The Best Way to Eat?

If you follow online features and news stories in a regular way, you'll definitely notice a recurring motif that basically asks a seemingly simple question: "What is the best way to eat?" Given our nation's ongoing obesity epidemic, it's clear that this seemingly simple question has a seemingly simple answer: "Less!"

The fact of the matter is that, while we should all be working harder to include more healthy foods -- fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, lean proteins, etc. -- in our daily diet, the biggest challenge increasingly heavy Americans face on the path to a truly healthy lifestyle boils down to the matter of portion control. With our love of outsized steaks, burgers, and ice cream sundaes, to name just a few national delicacies, traditional American cuisine has always been largely about abundance. This dates back to our agrarian past when most people engaged in fairly demanding physical labor on a daily basis, no doubt mitigating the less healthy effects of our nation's love of fatty red meats and fried potato dishes.

Now, of course, we mostly work in offices and, if we get any exercise at all, it's during our off hours at the gym or doing laps around the park, and -- for the most part, anyway -- obese people know better than anyone that portion control is the key to getting healthy again. After all, even if we're eating a diet rich in all the right foods and relatively free of the wrong ones, it's still entirely possible to be obese if we're eating too much of it. The sad truth is that it's a lot easier to alter the type of foods we eat than the actual amounts.

Indeed, the human brain is designed to encourage us to eat more than we might actually need -- after all, it's essential to our survival and through most of human history, food scarcity was a real issue. Our job, at Dr. Feiz & Associates then, is making it easier for people to do something that might feel more than a little bit unnatural...deliberately eat a lot less than we're used to. Fortunately, we're good at it!

The Omnivore's Other Dillemma

You may have heard the short and sweet aphorism created by author/food guru Michael Pollan. "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Sounds good, right? Certainly, it's hard to imagine our current massive obesity epidemic if most of us actually followed this plan. Pollan advocates truly enjoying our food, while eating healthier and, for most Americans, at least a bit less of it. Sounds even better.

At the same time, even those  of us who never really struggle with obesity know it's a lot easier said than done. And, of course, for those who do find themselves at the doorsteps of weight loss clinics like Dr. Feiz & Associates, typically we've tried countless times to at least follow the "not too much" part of Pollans's dictum, only to be foiled by the body's tendency to make us feel increasingly hungry the more weight we lose.

Now, we're not arguing that there is no element of individual responsibility for our own weight. The problem is that we're put on a track toward obesity quite early in life and, the older we get, the more set that track appears to be. It's one reason why preventing childhood obesity is so crucial. Still, once we're in our adult years and lacking a time machine with which to undue the bad habits of our younger days, losing weight and then maintaining a truly healthy lifestyle gets more and difficult. Fortunately, we do have at least one tool that works in the form of bariatric surgery, which really does seem to cut the Gordian knot of severe obesity for many of us.

Of course, bariatric surgery isn't for everyone and it's not a silver bullet all by itself. At least for right now, however, it's mostly what we've got.

It's Not Just One Thing

If only we lived in a world where the obesity epidemic could be cured with a pint of water.

If you're wondering what we mean by that, we're talking about a study which just came to us via the the UK's University of Birmingham which seems to indicate that drinking a pint of water before meals might add to weight loss efforts. While we certainly support the consumption of healthy H2O at Dr. Feiz & Associates, we are once again forced to remind everyone that there are no magic bullets, only aids to doing the hard work of altering our relationship with food.

Indeed, as much as weight loss surgeries have been proven effective in terms of making significant weight loss a great deal less difficult, even they are not the be-all and end-all of weight loss. The fact of the matter is that everyone who manages to lose even relatively small amounts of weight has cobbled together their own personal collection of strategies for avoiding overeating and maybe also making sure they get enough exercise. It's the key to that all-important "healthy lifestyle" we're always talking about.

On an intuitive level, drinking that pint of water before a meal seems to make sense. After all, at least for a time we will at least be more full on a literal level for as long as the water remains in our stomach, so that might help curb the impulse to overdo it at mealtime. However, even if the water trick actually turns out to work for most people, it will remain just that -- a trick, or a hack in today's parlance, that might assist us in our weight loss efforts a little bit.

