About Me

Hello, my name is Dr. Steven Lawenda. As a primary care physician in family medicine, I help members of all ages stay well and feel better. I’m very proud to be a part of Kaiser Permanente where preventive medicine and wellness are a top priority.

Biography

I’m a native of Southern California—born in Santa Monica and raised in the San Fernando Valley. I attended college at UC Berkeley and medical school at UC Davis. Shortly after we married, my wife and I moved to the East Coast so she could attend school. That’s why I chose Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island for my internship and residency. After we finished our education, we returned to family and friends in California. I’ve been with Kaiser Permanente since 2004 and find great satisfaction in being part of a forward-thinking and team-based organization.

About my practice

I truly enjoy family medicine—in part because it lets me treat the whole person and, often, whole families. I firmly believe that the best medicine is preventive medicine. While I always do my best to help you when you are sick, it is just as important to help you stay healthy. By eating well, getting regular exercise and sufficient sleep, controlling stress, and obtaining periodic health screens, you can help yourself towards better health. If you have an ongoing condition such as diabetes, high blood pressure, or asthma, I suggest you learn everything you can about your condition and proactively control it, before it starts to control you. Kaiser Permanente offers many resources to help you become and stay healthy. I encourage you to take advantage of these and take control of your own health. As your personal physician, I try to keep abreast of new advances so I can provide the best advice possible. Ultimately, it is the choices you make that will determine your overall health and quality of life.

How I thrive

Not long ago, I was looking for a better way to control my own weight and overall health. I discovered an interesting approach to eating that has proven to be very effective for me. Under this regimen there is no need to count or measure—you can eat as much as you want and won’t go hungry. You merely choose to eat healthy foods. I have personally experienced successful results and wholeheartedly recommend it to others. I have seen many members succeed in losing weight—many of them reducing or eliminating the need for many medications for their diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure, while also reducing their risk of cancer and other diseases. In addition to healthy eating and exercise, I treasure the time I spend with my wife and two girls. I also try to reserve a bit of time for myself when possible and enjoy both photography and travel. My ideal vacation is when I can combine all three—family, photography, and photogenic sightseeing. It helps me stay balanced, happy, and healthy.