We recently connected with Elena Burkhart and have shared our conversation below.
Elena , appreciate you joining us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.
For the past 10 years, I worked in a private cardiology and internal medicine practice in The Woodlands, Houston area, treating patients with various heart conditions, from high blood pressure to heart attacks. While medications and procedures helped manage symptoms and extend lives, I came to a crucial realization: many of these conditions stemmed from lifestyle choices such as poor diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and weight gain. Although genetics play a role, much of what I saw was preventable. This led to an epiphany—rather than treating advanced diseases, why not tackle the “elephant in the room”: unhealthy lifestyles and weight gain? Prevention, not just treatment! The idea resonated with me.
I started integrating weight loss strategies and nutritional education into internal medicine practice, and the results were remarkable. Even modest weight loss had a profound impact, improving or even reversing conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and fatty liver disease. This sparked my interest in understanding why some people struggle more with weight management than others. One critical componant to the answer, I found, was in each individuals genetics. Advances in the field now allow us to identify 77 genes linked to weight gain, offering a more personalized approach to weight loss. At SlimGenetix, we offer genetic testing that evaluates metabolism and weight gain predispositions, allowing us to tailor medications and behavioral strategies to each patient’s unique genetic profile.
Although I enjoyed my work in cardiology, I found a deeper passion in helping people lose weight and improve their overall health. Changing careers in my forties was daunting, but I was driven by passion, determination, and a willingness to take a leap of faith. I’m grateful to my husband, Tony, who was incredibly supportive when I decided to leave my job and pursue obesity medicine.
Now, three years later, with SlimGentix I am dedicated to helping patients transform their lives. Seeing my patients regain their health, confidence, and happiness has been the most rewarding experience of my career. Helping people take control of their weight has truly given me a sense of purpose.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Every morning, as I sip a dry cappuccino (espresso with a lot of dry milk foam and no liquid milk), I mentally prepare for the day ahead—reviewing my clinic schedule, planning patient topics, and creating handouts. The excitement builds, and I feel energized. I truly love what I do—helping my patients achieve their weight loss goals, restore their confidence, improve their health, and build sustainable habits. It brings me immense joy and professional satisfaction.
Originally from Kyiv, Ukraine, I moved to the U.S. almost 30 years ago. After graduating from the University of Texas Medical Branch, I spent the past decade working in cardiology and internal medicine in The Woodlands and Houston areas. Treating patients with various heart conditions, I noticed a clear correlation between unhealthy weight, lifestyle choices, and the development of chronic diseases. While genetics play a role, there is a strong connection between lifestyle choices, diet, weight, and the development of chronic diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, reduced immunity, and even a shorter lifespan. The importance of preventing these diseases through a healthy diet, weight management, and lifestyle choices truly resonates with me.
I began incorporating weight loss strategies, and nutritional education into patient care, and the results were transformative. Even modest weight loss led to significant improvements—reversing conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and fatty liver disease. As much as I enjoyed working in cardiology, I found a deeper passion for preventive medicine. Helping people lose weight, regain their health, and build lasting healthy habits became my true calling.
Three years ago, I founded SlimGenetix, a personalized, genetically guided weight loss service. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built. At SlimGenetix, we offer comprehensive genetically guided weight loss care tailored to each patient’s unique genetic makeup and biology. Our success rate is remarkable—patients routinely achieve more then 20 % reduction in total body weight, compared to the industry average of 10%. This is due to our approach of incorporating genetic testing for weight loss and metabolism, tailoring weight loss medications, and designing behavioral strategies to fit each patient’s unique genetic profile. Additionally, we provide DNA-based meal planning not only to support weight loss but to promote overall health. The results are remarkable—patients achieve greater weight loss than ever before and experience significant health improvements, reversing conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and fatty liver disease.
What sets us apart is our passion and commitment to our patients. We provide continuous support and guidance, nutritional education, health coaching, ensuring that our patients can reach out anytime, anywhere, for advice, information, or even healthy recipes. In fact, I’ve spent the past 10 years collecting healthy recipes from around the world, and I’ve recently compiled them into a Healthy Cooking Recipes book that I share with my patients.
