Arizona's Premier LAP BAND specialist
Arizona LAP-BAND
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Low-Calorie Intake leads to Longer Life A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association whos that consuming fewer calories can lead to changes in metabolism and body chemistry that is linked to better health and longer life. Even in patients who were overweight, and not obese, patients who went on a calorie restricted diet felt better, and had changes that occur in bodies that show longevity. "Animal studies have, for years, shown that calorie restriction leads to a longer life." Dr. Simpson notes, "This has been true of everything from mice to monkey's. What this study shows is early confirmation of this in human beings. The LAP-BAND is the easiest way to maintain a low-calorie life, without feeling as if you are starving. I would not be surprised if we see more people asking for the LAP-BAND in the BMI ranges between 30 and 35 for these reasons." Battle of the Stars What stars have had weight loss surgery, but won't come out of the closet? This is a question that many weight loss surgeons are asking one another, and the surgeon's who take care of them are not telling. Surgeons have to protect the privacy of their patients, and even telling another colleague can ruin a surgeon's reputation as a keeper of the patient's secrets. Al Roker's gastric bypass surgery was revealed, not by the surgeon, but by people who saw him go into the New York hospital. Surgeons who treat celebreties often do those operations at facilities like Surgical Speciality Hospital, a close plane ride from Hollywood, and where the patient can come in unnoticed by press, and away from Hollywood photographers. The patient is brought in during the weekend when the regular staff is not present, and a hand-picked staff takes care of the patient from registration to check-out. "There are a lot of public people who want to tell their story at the right time, not when a newspaper tells it," states Dr. Terry Simpson, chief of bariatric surgery at Surgical Speciality Hospital and Chief Medical Editor of OH magazine. "They, as all our patients, deserve privacy, and respect from others." More celebrities are choosing the LAP-BAND surgery because they can return to work sooner, with minimal discomfort and no changes. The weight loss is steady, and gradual, allowing them to eat less, but not suffer from muscle wasting of the other operations. "Patients can take a few days off, then pick up where they left off with their television series, movies, or other duties." Dr. Simpson said. When asked if celebrities call Dr. Simpson more than regular patients, or use his email he says, "They are very respectful of my time, as I am of theirs. We want them to call or email with any questions, so that we can get them, as with our other patients, to their goal." True Results Surgeon gets trained The Arizona True Results surgeon, Dr. Gowen Nirmal completed his training in the LAP-BAND -- showing that the trend for LAP-BAND continues. Dr. Nirmal just recently completed his training and just finished his proctoring (where they do a LAP-BAND under the direction of Dr. Simpson). We welcome them to the LAP-BAND world. True Results is a corporation out of Texas -- American Institute of Gastric Banding, now coming to Phoenix. We welcome them to the valley -- and we are happy to continue to train their surgeons for the lap band. Scottsdale Becomes a Center of Excellence Congratulations to Scottsdale Bariatrics which became a Center of Excellence from The American Society of Bariatric Surgeons (ASBS). Their lead surgeon, Dr. Blackstone, is on the board to qualify Centers of Excellence for ASBS. Scottsdale continues to perform about 2 LAP-BANDs per month and their Center of Excellence was based on their RNY gastric bypass numbers (where they do over 40 RNY per month). Centers of Excellence There are two Center of Excellence Programs that have begun in the last year. One from The American Society of Bariatric Surgeons, and another from the prestigious American College of Surgeons. To become a Center of Excellence both organizations have set marks of following patients, doing a certain number of patients per year, and reporting results of their operations. The American College of Surgeons certifies its first Center! Congratulations to American Institute of Gastric Banding for achieving the first and American College of Surgeons Center of Excellence based on their great results with the LAP-BAND. AIGB has done more than 8000 LAP-BAND cases, without a death or major problem. AIGB has two centers in the Dallas area, one in Houston, and another center in San Antonio. They have come to Phoenix under the market True Results. We don't know if they will open up an outpatient center yet, but we welcome them to the Valley. |
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Low Fat Diets -- don't switch for high calorie foods Low Fat diets were popular about ten years ago, and have regained popularity today with the evidence that trans-fat (margarine, Crisco, and other hydrogenated vegetable oils) causes more harm that previously thought. Often subsitutes for low-fat diets contain high calorie items with processed foods. While the studies did not show a relationship, in the eight years, between low fats and either breast or colon cancer -- there are still clear links to obesity with breast, colon cancer, and heart disease. A subsitution of fatty foods, for highly processed carbohydrates may be more dangerous, especially if those foods contain more calories. |
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Two Drugs Being reviewed by Federal Regulators. One, called Acomplia, would be a prescription pill to control appetite by blocking the same brain receptors that stimulate the "munchies" in marijuana smokers. Some financial analysts predict multibillion-dollar sales eventually for its maker, the French company Sanofi-Aventis. The other, with the proposed name Alli, is a weight-loss drug that works by blocking the body's absorption of fat. Since 1999 it has been sold in the United States as the prescription medication Xenical. GlaxoSmithKline is proposing an over-the-counter version, a prescription-quality alternative to the diet remedies available in drugstore aisles and over the Internet. It is estimated 200 other medicaitons are in the research pipeline as companies seek an elusive cure for obesity. None of the others, however, is close to regulatory review. Diet pills have a long history of problems from early use of the highly addictive amphetamins to the diet drug combination fen-phen. Fenfluramine, the "fen" half of the combination, was withdrawn in 1997 after it was found to cause valve damage to the heart. Xenical has shown itself to be moderately effective, around ten per cent weight loss. But Alli - a name the company has proposed because the drug must be allied with a weight-loss program. Xenical causes increased flatulence, diarrhea, or loss of bowel control. It also causes malabsorption of Vitamins A,D,E, and K -- and for patients who have clotting problems, or are on blood thinners, this can pose a major risk. The only other weight-loss drug approved for use is Meridia, introduced by Abbott Laboratories in 1997. Some doctors have avoided using it because of its link to increased blood pressure. |
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LAP-BAND works better than diet. Here is the link to obtain this important paper.
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Staples in the stomach are yesterday's technology. Medicine and technology are always changing. The LAP-BAND is the latest, safest, effective weight loss operation today. The artificial hips we use today last 45 years, and are safer than the ones we used ten years ago. Why use yesterday's technology in your body?
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