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SI Medical Weight Loss has Advanced Blood work Testing to Beat Cardiovascular Disease in Marion, Effingham, & Belleville Clinics

We are offering advanced Medical testing by Health Diagnostic Laboratory with the goal of helping patients obtain optimal health by Identify early risk factors, implementing dietary strategies, and engaging in exercise programs.

By utilizing the blood tests offered by Health Diagnostic Laboratory, SI Medical Weight Loss Clinics has the ability to easily follow our patients” biomarkers and hidden risk factors of cardiovascular and related diseases, we are weight loss clinic that our patients are better able to reach optimal cardiovascular and metabolic health.

Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc., which is headquartered at the Virginia Biotechnology Research Park, is changing the way clinical laboratories interact with physicians and patients. The growing advanced laboratory partners with physicians to provide the most advanced practices for diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular and related chronic diseases. The award-winning laboratory offers a comprehensive panel of tests to help physicians personalize treatment based on more complete patient profiling. As a result, SI Medical Weight Loss Clinics is able to earlier detect risk factors pre-disposing patients to disease and engage in more advanced evidence-based treatments with fewer patients progressing to overt disease.

“Health Diagnostic Laboratory has provided us an objective view of people’s health,” said Dr. Willey, a Board Certified Osteopathic Physician that performed his postgraduate training at The Mayo Clinic. “It’s dynamic, and allows both physician and patient to see the effects of lifestyle and medication on chronic disease and cardiovascular risks.”

Dr. Willey, a founding diplomat of the American Board of Holistic medicine, is the author of What Does Your Doctor Look Like Naked? Your guide To Optimum Health. His other books include, and Better Than Steroids! He also writes for a number periodicals and web sites. Additionally, Willey is a diplomat with The America Board of Family Medicine, The America Board Urgent Care Medicine and The American Board of Bariatric Medicine.

“Stories of people surprised by sudden heart attacks are becoming more common,” said Tonya Mallory, cofounder and CEO of HDL, Inc. “It is perplexing that so many patients are not identified as at risk for heart disease at a much earlier stage. Today’s extremely limited cholesterol tests are failing to identify the majority of people who are at risk for heart attacks. There is hope, however. When practices use diagnostics effectively, lives are saved.”

About Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc. Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc., a CAP accredited leader in health management, offers a comprehensive test menu of risk factors and biomarkers for cardiovascular and related diseases. Our systematic approach identifies factors contributing to disease and provides a basis for effective personalized treatment, allowing physicians to more effectively manage patients. As an added value, patients receive a personalized overview of their risk factors along with intensive counseling from expert Health Professionals at SI Medical Weight Loss Clinics improving compliance and enhancing potential outcomes. We give on site testing to company employees free of charge with group health insurance plans More information: www.siweightloss.net

SI Weight Loss Newspaper Article

Losing weight can be difficult. In a world filled with diet plans and gimmick programs, it’s nice to find someone you can trust, a place with a medically-proven method to assist you in safely losing weight and keeping it off. Such a place can be found right here: SI Medical Weight Loss, with locations in Marion and Belleville.
“We’re a medical clinic that specializes in weight loss,” explains Tracy Askari, one of the founding partners of the clinic. “That’s all we deal with; only weight loss.”
Through counseling and personal attention, the professional staff at SI Medical Weight Loss Clinic creates a weight loss plan specifically for each client that utilizes a clinically-proven diet, a recommended exercise program, a pharmaceutical appetite suppressant as well as fat-burning medications. “Our main approach is changing diet and eating habits while adding exercise,” explains Dr. Donald Griffin of the clinic. “It is different for every individual.”
The goal of the program is to assist clients in reaching their target weight goal during what is called the active phase of the treatment, before helping clients learn to keep the weight off during the transition and maintenance portions of the program. More than 2000 frustrated dieters have turned to the clinic. Askari says practically all of them are satisfied with the results they have seen.
“It’s very inspiring,” she says. “This has been the most fun job I’ve ever had. It’s so positive and I love seeing people come in the door and they’re just beaming.”
The program is very affordable, with monthly visits just under $100. The fee includes visits with a doctor or nurse practitioner as well consultation with a dietician and any prescribed injections.
“Sometimes we used medications such as appetite suppressants to help control cravings,” Griffin adds. “That helps give a better start and helps clients lose weight at first. That gives more motivation to keep going and once you change eating habits, you don’t need those anymore because cravings are controlled by the way you eat and what you are eating.”
She adds that vitamin B-12 often is used to boost both energy and metabolism. The goal, Griffin adds, is for clients to lose weight safely. “As with any weight loss program people lose more weight at the beginning, but we like to see three to 10 or 12 pounds lost in a month’s time. We don’t want it to be too fast, because that can mean a person is loosing muscle. Our goal is to preserve the muscle and loose the fat.”
She says that the staff at the clinic keeps a close eye on not only a client’s weight loss, but other factors including body mass index. Medical professionals and a registered dietician monitors every step of the program and meet with each client every month.
“That makes us different from a lot of the so-called weight loss clinics,” Sowerby explains. “Many of them are not medically supervised or do not involve dieticians; they’re more what we call pill mills. Bottom line is that they really are not helping people change their lifestyles so they lose weight and lose it correctly.”
From their very first appointment, clients will see a difference with SI Medical Weigh Loss Clinic. A complete medical history is taken from every client and blood chemistry laboratory tests aid in finding the perfect weight loss program. After a consultation with a dietician, analysis of vital statistics as well as weight and body mass and the health history, A nurse practitioner will prescribe an appropriate medication for appetite suppression. Clients will also receive detailed instructions on what (and how much) to eat as well as plans for an exercise program. With monthly follow-ups to review progress and provide support, encouragement and motivation, the program works.
“As long as people keep coming and keep doing the program, they will be successful, but it’s not a magic overnight thing; it’s diet and exercise and the medications all working together,” Griffin adds. Speaking of the medications, SI Medical Weight Loss Clinic makes certain the suppressants they prescribe are safe. “We are really careful about getting research on all of the medications,” Griffin says. “The ones we use have been extensively studies and proven safe. They all come from American manufacturers with written guarantees of ingredients. They come to us straight from the manufacturer within 48 hours of production.”
She adds that the medications are routinely available; if clients prefer, they can be given a written prescription so that they can pick up the medications at their neighborhood pharmacy. “These have been used for years and years and are readily available,” she adds. “They are held up to the standards of the FDA and other governmental agencies.”
Si Medical Weight Loss believes that helping patients safely lose weight is the only way to lose weight. In fact, it’s one of their guiding values, along with honesty and integrity, adherence to ethical and moral standards and to innovation in weight loss through science and experience. It’s a proven plan that works, not a fad diet. “It’s a do-able diet,” Askari says. “It’s eating out of your kitchen. The program doesn’t mean you can’t have a small piece of cake or a glass of wine. You can still be social and still go out to dinner. We know you have to live a real life.”
She says clients can eat salmon, steaks and even baked potatoes and still lose weight. “You’re not going to be deprived,” she says. “It’s not a diet of bars, shakes and supplements; it’s real food.” And it works. After just over a year, many patients have lost nearly 100 pounds thanks to SI Medical Weight Loss Clinic.
“There are a lot of success stories,” she says.

