Newsletter

February, 2010

Will you be our valentine?

Join us at CMH on February 22, 2010 from 5pm-7pm

for our Valentine’s Customer Appreciation Day!

Amazing Discounts, Samples, Prizes and more!

You won’t want to miss it!

Message from Dr. Clark:

As a board certified surgeon and bariatric physician, I am constantly reading the latest research related to medical and surgical weight loss and incorporating it into my daily tweets, “Dr. Clark’s Tips of the Day” on Facebook and all of our educational materials.  I am passionate about this topic and truly practice what I preach every day.  The professional staff at CMH also stays current on the latest research as it relates to fitness, behavior and diet.  We are excited about updates and have decided to focus on current research and trends related to weight loss in this month’s newsletter.

An organization I am a member of - The American Board of Bariatric Physicians (ASBP) – is the primary governing organization for bariatric medicine.  The ASBP recently highlighted five questions everyone who needs to lose weight should ask their physician.  These are also common questions addressed at CMH on a daily basis:

1. Do I have other conditions that may be keeping me from losing weight? ASBP recommends that you visit with a bariatric physician who can identify any weight-related conditions that can slow or stop successful weight loss.  That is why we perform a complete medical work-up to assess your overall health and metabolic state. A few examples of such conditions are insulin resistance, polycystic ovarian syndrome, hypothyroidism, menopause, and carbohydrate sensitivity.  Obesity itself is considered a medical condition that warrants thorough evaluation and treatment.
2. Do I have hypothyroidism? Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the body lacks sufficient thyroid hormone. Since the main purpose of thyroid hormone is to “run the body’s metabolism,” it is understandable that people with this condition usually have a slow metabolism and thus, difficulty losing weight.  If I identify a thyroid problem at CMH, I will work with your PCP to provide an appropriate treatment plan.
3. How are my Vitamin D levels? Vitamin D levels are almost always low in patients who are overweight.  Low Vitamin D levels can cause fatigue, muscle pain, bone pain and an overall feeling of lethargy, making it hard to lose weight.  Thus, determination of your Vitamin D level is a standard part of the CMH laboratory evaluation prior to and during treatment as appropriate.
4. Am I insulin resistant? Insulin resistance turns off fullness signals to the brain.  Typically, the heavier a person is, the more insulin resistant they may be, making them feel less full, causing them to continue to overeat.  It is a complex condition that can be treated with the use of medication, exercise and dietary changes.  Once it is treated, patients can feel more satiated, leading to more effective weight loss.  This is a common evaluation at CMH and once identified and understood can be appropriately treated.
5. Am I ready for exercise? This question may seem obvious, but exercise can be dangerous from a cardiovascular perspective in patients who are severely overweight.  The heavier a person is, the more prone they are to injury. Often, it makes more sense medically for a patient to lose weight at first and then implement an exercise program when it is safe to do so, using exercise to maintain weight.  This requires individualized attention and treatment by a physician and trainers who are experienced at working with people at all levels of physical capability – such as the ones at CMH.

Expert Advice from CMH

Claire Behrens –   B Vitamins & Colon Cancer

The December 2009 Nutrition Action Heath letter produced by the Center for Science in the Public Interest recently published research regarding B-6 and colon cancer.  They stated that in two recent studies (Physicians’ Health Study and the Multiethnic Cohort Study) people with higher blood levels of vitamin B-6 had a lower risk of colorectal cancer.  Participants who were diagnosed with colorectal cancer had lower blood levels of vitamin B-6 up to 20 years earlier than those who were not diagnosed with colorectal cancer.  Vitamin B-12 and folic acid were not linked to the disease. 

While it is too early to conclude that vitamin B-6 can prevent colorectal cancer, it is recommended that individuals eat more of the healthy foods that are rich in vitamin B-6 such as whole grains, beans, bananas, chicken, salmon, avocado and sunflower seeds.  You can also obtain pharmaceutical grade B-Complex (includes all of the important B vitamins) at CMH.  Every Tuesday is 10% off vitamins – stop in and see us!

