News Feed March 23rd 2010-Obese teen credits surgery for weight loss

By Randi Kaye, CNN's "AC 360"

March 23, 2010 5:17 p.m. EDT

Teen has weight loss surgery

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Maria Caprigno underwent weight-loss surgery at age 14
• Procedure involved removing most of her stomach
• Some doctors say teens are too young to undergo the procedures
• More on the controversy on tonight's "AC 360" 10 p.m. ET

See why surgery might be the best hope for an obese teen in part one of a three-part series on childhood obesity starting tonight on "AC 360", 10pm ET

Norwood, Massachusetts (CNN) -- One-third of America's youth is now overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Norwood, Massachusetts, 14-year-old Maria Caprigno no longer wants to be one of those statistics.

Maria has been overweight since she was about 3 years old and as she got older, she just got heavier. She told CNN her eating habits were to blame.

"I'm a junk-food person and because I'm a couch potato I don't like to get off the couch," she said. "It's also kind of just like my genes: Both my parents are heavy and that's just the environment I was raised in."

Maria said people have stared at her all her life because of her weight.

"The first thing that goes through their mind is, 'Why is she so fat?' And, 'Oh my god, she's so fat. Why doesn't she just hop on a treadmill?' And I think people don't really understand that it's not just exercising ... it's extremely hard.

"I get self-conscious," she said. "I don't like to go to crowded places -- like if a mall's crowded, I'll sit in the car."

The CDC says obesity rates for Maria's age group, those 12 to 19 years old, have tripled since 1980. Maria pleaded with her mother to find a doctor who would perform weight-loss surgery on teenagers.

Dr. Evan Nadler, who started a program for adolescent surgery at National Children's Hospital in Washington, said he felt "compelled" to help Maria.

"Her BMI [body mass index], which is a measurement we use to determine how obese someone is, put her in the highest risk category. Not just morbidly obese but two categories higher than that," Nadler said. "So I felt that withholding a known therapy that works based on her age alone was really almost unethical."

Between 2000 and 2003, some 800 teenagers went under the knife to lose weight, Nadler said.

Before she was approved for surgery, Maria had to meet with a nutritionist, a pediatric cardiologist and a psychologist. In the end, Maria was approved for an experimental procedure known as a "gastrectomy," during which about 80 percent of the stomach is removed, including the part of the stomach that controls appetite.

Nadler said the procedure "basically restricts the amount of food that can come into the stomach at any one time and it really makes the patient have a sense of fullness or a lack of hunger."

Maria had the "gastrectomy" last month and already has lost about 45 pounds. Today she weighs 400 pounds and is down to a size 32. Maria said she would like one day to be a size 12 but isn't trying to reach a specific weight.

"It's not about the numbers; I want to be at a healthy size," she said.

"I want to be able to go into a normal store and buy something and be able to wear it. I want to be able to run. I haven't been able to run since I was 5 years old. I want to be able wear a bathing suit without feeling embarrassed.

"I just want to be normal."

But Dr. Edward Livingston, a Texas surgeon who also has helped adolescents lose weight, said surgery for teenagers can be risky. He has turned away most teens sent to him for evaluation, he said, and has operated only on those more than 500 pounds with serious health risks such as blood clots and congestive heart failure.

To read the full article go to:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/03/23/kaye.teen.obesity/

News Feed March 23rd 2010-Seaweed Fiber: The Newest Key to Weight Loss?

This article talks about how the fibre found in seaweed can help your body to NOT ABSORB FAT! Please see my post about metamucil for a precursor to this idea.

lginates are proving to be a boon to the weight management field. Research leader Dr. Iain Brownlee said, "This suggests that if we can add the natural fiber to products commonly eaten daily — such as bread, biscuits and yogurts — up to three quarters of the fat contained in that meal could simply pass through the body," said team leader Dr. Iain Brownlee.

To read the full article go to:

http://www.healthnews.com/nutrition-diet/weight-loss/seaweed-fiber-the-newest-key-to-weight-loss-4155.html

News Feed March 23rd 2010-Being Active an Hour a Day Puts Brakes on Weight Gain Walking, biking, dancing can all help normal-weight women as they age,

Being Active an Hour a Day Puts Brakes on Weight Gain Walking, biking, dancing can all help normal-weight women as they age, study finds
By Amanda Gardner

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, March 23 (HealthDay News) -- An hour a day of moderate-intensity exercise will prevent weight gain in normal-weight women, middle age and older, according to a new study. "'Moderate intensity' means brisk walking, casual bicycling, ballroom dancing, playing with the grandchildren," said Dr. I-Min Lee, lead author of the study, which is published in the March 24/31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. "It's nothing special," added Lee, who is an associate epidemiologist with the division of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston. "For someone who wants to eat normally, this is enough." On the other hand, those who engage in something more vigorous -- like jogging, playing tennis or swimming laps -- can get away with 30 minutes a day and no weight gain as they age.

Bottom Line: Even when you get to the weight you want you need to exercise or you are bound to blow up again.


Copyright © 2010 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

To read the full article go to:
http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/637286.html

Get A Calorie Counting Program

If you are starting any regime it is necessary to count your calories or at the very least keep track of what you are putting in your mouth in some way shape or form.

