Category Archives: A4M Success Stories

September 2023 A4M Member Spotlight: Gracia Luz Don, MD, ABAARM, FAAMM

September 29, 2023

We’re excited to spotlight Gracia Luz Don, MD, ABAARM, FAAMM, for this month’s A4M Member Spotlight. 

Dr. Luz Don is the Chief of Cardiology Service at San Martín Hospital in Paraná, Argentina, and the founder of the Center of Healthy Life and Nutrition, a hub for anti-aging and regenerative medicine. 

With cardiology, nutrition, and functional medicine expertise, Dr. Luz Don provides comprehensive care focused on disease prevention, lifestyle modifications, and personalized treatment plans.

In this interview, Dr. Luz Don shares insights into her diverse practice areas, her passion for innovative approaches to healthy aging, the value she gets from being a distinguished member of the A4M community, and her vision for the future of personalized healthcare. 

Tell us a bit about your practice and focus areas in healthcare. What originally drew you to these specialties?

I am a physician in Argentina with expertise in cardiology, nutrition, and anti-aging medicine. My practice focuses on providing comprehensive, personalized care to enhance patients’ health and well-being. My journey into these specialties began with a passion for addressing cardiovascular diseases, promoting nutrition as a preventive measure, and exploring innovative approaches to health and aging.

What led you to join A4M originally? How has being part of this community impacted your career? 

I joined A4M to stay at the forefront of anti-aging and regenerative medicine. Being part of this community has greatly benefited my career by providing access to cutting-edge education, networking opportunities, certifications, and resources that enhance my practice’s credibility and patient care.

How do you stay up-to-date on the latest research and innovations in your practice area? What resources do you find most valuable? 

I stay current through medical journals, conferences, online databases like PubMed, medical associations, continuing education, clinical trials, literature reviews, healthcare news sources, and collaboration with peers and mentors. These resources are invaluable for staying updated in my practice areas.

What healthcare challenges are unique to your community? How are you addressing those needs?

Unique healthcare challenges in my community include limited access to specialized care, nutrition-related issues, economic disparities, an aging population, and healthcare infrastructure shortcomings. To address these needs, I engage in medical outreach, telemedicine, nutrition education programs, advocacy for equitable access, and specialized care for the aging population.

How has being an A4M Member benefited you in your practice? What value do you get from the membership?

Being an A4M member has benefited my practice by providing access to cutting-edge education, networking, certifications, evidence-based resources, advocacy opportunities, and enhanced patient trust. This membership adds credibility and keeps me updated on anti-aging and regenerative medicine.

What excites you most about the future of medicine in your specialty area? How do you see care evolving in the coming years?

The most exciting aspect of the future of medicine in my specialty is personalized, patient-centered care. I foresee care evolving with precision medicine, digital health, prevention emphasis, regenerative therapies, AI integration, and global collaboration, ultimately improving patient outcomes and quality of life.

If you could change one thing about healthcare today, what would it be and why?

I would ensure universal access to healthcare to promote equity, prevention, early intervention, reduced financial burden, improved public health, productivity, patient-centered care, innovation, and global health security, aligning with the principle that healthcare is a fundamental human right.

Will You Be Our Next Member Of The Month?

Would you like to be featured as part of our new A4M Member Spotlight series? 

We take immense pride in each and every one of our members and their unwavering dedication to redefining medicine. To empower them in boosting their visibility and expanding their practice, we are excited to spotlight a different member each month. 

The monthly spotlight will showcase your unique background, insights, achievements, and vision as an innovator shaping the next generation of healthcare. It’s an unparalleled opportunity to increase exposure, forge connections, demonstrate thought leadership, and inspire fellow members.

To become eligible to enter the running, join our global community of innovative health leaders today and complete the following steps:

  1. Follow @redefiningmedicine on Instagram.
  2. Share a post outlining your health professional goals, why you are passionate about anti-aging medicine, and how your A4M membership has benefited your practice. 
  3. Use the hashtag #A4MMember and tag @redefiningmedicine.

