The study is a meta-analysis, which is a careful and rigorous review of many clinical studies.   Seven studies out of 4,576 possible papers met the criteria to be included in this study.  Because the seven studies reported amounts of chocolate consumption in different manners, the authors decided to compare lowest to highest chocolate consumption when they looked at the health benefits. The authors of the study explain that the exact amount of chocolate needed to experience the health benefits is not clear, yet.

The study also cautions against large consumption of chocolate. Chocolate is high in sugar and calories and therefore can be destructive to weight loss and overall health.  Dark chocolate, which contains a higher cocoa content, will provide the most health benefits without as much fat and sugar as milk chocolate.

At the Surgical Specialists of Louisiana, we understand that our patients need nutrition plans tailored to their needs—even if that means including the occasional piece of dark chocolate! Balance is always very important. You can learn more about our program and weight loss options on our website, by registering for a free weight loss surgery seminar, or by calling us at 877-691-3001.

Tweet

*Image from here

Pre-diabetes is “the state that occurs when a person’s blood glucose (sugar) levels are higher than normal, but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes”. Most importantly, people with pre-diabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension and stroke. An estimated 79 million Americans age 20 years or older have pre-diabetes. Learn more about obesity and associated health risks such as diabetes.

Who should pay attention to pre-diabetes?
You are at risk for pre-diabetes if you are overweight and 45 years or older. Individuals younger than 45 and overweight, and have any other risk factors such as high blood pressure, a family history of diabetes, physical inactivity, polycystic ovarian syndrome, to name a few, are also at risk. Unfortunately, there usually are no signs or symptoms for pre-diabetes!

As mentioned above, having pre-diabetes exposes individuals to a higher risk for type-2 diabetes. However, studies have shown that losing 5 to 7 percent of body weight through diet and increased physical activity can reduce the risk of developing type-2 diabetes. How do you make this happen? Healthy eating habits and exercise!

What can I do?
Someone with excess weight and pre-diabetes, or insulin resistance may benefit from limiting carbohydrates in their diet. Carbs raise blood sugar more than other foods and will cause the body to produce more insulin.

Regular exercise helps maintain weight loss and prevent weight regain. It also improves glycemic control (measurement of the effects of carbs on sugar level) and reduces cardiovascular disease. Fortunately it doesn’t take dramatic weight loss to reduce the risk for pre-diabetes or to improve your health. Moderate weight loss can help delay or prevent diabetes-related complications. If you feel like you need to lose a moderate amount of weight, learn more about our MyWeight solution, as well as some of our noninvasive procedures such as POSE and ROSE.

Today’s world of technology and social networking may also help you monitor your health. HEALTHSEEKER is a new healthy Facebook game that was developed by the Diabetes Hands Foundation and Joslin Diabetes Center. The goal is to help players make specific lifestyle changes that focus on healthy eating. Check it out!

The Surgical Specialists of LA are a group of 8 board certified advanced laparoscopic surgeons who specialize in surgical and nonsurgical weight loss. For more information about their programs visit www.whyweight.com or www.poseinfo.com.

Tweet

A recent recommendation has been 3,000 steps per day, five days a week; however, these findings suggest that 10,000 steps per day (five days a week) achieve a threefold improvement in insulin sensitivity.

The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana recommends physical activity, such as walking, combined with healthy nutrition to obtain your ideal weight. Whether you have had, or are considering, weight loss surgery, these are necessary for a healthy life. Our non-surgical program, MyWeight, combines nutritional counseling with personalized meal plans and prescription medications, if necessary. Surgical weight loss, such as gastric banding or gastric bypass surgery, has been proven to help in reducing and, in some cases, eliminating co-morbidities associated with the disease of obesity, including diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

The group of nine surgeons at the Surgical Specialists of Louisiana are highly skilled in advanced laparoscopy and have performed more than 4,000 surgical weight loss procedures. If you are interested in learning more about our weight loss programs, join us for a free seminar, contact our office or take a weight loss quiz to get you started.

Do something for yourself this new year. Purchase a pedometer and start walking. Your heart and your body will thank you!

*Source: British Medical Journal, news release, Jan 13, 2011.

