Surgery is the most severe of the recommended treatments for obesity. Bariatric surgery is reserved for cases of severe obesity that have been resistant to all other methods of weight loss and weight control. There are two basic types of bariatric surgery (also known as gastrointestinal surgery), each with a different purpose.? The risks for both are similar, as are the prospective results and outcome.
?
Restrictive Weight Loss Surgery
?
The first type of bariatric weight loss surgery is ‘restrictive’. It includes the well-known ’stomach stapling’. The purpose of restrictive surgery is to restrict the amount of food that can be eaten at one time. Doctors create a small pouch at the top of the stomach that holds about one ounce of food, with a small opening at the bottom to hold food in the pouch and cause a feeling of fullness. After the surgery, a patient can eat no more than 3/4 cup to a cup of well-chewed bland food at a time without becoming nauseous. The intent of the surgery is to reduce the amount of food eaten by restricting the amount of food that can be eaten at once.
?
Variations of restrictive surgery include ‘lap banding’, in which the pouch is created by wrapping a silicone band around the upper part of the stomach. Since there is no need to cut into the stomach or intestine, the complication rate is lower than in standard restrictive surgery, and the recovery period is shorter.
?
The second type of bariatric surgery for weight loss is the malabsorptive variety. These are the more common type of surgery for treatment of obesity. The most well-known of the procedures is the gastric bypass. The purpose of gastric bypass and other types of bypass surgery is to prevent the effective absorption of nutrients from food eaten by ‘bypassing’ most of the intestine in the food’s path through the body. The malabsorption results in significant weight loss and a reduction of appetite.
?
The possible side effects of gastric bypass surgery include:
?
Chronic diarrhea
Stomach ulcers
Foul-smelling stools and flatulence
Risk of nutritional and micro-nutritional deficiencies
Dumping syndrome - symptoms include faintness, fainting, nausea, sweating and diarrhea after eating
?
Patients seeking bariatric surgery are evaluated by a medical professional for suitability for the surgery. Candidates include those who are at least 80-100 pounds overweight, and who have shown little success with traditional weight loss methods. In additions, patients who have other physical problems which require weight loss may be candidates.
?
If you’re considering weight loss surgery, you must realize several things:

1. The risks of surgery are serious.
2. You will require lifelong medical supervision after the surgery
3. You will still need to make lifestyle and dietary changes.
4. Many health insurance plans will not cover it.
?
Be sure that you choose a surgeon experienced in bariatric techniques, and that you will be provided with full physical and emotional support before, during and after the surgery.

Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Kirsten Hawkins

The very same things that make people sick also make them overweight! And being overweight creates even more sickness and disease — including heart disease, cancer, arthritis, dementia, and diabetes. So the answer to effective, long-term weight loss is to address this underlying source of trouble, toxicity. Most weight loss difficulties and much ill-health can be effectively treated through lifestyle changes based on a whole-foods, low-glycemic-load, phytonutrient-rich diet combined with exercise and stress management. New scientific research links environmental and internal toxins to disruptions of key mechanisms involved in weight control. This may explain why some people continue to struggle to lose weight despite doing all the right things. They may be toxic. So what are toxins and how do they interfere with weight loss? Toxins in the broadest sense are the sum total of our poor diet, chronic stress, and environmental pollutants that overload and poison our bodies and minds. Let’s face it — we’re living in a sea of toxins. They include toxic foods such as sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, trans fats, food additives and preservatives, pesticides, and hormones and antibiotics in our food and water supply, as well as mercury, lead, and other heavy metals. Detoxification — eliminating toxins — is a natural and critical part of your biology. But what happens if your body doesn’t detoxify as it should? Toxins interfere with metabolism, overload your liver and kidneys’ detoxification systems, disrupt the brain’s weight-control systems, promote insulin resistance, alter circadian rhythms, activate the stress response, interfere with thyroid function, increase inflammation, damage mitochondria (your body’s calorie- and fat-burning furnaces), and lead to weight gain. So now you know that you are probably toxic. What can you do about it? First, you need to avoid toxins. Second, you must boost your own detoxification systems. Here’s how. Eat High Quality Protein to Boost Detoxification The body relies on the right balance of protein, fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals to be effective. Getting enough protein and the right types of it — such as eggs, whey protein, beans, nuts, whole grains, and lean organic animal products, helps rid your body of toxins. Be Colorful Many phytochemicals (colorful plant chemicals) enhance detoxification pathways. These include dark-colored plant foods such as cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower), berries, green tea, watercress, cilantro, artichokes, and garlic, ginger and even cocoa. Eating a colorful diet full of these detoxifying molecules can protect you, and help you lose weight! By avoiding foods and habits that are toxic and adopting an effective detox diet, for example, The UltraSimple Diet, you can reduce the toxic load in your body and finally follow a successful weight loss program Here’s to your good health! The UltraSimple Diet is available in a $7.99 paperback that includes simple, detailed plans for each day of the week, including shopping and task lists. A free sneak preview of the book is available for download at http://www.ultrasimplediet.com.

Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Mark Hyman, M.D

Keeping it off

Our first weight loss article on this subject dealt with losing one pound per week, which is achievable for everybody. This article deals with keeping weight off after you lose it, or controlling weight. There is little point in going through with a diet and changing your exercise regime only to see the weight return; that is demoralizing and exactly what happens to people who attempt to lose weight too rapidly. If you weigh 200-pounds and wish to get down to 150 pounds it is going to take 50 weeks to achieve it and sustain your new weight.

Controlling Weight

Controlling weight means having to learn two sets of behavior: weight loss and weight maintenance. According to some health professionals, weight maintenance is the more difficult. Only a third of the people who lose weight are able to keep it off. Long-term success depends upon continuing the good eating and exercise habits you developed while losing weight. So don’t allow yourself to get into a regime that is too vigorous because you are unlikely to be able to keep it up. Vigorous diets do work but usually they only work to take the weight off and then become unsustainable and within a short period of time the weight returns.

Set Sustainable Goals

Now is the time to set sustainable goals and to meet that criteria your goals need to be realistic. Losing a single pound (450 grams) each week should not prove too difficult. I once heard comedian Billy Connolly say: “Losing weight is easy; all you have to do is eat less and move more.” I don’t think anybody has ever stated a more obvious fact. So ask yourself whether you can eat a little less and move more each day, if the answer is yes and your will power is strong enough then you will have no problem losing weight.

It will take time to make these new habits part of your life. Continue to modify your behavior by:

1. Accepting the fact that it takes your stomach about 20 minutes to get the message to your brain that it is full. Most people continue eating long after they have had sufficient.

2. Never drink beer, or carbonated waters like Coke, Pepsi or anything that fizzes with your meal. Beer prevents the breakdown of fat.

3. It is better to have five or six small meals than one big meal.

4. Eat slowly and chew each piece of food.

5. Stop eating before you feel full. Be prepared to take a twenty minute break before deciding if you have eaten enough.

6. If you become hungry between meals then eat a piece of fruit or a raw carrot.

Reward Yourself

By losing weight you are achieving an ambition and achievement deserves reward. Just do not reward yourself with food. New clothes are a good incentive, a visit to the theater or a sporting event or anything that you will see as a reward..

Summary

You do not have to give up any food that you like, unless it is extremely high fat content, It is just a matter of reducing the amount that you eat. This can be achieved in many ways. I nominate one thing each day that is off the menu for that day. Say potatoes: I do not substitute potato, I just leave a gap on my plate that it usually fills. That way I reduce my calorie intake and my extra light exercise also burns further calories. Y’know Billy Connolly is right. It works. The final decision is always yours and only you have the ability to see it through but if you are reading this article then you are at least thinking about it. Lowering your weight and increasing your fitness not only prolongs life, it makes life more fun.

This article is ? copyright David McCarthy 2005. It may be reproduced only in its entirety with no changes or additions.

Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?David McCarthy

Safe weight loss is about maintaining health whilst losing weight, it is not about losing weight rapidly; this has never worked and never will. This article is to be published in two parts over two days and will be stored in our news blogs archives for future viewing.

Aim for one pound (450 grams) each week because this level of weight loss is sustainable and you will not regain the weight later providing you adjust to your new healthier lifestyle.

Slow weight loss is the safest and most effective approach. A good weight-loss program helps you to lose weight gradually — about one-half to one pound per week initially and improving to one pound each week. Gradual weight loss promotes long-term loss of body fat, not just water weight that can be quickly regained.

Diets are only half of the program because no program works without sufficient light exercise.

Most people leading moderately active lives need about 15 calories per pound to maintain their weight. For example, a 200-pound person would have to eat foods containing no more than 3,000 calories each day to maintain his or her weight.

To lose one pound, a person must burn 3,500 calories more than consumed. For example, reducing calories by 300 per day and increasing daily activity to burn off an additional 200 calories should result in a weight loss of one pound per week.

