Happy Holidays and a Healthier New Year

First of all, we'd like to wish every single person reading this a happy holiday next week. Whatever holidays you celebrate, at the very least it's a day or two off and enjoying it is something we all deserve.  Heaven knows, most of us work hard enough and, with everything that's been happening, there's plenty to be concerned about. Still, for people who have had or are considering weight loss surgery, the holidays can be a special source of stress.

Every year around this time there are many, many articles published about how to "survive" holiday events and special meals for folks who are concerned about their weight. We certainly understand that it's important to keep any holiday indulgences under control, especially for people who have recently had any type of obesity surgery. At the exact same time, there is a tendency to possibly over dramatize the dilemmas of holiday consumption and loose track of the actual holiday itself.

Really, whether you're contemplating or have recently had a sleeve gastrectomy or another bariatric procedure or are simply trying to slim down or keep your weight under control, the ultimate solution is to get things into a healthier balance. Food -- even food we think of as "fattening" or less than terribly healthy -- has its place as long as we don't turn what should be an occasional treat into a regular habit. The tendency of those of us with weight issues is to put too much emphasis on eating -- or not eating -- these treats. There is more to life than consuming things or not consuming them.

The secret is to simply enjoy a multifaceted life filled with activities you love -- and people you love too. Most of us tend to overindulge the most when we're bored or unfulfilled.So, though we realize achieving total fulfillment is rather a tall order for anyone, making the most of our lives in every way we can manage really should at least be the goal for all of us. As for holiday meals, here's a thought: What's more important to you, the food on your table or the people you're sharing it with?

Happy holidays, everyone.

Sleeve Gastrectomy Impacts the Family Unit in Meaningful Ways

This week, our clinic recognizes our December Patient Ambassadors, husband and wife team Roger and Mayra Rosales from Oxnard, California. Their story has now been shared in hundreds of publications throughout the country. A year ago to the week, the two received gastric sleeve surgeries from Dr. Feiz & Associates. Although it has only been a year, the benefits of their surgeries have been extremely far-reaching. The two are younger adults (Roger is 30 and Mayra, 29), but prior to the surgeries, both spoke of being sick and often dealing with back pain and headaches. These days, the two feel quite healthy, keying in on exercise and healthy eating as a result of working with Dr. Feiz and his team. At this point, Roger has lost 150 pounds, and Mayra has lost 80!

The health benefits of sleeve surgery and the FDA-compliant LAP Band are obvious; but a case like the Rosales' demonstrates the impact weight loss surgery has on familial relationships. During our recent talk with Mayra, she related that her nine-year-old son was embarrassed by her excessive weight. Now, he often invites his mother to his school events and has even told her that some of his classmates thought she was his older sister! Additionally, the gastric sleeve surgery really fanned the flame of romance for the couple. These days, Mayra and Roger regularly make time for weekend date nights.

Through listening to the Rosales' story, we see that bariatric surgery can improve the overall happiness of the family unit. If you would like to read more about sleeve gastrectomy from Dr. Feiz, visit the gastric sleeve surgery page on our website. 

Couples with Bariatric Surgery

Our patient ambassador here at Dr. Feiz & Associates for the month of December is actually two people: a married couple who both received a sleeve gastrectomy at the end of last year and have found amazing results. We'll talk more about their journey and success in a future blog post, but it piqued our interest in couples who receive bariatric surgery together.

Doing some brief internet research, we found many inspiring stories of couples who have undergone these procedures together: a couple in Poughkeepsie who got gastric bypass surgeries on the same day, two in the Bronx doing the same, Lisa Lampanelli and her husband receiving the gastric sleeve 8 weeks apart, and many, many more. The reasons for getting the surgeries together seem to take on a deeper meaning for many of these couples; not only do they want to live longer, they want to live longer together. Plus, these couples are lucky to have another avenue for support throughout their weight loss journey that many don't have.

It's also been found that a couple benefits from weight loss surgery even if only one person in the relationship gets it (this effect even carries through to children, if the couple has any). Part of this is that the family has a new idea of what nutrition and health can be. Dr. Feiz knows that any weight loss surgery in California he performs requires a fresh outlook on eating, exercise, mental health, and much more. He is willing to meet with any person interested in a bariatric surgery, either through a complimentary consultation or through a free weight loss seminar. Call 310-855-8058 for more information!