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Across America, the number of overweight and obese individuals is rapidly increasing. In fact, among people of all ethnic groups, obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States. It may also lead to other life-threatening illnesses, called co-morbidities, such as Type II Diabetes, cancer, heart conditions, and hypertension.

In the Grand Canyon State alone more than 58% of the population is overweight or obese. It is epidemic among Arizona’s large Native American population, which has some of the highest rates of obesity and diabetes in the world.

Obesity is the condition of being significantly above one’s healthy weight, which is determined by a person’s individual body mass index (BMI). Those with a BMI of at least 25 are considered overweight; those with a BMI of 30 or above are considered obese. BMI is calculated by the following formula: BMI = weight in pounds x 703 / (height in inches)2

Treatment Options

Obesity is a disease, not a character flaw. However, many of our fellow Arizonans who suffer from this disease attempt to self-treat their obesity by means of willpower alone, as if maintaining a healthy weight were merely a matter of making a New Years’ resolution. Others with obesity turn to trendy diets, Spartan exercise programs, or the use of “miracle medicines” that promise rapid, safe weight loss. But, the few who do manage to lose significant weight by these means almost always quickly regain it. And others simply choose to ignore it – until it’s too late.

Fortunately, another option exists: weight loss surgery. Surgical weight loss – also known as bariatric surgery — has been proven to help ease (and in some cases completely resolve) obesity-related health problems for individuals with a BMI of 35 or higher. It can also help those who are obese but have no co-morbidities to reach their ideal weight and lessen their chances of developing weight-related health problems in the future.

About Weight Loss Surgery

Weight loss surgery procedures, such as the gastric bypass, gastric banding or gastric sleeve procedure, are generally performed laparoscopically. Some procedures, however, may need to be performed through open surgery, depending on the patient’s weight and other risk factors. In Arizona, more and more patients are choosing gastric banding, or Lap-band surgery, during which an inflatable silicone prosthetic band is placed around the top portion of the patient’s stomach using a laparoscope. This band is inflated with saline to create a small pouch above the band and restrict food intake. This enables patients to feel hunger less often and feel full more quickly, and thereby lose weight.

Common weight loss surgery procedures are generally safe and effective when performed at the advice of and under the care of a licensed practitioner of bariatric medicine. As with all surgical procedures, however, weight loss surgery of any type exposes the patient to the possibility of major postoperative complications, including the possibility of unforeseen death.

Considering Surgical Weight Loss

Weight loss surgery can be a true lifesaver, but it is not a magic bullet against obesity. Patients who fail to alter their dietary and lifestyle habits subsequent to the surgery may regain any weight lost.

Those considering bariatric surgery as an option for the management of obesity should carefully weigh the risks and possible outcomes of these procedures in consultation with their physician prior to making any decision.

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An epidemic is stalking Utah – and you may have the disease already.

The disease is called obesity, and its main symptom is weight in excess of that which is healthy. From time to time, statistical data on public health is compiled into actuarial tables by the insurance industry. These tables are used to determine the most healthy weight for persons of a given height, build, and age. If you are above your healthy weight, you are suffering from obesity.

And you are not alone. In the Beehive State alone more than 55 percent of adults are overweight or obese — over 977,000 Utahans!

The epidemic is getting worse. The percentage of obese adults in our state has grown more than 112%. over the past decade, with obesity among children growing fastest.

We’ve got to do something to stop it — for our sake, and the sake of our children.

The Options

Living with obesity can be a struggle. Many people try to lose weight by means of celebrity-backed diets, rigorous exercise programs, or whatever weight-loss pill “miracle” is in the magazines this month.  Some succeed — but many who do quickly regain the lost weight, and all risk making a bad situation worse.

Gimmicks don’t work. The only safe way to attain one’s healthy weight is through medical treatment aimed at reducing caloric intake. Fortunately, medical science has this approach down cold. Medically-supervised programs that teach patients how to eat a healthy diet and increase their activity level are almost always effective in producing gradual, safe weight loss in obese patients.

But some cases of obesity are just too severe for these programs to work. Weight loss surgery stands as a weapon of last resort for the dangerously obese.

Weight Loss Surgery: What is it?

Weight loss surgery is an invasive medical procedure intended to counter a patient’s obesity by limiting the amount of food – and thus calories – that her or she can consume. Bariatric procedures are performed under general anesthesia, and most by means of small incisions instead of open surgery. This family of procedures has been proven to help individual who are obese but beyond the help of behavior-based therapy alone.

Considering Surgical Weight Loss

But surgery alone is not a magic cure. Patients who have surgery must religiously follow postoperative instructions or risk regaining the weight they lost. Each procedure entails different risks and benefits; before deciding that surgery is the answer in a given case, the patient should discuss the risks and possible outcomes of these procedures with their physician.

