About Doctor for Life

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The Doctor for Life Difference

Everything you need to live your best life

Medical Weight Loss

At our core, we’re a medical practice, giving you supportive assessments and knowledge about the health side of losing weight. Weight loss can be attacked by way of multiple methods, and we start by assessing the clinical implications of what you eat, the medications you take and your vital statistics.

Nutrition

Dietary changes are, to no one’s surprise, a key concept of weight loss, and we don’t mean counting calories, either. Simply learning to cook and eat healthy for yourself can eliminate the need for extreme diets and constant calorie counting. Here’s another obvious tidbit: As a general rule, if eating something makes your body feel good afterward, it’s good for you.

Fitness

The human body was designed to move. That’s why a huge part of our operation as a weight loss clinic involves supporting your workouts with regular schedules and the addition of physiological knowledge to boost exercise effectiveness. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned athlete, we can help you get more out of your workouts.

Behavioral

Your mind is vital to the success of your health goals. Our behavioral experts will help you understand your thoughts and how they lead to your actions. They will work with you in a one on one setting to help you modify your behavior and thoughts to help you reach your health and weight loss goals.

THE TEAM Descriptions

A good team is made up of members that are similarly passionate about health. When these members apply their knowledge and different skills to the same problem, they come up with a more effective solution. This holistic approach supports our patients in all facets of their lives. 

MD – The physician is often seen as the one that holds together each part of the multidisciplinary team that function as a unit. The doctor is usually the patient's first encounter, next to the nurse, to evaluate the patient medical, social, family history their weight and lifestyle issues. The physician can then encourage the patient to adhere to medical advice and view weight for example as a significant but treatable health concern. The doctor can tailor treatment plan based on laboratory interpretation and patient's history, identify hormonal conditions and monitor nutritional deficiency and toxicity.

Dietitian – Confusion about food and diet is widespread. The Dietitian lays the foundation of dietary change, he guides the patient and offers strategies to improve their diet quality and decrease energy intake, without inducing feelings of hunger than can lead to binge eating. 

Personal Chef – prepares the meal that is palatable, attractive to the eyes and that is filling and savory. She works closely and follows the doctor's prescribed treatment and the RDN's meal plans.

Behavioral health coach – Mentally prepare the patient, helps patients deal not only with life stressors, relationship with food but also help patients achieve their goal in a supportive way. In encouraging individuals to integrate SMART goals in their dietary habits and physical activity into their lives, just one small change can become the catalyst to successful maintenance of a total lifestyle modification. Small steps, achievable goals, and recognition of their own mental barriers to change are the means by which change occurs.

Exercise specialist or Personal trainers – Integrates physical activity into healthy lifestyle, help patient maintain their goal weight through exercise and muscle building to help prevent chronic disease, quality of life and vitality. A guided exercise helps fat burning and achieve a healthy weight. 

MEET OUR TEAM

Cheryl Sarmiento, MD

Board Certified Internal Medicine
& Obesity Medicine

Dr. Cheryl Sarmiento has made it her life's mission to care for underserved patients battling obesity and overweight issues. As an Internal Medicine primary care physician, she saw that over 100 chronic medical conditions are linked to unhealthy weight and poor lifestyle. She saw the devastating effects on the health of her patients, costing their life, and the US economy.

She practices healthcare the way it should be, by combining clinical medicine, nutrition, and fitness to change people's lives. She cares strongly about her patients health in as much as treating the disease and preventing it. 

Dr. Cheryl leads by example, inspiring her patients and other people through the results of her work, and empowers them to learn and grow. Even after being ill herself, she worked straight through treatments, never taking the focus off of her patients.

Dr. Cheryl is a member of the South Carolina Medical Association, American College of Physicians - Internal Medicine, as well as the American Board of Obesity Medicine. In her spare time, she is the chapter Co-leader for Answering the Cry of the Poor, a charity, is a Unit Leader for South Carolina Couples for Christ, and is a member of Legatus, an organization of Catholic business leaders committed to learn, live, and spread the Catholic faith.