A Good Balance

When limiting calories, you still need to satisfy basic nutritional needs. Eat a variety of foods every day. Choose from each of the five food groups - dairy, meat, fruit, vegetables and breads - and allow for an occasional treat. Balanced food plans encourage making wise choices about everyday food; choices you can make to achieve and stay at your proper weight for life.

Evaluate Your Eating Pattern

You should also evaluate your eating patterns. Sometimes six small meals a day can help you control your hunger. If you prefer to stay with eating three main meals, always plan for some low-calorie between-meal snacks like an apple or a carrot to satisfy hunger between meals.
All foods and beverages can be consumed in moderation. Try to cut down on foods high in fat and sugar, or substitute with low calorie and low fat foods and beverages.

The choice is always yours.

Most successful weight-loss plans call for a reduction in both calories and the amount of fat eaten.

Exercise.

Determine what type of physical activity best suits your lifestyle. You should work your way up to regular aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, jogging or swimming, since it is a key factor in achieving permanent weight loss and improving health.

Aerobic exercise works the body’s large muscles, such as the heart, and should be moderately vigorous, but not exhausting, to be most effective. For maximum benefits, most health experts recommend exercising 30 minutes or more on most, preferably all, days of the week. I disagree with this because as you exercise and become fitter the amount of exercise that you do will become inadequate compared to your fitness level. My weight loss program recommends three sessions of ten minutes each week to start.

Try to incorporate some simple calorie-burners into your everyday routine. Even the most basic activities (such as taking an after-dinner walk, using the stairs at the mall instead of taking an escalator, or parking farther away so you have a longer walk) can get you prepared for more aerobic activities.

Part 2 of this article will follow.

This article is ? copyright David McCarthy 2005. It may be reproduced only in its entirety with no changes or additions.

Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?David McCarthy

Rimonabant Acomplia works by selectively targeting and blocking the CB1 receptors, helping normalize the over-activation of the EC system and making hunger or cigarette pangs more manageable. Rimonabant is a new anti-obesity drug, developed by Sanofi-Aventis, a french pharmaceutical company. If you are overweight rimonabant weight loss drug may help you shed pounds.As per recent marketing survey, it shows Approximately 300,000 adult deaths in the United States each year are attributable to unhealthy dietary habits and physical inactivity or sedentary behavior — Nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight (BMI > 25, which includes those who are obese). — Nearly one-third of U.S. adults are obese (BMI > 30). Obesity: Obesity refers specifically to having an abnormally high proportion of body fat. Individuals with a BMI of 30 or more are considered obese. Rimonabant Working Rimonabant works by blocking certain chemical pathways within the brain which make you feel hungry. The drug binds to special chemical receptors in the brain known as endocannabinoid receptors. This binding renders these receptors unresponsive to stimulation by chemicals known as “cannabinoids”. In other words it should help suppress your appetite. The end result is you eat less and lose weight Rimonabant Dosage When talking about the dosage of Zimulti Rimonabant, the most important thing that you need to follow and consider is the directions given by your doctor. This diet pill is widely available in two dosages (10 mg and 20 mg). Very often the physicians do prescribe the 20mg dosage. Rimonabant Side Effects Rimonabant Side effects observed during the trials include nausea, dizziness, anxiety and painful joints. A full list of side effects will be available when Rimonabant drug is prescribed to you. We do not know as yet if there will be any influence on the mental state as the endocannabinoid system is yet to be fully evaluated. Rimonabant : No More Obesity An obese not only struggle against his excessive weight but also faces threats like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol to name a few. He wants to lead a healthy life but in spite of several endeavors ended up with zero. When all possibilities of a slim trim figure seem faded, comes Rimonabant diet pill, the miracle drug manufactured by Sanofi-Aventis. Chantix Smoking Stats Smoking kills 400,000 people a year in the United States alone, that”s almost 1,100 every day. The figures for the UK are around 121,000 people a year, or approximately 330 per day. Approximately 38% die of cancer, 28% die a slow and agonizing death from chronic lung disease and emphysema, and the other 34% die of heart disease and other circulatory problems. Smoking is one of the major causes of male impotence, increasing the risk of erective dysfunction by some 50%, and affecting as many as 120,000 males in the UK alone. It has been reported that a male experiencing erectile dysfunction, should take this as a warning that blood vessels are being damaged, and this includes the blood vessels in and around the heart. Chantix Working Chantix acts at sites in the brain affected by nicotine and may help those who wish to give up smoking in two ways: by providing some nicotine effects to ease the withdrawal symptoms and by blocking the effects of nicotine from cigarettes if they resume smoking.