What Are the Results from Gastric Sleeve Surgery and How Do People Adjust?

Gastric Sleeve Surgery – hear how our patients are winning the battle with diabetes and fighting heart disease
 

CG has transformed her life and changed her health over the last 5 months following gastric sleeve surgery performed by Dr. Ken Hollis of Clearlake, Texas. Many patients like CG are shedding pounds, trading a life of yo-yo dieting and high cortisol and blood sugar levels for a healthier chance to have normal blood pressure and be diabetes free. Partial comments can be read below and full testimonial found at http://www.baychoicebariatrics.com/Testimonials

These results are confirmed clinically in a recent Cleveland Clinic study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in March 2012.[1] The findings are among one of the first randomized studies-the most rigorous of clinical trials-to compare surgery head to head against standard medical treatment. This study demonstrated that patients were more likely to lower blood sugar levels to normal after undergoing one of the three versions of available bariatric surgery than those treated with drugs, diets and exercise counseling.  

On average, the surgery patients in the study also lost five times as much weight as those grouped in the medical therapy arm with many of the patients being able to discontinue some of their medications prior to leaving the hospital. 

-CG discusses her experience with our readers and hopes to encourage those who are searching for answers. 

How Long Did It Take Before You Saw Results?

“ It has been over 5 months since I have had the Gastric Sleeve done and to date since the surgery, I have lost 44 pounds (228 now 184 and counting) and have gone from a size 20-22 to size 16-14.

What Were Your Treatments or Attempts to Lose Weight Prior to Surgery?

I tried everything out there, I was pre-diabetic, had high blood pressure and asthma, and my knees were killing me. After attending my 35^th class reunion and trying to keep up with my classmates I decided I needed to do something regarding my weight because I knew that I would not be here very long if I continued on the road I was on.”….

What Are Your Results Following Surgery?

“My doctor has lowered the dose on my blood pressure medicine. ….I have been taken off my sleep apnea machine and my asthma machine…..My future is to continue on this weight loss journey and to be in the best health possible. I think of how heavy a 10 pound bag of potatoes is and I think, how was it possible that I have already lost 4 of those 10 pound bags…Never in my wildest dreams..”

-CG

To read more testimonials concerning how our patients are getting their life back on track, please visit our website at  http://www.baychoicebariatrics.com/Testimonials. If you would like to receive a packet of information on the types of Bariatric Surgery Procedures or Behavioral Counseling for Weight Loss, please submit your information at http://www.baychoicebariatrics.com/Contact

---

[1]Phillip Schauer, “Bariatric Surgery vs. Intensive Medical Therapy in Obese Patients with Diabetes”, NEJM March 2012.  Accessed January 10, 2014 at http://healthcare.utah.edu/bariatricsurgery/schauer2012.PDF

Love Your Heart – At Any Age

Did you know heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women in the United States?

Did you know that every minute, one of these women lose her battle with the disease?

The 60 to 70 percent of Americans who are either overweight or obese are at a higher risk for many health problems, including heart disease. Fortunately, even a modest weight loss of 10 to 20 pounds is proven to decrease the chance of developing heart disease.

The good news is that heart disease is preventable as long as women take charge in knowing and practicing heart-healthy habits. In honor of National Heart Month and the Go Red for Women movement, the American Heart Association and BayChoice Bariatric Center recommends the following tips for women at every age to love their hearts:

Women in their 20s should start practicing good heart habits, which includes scheduling regular checkups with your primary care physicians at least every five years.

·      Know the health-related numbers that impact your heart. Find out your cholesterol levels, and strive for less than 200 mg of total cholesterol intake daily. Understand your blood pressure reading, which ideally should be 120/80 mm Hg or less. Be careful not to exceed 1500 mg of sodium per day.

·      Be aware of your family history. If you have a family history of heart disease, your chances for developing it increase. Talk to your doctor about what this means for you.

·      Don’t smoke and avoid secondhand smoke. Women who smoke have a 25 percent higher risk of developing heart disease.

·      Drink in moderation, which means no more than one drink per day.

·      Choose birth control carefully, which can be problematic for your heart if it increases blood pressure.

·      Eat balanced, healthy meals, with concentration on fruits and vegetables, fish, fiber-rich whole grains, and nuts, legumes and seeds.

·      Exercise three to four times a week for 40 minutes at a time.

Women in their 30s are often balancing a family and career, while also trying to maintain healthy habits. If you successfully avoid the conditions that put you at risk for heart disease until you turn 50, you’re far less likely to develop the disease.

·      Learn to manage your stress, which can cause an increase in heart rate and blood pressure.