Like it or not, however, losing weight for real requires not just one trick, but an entire proverbial bag of tricks. Still, plain old water is good for you, so drink up!

Return on (Time) Investment

For a number of reasons, the most precious commodity in today's medical world is, very often, time. Indeed, for those of us involved with the struggle against the ongoing obesity epidemic, it can be an especially important matter as every patient has his or her own very personal story...and that story is often the key to understanding how best to change the poor eating and lifestyle habits that got them to where they are. That requires investing some time.

For doctors who are working with patients to help them forge the healthy lifestyle they need to make real progress, it can be a challenge to carve out the time needed to really listen to patients and help them make the adjustments they need. When it comes to bariatric surgery, we often point out that, while procedures dramatically lower appetites and make weight loss a great deal easier, it's no magic bullet. Patients still need to make a variety of psychological and physical adjustments and, at Dr. Feiz and Associates, we work hard to help them do just that.

That's why were heartened to hear about a study published in the the journal Patient Education and Counseling. It found that patients who reported a better relationship with their doctor lost more weight in their attempts than others. While the number of pounds the patients lost in the study was a great deal more modest than the kind of results we regularly achieve in bariatric medicine, we believe more firmly than ever that every moment we spend working with patients, whether it's as part of a procedure or just speaking with them in our offices, really does pay off.

Go With What’s Proven to Work

As the obesity epidemic grows every year, more and more “methods” are being developed that claim to help people lose weight. Some of these newer methods, devices, and strategies have more evidence than others in their ability to actually deliver weight loss results, but on the whole, they are all relatively untested. At Dr. Feiz & Associates, we practice the very best, most cutting-edge weight loss procedures that have also been proven to be effective.

The sleeve gastrectomy procedure has helped countless patients of Dr. Feiz lose their excess weight and keep it off in the long term. While there are truly many paths to a healthy lifestyle, there are few that result in as consistent, rapid weight loss as bariatric surgery with a talented surgeon like Dr. Feiz. While it is true that no two patients experience the same weight loss journey, and some may experience more weight loss than others, being properly cared for and prepped for the procedure by a skilled medical team is very important. While the sleeve gastrectomy is a procedure that is proven to help many patients get healthy, Dr. Feiz understands the importance of being prepared both mentally and physically to get the very best results.

Teach Your Children

There's no getting around it, a major part of of the ongoing obesity epidemic is directly related to the frightening increase in childhood obesity that has risen up alongside the adult version. It’s an important matter, because childhood is the time when both unhealthy and healthy lifestyle habits are both formed. Indeed, our brain appears to be more malleable at that age and it may be easier to make big adjustments than later on in in life.

The reason we are talking about this today is because of a pair of studies that have popped up this week about kids and obesity. One noted an increase in the problem during the summer months, when many kids are out of school and have fewer restriction, and other noted that children of parents who are less knowledgeable about health were also less likely to engage their children in various types of weight loss efforts. Of course, as all adult dieters know, trying to lose weight and actually losing weight over the long term are two very different things, and many of us grown-ups also tend to eat more when idle and a bit bored. The bottom line is that it's clearly important to work on children's health habits, particularly if they appear to be obesity prone.

The fact of the matter is that bariatric surgery really does appear to be the best solution for most adults with severe obesity, since significant and permanent weight loss appears to be nearly impossible for most people of that age to achieve. At the same time, being able to prevent adult obesity by nipping it in the bud in childhood, when that might well be a vastly easier goal, is clearly the best solution of all.

Good Health Without Shame

A number of news stories and social media items over the last few days are dealing with the concept of fat shaming. From the young Christian newlywed who gently responded when Reddit users made fun of her new husband's weight, to the #NoOneBody campaign to fight the emphasis on ultra-skinny/perfectly toned models in advertisements in the UK, there are times when it seems like the body positivity movement and the all too real obesity epidemic are at cross purposes. We don't think it's quite the case. For starters, fat shaming has never made anyone healthier; there's nothing good about making people feel bad about themselves.