The Battle

The people of Utah are famous for their optimism and spirit. Weight loss surgery may be the best strategy for some Utahans, but no matter which method we choose, we must all face this epidemic of obesity in our state.

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Obesity is a health crisis in Illinois. Across our state, the number of overweight and obese individuals is rapidly increasing. In fact, more than 61% of the population of Illinois is overweight or obese. Not only is obesity the second most common cause of preventable death in the United States, but it can also foster comorbidities—that is, life-threatening illnesses related to obesity—such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and Type 2 Diabetes.

Unsurprisingly, Illinois also spends a fortune each year – some $3.5 billion – on expenses attributable to the obesity epidemic.

It’s obvious that something must be done to stop the epidemic of obesity in our state.

Getting Fit

Weight loss itself is a no great problem: by cutting a person’s daily caloric intake below the number of calories their body needs to maintain life, weight loss can be easily effected. The difficulty comes in conquering the primal urge to eat when hungry.

Obesity is not simply a matter of weight, nor is it a character flaw. It is a disease caused by a disordered relationship with food. For some, the pleasure of eating is a substitute for emotional satisfaction. Others are food addicts, who battle an overwhelming urge to eat even when they aren’t hungry. Sadly, the pain of obesity often leads those with the disease to attempt self-treatment, including fad diets, exercise programs, or gimmicks like so-called weight-loss pills. These efforts lead some to lose significant weight, but most quickly regain it. Many people suffer damage to their health as a result of such quickie “cures”.

No miracle cure for obesity exists. The only way to successfully treat the disease of obesity is through medical care, based upon a complete change in the patient’s lifestyle and eating habits. To beat obesity we must change the way we relate to food, making better food choices and eating less of it. Most of us can accomplish this through education and willpower, in some cases combined with counseling and support. For the rest, weight loss surgery is the only way to combat the disease.

About Weight Loss Surgery

Weight loss surgery works by surgically altering the patient’s stomach and/or digestive tract in order to physically limit the amount of food the patient can eat at a given time. This may be done by removing part of the stomach, or by re-routing the flow of ingested food around the areas where the calories are absorbed. In Lap-band surgery — the most widespread procedure — the stomach and bowel are not cut; only a few small incisions in the abdomen are made to allow the surgeon access to the stomach. An inflatable band is then placed around the stomach, creating a small pouch. If successful, these alterations will cause the patient to take in fewer calories each day than he or she burns, resulting in steady, safe weight loss.

But losing weight is only half the battle. Only a complete change in a patient’s lifestyle can win the war on obesity. Patients who fail to change their activity level and dietary habits may regain any weight lost via surgery.

Summing It Up

Weight loss surgery is a powerful weapon in Illinois’ fight against obesity, but it is only one weapon. To win the fight, we must be willing to change the way we live – eating better food, and less of it, and living an active lifestyle. Only by combining these weapons with our will to win can we conquer obesity and live longer, healthier lives.

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Obesity — the condition of being significantly above one’s healthy weight — is a health crisis in Alabama. Across our state, the number of overweight and obese individuals is rapidly increasing. In fact, almost 65% of the population of Alabama is overweight or obese. It is the second most common cause of preventable death in the United States, and may lead to life-threatening illnesses, called co-morbidities, such Type II diabetes, cancer, heart conditions, and hypertension.

Unsurprisingly, Alabama also leads the nation in adults suffering from high blood pressure, with 31% of Alabamians diagnosed with the condition compared to 24.9% nationally according to a 2002 study by the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC),. And Alabama’s adult diabetes rate of 10.5% was the highest in America, more than double the 5% rate in 50th-ranked Minnesota.

Getting Fit

Something has to be done to stop the epidemic of obesity in our state. Unfortunately, obesity can be one of the most difficult diseases to treat. Weight loss itself is a simple matter: once a person’s daily caloric intake falls below the number of calories needed, the body begins to burn fat to stay alive, resulting in weight loss. The difficulty comes in restricting caloric intake – the primal urge to eat when hungry is almost irresistible.

Many people who suffer from obesity also have disordered relationships with food, consuming food  to quell uncomfortable emotions rather than for nutrition or the pleasure of eating. In fact, many among the obese in our state are food addicts, plagued by a constant desire to eat even when they are not hungry.

Obesity is not a character flaw. It is a medical condition requiring medical treatment. Sadly, the pain and emotional trauma of obesity often leads those with the disease to attempt self-treatment. Many obese persons try to lose their excess weight by means of gimmicks, fad diets, exercise programs, or so-called weight-loss pills.  These efforts lead some to lose significant weight, but most quickly regain it after they discontinue their weight loss program. Many people suffer damage to their health as a result of such quickie “cures”.

No miracle cure for obesity exists. The only way to successfully treat the disease of obesity is through medical care, based upon a complete change in the patient’s lifestyle and eating habits. To beat obesity we must change the way Alabamans think about and relate to food, enabling us to eat better food and less of it.

