Dr Karen L Hartzenberg

Dr Karen L Hartzenberg Medical Doctor
Lifestyle Medicine Specialist
Aesthetic Medicine Practitioner What is Lifestyle Medicine? What is Aesthetic Medicine? Can't I go to a dietitian?

Dr Karen L Hartzenberg obtained her MBChB degree from the University of Cape Town in 2008. She completed her internship and community service through the South African Military Health Service and practiced as a general practitioner and emergency medicine medical officer for a number of years. She completed her Diploma in Aesthetic Medicine through the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine in 2012

. She completed her Master of Clinical Practice specializing in Lifestyle Medicine at the end of 2013. She has a passion for health promotion and prevention of ill health through lifestyle and behavioural interventions. It is a well-recognized fact that many diseases like obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease, arthritis, stroke and depression may be prevented or treated through lifestyle change. Dr Hartzenberg combines traditional pharmacological treatment (medication) with counseling and nutrition and physical activity interventions that are client-specific to support her patients to improve their health. She also uses minimally invasive aesthetic procedures like Botox, fillers, chemical peels, derma-rolling and mesotherapy to help her patients look their best. Beauty should be a reflection of health, and Dr Hartzenberg aims to assist her patients to achieve optimal well-being inside and out. Lifestyle Medicine (LM) is a branch of medicine, in the same way that surgery or paediatrics or psychiatry are all branches of medicine. Lifestyle Medicine is the use of evidence-based lifestyle interventions to treat and prevent lifestyle-related diseases. It empowers individuals with the knowledge and life skills to make effective behaviour changes that address the underlying causes of disease. Lifestyle Medicine is concerned predominantly with management of health problems related to unhealthy lifestyle, these include:

weight problems and obesity
diabetes
high cholesterol
high blood pressure
heart disease
joint disease
stress
sleep problems

LM is also concerned with the prevention of ill health, and the promotion of optimal well-being. Lifestyle Medicine aims to address the cause of ill health, which often relates to how one lives one's life. Aesthetic Medicine is a field of medical practice that involves minimally invasive procedures to improve the appearance, especially of the face, neck, and hands. Commonly used interventions include botulinum toxin (Botox) injections, fillers, chemical peels, skin conditioning and mesotherapy. Specific concerns that may be addressed by aesthetic medicine interventions include:

Signs of ageing
Wrinkles
Pigmentation problems
Acne and other scars
Sagging or loose skin
Dry or dull-looking skin
Asymmetry
Cellulite



Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lifestyle Medicine 'Real' medicine? Lifestyle Medicine can only be practised by health professionals - either doctors or registered nurses under the supervision of doctors. It is definitely real medicine because it involves taking a history, performing an examination, doing special investigations as necessary, forming a problem list and treatment goals, and implementing a management plan… The same steps followed in any medical consultation. Lifestyle Medicine practitioners prescribe medication when necessary, but have the knowledge and skills to assess and manage the source of many health problems - poor lifestyle. Is Lifestyle Medicine an alternative therapy? Lifestyle Medicine is not an alternative therapy. It is a branch of Western medicine and is practiced in first-world countries like Australia, America, the UK and Belgium. The principles underlying Lifestyle Medicine are based on rigorous scientific research and clinical trials. The recommendations proposed by Lifestyle Medicine practitioners are always backed by science. Do Lifestyle Medicine practitioners believe in medication? Lifestyle Medicine practitioners use medication to treat their patients all the time. But, Lifestyle Medicine practitioners believe that through changes in behaviour, it is possible to reduce the amount of medication required to keep health problems under control. It is possible for a patient who has been taking medication for years to change the way they live which brings about positive health benefits that allows him/her to stop taking medication. Can't my normal GP do what a Lifestyle Medicine practitioner does? The honest answer is 'YES", however, your normal GP is unlikely to have the level of knowledge and skill in lifestyle assessment and management because of the limited training he/she received at university in the fields of nutrition/dietetics, exercise physiology, psychology and environmental impact on health. Your normal GP is also unlikely to want to spend the time that is required to do a thorough Lifestyle Medicine assessment because he/she cannot charge you extra for his/her time. Again, the answer is 'YES', however a dietitian is trained in dietary assessment and dietary advice only. A dietitian cannot do a physical examination or interpret investigation findings or prescribe medications. What about my other health problems? Dr Hartzenberg is a qualified and experienced medical doctor. She is able to assess and treat any complaint that you would have seen your usual GP about. However, she takes a more comprehensive approach. For instance, if you come with a chest infection, she will be more thorough and go more in-depth about your lifestyle habits, such as… ask around smoking habits and exposures at work that may contribute to your current problem. She will tailor your treatment option according to the nature of any chronic conditions you have. Why combine Lifestyle Medicine with Aesthetic Medicine? It is true that many doctors now practice aesthetic medicine. That is the use of injections, chemical peels and other procedures to enhance a person's appearance. Many do not look at how lifestyle factors contribute to the ageing process. Diet, exercise, sleep patterns and psychological well-being all contribute to the appearance of the skin, face and body. Combining Lifestyle Medicine with Aesthetic Medicine, you get the best of both worlds - health and beauty from the inside out.