]]> http://blog.whyweight.com/walk-to-get-healthy-and-lower-your-risk-of-diabetes/feed/ 0 http://blog.whyweight.com/new-report-estimates-the-price-tag-of-obesity/ http://blog.whyweight.com/new-report-estimates-the-price-tag-of-obesity/#comments Thu, 23 Sep 2010 16:25:09 +0000 admin http://blog.whyweight.com/?p=910 This week, The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services’ Department of Health Policy released the first ever report calculating the Individual costs of obesity to Americans.

The report, “A Heavy Burden: The Individual Costs of Being Overweight and Obese in the United States”, estimates the price tag of obesity at the individual level as $8,365 for women and $6,518 for men (including the value of lost life). This report included non-medical costs such as sick days, lost wages due to disability and premature mortality. The enormous financial impact of the obesity epidemic should give rise to more discussions regarding solutions for the disease.

Obesity related health care costs are estimated at $147 billion annually, which is almost 10% of all U.S. medical expenses. Within the next 20 years, this could rise to 16-18% of total U.S. health care costs. In response to these new findings, Joe Nadglowski, President and Chief Executive Officer of the OAC (Obesity Action Coalition) said, “Given the increasing obesity rates, this report underscores the critical need for a new and more aggressive approach to obesity that considers both prevention and treatment for those 93 million Americans who are already obese.”

Two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese, and childhood obesity has tripled in the past three decades. Dietary changes and lack of physical activity over the last 30 years have contributed to this growing problem. Nearly 18% of adolescents are obese, facing a future of diabetes, heart disease and other ailments. September has been declared National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month by President Barack Obama.

The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana offers surgical as well as nonsurgical treatment for overweight individuals. MyWeight™, a medically supervised weight loss program, offers nutritional meals and meal replacements for those who need to lose 10 to 30 pounds. Surgical weight loss, such as gastric sleeve or gastric bypass surgery, has been proven to help in reduce, and in some cases eliminate, co-morbidities associated with the disease of obesity, including diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The group of nine surgeons at the Surgical Specialists of Louisiana are highly skilled in advanced laparoscopy and have performed more than 4000 surgical weight loss procedures. If you are interested in learning more about our weight loss programs join us for a free seminar, contact our office or take a weight loss quiz to get you started.

Peppermint Shake

1 pkg. MyWeight French Vanilla Shake
1cup cold water
5 ice cubes
½ tsp peppermint extract
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1 drop green food coloring

Place all ingredients in a blender, mix, and serve.


French Vanilla Lime Cooler

1 pkg. MyWeight French Vanilla Shake Mix
8 oz water
2 Tbsp Lime Juice
4 Ice cubes
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth

Peachy Smoothie

1 pkg. MyWeight French Vanilla Shake
2 oz Vanilla low-fat yogurt
6 oz cold water
1 fresh peach, skinned and cut up
4 Ice cubes

Mix all ingredients in blender on medium speed.

Almond Joy

1 pkg. MyWeight Swiss Chocolate Shake
8 oz. water
½ tsp almond extract
½ tsp coconut extract

Mix all ingredients in blender on medium speed.

Tips for Success When Eating Out

• Keep Your Portions Small
• When ordering entrees, have the waiter box ½ before serving the other ½
• Use a salad plate to decrease the portion size
• Have the waiter bring your salad with your entrée
• Have the waiter remove the bread from the table, or DECLINE it when he serves it
• Take 3 bites of protein for every 1 bite of carbs or fats
• Count Cocktails as dessert
• Choose to splurge on a day when you can exercise
• Research the web for restaurant menu and healthy choice/low carb selections
• Have a protein drink before you leave to go out
• Keep reference books for calorie counting and low carb selections handy.  Check out: www.calorieking.com or www.atkins.com for calorie and carbohydrate measurements

The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana offers nutritional drinks, supplements, meal replacements, protein bars and various other items through our MyWeight program at each of our locations.  If you are interested in learning more about our products contact Bethany at bdulski@whyweight.com.

Have you ever wondered just how many calories that chicken quesadilla or reuben sandwich will add to your caloric intake for lunch?  What about the “healthy” veggie spud and cream of broccoli soup?

Eating out can be a real problem for those who are watching their weight and trying to eat healthy.  Until now.  Buried in the pages of the health reform bill passed by the U.S. Congress, is a provision requiring chain restaurants with 20 or more stores to disclose the number of calories on their menus.

