It's a Family Affair

More than once, we've performed obesity surgery on multiple family members...spouses, parents and children, and so on. However, whether or not more than one member of family or relationship are actually having a procedure, in a sense we're always treating more than one person.

As the saying goes, none of us is an island and the risk of health problems like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease don't simply impact the patient, they impact everyone to whom the patient is important. If you've had a loved one whose obesity resulted, sooner or later in life, in a life-threatening heart attack, a stroke, or kidney failure, you know that it's impossible for your own life not to be seriously impacted.

Whenever we take on a  weight loss surgery in Los Angeles or at any of our Southern California locations, we make a point of taking into account a patient's family and/or relationships. We try to make sure that spouses/significant others, children, parents, and other close relations understand the procedure and the likely results. Weight loss is a journey and a bariatric procedure is a new beginning, not an ending. Patients are going to need the help of the people who will be on that journey with them.

If you're ready to learn more about what weight loss surgery can really do, please call Dr. Feiz and Associates at 800-868-5946.

Yes, You Still Have to Eat Your Vegetables

People who just can't abide broccoli and Brussels sprouts might be tempted to leap on today's news story about researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The review and meta-analysis of available data found that a diet high in fruits and vegetables, by itself, really didn't seem to improve weight loss efforts a great deal.

Now, if anyone out there thought that merely increasing intake of vegetables and fruit could be a substitute for obesity surgery, they were obviously very much mistaken. While the mysteries of the human body can be very confusing and every day, it seems, we hear that certain foods might help or hinder efforts against, say, type 2 diabetes or heart disease, one fact is clear. It is entirely possible to become overweight, even seriously obese, eating a perfectly balanced -- but much too large -- diet. Portion control is key but, alas, vastly easier said than done for obese people.

It's only human to want to seek out a semi-magical prescription that is going to slay the dragon of obesity once and for all, and the idea that filling up on vegetables and fruit could help us to avoid excessive amounts of more caloric food has a certain logic. It just appears that our body is pretty smart about calories and it knows that, while a celery stalk might be larger than a slice of bacon, they are definitely not the same thing. Of course, we still need veggies and fruits -- they provide absolutely crucial vitamins and fiber and not eating them is only going to make us less healthy and, very possibly, just slightly fatter. Moreover, a fruit-based dessert is obviously vastly preferable, health-wise, to a giant ice cream sundae. Nevertheless, it's pretty obvious that our overall caloric intake is the name of the game and bariatric procedures remain the best weapon we have when it comes to dealing with obesity.

If filling up on fruits and veggies isn't helping your battle against obesity, Dr. Feiz and Associates remains the best place for weight loss surgery in Los Angeles. If you're ready to learn more about what weight loss surgery can really do, please call us at 800-868-5946.

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.

In Medicine, Never Say Never

We all know that the obesity epidemic often seems like a never ending struggle, which is why the rise of bariatric surgery over the last twenty years has been such a ray of hope for so many people. At the same time, it's important for us in the medical community to not be cowed by thinking that some sort of medical achievement which, in theory, should be possible, is impossible because it just seems to difficult or even unlikely.

We're thinking, of course, about the new study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, documenting remissions in type 2 diabetes. In the past, type 2 diabetes has been thought primarily as a chronic disease that could be controlled, but not really put into remission, much less cured. However, looking at obesity surgery patients, researchers have found that about one-third of the patients actually did go into full-blown remission for a period of years.

This is a huge step that few would have predicted before fairly recently, even though bariatric procedures have been with us for decades now, and it's hardly the first time this has happened in medicine. Those of us who are old enough to remember the AIDS crisis know that the idea that an extremely deadly disease could be transformed into a manageable chronic illness seemed beyond remote, yet that's what happened.

In medicine, you really can't say "never" about anything that might be possible, and that definitely applies to individuals and weight loss. If you've tried repeatedly to lose weight and still find yourself severely obese and maybe with health complications directly related to it, now may be the time to stop saying "never" and explore weight loss surgery with Dr. Feiz. Feel free to give us a call to inquire about a free seminar at 800-868-5946.