For most of us, education, counseling, support, and willpower are enough to accomplish this. For the rest, another option exists: weight loss surgery.

About Weight Loss Surgery

Weight loss surgery is performed under general anesthesia. Most procedures are performed laparoscopically, though some may need to be performed through open surgery. The three main types of weight loss surgery are malabsorptive, restrictive, and combination, each with different risks and benefits. In each, however, the principle is the same: to surgically alter the patient’s stomach and/or digestive tract in order to physically limit the amount of food the patient can eat at a given time. If successful, the surgical alterations will cause the patient to take in fewer calories each day than he or she burns, resulting in steady, safe weight loss.

Weight loss surgery can be a true lifesaver. However, it is not a magic cure for obesity; only a complete change in the patient’s lifestyle and relationship to food can cure the disease. Patients who fail to follow postoperative instructions may regain any weight lost or reach a weight-loss plateau over time. The decision to undergo weight loss surgery is also irrevocable; currently, only the Lap-band procedure is reversible.

Those considering bariatric surgery as an option for the management of obesity should carefully weigh the risks and possible outcomes of these procedures in consultation with their physician prior to making a decision.

Alabama can win the war on obesity, but it will take time, money, and the will to win. By educating ourselves, supporting one another, and using weight loss surgery as a weapon of last resort, we can make our state healthier, happier, and a better place in which to live.

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The weight loss industry is a billion-dollar industry. There are many companies that have sprung up on the basis of a strange concoction that is purported to have worked in a small group of patients. Many of these discoveries do not even make medical rationale.
40% of Americans are labeled obese and other millions all over the world. There are millions of people (me included) who have tried one or many of such products and maybe even some slimming programs and have experienced the following:
* Money loss instead of weight loss, because of the exorbitant cost of the medication or program
* Temporary weight loss as opposed to permanent weight loss. You may have regained your pre-exercise or pre-diet weight after 6 months or 1 year or 2 years even
I have stumbled upon a revolutionary discovery that has turned the diet manufacturing and marketing industry upside down. Up in arms too are medical doctors who have been advising their patients erroneously for decades on how to lose weight. As with all great medical discoveries this one too is considered controversial – for now at least. Maybe in a 5 years this discovery will be become the norm. (Remember when angioplasty was first introduced and there was skepticism as well – now it’s the first line procedure for all mild and moderate arterial stenosis.)
A medical practitioner from Arizona has conducted her own investigations into the reasons why her patients failed to lose weight permanently. She started off her experiments on her extremely obese patients whom other doctors had given up hope on. To her astonishment these very obese patients lost weight and did so permanently.
At the crux of this revolutionary discovery is that the colon and digestive system play the pivotal role in obesity. This means that in order to lose weight, we have to target the colon and digestive system and fortunately not with fancy drugs or exercise programs but simple common sense nutritional formula.
1. In order to lose weight permanently, it must be considered safe. A safe weight loss program will not make you lose more than 2 pounds per week. If you experience weight loss more than that, you should consult your medical practitioner to ensure that such a rapid weight reduction does not have negative effects on your body or its functions.
2. Secondly, an effective weight loss program should also improve any other concomitant conditions or diseases you may have. The major possible concomitant conditions people who are obese or overweight have are diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. Do these diseases improve with weight loss? If so, you are on the right track and you should stick with the program. If these conditions deteriorate, immediately cease the program.
3. Thirdly, an effective weight loss program should include regular elimination of parasites. I remember some forty years ago when I was a child, my mother would regularly give us deworming medication. It is the presence of these parasites that interfere with our nutrition and cause us to actually gain weight. If you notice children in famine stricken countries who are malnourished, they have huge bellies. These children have parasitic infections.
4. A good weight loss program should not be expensive. Recall that people were much slimmer in the past and there were living on simple diets. They did not have to rely on expensive drugs or medications. They simple ate the right foods at the right time and in the right amounts.
5. A great weight loss program should not rely on drugs, not even for elimination of parasites. There are ingredients in our homes that can be mixed in the right quantities to get rid of these parasites. These ingredients are basically herbs, spices, extracts and organic constituents. Furthermore, weight loss drugs should not be used. They are just a waste of time and money. These drugs eventually lose their effectiveness and people simply go back to their previous weight and will have to try the next “miracle weight reduction” drug.
6. Finally, an awesome weight loss program should involve exercise besides good nutrition. However exercise should not be an expensive one. It could be a membership at a gym or even exercising at home or the park near your home.
The interesting thing about this revolutionary discovery is that it is not revolutionary. The word revolutionary is a misnomer. Probably it’s more apt to term it as a “rediscovery” as they have been used by the ancient civilizations of India, China, Aztecs, etc, before modern humankind became sedentary and hijacked by the quick solution mentality.
I hope these tips help you select an effective fat loss system.

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