At SlimGenetix, we’re not just a preventive medicine and weight loss clinic—we’re a community. Our patients support one another, and twice a year, we come together for a Patient Appreciation Day to celebrate successes and share powerful stories. It’s these moments of connection and transformation that make this journey so fulfilling for me.
What problems do you solve for your clients and/or what you think sets you apart from others?
When patients come to me, they’ve often exhausted every possible option for weight loss—programs, diets, supplements, medications, nutritionists, personal trainers. They’ve tried everything, yet many still feel discouraged and worn out by the cycle of trying and failing. Weight gain isn’t just about eating too much of the wrong foods; it’s influenced by genetics, environment, medical conditions, eating habits, nutritional knowledge, and family support.
At SlimGenetix, we offer a comprehensive, personalized, and genetically guided approach to weight loss that addresses every aspect of weight management. Our process begins with a thorough medical assessment, including blood work, hormonal evaluation, and a review of the patient’s medical history and previous weight loss attempts. What truly sets us apart from other clinics is our integration of genetic testing to guide weight loss and metabolism management. Our genetic test identifies 77 genes that predispose individuals to weight gain.
For example, if a patient carries the FTO risk gene variant, they may be predisposed to weight gain due to increased appetite, cravings for high-fat and high-sugar foods, and heightened responsiveness to food stimuli. Using this information, we create a personalized meal plan based on the patient’s unique DNA. Medications are also customized to align with their biology and genetic profile, ensuring the most effective weight loss strategy possible.
Each appointment includes a body composition analysis, allowing us to monitor lean body mass, which can sometimes decrease during the weight loss phase. Once the desired weight loss is achieved, we continue to follow up with our patients for six months to ensure they maintain their healthy weight.
To make our services more accessible and convenient, we’ve recently introduced virtual appointments, allowing patients to receive expert weight loss guidance from the comfort of their homes. At SlimGenetix, we are committed to supporting our patients every step of the way on their journey to a healthier, happier life.
Have you ever had to pivot?
As a society, we are conditioned to believe that weight gain is a personal failure—a character flaw. I once held this belief myself. I used to think that if a patient followed my meticulously crafted meal plan, they should have no trouble losing weight. But what if someone’s genetics and biology made it incredibly difficult? What if intense hunger, powerful cravings for sweets, or impulsive behavior around food made sticking to a meal plan feel nearly impossible?
Understanding how genetics and biology influence weight gain transformed my approach to weight loss care. I began incorporating genetic testing as a guide for treatment and became a strong advocate for the use of medications in cases where genetic predispositions make weight loss more challenging. While I still emphasize behavioral therapy and education, recognizing the role of genetics was a pivotal moment in my practice. It allowed me to offer more personalized, effective weight loss solutions for my patients.
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
Passion is the driving force behind everything I do. It motivates me to continually improve, learn, adapt, be bold, and, at times, to fail and start over. My greatest inspiration comes from my patients—their victories are my victories. When a patient loses 5, 20, or 50 pounds, we celebrate together. When someone who’s been eating fast food for 25 years starts embracing home-cooked meals, we celebrate that success as well. And when a wife, inspired by her own weight loss, brings her husband to join the journey, it’s a win for both of us. Passion fuels these moments, making every step of the process meaningful and rewarding.
I’m always expanding my knowledge to offer the best for my patients. With over a decade in cardiology and internal medicine, I am also a certified nutritional genomics specialist, health coach, and corporate wellness specialist. I regularly teach classes and seminars on nutrition, weight loss strategies, and how genetics impact weight management. I’ve recently launched a new online course, Slim for Life, which you can find on our website at slimgenetix.com.
I’m here to help answer any questions you may have! Feel free to reach out at [email protected], or explore our website at https://slimgenetix.com for a wealth of information.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://slimgenetix.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slimgenetix_elena/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SlimGenetix/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elena-burkhart-3ab62b308/