Teaching Children Healthy Eating Habits Early in Life

You've probably heard phrases such as "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree" or "like father, like son." Well, that's true for many things when it comes to child rearing, including how children will learn their eating habits from their parents. Los Angeles bariatric surgeon Dr. Michael Feiz has even treated entire families who are severely obese and one of the things he often hears from these patients in the same family is that they have had poor eating habits since childhood.

The good news is, parents can guide their children who live at home into better eating habits. Likewise, Dr. Feiz would encourage couples planning to have a family to learn more about nutrition before they welcome home a little one. Are you the type of parent who keeps plenty of sugary snacks around the house, and never sits down to a home-cooked meal with the family; or do you regularly schedule sit-down family dinners at home and encourage your children to play? Whichever one it is, children will often grow up thinking however they were raised is not only normal, but it becomes ingrained in their lifestyle habits for a lifetime, and as we all know, it is incredibly hard to break a habit.

Even for those who have had incredible difficulty losing weight later in life, there is hope to get your life back on track and learn new, healthy eating habits. As the foremost expert in bariatric surgery in Southern California (also called weight loss/obesity surgery), Dr. Feiz has aided many individuals as well as families in getting their lives back on track while regaining their health as they lose significant weight. If you're ready to get started on your weight loss journey, call 310-855-8058 today to get in touch with the offices of Dr. Feiz & Associates.

Keeping the Weight Off

According to the results of a new study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who have successfully achieved their weight loss goals can keep the pounds off by utilizing several different weight maintenance strategies. A survey of over three thousand participants revealed that a combination of anti-obesity drugs, meal replacement products and high protein diets are proven to be the most guaranteed ways of staying trim after a successful diet. According to Dr. Hemmingsson, a member of the research team that engineered the study, anti-obesity drugs should be avoided for their adverse side effects, but meal replacements and protein-rich foods are an effective way to stay trim over the long-term.

After undergoing a bariatric procedure, such as a sleeve gastrectomy or lap band surgery, it becomes necessary for people to adjust their eating habits to lose weight in a safe and healthy way. Dr. Michael Feiz has made healthy living a central component to his overall goals for patients. Dr. Feiz, is a leading weight loss surgeon in Los Angeles, employs social media and other mediums to remind his weight loss patients that healthy cooking and smart eating habits are the key to keeping weight off after obesity surgery. 

If you are interesting in learning more about the many outpatient procedures that Dr. Feiz performs in Los Angeles, contact the offices of Dr. Feiz and Associates today to schedule a free consultation with a specialist. You can reach us by dialing toll-free at1-800-868-5946, or visit us on the web at www.drfeiz.com.

It's the Vacuum Cleaner's Fault!

In a world full of extremely difficult issues, you can depend on the media to give you very easy answers. Studies with incomplete data make the front page and it seems like every online news story points to some kind of magic bullet in terms of either the cause or the cure for obesity. As practitioners of weight loss surgery, we're especially annoyed by stories that point to a truly tiny data point and extrapolate it into something immensely larger.

An excellent example of building these molehills into mountains is a story we saw entitled "Obesity: Is the Vacuum Cleaner to Blame?" The topic was a study that looked at such labor-saving cleaning devices as the Roomba and tried to assess their impact on the nation's collective weight problem. The study was funded by Coca-Cola and it's easy to see why the nation's #1 distributor of sugary sodas was interested in looking at the exercise end of the weight equation. As long as we're focusing on even one very minor reason Americans are getting less exercise than we used to, we're not talking about all those empty, non-filling calories so many of us become almost literally addicted to on on our way to becoming candidates for obesity surgery.

These news stories are pointless because we already know that lack of exercise is a major issue for most of us in this world of sedentary work and leisure time pursuits. We also know exactly as well that doing away with Roombas won't get us any closer to dealing with the root issues of weight. After all, every moment that disc-schaped robot saves us from sweeping and operating a vacuum is more time we could just as easily be spending at the gym or a dance class as sitting in front of the television or the laptop.