Moreover, as to our work in work in weight loss medicine, it's worth pointing out that, first and foremost, bariatric surgery has never been intended to be a cosmetic procedure. In fact, while patients may find that they like their appearance better once they have lost their weight, relatively few of them end up with the kind of "beach bodies" we see on TV every night. It's not about looking perfect (whatever that means) and it's all about being healthy.

The fact of the matter is that, whatever shape we are in, we should feel as good about ourselves and our appearance as we can, and this includes people who might medically be defined as obese. It's just an unfortunate fact of life that obesity, particularly in its more severe forms, has a large number of physical consequences that can shorten a life and drastically reduce its quality. Our goal at Dr. Feiz and Associates is simply to make it more possible for patients to maintain the healthy lifestyle they need to have the longest, best life possible. There's definitely nothing to be ashamed of in that.

What's New With Weight Loss Surgery?

As the world obesity epidemic continues to be a problem, and the field of weight loss surgery continues to grow, more and more medical research is being focused on the short and long term benefits of weight loss surgery. Several times a month the results of one of these studies is released with news that far more often than not shows various health benefits that weight loss surgery can have.

Recently, many publications have picked up on a study that showed how weight loss with weight loss surgery may actually be a better approach to combat obesity-related type-2 diabetes compared to traditional behavioral modifications. While simply adopting a healthy lifestyle may work for some patients, the results showed that, on average, weight loss surgery patients fared better on all accounts.

These results are great news for any diabetic patient considering weight loss surgery. While previous studies had already shown that weight loss surgery can often lead to better blood sugar levels or even remission of the disease, this comparison to other methods of weight loss makes the choice of bariatric surgery that much clearer.

What's in a Name?

A lot, apparently, if you're marketing food items. A new study in the Journal of Market Research found that people who were trying to lose weight ate more of a trail mix-type product if it was called a "fitness snack," even though trail mix is not exactly a low calorie food.

Alas, this is not surprising news if you've been following the attempts of Americans to pursue a more healthy lifestyle over the last few decades. Many of us can remember the mania for fat-free foods, which were often filled with sugar and plenty of calories. Today, no doubt, some people think that gluten-free pizza is a health food when, in fact, it's often simply the same fattening, starch-and-fat laden product, only without gluten.

It would be a little bit silly to blame all of America's very serious obesity epidemic on labeling fads and fancies alone, but the truth of it is that people facing these issues are often subconsciously looking for excuses to engage in the kind of eating that led them to their obesity in the first place. It's no panacea, but one good habit to take up is actually looking closely at the labels of the foods you buy. Look beyond the name and the packaging and ask a few crucial questions: How many calories does a product have? How much fat and added sugar? Does it have any fiber to speak of? What about protein and carbs? How about vitamins and other nutrients?

It's just one small part of the puzzle, but here at Dr. Feiz & Associates, we encourage people to really do their best to understand the foods they put in their body.

Making the Best Choices

Earlier today we saw a news story about more diverse food offerings, including some very healthy choices, being promoted as possible movie theater snacks. Moreover, it seems like every day we read an item about this or that giant fast food chain offering selections that might actually be considered compatible with a healthy lifestyle. At the same time, it's hard not to be discouraged when so many of these healthier offerings turn out to be short-lived promotions, not long-term changes.

Yet, if you look at the relatively recent history of food and drink marketing in America, changes do occur. When Starbucks first began opening locations nationwide in the 1990s, many visitors found their coffee unduly strong, simply because it was so different from the typical U.S. coffee of the time. Now, of course, most coffee lovers are used to Starbucks stronger tasting coffee. (Whatever harm they are doing, vis a vis the obesity epidemic, with some of their very sugar and fat laden desert drink offerings is a separate matter.)

Of course, it's up to all of us to actually take advantage of whatever healthy choices we see, whether we're at McDonald's, the local convenience store, a movie theater, or even just shopping at the supermarket. At Dr. Feiz & Associates, we know two things: 1. Our overall health is an accumulation of the big and small choices we make every day and 2. If we buy healthy things, companies will be encouraged to keep offering them.

By itself, none of this is going to cure obesity, but the more healthy stuff we eat, and the more unhealthy choices we avoid, the better off we'll all be. 