Learn more about A4M Membership opportunities. 

Jill Carnahan, MD, ABFM, ABIHM: A Success Story

September 2, 2017

“Most physicians are not adequately trained to assess the underlying causes of complex, chronic disease, and to apply strategies such as nutrition, diet, and exercise to both treat and prevent those illnesses in their patients.”
—Jill Carnahan, MD, ABFM, ABIHM

During her third year of medical school, at age 25, Dr. Jill Carnahan was forced to transition from the role of doctor to patient after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. While she returned to medical school after treatment, within the next six months, she was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease: likely a result of the chemotherapy’s toxic effect on the gut lining. Dr. Carnahan’s gastroenterologist at the time informed her that diet was unrelated to clinical outcomes. Moreover, not only would Dr. Carnahan require multiple future surgeries, but she also would never be completely cured. Dr. Carnahan was prescribed medications and drugs for the inflammation, but she received nothing to help alleviate or address her symptoms.

Refusing to believe that pharmaceuticals and surgery were her only sole options, Dr. Carnahan embarked upon an intensive study of dietary changes and nutrition, which would ultimately form her career trajectory and professional mission. After consulting with a naturopath, making major changes in her own diet, and seeking out the appropriate supplements, Dr. Carnahan is—more than 12 years later—both breast cancer free and healed from Crohn’s disease. Now, Dr. Carnahan knows that assessing and evaluating the triggers that contribute to sickness and disease—in addition to utilizing the least invasive treatment methods possible—is the reason that functional medicine is highly effective and beneficial.

Dr. Carnahan’s personal journey of resiliency and relentlessness have spurred her commitment to help patients achieve optimal health and wellness through the practice of functional medicine.  “More than ever before, I believe that the human body can regain health if given the right tools… and I am living proof!”

From September 14-16 in Chicago, Dr. Carnahan will speak at Module IV: A Metabolic & Functional Approach to Gastroenterology, along with a panel of other clinical experts—all of whom will discuss comprehensive functional and nutritional approaches to gastrointestinal dysfunction and disease. Faculty members will further discuss topics including the physiology and pathophysiology of gastrointestinal disorders, gut permeability, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, the gut-immune-brain connection, and other digestive and glandular disorders. Do not miss this core module, which delves into the root causes of chronic diseases and disorders—many of which begin in the gut.

Wellness Medicine

May 4, 2017

The primary, overarching goal of the Fellowship in Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine is not only to instruct participants in the most recent developments in metabolic medicine, but also to allow them to further their professional trajectories and journeys. Many of our Fellows go on to open their own practices or change current practices; several of them write and become published; others share education and disseminate information in a variety of ways.

Nathan Goodyear, MD, one of our previous Fellows, penned an article for LinkedIn titled “What is Wellness Medicine? A life lesson.” Board-certified by the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine in 2010, Dr. Goodyear completed the Advanced Fellowship in addition to several electives: Pediatrics, Homeopathy, IV Therapy, Toxicology, and Weight Management. In the article, he discusses the characteristics that distinguish ‘wellness medicine,’ explaining that the very nature of this brand of medicine is defined by its focus and goal: “its focus is the patient and its goal is the healing of the patient.” Dr. Goodyear explains that wellness medicine is rooted in being proactive: working within the parameters of someone’s lifestyle, in order to prevent the manifestation of chronic disease.

Perhaps most importantly, Dr. Goodyear clarifies that wellness medicine and traditional medicine are not dichotomous, nor do they conflict with each other. Rather, the two paradigms of medicine can—and should—co-exist, as they directly complement each other. While the purpose of wellness medicine is to enact lifestyle interventions that can prevent disease, traditional medicine is critical in its evidence-based style that is necessary in both disease diagnosis and management.

To read Dr. Goodyear’s article in full, click here. Learn more about our Fellowship in Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine here.