She could barely make it across the waiting room.Mrs VJ had been in pain for weeks. She'd rested, used heat packs, and w...
05/08/2026

She could barely make it across the waiting room.

Mrs VJ had been in pain for weeks. She'd rested, used heat packs, and waited — just like she'd been told to do. But her back pain wasn't getting better. It was getting worse.

When she finally came to see me, she was bent sideways just trying to make it to my consulting room. The muscle spasm in her back was so severe it had started pressing on a nerve, sending shooting pain all the way down her leg.

I prescribed medication to ease the acute pain. But the other thing I prescribed surprised her.

I told her to walk.

Not far. Not fast. Just a few gentle minutes at a time, two or three times a day — around the house, in the garden, wherever felt manageable.

Within 3 days, her pain was easing.

Within 3 weeks, the sciatica was completely gone.

Movement isn't always the enemy of pain. Sometimes — more often than people realise — it's the medicine.

I've written about exactly why this works (the science is fascinating), what walking does for the spine that rest simply cannot, and how to start safely if you're in pain right now.

Read the full article — link in the comments

And if you'd like evidence-based health insights like this delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter. No spam, no fads. Just real information you can actually use.

At 79, Mr LC was losing his memory. His wife was terrified of what lay head. Lifestyle Medicine gave them hope.His wif...
04/08/2026

At 79, Mr LC was losing his memory. His wife was terrified of what lay head. Lifestyle Medicine gave them hope.

His wife noticed it first — the same stories, the same questions, over and over. Then came the diagnosis: Alzheimer's.

But instead of accepting decline as inevitable, we tackled it from every angle:
🥑 A ketogenic way of eating, to give his brain fuel it could actually use
🎾 Tennis — a sport he'd loved in his youth — back on the calendar
🤝 New social connections, after months of quiet withdrawal
💊 A hard look at whether every medication was still serving him
The results, 9 months later:
📉 HbA1c: 6.3% → 4.8%
📈 HDL cholesterol: more than doubled
🩹 A stubborn leg wound: healed in 3 weeks
🧠 Cognitive test score: 20/30 → 26/30

And this isn't just one story. The WHO just released new 2026 guidelines confirming that up to 45% of dementia risk is modifiable — through nutrition, movement, social connection, and managing conditions like blood pressure and diabetes.

Mr LC's story is proof of what that looks like in real life.

Want the full story — and the science behind it? Link in the comments 🔗

(Save this for the person in your life who needs to hear it 💛)

I'm a doctor. I've reversed obesity, high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, and PCOS through lifestyle change.And I've still...
01/08/2026

I'm a doctor. I've reversed obesity, high blood pressure, pre-diabetes, and PCOS through lifestyle change.

And I've still had someone push a biscuit tin toward me five times in a row after four polite refusals.

Here's the thing nobody talks about when you decide to change your health:
The hardest part isn't the food. It isn't the fasting window, the early morning workout, or the Friday night without wine.

It's the world around you carrying on exactly as it always has.

The well-meaning family member who keeps the ice cream stocked. The colleague who genuinely cannot understand why you're saying no to cake. The Sunday afternoon couch that calls your name when you know a walk is better for you than binge-watching a series.

I've navigated all of it — personally, not just professionally. And I've learned exactly what works, what doesn't, and how to protect your goals without damaging your relationships.

In my latest blog post, I'm sharing the full toolkit — real strategies, real scripts, and real stories — for staying the course when the people and environments around you aren't on board.

Whether you're already on your health journey and hitting friction, or you haven't started yet because you're quietly worried about what people will think — this one is for you.