Is Sugar Our Most Dangerous Enemy?

There has long been pretty broad medical agreement that the refined sugars which are now so accessible to us, not only in its pure form like we might add to our coffee or tea, but far more pervasively in soft drinks, candies, pastries, frozen desserts, and even in some foods we might not think of as particularly sweet, are generally bad for us and a major culprit in the obesity epidemic. Still, the World Health Organization (WHO) took an interesting step this week by publicly urging all of us to keep our consumption of sugar to only five to ten percent of our daily intake of calories, roughly half of the current amount most people consume.

It's impossible to argue that consuming a very small amount of refined sugar -- as opposed to the natural sugars found in fruits and vegetables -- isn't an excellent idea. Still, we also want to argue for an overall healthy lifestyle when it comes to eating. The potential problem with singling out sugar as a villain is that, for obese individuals, the crux of the problem is simply too many calories from any source, not just sugar, but also fat and even protein, which can sometimes be too much of a good thing. While it's very true that sugar may be the main dietary downfall of many obese individuals, for others it's the terribly fatty and simple-carbohydrate rich foods we all know such as grease-laden burgers, fries, pizza, hot dogs and so on. To tell these people they are somehow on the right track because they skip desserts and drink a sugar-fee soda with their double cheeseburger and large fries is obviously misleading.

At Dr. Feiz & Associates, we focus on overall consumption and how to avoid over-consuming calories -- any kind of calories -- by dealing with the problem directly at it's source: the appetite. If you are severely obese and need help, just give us a call. It's likely there's a great deal we can do.

Spreading the Weighty Truth

A short article, "5 Things Not to Say to Someone Who’s Had Weight-Loss Surgery" written by Samantha Gregor, got us thinking about just how little many people across the weight spectrum really know about the problem of obesity and the obesity epidemic. Her first suggestion: "Don’t say: 'You’re so lucky you can eat anything you want now!'” is an example of the somewhat shocking ignorance of at least some people.

Of course, if there really were a surgery that would allow people to eat as much high calorie food as they wanted without gaining excessive weight, there would be a line around the block outside Dr. Feiz & Associates, and not everyone in it would even be particularly overweight. You'd think by now most people be aware that bariatric surgery merely makes eating a great deal less a great deal easier by reducing the appetite. And, while the idea that weight loss surgery allows you to eat fattening foods and not gain weight may be relatively rare, a surprising number of people assume that bariatric procedures are a way to lose weight without doing any of the "work" associated with eating less and exercising more. Our patients are fully aware that that is a million miles from the truth.

If you're ready to do the work that goes into maintaining a truly healthy lifestyle but have found the pangs of hunger just too distracting on your previous weight loss attempts, that what we're here for. As always, give us a call at 877-301-1333. You'll learn something and you just might end up being a lot healthier and a lot happier.

Don’t Eat a Day’s Worth of Food in One Meal!

How much food is too much food? Some would say it’s a matter of opinion, but most doctors and nutritionists agree, for the average adult, 2,000 calories is the ideal daily consumption level for a healthy lifestyle.  The average American might not even know what 2,000 calories looks like. But thanks to this comprehensive and fascinating report from the New York Times, you can see just how easy it is to go over your daily recommendation in a single sitting. 

The obesity epidemic has a lot to do with processed foods and fast food restaurants. You probably already know that a meal at McDonalds isn’t the most healthy way to go, but did you know that combo meal might be an entire day’s worth of calories? At Burger King, a Double Whopper, large soda, and fries brings you to 2,130 calories. Meanwhile, even “healthier” options like Chipotle burrito nets you 2,010 if you get chips and guac with a drink. Don’t fool yourself into thinking fast food is the only way to do it, either. With the generous portions most dine in restaurants provide a single dish could put you well over. The Farfalle with Chicken at the Cheesecake Factory weights in a whopping 2,410 calories. 

Want a great way to keep your calorie counts under control? Just cook at home, and try to assemble meals yourself from fresh ingredients. It might take a little longer than going out, but it’ll be well worth it for your health, and here at Dr. Feiz & Associates we believe your health is what matters the most. 