I’ve heard from members of My Food Diary for quite awhile and they have found it to be a valuable service. However, having said that, I don’t think it’s necessary to remain a member for a long time to benefit from the value this site provides.

The name of the site says it all. The primary service is a user-friendly system for maintaining a detailed and accurate food diary. You are provided with all the tools you might need to keep track of the calories you consume and the calories burned each day. In addition, there is a personal notes section to journal your thoughts and feelings with respect to your weight management challenges.

You might wonder why you should bother with a paid service when you can keep track of this same information on your own or with a free service online such as FitDay.com.

Here’s why. Like the free food diary services, this site is particularly well designed for the Do-It-Yourself (DIY)

When you are just starting with a DIY weight loss diet, the more information you have about your current habits, the more likely you will succeed in making the necessary changes.

Keeping a food diary, an ACCURATE food diary that includes a way to track your physical activity and calories burned as well as what you have eaten, is one of the most important things you can do for success.

METAMUCIL-YOUR NEW BFF

I've been getting a ton of questions about my inclusion of Metamucil in my diet tips and I'd like to address them in this post.

Here are the facts about Metamucil:

Metamucil is a bulk-producing laxative and fiber supplement manufactured by Procter & Gamble. The Metamucil brand has existed since 1934, and was owned by G.D. Searle & Company until 1985 when P&G acquired the brand. The active ingredient is psyllium seed husks. It is often used to treat constipation, hemorrhoids, diverticular disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. It may also reduce cholesterol when taken daily. Metamucil is sold in powdered drink mixes, capsules, and wafers. Metamucil is available in several flavors, including Orange, Berry, and Pink Lemonade. A sugar-free version is also available

Health Benefits

In the United States, fiber supplements such as Metamucil are essential contributors to improving the diets of individuals by providing the fiber to their diet that is not being provided by their food sources. The soluble fiber in psyllium husk, as in Metamucil products, may help reduce the risk of heart disease.

Consequences

Although there are no specific consequences from consuming Metamucil, there are some negative effects from an inadequate intake of dietary fiber. Since Metamucil is popularly used as a source of dietary fiber, the intake of dietary fiber could hinder the absorption of vitamins, minerals, and proteins. Dietary fiber helps the gastrointestinal tract absorb excess water and remove food wastes, but an excessively high intake of dietary fiber will also negatively affect the absorption process in the intestinal tract. Taking a fiber supplement can decrease the absorption of minerals by slowing the transit time, lowering the concentration of minerals by accumulating more fecal matter, and can also cause the minerals to become trapped in the feces, which would leave the body. This negative effect would be a consequence to individuals who are barely reaching recommended nutrient intakes or to those suffering in mineral intake. At the same time though if directly after meals it decreases the absorption of fats which is a good thing.

Bottom line

Take it because it lowers cholesterol, risk of heart disease, add bulk to your BM'S (which is good for hemorrhoid sufferers, and it will decrease the absorption of fat and calories from a meal when taken directly after said meal helping you to lose weight.

Money Saving Tip

Metamucil is a name brand that can cost anywhere from 12-30$ a tub depending on the size. You can save money by buying the generic pharmacy brand instead.

WELCOME-LET’S GET STARTED

Let’s get things straight this is not a gimmick, or a moneymaking scheme my reason for writing this blog is to help people lose 15-20 pounds in a month and the best part about it is the tips that you'll get on this blog WORK!

The first step in losing the weight is that you have to CHANGE YOUR THINKING ABOUT FOOD! Food is not a recreational activity, it is and should remain a source of nutrition. People tend to eat when they are bored, make an evening around food etc. Use food as a fuel to keep your body machine working at its optimal strength that means cut out the junk. Nothing fried, and nothing with sugar. Most importantly COMMIT YOUSELF TO EATING RIGHT if you are not mentally committed then how can you expect your body to follow suit?

This leads us to the next step to losing weight CLEAN OUT YOUR FRIDGE AND CUPBOARDS and throw out the junk.


The second step to losing the weight is to get off your ass and Move! The combination of diet and excercise is a time tested guaranteed fat melter. Stay tuned for more excercise tips but for now let's get back to what you are shoving down your throat every day.

Everyday you should be eating a well balanced diet which should include your fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains and fats. In order to achieve this balanced diet and ultimately lose 15-20 pounds in 30 days you should aim for 7 servings of protein daily-1 serving of dairy daily-4 servings of fruit daily-2 servings of grains daily-1 serving of fat-daily and unlimited vegetables.

Here is an example of what a typical day would look like.

Breakfast
1 eggs made with pam
1 ounce light cheese
Sugar free Metamucil (for fibre) (you can only take Metamucil 2-4 hours after any medication)
1 fruit
Water or-coffee w/skim milk+sweetner

Lunch
3 ounces Tuna on a salad (1 teaspoon light miracle whip)
Two pieces of whole wheat melba toast
A fruit
Water- or diet drink

Dinner
5 ounces chicken breast
Steamed vegetables
Fruit
Metamucil

Snack
No sugar no fat yogurt or frozen yogurt

Good luck and remember you can always post your comments and questions, I’m here to help.