👇 Read it in the link in the comments

And if you'd like practical lifestyle medicine tips delivered straight to your inbox — sign up for my newsletter at the link too. No fads. No fluff. Just real science and real strategies from a doctor who has walked this road.

🌅 Breakfast: Is it really the most important meal of the day? 🍳🥑🍓We had a powerful conversation between a dietician, a p...
27/07/2026

🌅 Breakfast: Is it really the most important meal of the day? 🍳🥑🍓
We had a powerful conversation between a dietician, a psychologist, and a lifestyle medicine doctor about the role of breakfast. Here’s what we discovered 👇
✨ 1. Quality matters more than timing
You don’t have to eat at 6am. What’s important is how you break your fast, whether that’s early morning, midday, or evening. Whole foods, protein, healthy fats & fibre will fuel your brain and body. Refined carbs & sugary cereals? 🚫 Quick energy spikes, then brain fog and crashes.
✨ 2. Intermittent fasting can help adults
Fasting isn’t starvation, it’s giving your digestive system a rest. Many adults thrive on a delayed first meal or even occasional 24-hour fasts. The key: when you do eat, make it nutrient-dense (eggs, fish, veggies, nuts, whole grains).
✨ 3. Children are different
Growing brains need steady energy. Sending kids to school on sugary cereals and juices sets them up for poor focus, hyperactivity, and even behavioural problems. A nourishing breakfast (eggs, cheese, fruit, whole grains, yogurt, nuts) = calmer kids, better learning.
✨ 4. Parents are the gatekeepers
Children don’t have the brain maturity to make healthy food choices yet. If your home is stocked with crisps, sweets, and sodas, they’ll eat them. If you stock fruit, nuts, yogurt, and wholesome foods, they’ll eat those. Simple as that.
💡 The bottom line: Adults may benefit from fasting, but kids need real food in the morning. For everyone, timing matters less than the quality of the fuel you choose.

Click the link in the comments to read more.

22/07/2026

Looking to improves energy levels and banishing brain fog? Intermittent fasting can bring mental clarity. Watch the video to learn about why this works.

I have seen tremendous patient transformations but, you have to do it the right way in order to achieve the results you are looking for.

I have designed this 90 day intermittent fasting PLUS programme to guide you to achieve an effective fast with relative ease and without the potential side effects many people experience when they start out with fasting.

Click the link in the comments to learn more.

16/07/2026

You can’t reap the benefits by not skipping breakfast every day or just skipping meals and eating whatever you want the rest of the time. Don’t make the common fasting mistakes such as:

*Not nourishing your body correctly during your feeding window
*Not breaking your fast appropriately
*Not hydrating well
*Not exercising according to the principles of intermittent fasting
*and if you are a woman, not applying fasting in collaboration with your normal hormone balance.

Fasting is a lifestyle intervention which means most people, once they start fasting, they see the benefits they see how it affects their metabolism and they continue with fasting into the long term so that it becomes part of their normal lifestyle routine and so that they continue to enjoy the powerful metabolic effects for the rest of their lives.

If you are keen to try intermittent fasting in a scientific and evidence based way, sign up for the 90 day intermittent fasting programme today. Find out more by clicking the link in the comments

"I have always had a problem with cravings, particularly mid morning and late afternoon.When I started following you and...
14/07/2026

"I have always had a problem with cravings, particularly mid morning and late afternoon.

When I started following you and reading about intermittent fasting, I wondered whether this would help me.

I changed my whole eating schedule as an experiment. If it didn’t work I could always go back to the old way.

I began to eat a proper meal at 10 am with plenty of protein and some fruit. If I wanted to I snacked during the day (dates were a go-to staple) and then prepared and finished my main meal before 6pm.

Between 6pm and 10am the next morning I drank only water and teas. There are some wonderful varieties out there !

This created a problem with the family and usual mealtimes but i decided I could sit with them and drink while they ate without disrupting the social dynamic.

To my delight I found the cravings simply vanished. I was satisfied pretty much all the time and did not miss early morning or late evening eating .

It did create some issues with socialising and “normal” eating times but I’m not obsessed with the regime, just return to it the next day and carry on.

Thus far (8 weeks) my health and energy levels have improved and my clothes definitely fit better "

I prescribe intermittent fasting often to my patients as it has phenomenal benefits.

It has amazing anti-inflammatory benefits as well as anti-ageing and rejuvenation effects and anti-cancer effects which makes fasting an amazing intervention which can help you from multiple directions.

