Julia Danforth, MD, among those who have earned first-ever board certification in the field of lifestyle medicine

The American Board of Lifestyle Medicine (ABLM) recently announced that Gordon Hospitals Julia Danforth, MD, is among the 204 physicians and 43 PhD/Masters-level health clinicians who have become the first medical professionals globally to be certified as Diplomates of the ABLM/American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) and the International Board of Lifestyle Medicine. The exam was given Oct. 26 in Tucson, AZ, following the American College of Lifestyle Medicines Lifestyle Medicine 2017 conference.

Lifestyle Medicine, defined by the ACLM, is the use of evidence-based lifestyle therapeutic approaches, such as a predominantly whole food, plant-based diet, physical activity, adequate sleep, stress management, tobacco cessation, and other non-drug modalities, to prevent, treat, and, oftentimes, reverse chronic disease.

Gone are the days of diagnosing the ill, prescribing the pill and sending the bill, which has worked so well in combating communicable disease, but is hopelessly inadequate in the fight against chronic disease, said ABLM Executive Director Stephan Herzog. Nourishment, movement, resilience, and social connectedness will become the focal point of physicians in addressing the underlying causes of chronic disease, with increasing numbers of medical schools starting to train their students in the principles of lifestyle medicine."

President George Guthrie, MD, MPH, FACLM added, For the patient, having healthcare providers not only look at the symptoms, but also at the underlying cause of disease, will help them take charge of their health and prevent, arrest and reverse chronic disease, thus returning years to their life and life to their years.

Dr. Danforth is a graduate of Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee. She then attended Loma Linda University where she earned her Doctor of Medicine. She completed her family practice residency at Florida Hospital. Dr. Danforth is also board-certified in family practice.

For more information or to make an appointment with Dr. Danforth, please call Adairsville Primary Care at Call706-879-5828.

About The American Board Of Lifestyle Medicine

The ABLM was formed in November, 2015, in Nashville, TN, by a group of visionary physicians who saw the need to: educate physicians and allied health professionals about Lifestyle Medicine; set a common standard/language for Lifestyle Medicine protocols globally; differentiate between evidence-based Lifestyle Medicine professionals and non-evidence based Lifestyle Medicine practitioners; set a global Lifestyle Medicine benchmark; and attract health insurance funding for evidence-based Lifestyle Medicine by requiring that any fund receivers be formally certified. Learn more at https://ablm.co/about/.

About The American College Of Lifestyle Medicine

ACLM is the professional medical association for those dedicated to the advancement and clinical practice of Lifestyle Medicine as the foundation of a transformed and sustainable healthcare system. More than a professional association, ACLM is a galvanizing force for change. ACLM addresses the need for quality education and certification, supporting its members in their individual practices and in their collective desire to domestically and globally promote Lifestyle Medicine as the first treatment option, as opposed to a first option of treating symptoms and consequences with expensive, ever increasing quantities of pills and procedures. ACLM members are united in their desire to identify and eradicate the cause of disease. Learn more at http://www.LifestyleMedicine.org.

About Gordon Hospital

Founded in 1935, Gordon Hospital is proud to be a member of Adventist Health System. With 45 hospital campuses and more than 8,300 licensed beds in nine states, Adventist Health System is a faith-based healthcare organization headquartered in Altamonte Springs, Florida. A national leader in quality, safety, and patient satisfaction, Adventist Health Systems more than 80,000 employees maintain a tradition of whole-person health by caring for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of every patient. Each Adventist Health System facility operates independently in delivering care and services to best meet the needs of the local communities they serve. While each entity is unique, all remain united in one mission of extending the healing ministry of Christ.