Penny Burns, RN, BSN – Eating Too Fast & Overeating

We are always asking our patients to eat more slowly so they may enjoy the taste and texture of their foods.  Now we have another reason to add to that. According to the latest Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, eating too fast can short circuit your release of appetite regulating hormones that leads to overeating.

This study, conducted by Greece’s Athens University Medical School took 17 healthy men, fed them 675 calories of ice cream, which they consumed at both a leisurely 30 minutes and then again in a quick 5 minutes.  They compared the blood samples of the hormone ghrelin and two peptides that signal satiety in each situation.

The study showed that when those participants enjoyed their ice cream over the thirty minute period they produced higher levels of the two peptides that signal satiety but no difference in their ghrelin levels, the hormone that triggers hunger.  These results suggests that eating too fast may lead to eating too much which we know leads to too many calories consumed.

Slowing down our meals allows those important signals to take place, leading to greater satisfaction with less calorie intake.  I just want to know how to get into a food study where I get to eat ice cream!

Sybille Baumeler, LWMC – Latest Trends in Weight Loss  

Wii Fitness – I know the Wii has been around for a couple of years now, but the Wii Fit seems to be the hottest toy-but-not-really that everyone has.  You first have to purchase the Nintendo Wii game console and then the Wii Fit software itself.  This wildly popular game is a fitness coach that can get you to start exercising. The program comes with a wireless board the size of two bathroom scales.  The Wii will then calculate your weight, posture (interesting!) and BMI before you get started with a “personal trainer” and some exercise sessions, which range from strength training to yoga to ski jumping.  Some of the games can get pretty intense.  This would not serve as a total substitute for a good sweat session at the gym. However, this would be a great tool for one who needs an interesting way to get motivated for exercise or just a change in his or her normal routine.

SlimShots – It seems as if every time I turn on the TV, I see two back-to-back commercials for the Slim Shot product, but it can be difficult to understand from the commercial what is going on. It is apparently a 20 calorie packet that looks like a coffee creamer. It contains oat and palm oil with a touch of vanilla flavoring and artificial sweetener. The commercial claims that consuming two of these shots everyday will blunt your appetite so that at mealtime, you will naturally consume up to 30% fewer calories. There is no drug or chemical in this product, but...I personally believe it is a waste of money! When foods, especially types high in fat, reach the intestine for digestion, a hormone called CCK is released, telling the brain that you're starting to get full. This will start to decrease your appetite so that by the time you finish your meal you feel satisfied. It takes your brain a while to recognize these signals, which is also why we recommend that you eat slowly.

The commercial says to take the Slim Shots before your meals so that you're full earlier in your meal. If you find yourself struggling to feel full at the end of a meal, make sure you're eating slowly enough to actually enjoy your meal. Always make sure you're eating your afternoon snack as well. An ounce of almonds will have protein, fiber and plenty of healthy monounsaturated fats (that have been found to help reduce belly fat!) that will keep you satisfied through the afternoon so that you will feel less ravenous at dinnertime.

If you see trends in the news that sound too good to be true, they probably are. Crazy "cookie diets" or "cleansing diets" are called fads for a reason.  No matter what trends you see in weight loss, nothing will replace the old mantra of "eat less, move more".  As you all know from Weight Management University and our classes, the combination of protein, carbohydrate and fat in your foods significantly affects your level of hunger and your ability to stick with your meal plan and successfully lose weight.

Do you need a guest speaker for your next meeting at work or professional organization? Let us know...Dr. Clark and/or Claire are happy to make motivational weight loss presentations!!

Other Announcements

Upcoming Healthy Living and Fitness Classes... Don’t miss them!

Pre-registration is required – call 757.873.1880 or visit www.CenterForMetabolicHealth.com to register!