The presentation outlined the methods used to treat obesity from the 17th century through today, starting with the earliest recorded treatments for obesity, which included bleedings and recommendations such as drinking vinegar to dissolve fat and engaging in ‘violent exercise’. Hundreds of years later, during the time of World War II and beyond, quite a few weight loss drugs were developed. These drugs, however, were found to cause too many negative side effects, so their usage was intermittent or stopped completely. The next significant milestone in obesity treatment was in the 1990’s, with the drug Fen-Phen.  It had record-breaking sales, but was recalled in the late 1990’s when it was linked with heart valve problems. Since the recall of Fen-Phen, there have been numerous efforts to create safe and effective obesity drugs; however, currently there are only two drugs that are approved for obesity treatment. The challenge in developing and getting obesity drugs to the market, explains Dr. Mark Fusco, a bariatric surgeon in Florida, is that “they need to demonstrate a significant safety profile to win approval from governmental agencies that are increasingly risk averse.”

Because of the challenges in finding pharmaceutical treatments, surgery and procedures, like POSE, continue to be the most effective in treating obesity. POSE is a new minimally invasive weight loss procedure designed for patients that want to lose 20-70 pounds. The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana are at the forefront of this new technology and are amongst the most experienced at the procedure in the world. Dr. Michael Thomas explained that no matter what procedure you choose, POSE or surgery, “the most important thing patients can do is go to an experienced bariatric surgeon to get the best results. After that, it’s very important that they follow-up with their doctor to make sure they stay on track and have life-long healthy weight loss.”

Surgical Specialists of Louisiana offers a comprehensive weight loss program that involves life-long care for the whole continuum of patients whether they want to lose 20 pounds or 400 pounds.

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The Study

The study consisted of 239 overweight and obese women. The researchers divided the women into two groups. The first group was provided general information on how to eat healthy, effectively manage stress, and build a physical fitness routine. The second group attended 30 group discussion sessions, covering issues such as physical activity, emotional eating, and improving body acceptance and body image.

The study found that the women in the discussion groups developed better opinions about their bodies and were able to manage their diets better. Over the course of a year, they lost 7 percent of their body weight on average, while the other group lost on average 2 percent.

Dr. Lavin commented that “this new research has indicated that having a positive body image can help you lose weight. Developing a healthier body image can come from concrete proof that you’re actually achieving weight loss. Body image issues can be common in overweight and obese people and are often associated with poorer weight loss outcomes. Additionally, poor body image has been linked with negative eating behaviors that interfere with weight loss. Thus, it is very important to address and reduce body image concerns when treating obesity.”

Positive body image & weight loss options

Bariatric surgery is often a very effective treatment for obesity. However, some people who are overweight (BMI of 25 – 30) or even some who are obese (BMI 30 – 35) don’t meet the qualifications for standard laparoscopic bariatric procedures, according to NIH guidelines. Dr. Lavin explained that there are treatments for these people. “The new incisionless endoscopic procedure, the POSE (Primary Obesity Surgery, Endolumenal), can give these people opportunity for weight loss by curbing their appetite through shrinking the stomach, thereby causing decreased hunger and cravings as well as decreased capacity at meals.” POSE is a one-hour outpatient procedure that is performed through the mouth and does not require any incisions or cuts. It has many advantages, including less post-op pain than traditional bariatric surgery and no external incisions, meaning no visible scars.

Dr. Lavin added, “a positive body image is the foundation for weight management. Procedures such as POSE can help patients gain that positive body image as they begin seeing tangible results after years of yo-yo dieting.” You can visit poseinfo.com, to learn more about the POSE procedure.

To learn more about POSE, or any of other weight loss surgery options provided by Surgical Specialists of Louisiana, please register for a FREE online seminar at either www.poseinfo.com, or www.whyweight.com, or call us at 877-691-3001.

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Pose Information

PoseInfo.com allows you to watch the procedure and listen to patients who have had the Pose. They share their stories, the changes in their hunger drives and their newfound health and happiness. You are also able to watch a seminar video commentated by Dr. Tom Lavin. To watch this highly educational video, please visit us at PoseInfo.com today!

Dr. Tom Lavin and Dr. Michael Thomas are industry leaders in performing the procedure and with educating other surgeons, both domestically and internationally. Because SSL has performed more POSE procedures than any other surgical practice in the world, we have been asked to speak at the International Federation of Surgery for Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) in Hamburg, Germany at the end of August. Our experience is seen in our exceptional results.

Benefits of Pose

POSE is primarily designed for patients who need to lose between 20 and 70 pounds. Patients report an immediate decrease in hunger drive, a significant change in their cravings, and are thrilled with the speedy recovery and minimal downtime. The reduction, and even elimination, of medications due to the success of POSE has allowed many to not only lose weight but also get their overall health back.

To start your weight loss transformation or for more information, visit us at www.poseinfo.com. You may also call 1-877-691-3001 and speak to one of the seven full time patient advocates who will assist you and answer all of your questions. We are here to make your POSE weight loss a reality!

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Since 2000, The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana have been offering weight loss programs that suit the needs of every person interested in losing weight, improving their health, and enhancing the quality of their life.

Our experienced surgeons have performed over 3,000 advanced laparoscopic weight loss surgeries such as gastric bypass, adjustable gastric banding (LAP-BAND® and REALIZE™ Band), gastric sleeve and duodenal switch. We are also now offering groundbreaking incisionless bariatric procedures such as ROSE (Restorative Obesity Surgery, Endoscopic) and POSE (Primary Obesity Surgery, Endoscopy), which are performed entirely through the mouth without making any external incisions in to the body.

But we’re not only experts in Bariatric Surgery. MyWeight, our new non-surgical weight loss and wellness program, can help you succeed whether you have 5, 50 or 150 pounds to lose. This medically supervised weight loss program is tailored to your individual needs and provides one-on-one coaching from clinical specialists.

With offices in Covington, Metairie, Slidell, and Lafayette, Louisiana, we’re just around the corner—no matter where you are! Our seven full time patient advocates are eager to help you learn about your weight loss options or help you navigate the weight loss surgery insurance hurdle.

We encourage you and your loved ones to follow this blog and explore everything our new site has to offer. And check out the new inspirational videos from five of our successful bariatric patients – Nina, Katie, Claire, Melissa, and Stacy.

We’re looking forward to helping you achieve your weight loss and wellness goals!