As a child, Dr. Nithya Setty-Shah was nicknamed “Avva,” or grandmother, for her nurturing approach to others. While growing up, she saw many of her family members develop health issues and chronic diseases because of the choices they made in their lives.  “As I got older, I told myself that I wanted to help prevent those diseases,” she explains. “This eventually led me to medical school and becoming a doctor.”

A family medicine physician, Dr. Setty-Shah specializes in lifestyle medicine. “Lifestyle medicine focuses on helping people prevent disease by making changes in their personal life,” she explains. “I really enjoy guiding people through this process and helping them to enjoy better overall health.”

According to Dr. Setty-Shah, lifestyle factors account for many people’s health problems. “Whether it’s diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, or other medical problems, my goal is to treat patients not only with medication, but also empower them to make changes on their own. From altering the diet to quitting smoking, lifestyle changes are the key to putting you on the path to improved health.”

In her practice, Dr. Setty-Shah always makes a point to get to know her patient’s individual goals and then help them create a plan to achieve them. “At Reliant, we have a lot of ways we can help you, including video visits which make connecting with your doctor and other caregivers much easier,” she explains. “I always strive to be as supportive as possible when helping my patients. Small victories are actually large victories, and we can celebrate each one together.”

When she is not busy with patients Dr. Setty-Shah enjoys spending time with her family as well as cooking, staying in shape with Zumba, and traveling. “My husband and two children keep me very busy, but it’s the kind of busy life that I really love.”