It improves energy levels and optimises gut health as well as banishing brain fog and bringing mental clarity. I have seen tremendous patient transformations but, you have to do it the right way in order to achieve the results you are looking for.

I have designed this 90 day intermittent fasting PLUS programme to guide you to achieve an effective fast with relative ease and without the potential side effects many people experience when they start out with fasting.

You receive all of this for the launch price of only $99. Are you ready? Let’s go, link in the comments

02/07/2026

Fasting is a lifestyle, not a diet!

You can’t reap the benefits by not skipping breakfast every day or just skipping meals and eating whatever you want the rest of the time. Don’t make the common fasting mistakes such as:

* Not nourishing your body correctly during your feeding window
* Not breaking your fast appropriately
* Not hydrating well
* Not exercising according to the principles of intermittent fasting
and if you are a woman, not applying fasting in collaboration with your normal hormone balance.

Fasting is a lifestyle intervention which means most people, once they start fasting, they see the benefits they see how it affects their metabolism and they continue with fasting into the long term so that it becomes part of their normal lifestyle routine and so that they continue to enjoy the powerful metabolic effects for the rest of their lives.

Ready to start? Let's go!

If you are keen to try intermittent fasting in a scientific and evidence based way, sign up for the 90 day intermittent fasting programme today.

In Intermittent Fasting PLUS, you will receive:

* the 10 hours of on-demand videos in the Udemy course
* complementary videos straight into your inbox digging deeper into how to overcome cravings and hunger; how to exercise while fasting; how vitamins and minerals should be incorporated; different diet options; how to meal plans and shop as well as hot topics such as snacking, and calorie counting
* case study videos sharing how intermittent fasting can help you through real-world examples
* a webinar on what you bring home (how you shop) effects how you eat
* a webinar on the frequently asked questions about intermittent fasting
* a video and workbook on how to overcome unsupportive environments and people

An additional benefit of signing up for the PLUS programme is how I break the Udemy content down into digestible portions allowing you to absorb it and put it into action. You can work through the course at your own pace but as some of the sections are intense, each week I will share what content I think you should watch.

Intermittent fasting is a powerful lifestyle intervention to achieve these goals but only if you do it in a practical, strategic and correct way.

At the end of the programme you will have all the practical knowledge and tools to apply fasting in your life as a lifestyle intervention to achieve the health benefits that you are looking for.

Just a reminder, you will have lifetime access to all the content you receive. I really love feedback and questions so feel free to email me at any time.

You receive all of this for the launch price of only $99. Are you ready? Let’s go, link in the comments.

29/06/2026

I prescribe intermittent fasting often to my patients as it has phenomenal benefits including improving your blood sugar control; to weight management; reversing medical conditions like type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, IBS and auto-immune illnesses.

It has amazing anti-inflammatory benefits as well as anti-ageing and rejuvenation effects and anti-cancer effects which makes fasting an amazing intervention which can help you from multiple directions.

It improves energy levels and optimises gut health as well as banishing brain fog and bringing mental clarity. I have seen tremendous patient transformations but, you have to do it the right way in order to achieve the results you are looking for.

I have designed this 90 day intermittent fasting PLUS programme to guide you to achieve an effective fast with relative ease and without the potential side effects many people experience when they start out with fasting. In this programme you will:
* Learn how fasting affects your metabolism;
* Discover that you have to eat correctly and nourish your body with the proper nutrition in order to achieve the benefits you want

I will teach you how to exercise correctly when you are fasting and I will guide you with the other lifestyle aspects that are super important such as sleep, stress management and mindset in order for you to apply fasting in the correct and optimal way.

Find out more by clicking the link in the first comment below

Prefer receiving an email? Subscribe now to my mailer and you will receive a free, downloadable practical guide with tip...
13/06/2026

Prefer receiving an email? Subscribe now to my mailer and you will receive a free, downloadable practical guide with tips on how to eat healthy on a budget.

You will also regularly receive evidence-based, lifestyle medicine content directly. Relatable and easy to understand, these newsletters will encourage you and gently guide you towards a healthier, happier you! Should you wish, you can unsubscribe at any time.

http://eepurl.com/ih2PMP

Address

Domaine De Labourdonnais
Mapou
31803

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Dr Karen L Hartzenberg posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Dr Karen L Hartzenberg:

Shortcuts

Share

Category