Her awards include
2019 Women In Business Award Winner
Board Certified in Internal Medicine Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine

Dr. Jamie Goodman

Osteopathic Physician

Dr. Goodman is a distinguished Osteopathic Physician with over 20 years of service in both civilian and military healthcare. He began his academic career in Nashville at David Lipscomb University and then earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Des Moines University.

 

Following residency, he completed an internship at the Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida, which prepared him for a subsequent utilization tour. He advanced his military career by completing pilot and flight surgeon training at Naval Air Station Pensacola. During his 11-year tenure as a medical officer, Dr. Goodman was deployed with the Marines, serving aboard the USS Iwo Jima and with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit at the onset of the Iraq War. Dr. Goodman further refined his clinical expertise during a family medicine residency at East Tennessee State University (ETSU). He also dedicated himself to supporting U.S. veterans for 10 years.


In addition to his military service, Dr. Goodman has contributed significantly to international humanitarian efforts. Early in his career, he participated in medical missions in Guatemala, Cuba, and other countries, providing essential healthcare services to underserved communities.



Tesa Edge

Lifestyle Program Director


Tesa has been Doctor for Life’s Lifestyle Program Director and Clinical Manager since 2012. She has several responsibilities here at Doctor for Life with her main focus being health coaching and running the CDC’s Diabetes Prevention Program.



  • Certified in Integrative Nutrition
  • Health and Wellness Practitioner
  • Clinical Medical Assistant
  • Certified AADE Lifestyle Coach

Maria Alejandra Herrera

Patient Representative

Aleja is in charge of our front desk with plenty of experience of customer service, she is pursuing a Biology degree with aspirations to become a NP. She is willing to help patients to stay in healthy journey, helping them scheduling appointments, billing or other concerns that patients may have.















Gloria Avendano

Medical Assistant

Gloria is a Medical Assistant with 23 years of experience in the health field, with a medical degree obtained in Colombia, with aspirations to become a physician in the USA. She is passionate to help patients to understand their health journey and how to achieve their goals.
















Infinity Christian

Fitness Director

Infinity Christian is our new Fitness Director at Doctor for Life. With over 10 years of experience as a certified ASFA personal trainer and 11 years in the healthcare field, Infinity brings a well-rounded approach to health and wellness. She previously worked as a Medical Assistant for 5 years and a Pharmacy Technician for 3 years. Infinity is currently enrolled in nursing school, pursuing her dream of becoming a Nurse Practitioner. She's passionate about helping others and dedicated to guiding patients toward their goals through fitness and healthy lifestyle changes.







Paola Giraldo

Medical Assistant

Paola is a Medical Assistant that has been in the medical field for about 9 years, passionate about how to improve patient's health and lifestyle, helping patients to understand better how they may improve it, with also aspirations to validate her Medical degree obtained in Colombia and become physician.













Abby Rinkliff

Medical Assistant

Abby is a medical assistant with 8 years of experience in the field. She is pursuing a degree in biochemistry and has aspirations of higher education to become a physician assistant.


With her passion to see patients reach their goals in all aspects of life, she has fit right in with the Doctor For Life family.



Daniel Andras

Registered Dietitian


Daniel Andras is our registered dietitian and nutritionist on staff who assists with nutrition education and guiding individuals to make better food choices to help them achieve optimal health. He believes health can be improved by consuming “Whole Foods”









Fermin Redondo

Practice Manager

Fermin Redondo, practice manager at Doctor for Life oversees all the general operations including staffing, scheduling, patient services, billing and much more. He keeps everything flowing so patients get the service they deserve.


Fermin has 25 plus years of Health Care services. "Commitment and dedication to helping patients and staff will always be our priority."







Namia Talley

Licensed Massage Therapist

Namia is our licensed massage and body work therapist who specializes in goal oriented treatment massage including polarity, stretching, myofascial release, and more. 


With over 15 years of experience Namia is here to support patients in their journey to health and wellness.