Offering a menu without calories is like offering a menu without prices. Individuals should know what their financial cost and their health cost is for what they are ordering. When you purchase food in a grocery store, the “Nutrition Facts” label gives key nutritional information including calories, fat grams, sodium content, etc. for each serving in the package. The customer in a restaurant has to make a blind guess and “judge” how fattening and unhealthy each menu option may be.

Menu-labeling will not reverse the obesity epidemic by itself.  But it is a step in the right direction and one that will cost very little to implement.  Menu-labeling will give each individual the knowledge to make healthy choices, thus putting the responsibility on each of us and ultimately lowering healthcare costs, overall.

Regardless of the view on the overall health reform bill, nearly everyone agrees, including the National Restaurant Association and public health advocates, that this is one part of the bill that will improve health and cut costs in the long run. When the law takes effect in 2011, the number of calories will be noted right next to the price on the menu.

Source: Menu-labeling to Win the Struggle Against Obesity – Kansas City infoZine News.  Jason Eberhart-Phillips, MD.  www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/40532.

Until these changes take place, the Surgical Specialists of Louisiana can help you make healthy and informed decisions.  The MyWeight™ nutrition and wellness counseling program in Louisiana offers individualized weight loss programs, lifestyle coaching and one-on-one medical consultation.  Contact our office to learn more about the MyWeight™ medically supervised weight loss program.

In this tough economy, it’s important to make sure we don’t forgo healthy habits for cheaper, less nutritious foods. In this article, printed with the permission of the Obesity Action Coalition, Pam Helmlinger discusses how to manage your waistline without breaking the bank.

How to Eat Healthy Foods on a Budget

by Pam Helmlinger, RD, LDN

Healthy eating may seem challenging when penny-pinching, yet with careful planning you can monitor both your waistline and your budget. The perception that healthy food costs more is not valid if you are always shopping for a good deal and planning ahead. Incorporate these tips for a frugally-fit diet:

Determine a Weekly Grocery Budget – set aside the allotted cash in a special envelope. Plan meals and snacks for your family ahead of time and write down a detailed shopping list from that plan.

Comparison Shop and Take Advantage of Store Incentives – Choose generic store brands except when the brand name product is on sale for less. Refer to the item’s unit price displayed to compare costs between brands and multiple-sized packages.

Meal Planning – a great way to cut costs is to plan the week’s meals based on weekly store flyers’ sale prices along with any coupons which apply from the newspaper or online. Paperclip applicable coupons to your grocery budget envelope.

Bulk Buying – Warehouse clubs are one way to save when buying in bulk, however, if the savings would not exceed the cost of the membership, you can stock up on sale items at the grocery store and purchase produce by the bag rather than in pieces (onions, apples, grapefruit, etc.). Frozen fruits and vegetables are also beneficial for equal nutrient value and to eliminate the concern for spoilage before they are eaten. Frozen berries are an excellent choice year-round when fresh berries are out of season.

Purchase Plain Meats and Skin and Season them on Your Own – Try using canned chicken and fish for salads. Use medium shrimp for cooking fajitas or to make a seafood salad. Extend your budget further by eating at least two meatless meals per week. Give tofu and/or tempeh a try for an inexpensive, nutritional substitute for meat and cheese. Beans are also a low-cost and versatile source of protein and fiber. For maximum savings and a low sodium option, use dried beans versus canned beans.

Avoid Pre-packaged Foods and Beverages – While drinking diet soda may not affect your weight, it can be draining your family budget. Instead, brew your own tea or fill reusable water bottles with filtered water at home. If you purchase coffee at a coffee shop, consider buying whole bean coffee in bulk, grinding it at home and mixing with a splash of skim milk, an ounce of sugar-free coffee syrup and a packet of artificial sweetener for your own “Skinny Latte.” These products at home will go a long way and make many cups for the price of one cup at a coffee shop.

Avoid Waste by Purchasing Only What You Need for the Week – use scraps to make other meals, such as leftover chicken to make chicken salad.

Cook at Home and Reserve Eating out for Special Occasions – A single night at a restaurant may cost you as much as the week’s groceries. Studies show that home-cooked meals are more nutritious and that families who eat together have better communication.

Cook extra portions for freezing and utilize leftovers throughout the week. The extra effort will result in time savings later and is perfect for those with a hectic schedule. Get creative and try limiting recipes to just a few basic ingredients.