Shrink Obesity Down to Size

According to a recently released report, the worldwide obesity epidemic is costing the health care system about as much as smoking. Not only is obesity costly financially, it is costly emotionally, as it can take years off of a person’s life.

Just like smokers, no obese patient will question the fact that they need to make a change to secure a healthier future, but adapting to a healthy lifestyle is extremely difficult. Luckily, bariatric surgery from Dr. Feiz & Associates has been proven time and time again as the best way to give patients the tools they need to start eating right. Bariatric procedures are not a golden ticket to weight loss, but they do give the patient a major advantage in the constant battle against hunger and dietary control.

Not only is Dr. Michael Feiz an expert surgeon who patients trust, him and his staff give patients expert dietary and post-surgical advice to ensure that they get on the right track to controlling their obesity. Everyone agrees that obesity is a growing problem, but with the help of Dr. Feiz & Associates, you can shrink it down to size.

Getting Off the Treadmill

Working in the trenches of the obesity epidemic, it's occurred to us that much of what we do is about breaking the kinds of vicious cycles that make weight loss seem all but impossible. It's one thing, for example, to be aware of the very real dangers associated with high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes; it's something else entirely to be able to make the changes that are needed in order to accomplish it.

In terms of weight loss, the problem often is that, the more weight we lose, the hungrier we begin to feel. In reality, what we're feeling is not so much genuine hunger as the body's production of such hunger hormones as ghrelin. The result is that most weight loss efforts don't last, we feel discouraged, and often end up "eating our pain" and worsening our weight problem over the long term. A weight loss procedure such as a gastric sleeve can break that cycle.

Of course, not everything in the world is about weight loss surgery in California and elsewhere The flight-or-flight-based impulses of stress can be another nasty merry-go-round that the right kind of therapeutic approach can help. Still, of course, weight loss is our specialty at Dr. Feiz and Associates, so if you're severely obese and think that weight loss surgery might be your way out, we're looking forward to hearing from you at 310-855-8058.

Is Obesity About Money and Class?

A study reported in yesterday's New York Times contained some mild good news about our nation's continuing obesity crisis and some fairly disturbing news. The good news, such as it is, is that the growth of the obesity epidemic is starting to slow nationwide -- only five states reported an increase. It's also appears to be leveling off among children.

The sad news is that obesity is still hitting poor people and minorities disproportionately when compared with others. With the growing abundance of cheap, high calorie/low nutrition food and the difficulty of obtaining healthy and safe exercise in less affluent communities, it's easy to see why severe obesity and the many attendant health problems that go with it, including high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, would tend to hit less well off families the hardest.

Poor neighborhoods are often crime ridden and parents don't have time to take children outside for safe supervised play; they may even restrict their children from leaving the houses out of concern for safety. Also, organized athletic activities -- from school sports for kids and teens to health clubs and exercise dance classes for grown-ups -- are less accessible because all of these things cost money to a greater or lesser degree. Moreover, educated people -- wealthy or relatively poor -- are more likely to take advantage of whatever options do exist to improve their health.

Of course, as one of the top options for weight loss surgery in California, Dr. Feiz and Associates is glad, at the very least, that weight loss surgery is more accessible to people at lower economic levels thanks to increases in health insurance, which often covers bariatric procedures. Still, prevention is always better than cure.

If you are severely obese and are considering a bariatric option, we're here to help. Please contact us at 310-855-8058.

There's Never a Perfect Time

With the obesity epidemic continuing to impact so many of us, more and more people are coming around to the idea that weight loss surgery really may be the right approach for them. Indeed, with more and more information coming out regarding how bariatric procedures can actually reverse type 2 diabetes and help numerous other conditions, there's never been more reason for people to seriously look into working with a first-rate board certified bariatric surgeon like Dr. Feiz.

The problem for many people, however, is simply getting started on the road to a procedure. As the saying goes, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step...but that first step is often the hardest to take. The tendency for many is to try and wait for "the right time." With work, family, and other responsibilities facing the majority of us, however, the "right time" never seems to arrive.

If you are considering weight loss surgery in California, it might be time to simply stop considering and start acting. That perfect moment, truly, will likely never arrive...unless you realize that the best moment to do something good for yourself is right now. If what we've been saying makes any sense at all, please contact us at 310-855-8058.