St. Louis Medical News article – SI Medical Weight Loss Clinic customizes food plan for impressive results

Most weight loss clinics have diet plans and gimmick programs. Or to supplement their income, they offer a broad range of aesthetic services. SI Medical Weight Loss Clinic has found success by focusing on the most important aspect of a patient’s wellness journey: losing weight safely and permanently via a medically-proven method. They’ve curried favor with more than 2,000 patients who are ecstatic with the results.

“We’re a medical clinic that specializes in weight loss,” explained Tracy Askari, a founding partner of the clinic, vice president and practice administrator, with locations in Marion, MT Vernon and Belleville, Ill. “That’s all we deal with, only weight loss.” It’s a proven plan that works, not a fad diet, say clinicians, adding that one of their guiding values, along with honesty and integrity, is adherence to ethical and moral standards and to innovation in weight loss through science and experience.

Through counseling and personal attention, the professional staff at SI Medical Weight Loss Clinic creates a weight loss plan specifically for each client, using a clinically-proven diet, recommended exercise program, pharmaceutical appetite suppressant, and fat-burning medications. The main approach is changing diet and eating habits while adding exercise, which is different for every individual.
The goal of the program is to assist clients in reaching their target weight goal during the active phase of the treatment, before helping clients learn to keep off the weight during the transition and maintenance portions of the program.
The program is very affordable, with monthly visits just under $90. The fee includes visits with a doctor or NPA,PA, consultation with a dietician, and prescribed injections or medications. Vitamin B-12 often is used to boost both energy and metabolism.
On average, patients lose 3-12 pounds every month, not too fast that they lose muscle, but to preserve the muscle and lose excess fat. The clinic staff keeps a close eye not only on a client’s weight loss, but other factors including BMI. Medical professionals and a registered dietician monitor every step of the program and meet with every client monthly.
Here’s how it works: At the initial appointment, a patient works with one of the clinic’s healthcare providers to complete medical history and blood chemistry laboratory tests to facilitate the best weight loss program. After consulting with a dietician, analysis of vital statistics, weight and body mass, and the health history, a doctor or NPA,PA prescribes an appropriate medication for appetite suppression. Clients receive detailed instructions on what and how much to eat, along with plans for an exercise program. With monthly follow-ups to review progress and provide support, encouragement and motivation, the program works well.

Medications are routinely available onsite; “It’s a do-able diet,” Askari said. “It’s eating out of your kitchen. The program doesn’t mean you can’t have a small piece of cake or a glass of wine. You can still be social and still go out to dinner. We know you have to live a real life.” Salmon, steaks and even baked potatoes are allowable.
“You’re not going to be deprived,” she said. “It’s not a diet of bars, shakes and supplements; it’s real food.” Bethann Chance lost more than 70 pounds through SI Medical Weight Loss Clinic, and stays in shape by monitoring her caloric intake and power walking daily. “It was great to go on vacation and have that much energy,” said Chance, of West Frankfort, Ill. “(The SI Medical Weight Loss staff) kept me motivated by encouraging me and offering me tips when it comes to eating.” Between June and December in 2011, Chance lost 73 pounds and won a $1,000 prize offered during the clinic’s “Biggest Loser” challenge.
Don Baker, co-founder of SI Medical Weight Loss Clinic, said the “Biggest Loser” challenge was close, with several clients who “just fell a little bit short” of Chance’s accomplishment.
One reason why the program is so successful: “The staff uses an electronic BMI scale every visit,” said Baker. “This provides a true reading and helps keep them on track to achieve their goals.” Also, “being overweight can lead to diabetes, heart problems, stroke, high blood pressure, and some forms of cancer. It’s not just about looking and feeling better; it’s about actually being healthier.”

Chance, who continues with B6-B12 Lipo injections, said during her last visit to the doctor, her thyroid levels were better than they have been for years. “I’m so thrilled at the success of the clinic,” said Paul Smith, another co-founder and co-owner. “We saw a need in our community for these services and the people of Southern Illinois have responded very well. We’ll continue to look for ways to help the overall health and well being of the community.”