In the very same way, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to draw big conclusions from a study that tries to look at the cost-effectiveness of bariatric procedures but looks at only two of several available operations and completely ignores sleeve gastrectomy. It's not that the data isn't valid, it's just that it examines only the tiniest part of the data that's out there. Obesity is a big problem, and the answer to it is going to be a little larger than a vacuum cleaner or a very partial and preliminary study.

New Standards for Bariatric Surgery?

Up until pretty recently, the fairly universal standard for health insurance coverage of weight loss surgery was a BMI (body mass index) of 35. However, today's news (also featured on our Facebook page today), tells us that the Cleveland Clinic, which is ranked as one one the top four hospitals nationwide, now considers people with BMIs as low as 30 to be candidates for bariatric procedures. There is another proviso, however. They must also have type 2 diabetes, an increasingly common illness and one that is more serious than a lot of people think.

While 30 on the BMI scale is the lowest possible measurement considered obese, the growing evidence of the effectiveness of obesity surgery against diabetes has obviously been a major factor in the Cleveland Clinic's decision. Moreover, considering the possible outcomes of type 2 diabetes, which range from heart disease to outright destruction of the kidneys, especially when combined with high blood pressure, it seems to us that it's more than past time for a reevaluation of when a bariatric procedure is medically beneficial or even, in some instances, necessary.

Of course, all patients are different and BMI by itself is something of a blunt instrument when measuring obesity. Still, patients who may be only mildly obese may be excellent candidates for a sleeve gastrectomy, a lap band, or other less invasive procedures. Bariatric surgery isn't for everyone, but if you've seen what diabetes can do to a person over the course of a lifetime, you might agree that perhaps more people cold benefit from it.

The Dubious Power of the Calendar

Talk to anyone who works at a gym and they'll tell you the busiest time of the year is right about now -- and we imagine it's the same for people who work in health food and nutrition stores. The first few weeks at the start of a New Year are always when people suddenly seem to feel the urge to make positive changes in their life such as getting more exercise and eating in a healthier manner. Many of them swear they'll lose X pounds by the end of the following year. Very few even get close to their goal if it's too ambitious.

One problem is that lingering effect of New Year's seems to wear off sometime around Valentine's Day. The fact of the matter is that there would be slightly less need for weight loss surgery if it were easy for us human beings to keep up that somewhat forced burst of energy many of us feel in early January. The problem is that's it's artificial. If you've ever made a truly big change in your life, you know that it has to be powerful and it has to come from within.

Also, of course, some changes are harder to make than others. Making the kind of permanent changes in your dietary habits that are necessary to loose significant amounts of weight -- and to keep it off permanently -- is extremely difficult for reasons that can't be cured by the calendar.  It's just a fact of life that, at least at this point, a sleeve gastrectomy is a vastly more powerful tool for getting patients to significantly reduce their dietary intake than a mere psychological boost from the time of year. The forces that make us want to consume more calories than we actually need are simply too deep and too powerful for most people to fight in a permanent way.

As the saying goes, "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is unable." People may be able to make relatively small improvements on their own, keeping more fit and loosing maybe ten, twenty, or thirty pounds -- and that's great. But it really does appear for the time being that, for the majority of people with truly large amounts of weight to lose, all the calendar-based psychology in the world will never be remotely as effective as obesity surgery.

Bariatric Surgery is Never Just About Looks

Dr. Michael Feiz, leading expert in bariatric surgery, frequently consults with potential weight loss surgery patients in his Los Angeles-based office. While many of these patients are concerned about their physical appearance, they generally seek obesity surgery from Dr. Feiz to have a healthier life. During one of Dr. Feiz' free consultations or seminars, he'll regularly share many of the health benefits from receiving a bariatric procedure.

The following image from the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) shows the full body health results that can be achieved from a weight loss procedure, including sleeve gastrectomy surgery. Dr. Feiz, in his numerous years as a weight loss expert, can back up the claims made in the picture. For example, he'll very often see the cessation of depression issues, sleep apnea, and even diabetes. To learn more, call Dr. Feiz' office at 310-817-6911 or go to www.drfeiz.com to schedule and appointment.

From asmbs.org

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.