Living in the Present

There's no doubt that weight loss surgery has made great strides in effectively combating the obesity epidemic since the 1990s. Procedures such as the gastric sleeve and the lap band have presented people with options that are less invasive and extremely effective. Still, that doesn't mean the people who received the earlier procedures made a mistake by not waiting. They received the available treatment for their illness when they needed it and countless people are now living vastly happier and healthier lives as a result.

We say this because some of the new experimental procedures that are getting some press attention at the moment might tempt some folks to hold off in hopes of receiving what they imagine might be a more ideal surgery. This would be a mistake for a number of reasons, starting with the fact that the newer procedures are aimed primarily at the less severely obese who might not even be candidates for currently available bariatric procedures. Secondly, such dangerous illnesses as type 2 diabetes don't wait around for medical science to advance. You have to obtain the surgeries that are available now because you're life is now, not at some undefined point in the future.

If your health and happiness is in danger because of severe obesity, now may be the time to get started. For more information on obtaining the very best in weight loss surgery in California, please contact us at 310-855-8058.

The Elixir of Life

When dealing with either one's personal weight issues or the obesity epidemic as a whole, it was once sort of natural to focus mostly on high calorie foods people, particularly those high in fat and/or carbohydrates. More and more, however, attention has focused on the liquids we all drink.

That makes sense. There's no getting around the responsibility that sugary sodas and juices have for the added pounds that can lead to everything from social isolation and depression to type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and much more.

At the same time, sometimes it seems as if we've gone a bit overboard in attacking flavored beverages, even the low calorie ones. Calorie-free diet sodas have come in for an enormous amount of criticism recently for supposedly contributing to weight gain in some fashion -- a notion that some of us, at least, find more than a little counter-intuitive.

Diet soda drinkers can take at least some comfort in a study that came out this week that showed the opposite of what some earlier studies had suggested. This time around, at least, diet sodas seemed to actually support weight loss. It's just one study, of course, but all we know for sure is that we'd rather people drink diet soft drinks than their calorie-laden cousins. As a top provider of weight loss surgery in Los Angeles, we've seen the damage consuming highly caloric beverages on a daily basis can do.

Even so, we do have to say that everyone's go-to drink really ought to be plain old water. Water really is the elixir of life. Drinking more of it makes us healthier and happier and it doesn't have the added chemicals that may or may not lead to health issues. It's good stuff.

The Good and the Perfect

Especially if you follow politics, you might be familiar with the adage to the effect that we should not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. While people can (and do) argue over how this might apply to a particular issue, the general principle is hard to argue with; we've all seen what happens when we lose focus of the larger picture on solving a problem while focusing on getting some tiny aspect of it completely right.

When it comes to containing the obesity epidemic, patients often face this same issue on a very personal level. We've all known obese people who keep finding new excuses not to take action -- whether they're considering obesity surgery or simply making a serious attempt to eat a bit healthier and exercise more. Sometimes these are pretty much simply excuses for delaying the issue. "After the holidays" (there are always holidays coming up), "after my vacation," and so on.

This can also happen after people have made real progress with their weight, where they might harm their own chances at actually being happy by focusing on expectations that might not be practical for them. At Dr. Feiz and Associates, we try very hard to make sure that patients have realistic expectations for the results of a weight loss procedure and its effect on their health and appearance.

While it's pretty likely to improve both, the realism doesn't always take right away. We've seen patients temporarily lose site of the fact that they may have lost scores of pounds and greatly improved their blood sugar -- or even reversed type 2 diabetes -- while feeling like failures for not getting rid of the final 10 or 15 pounds or looking like a model or movie star.

This is part of the reason Dr. Feiz and Associates provides detailed follow-up and counseling to help patients adjust to their new bodies. While it's good to avoid becoming complacent, we should be able to be happy with ourselves when we've made significant improvements. The good is very often good enough. The perfect really can wait.

If you think you can do a lot of good for yourself with weight loss surgery with Dr. Feiz, right now may be the best possible time to get in touch. Please call 800-868-5946 to inquire about a free seminar.