Make Your Own Convenience Foods – Although buying washed and bagged lettuce, cabbage and carrots is convenient, it costs much more for less quantity. Try making your own convenience foods by dicing and chopping vegetables on the weekends to quickly add to a recipe or salad on a weeknight.

Plant a Garden – Another way to save on vegetables is to plant a garden. It takes some time but can be a fun hobby. If you have never planted before, try starting with tomatoes and some fresh herbs.

According to the February 2009 issue of Consumer Reports magazine, here are some nutritious foods and cost per serving:

• Cooked Black Beans – 114 calories per serving, 7 cents per serving, high in fiber/B vitamins/protein
• Egg – 78 calories per egg, 9 cents per egg, high in protein/iron/B-12/choline
• Cooked Broccoli – 27 calories per half cup, 33 cents per serving, high in vitamins C & A/fiber/phytochemicals
• Chicken Breast – 142 calories per 4 oz portion, 50 cents per serving, high in protein/iron

With some creativity and planning, you can keep your kitchen well stocked with lean protein, high fiber, fresh and frozen goods and seasonal produce. Eating well is manageable for everyone and sets one up for a healthy meal plan without the temptations that come with excess food on hand.

Let’s Compare!

The following is an example of both cost comparison and nutrition facts comparison for a couple of different meals…

Meal A

1 piece meat lasagna (1/12 recipe)
2 slices garlic bread
2 cups romaine lettuce
2 tsp. shredded parmesan
2 oz. Caesar salad dressing
Per Serving: 938 calories, 47g fat, 97g carbohydrates, 31g protein
Cost/serving: $3.98

Meal B

1 Morningstar Farms Sun dried Tomato & Basil Pizza Burger pattie
1 oz. marinara sauce
1 slice mozzarella cheese melted on top
2 c. romaine lettuce
2 tsp. shredded Parmesan cheese
10 sprays Caesar Delight Vinaigrette Spritzer
Per Serving: 279 calories, 14g fat, 12g carbohydrates, 22g protein
Cost/serving: $2.85

You can consider your calorie intake a budget just like your checkbook for your financial budget. In this case, you would have saved $1.13 per person for meal B and your calorie savings would be 659!

As you can see, it is possible to eat healthy on a budget. It takes an awareness while you grocery shop and while you eat/dine out to make this possible.
The key is that you need to get creative and look at labels and prices. So, next time you are at the grocery, take these important tips with you to help you determine what is the healthiest and most economical option for you and your family!

About the Author:

Pam Helmlinger, RD, LDN, has worked with the Center for the Treatment of Obesity at Centennial Medical Center since 2006. She is specialized in bariatric surgery and holds a certificate of training in adult weight management. Currently, she provides pre and post-op nutritional counseling in addition to education for patients in a medical weight-loss program.

The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana are committed to helping our patients achieve a healthy lifestyle and a healthy weight. Whether you are interested in weight loss surgery or medically supervised weight loss counseling, we can help you take control of your eating and your weight. Join us for a free seminar or take a weight loss quiz to help you get started.

A National Public Awareness Campaign Brought to You by the OAC

Your Weight Matters is a National web-based awareness campaign proudly produced and presented by the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC). The goal of the campaign is to get the public talking about weight as it relates to their health and to challenge each and every American to talk to their doctor about their weight.

Why Does My Weight Matter?

Weight and health go hand-in-hand. Many Americans are not aware of the health risks associated with excess weight and how weight plays a key role in their health. That’s why it’s important for YOU to get involved in the Your Weight Matters Campaign, assess your weight and talk to your doctor!

What the Campaign Offers

The web-based campaign has all the information you need:

• Tools to measure your weight
• Health risks associated with weight
• Health and wellness tips
• A section dedicated just to kids
• And much more!

Get Started and Take the Challenge

The easy-to-navigate web site guides you step-by-step through measuring your weight and gives you tips for talking to your doctor. Once you take the challenge, you will receive a link to the e-toolkit which includes:

• Sample questions to ask your doctor
• Questions your doctor may ask you
• Food log journal
• Health and wellness quick tips
• Helpful resources
• BMI chart for adults
• And much more!

About the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC)

The OAC is a National nonprofit charity dedicated to helping those affected by obesity. The OAC brings together individual struggling with weight and provides educational and advocacy resources.

TAKE THE CHALLENGE! Visit www.yourweightmatters.org today and take the Campaign challenge!