Surviving the Weight Loss Downs and Ups

The phrase "ups and downs" is bit confusing when we're talking about the lifelong battle to keep our weight under control. That's because, well, when you're weight is down that's more likely to feel like what we'd usually call an "up" and when it's up, you're quite likely to feel pretty down! Still, those of us who've had weight loss surgery should understand that fluctuations both in our behavior and our actual weight is normal.

There are a great many adjustments to deal with in the wake of a weight loss surgery, whether it's a lap band, a gastric sleeve, or something else. The fact of the matter is that while modern day obesity surgery is a genuine medical miracle, it isn't quite on the level of being a magic wand. The battle to watch our diet and keep up an overall healthy lifestyle will continue. The important thing is not to panic every time we experience a minor weight gain or "fall off the wagon" when it comes to what we should be eating.

The other important thing is to try to view the struggle not as a never-ending slog or struggle, but almost as a kind of game in which you will win by gradually improving your habits. The prize, of course, is a better life but the important thing -- and this might sound a little strange -- is to have fun while your doing it.

Breaking the Chain of Obesity?

We're all familiar with the reality that certain health problems seem to be passed from generation to generation. For reasons that we have usually assumed related to be a combination of environment and genetics, obesity has been among those issues we always assumed that, to some degree or another, would always tend to run in families. However, a really hopeful and rather amazing study presented regarding the possible effects of weight loss surgery on an obese mother's offspring presented at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress points to some potentially very exciting conclusions and a possible long-term solution.

Although we have to mention the usual cautions that these findings about obesity surgery are still highly preliminary and there may be differences in outcomes based on differing types of weight loss surgery, the study appears to indicate that the children of mothers who have lost weight through bariatric surgery could be benefiting from some significantly improved health prospects. The really fascinating part, however, is the changes appear to be happening at the genetic level. In other words, it might turn out that, that a significantly overweight woman who loses weight prior to her pregnancy could be decreasing the risk of obesity, and its many related health risks, in her children. Moreover, the reason for this is certain very subtle changes in particular genes which may tend to predispose children to being overweight, or not being overweight. According to the new scientific discipline of epigenetics, It increasingly appears that environmental factors, perhaps including the environment of the womb in the case of unborn children, can turn genes "off" and "on."

So, will women losing large amounts of weight -- either with or without bariatric surgery -- by itself prevent obesity and other issues in children? It's too early to say, but it's definitely an area of study worth paying real attention to.

More Than an Amazing Picture

While we are happy to say that we help an awful lot of people here at the clinic for weight loss surgery, but it's not every day that we get a patient who has a positive attitude to rival that of Tyneda Dosek. As you can see by her pictures above, Tyneda has made some remarkable strides in terms of losing weight and keeping it off, but there's more to it than that. We could talk more about her, but why we don't we let her testimonial speak for itself?

Tyneda was looking down a long road, and she didn't like what she saw ahead of her.

I tried to embrace my obesity and live with being "big boned." Once the scales tipped at 278 pounds, and [being] almost 6 years away from being 40 years old, I knew I needed to make a drastic change. In February 2010 I went to a seminar with Dr. Feiz. I was both intrigued and excited.

By September 2010, I was getting my surgery. My "Ah Ha" moment was when I no longer had to shop in the plus size section. When I go snowboarding in the winter, I can board all day without getting winded and sore from just one run. I never thought I could have this much energy! Today I am loving life.

I have lost 113 lbs and wear a size 10.Dr. Feiz reassured I was doing everything right and I look fantastic. I truly feel like a new person and I thank Dr. Feiz and his team for all their support along my life journey.

Tyneda has really applied herself and, what's more, she's really enjoying the results of all her very hard work and the fact that she looks, quite frankly, kind of amazing. As medical professionals, we focus so much on various types of weight loss surgery and their the crucial technical aspects of our work that it's easy to get lost in the details sometimes. Obesity surgery for weight loss is obviously difficult and detailed work, and it's sometimes too easy to forget why we do what we. Then, we look at the truly amazing results that Tyneda has achieved, and how she's so brilliantly altered the direction of her life, and it reminds us all over again why we do what we do.