focused approach complementary to conventional medicine. It is made to offer insights and directions and does not claim to be the only approach.
Upcoming Events
di 04 apr.Maassluis
vr 21 apr.Gent21 apr. 09:00 – 17:00Gent, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 105, 9052 Gent, BelgiëHormonen doen veel meer dan je denkt. Ze beïnvloeden je hele lichaam, je geest én je hele fysiologie. Lichaamsbeweging en gerichte dieet-en levensstijl interventies kunnen dit optimaliseren. Dit is belangrijk voor zowel een ‘gewone’ patiënt, als een atleet in je praktijk.