The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana is a proud supporter of the Walk From Obesity, whose funds support the OAC. In addition, Laura Boyer, RN, CBN, and Director of Clinical Systems for the Surgical Specialists, is a previous Advisory Board Member for the OAC. Laura and James Redmann, MD, FACS, are contributing authors to the OAC.

Learn more about the Surgical Specialists of Louisiana. You can get more information on weight loss surgery such as gastric banding, gastric bypass or medically supervised weight loss programs by contacting one of our patient advocates today. The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana are committed to helping you reach your weight loss goals. Register for a free seminar and see which one of our weight loss programs has proven to be the most effective for resolving weight related health conditions.

Weight regain after weight loss surgery is more common than you think. The Seminar to be held this Saturday, March 6, 2010, will equip you with the necessary skills to make a “comeback”. At this seminar we will explore why the weight returned after surgery and offer realistic solutions to help you make your comeback.

Even the most successful surgical weight loss patients occasionally regain weight. There are many complex factors contributing to this as the body will do everything in its power to avoid starvation and weight loss.

The tool we provided you with during surgery may not be as effective as it was early in your post operative period. Changes in the anatomy take place in the form of a pouch that has stretched or an opening to the small intestine that has enlarged.

The team of speakers who will meet with you include, Dr. Scott Eckholdt, Dr. Stan Owens, Dr. Carson Cunningham and Jill Hurley, OTR/L. Dr. Eckholdt will discuss relapse prevention while occupational therapist, Jill Hurley will help you develop healthy habits for living. Dr. Owens created the PresciptFit Medical Nutritional Therapy program designed to focus on both behavior and physiological elements of maintaining a health weight. Dr. Cunningham will introduce the exciting new incisionless revisional procedure called ROSE.

The symposium will be held at the Fitzsimons Auditorium at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center in Lafayette, Louisiana on Saturday, March 6, 2010 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For more information please call 225-289-4677 or toll free at 866-935-8040.

Childhood obesity is a serious and growing problem. Over the past 30 years, obesity rates among children have tripled. A recent study In the Journal of American Medical Association shows that gastric banding surgery, such as LAP-BAND^®, can and have been, more effective than traditional weight loss programs promoting diet and exercise.

The February 10th issue of JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) reported that gastric banding may be more effective for achieving weight loss than lifestyle changes¹.

The randomized controlled trial conducted by Paul E. O’Brien, M.D, FRACS, and colleagues of Monash University and the Centre for Adolescent Health, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, included 50 adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18, with a BMI higher than 35. Twenty five patients underwent laparoscopic gastric banding, while the remaining 25 entered a program of lifestyle intervention. This program included increased activity level, behavior modification and reduced calorie intake. Participants in both groups were followed for two years. (May 2005-September 2008).

Twenty four of the patients in the surgical group completed the study while 18 in the lifestyle group completed the program.

The study revealed that the gastric banding group lost an average of 76 pounds. This is an overall average loss of 28 percent of total body weight and 79 percent of excess weight. The lifestyle group lost an average of 6.6 pounds or an average of 3.1 percent total weight loss and 13 percent excess weight loss.

“At entry, 9 participants (36 %) in the gastric banding group and 10 (40%) in the lifestyle group had the metabolic syndrome. At 24 months, none of the gastric banding group had the metabolic syndrome compared with 4 of the 18 completers (22%) in the lifestyle group,” the authors noted.

“In this study, gastric banding proved to be an effective intervention leading to a substantial and durable reduction in obesity and to better health. The adolescent and parents must understand the importance of careful adherence to recommended eating behaviors and of seeking early consultation if symptoms of reflux, heartburn, or vomiting occur. As importantly, they should be in a setting in which they can maintain contact with health professionals who understand the process of care. This study indicates that, in such a setting, the laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding process can achieve important improvements in weight, health, and quality of life in severely obese adolescents,” the researchers concluded.

You can get more information on weight loss surgery such as gastric banding, gastric bypass or medically supervised weight loss programs by contacting one of our patient advocates today. The Surgical Specialists of Louisiana are committed to helping you reach your weight loss goals. Register for a free seminar and see which one of our weight loss programs has proven to be the most effective for weight loss in adolescent patients in Louisiana.

1. O’Brien, Paul E., et al. (2010). Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding in Severely Obese Adolescents. Journal of the American Medical Association, 303(6):519-526.