·      Get enough sleep, which means six to eight hours a night.

·      Continue to make smart birth control choices, which can be problematic for your heart if it increases blood pressure.

·      Make time to eat and cook healthy, with concentration on fruits and vegetables, fish, fiber-rich whole grains, and nuts, legumes and seeds.

·      Continue an exercise routine three to four times a week for 40 minutes at a time.

Women in their 40s are typically run ragged taking care of spouses, children, parents and work obligations, but it’s imperative you also invest in your own health to prevent heart disease –for yourself and the people who count on you.

·      Worry less. Take 15 to 20 minutes every day to relax and practice stress management techniques.

·      Continue your favorite physical activities, or find time to incorporate 40 minutes, three to four times per week into your life. Jogging and yoga are excellent heart-healthy activities.

·      Give your heart the nutrients it needs, which also improves cholesterol and blood pressure. Concentrate on fruits and vegetables, fish, fiber-rich whole grains, and nuts, legumes and seeds. Lean meats and fat-free or low-fat dairy are also heart-healthy choices.

·      Get regular checkups. In addition to blood pressure checkups and heart-health screenings, have your blood sugar level tested by the time you are 45 as Type 2 Diabetes is most likely to develop in women after this age.

·      Make sleep a priority by striving for six to eight hours a night.

Women in their 50s will start to lose some of your natural defenses against heart disease, primarily due to hormonal changes.

·      Monitor changes in your body and talk with your doctor about how hormonal fluctuations can impact your heart health.

·      Get heart screenings. Get your cholesterol checked every five years, your blood pressure every two years, your blood glucose levels every three years, waist circumference as needed and BMI during every regular healthcare visit.

·      Watch what you eat. Concentrate on fruits and vegetables, fish, fiber-rich whole grains, and nuts, legumes and seeds. Lean meats and fat-free or low-fat dairy are also heart-healthy choices.

·      Get physical. If exercising has long been part of your routine, change up the types of exercise you engage in to keep things interesting. Incorporate core strengthening exercises, as well as those to increase bone density once a week. If you haven’t been exercising, start now by choosing activities you enjoy and starting slowly. 

Women in their 60s tend to have rising blood pressure, cholesterol and other heart-related matters, but keeping your risk factors under control can still prevent heart disease.

·        Be on the lookout for symptoms of heart disease. Sixty-four percent of women who die suddenly of heart disease had no previous symptoms. Women’s heart disease symptoms include shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, back pain, jaw pain, dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting, pain in the lower chest or upper abdomen, and extreme fatigue.

·      Know your numbers. Be aware of your cholesterol levels (both HDL and LDL), Triglycerides, blood pressure and BMI, as well as what each of those mean to your heart health.

·       Keep moving. The older we get, the more difficult exercise can be. The recommendation is still 40 minutes a day, three to four times per week. Even short brisk walks for 10 minutes at a time can provide enough physical activity to keep your heart in shape. Light weight lifting, water aerobics and yoga are great options as you age.

·       Eat heart healthy. Concentrate on fruits and vegetables, fish, fiber-rich whole grains, and nuts, legumes and seeds. Lean meats and fat-free or low-fat dairy are also heart-healthy choices.

When diet and exercise aren’t enough

One third of Americans are overweight and another 35 percent are obese. For some obese and morbidly obese individuals, diet and exercise are not enough. Seeking weight loss through bariatric surgery may be the only cure leading to improvement of overall health, including recovery from diabetes, improvement in heart disease risk factors and a reduction in mortality.

For more information about how BayChoice Bariatric Center in Houston, Texas, can help you in the fight against obesity and heart disease, contact Dr. Kenneth Hollis today at 281-482-5300.

Is Your Weight Really Killing You?

According to a new study published in the American Journal of Public Health, nearly 18 percent of all deaths in the United States are due to obesity. That number is three times greater than previous estimates. While there continues to be controversy over how exactly to calculate the cost of being obese, there is no debate that a third of Americans are overweight and another 35 percent obese.
While previous studies showed 5 percent of all adult deaths in the United States could be attributed to obesity, researcher Ryan Masters linked obesity to 20 percent of deaths among women and 15 percent of men. He also predicts the numbers are on the rise due to higher incidence of childhood obesity. 

Does the CDC Mortality Rate Reflect Obesity in America?
The complications in determining the numbers is, in part, because obesity isn’t considered a direct cause of death by the CDC. The numbers fail to associate heart disease and cancer, the top two categories of death in 2010, with a causal link to obesity. Since people who are overweight or obese are statistically proven to be more likely to have heart disease, cancer, diabetes, strokes and heart attacks, it could be said that the statistics do not accurately reflect the seriousness of obesity.  

Where Do We Start to Correct the Problem?

The “Let’s Move! Child Care” campaign, championed by First Lady Michelle Obama, targets our youngest citizens with the idea that it’s far easier to imbed healthy habits at a young age than to correct damage from poor habits later. Rather than waiting to teach healthy habits until children are elementary or middle school aged, the campaign is directed toward the care givers of infants and toddlers, imploring child care facilities to serve healthier foods and promote physical activity.

Five Steps for Healthy Children in Daycare

1.     Provide one to two hours of physical activity throughout the day

2.     No screen time for children under 2 years. Older children should have no more than 30 minutes a week of screen time during childcare.

3.     Serve fruits and vegetables at every meal, eliminating fried foods.

4.     Provide access to water during meals and throughout the day with no sugar-sweetened drinks.

5.     Support breastfeeding mothers by allowing pre-pumped milk or breastfeeding during the child-care day

Additional In-Home Tips

1.     Regularly eating meals together, without the television

2.     Monitoring what and how much children eat while watching television, an opportune time for empty calorie consumption

3.     Not using food as a reward

4.     Providing healthy food choices at each meal or snack

5.     Engaging children in meal planning and cooking, discussing healthy choices and smart substitutions

6.     Incorporating physical activities into daily family time

7.     Modeling good choices, like drinking water, eating fruits and vegetables, and making physical fitness a lifestyle habit

Did You Know That Your Weight Could Be Affecting Your Chances for Pregnancy and Leading to Illness?

More than 90 million people in the United States currently suffer from obesity. Beyond the emotional and self-esteem struggles, the disease also leads to medical conditions like diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, asthma, reflux, infertility and osteoarthritis. Diet and exercise help to shed extra pounds and studies show that, short of bariatric surgery, gradual weight loss is the best method to allow the body, appetite and metabolism to adjust. In addition to consultation with a physician, some of the key areas to focus on are:

1.     Eat fruits and vegetables, avoiding high-calorie foods, high-fructose corn syrup and processed items. The more foods are prepared at home, the more individuals can control exactly what they are eating.

2.     Make physical activity a part of everyday life.

3.     Set realistic goals based on body mass index, and journaling to keep track of all food, activity, vital statistics and personal goals.

4.     Join a weight loss support group. More information on group times and location can be accessed at www.baychoicebariatrics.com or by calling 281-482-5300.

Latest Avenues for Help in Managing Stress and Eating as an Emotional Reward

Behavior management assistance, often known as hypnosis for weight loss and addictive behaviors, has been shown as a valuable component to many medical treatments. The Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology found that the addition of hypnosis substantially enhanced the treatment outcome, particularly with obesity, with the average patient who received cognitive-behavioral hypnotherapy showing greater improvement than at least 70 percent of those receiving non-hypnotic treatment.

BayChoice Bariatric Center in Houston, Texas, offers a variety of hypnotism for weight loss programs, including an eight-step program in which patients benefit from the mental effects of a stomach restriction, changing eating habits, empowering self-confidence and learning self-hypnosis techniques for long-term success. Other hypnotism for weight loss programs include weekly hypnotic weight loss support group sessions, one-on-one customized weight loss sessions and one-on-one sessions customized to addressing specific food addictions.

What Are Other Alternatives?

Considering Bariatric Surgery
For some obese patients, seeking weight loss through bariatric surgery may be the only cure leading to improvement of overall health and emotional wellness. Bariatric surgery decreases the size of the stomach, reducing the amount of food an individual can eat. These procedures can lead to significant long-term weight loss (up to 70 percent of excess body weight, depending on the procedure and patient compliance to aftercare recommendations), recovery from diabetes, improvement in cardiovascular risk factors and a reduction in mortality. Some of the important steps in assessing the need for and preparing for surgery include:

1.     Check your body mass index. The U.S. National Institutes of Health recommends bariatric weight loss surgery for individuals with a BMI of at least 40 and for those with a BMI of 35 who also have serious medical conditions.

2.     If your BMI falls within those ranges or you want more information, sign up to attend one of BayChoice Bariatric Center’s free seminars. The speaker and noted bariatric surgeon Kenneth Hollis, M.D. will discuss his experience with these procedures as well as advantages and disadvantages of each.

3.     Meeting with Dr. Hollis to individually discuss current health, weight-loss goals and the best surgical procedure to achieve success. 

For more information about how BayChoice Bariatric Center can help you in the fight against obesity, please contact Dr. Kenneth Hollis today at 281-482-5300.