Stress…stress…stress…it’s on everyone’s lips these days and unfortunately a sign of the times.  Work, home, kids, and health, the sources are endless. 

But how does this affect your Lap-Band? Good question!

While stress is a common occurrence for patients, some find that stress has no impact on their band at all. Others find that as their stress level elevates so does the tightness in their Lap-Band. 

Why does this happen?   

Individuals who are under times of stress, release a “fight or flight hormone” called adrenalin, which causes our body’s natural response to increase the secretion of stomach acid.  For some patients who are otherwise at their “sweet spot”, this can cause a temporary swelling around their band and may experience difficulties getting their food down.  

If you are among these patients who find themselves struggling with solid foods during stressful periods, remember you are not alone. Here are some helpful tips to help you overcome it:

TIP #1: Cut your foods into smaller sized pieces. This tip not only helps with the discomfort patients experience during stressful periods, but applies to all Lap-Band patients. We recommend using small utensils when possible to help limit the size of each bit of food. Try using a baby spoon, cocktail fork and small decorative plates to help control portions and increase the visual appeal of the meal.

TIP #2: Don’t forget the 20/20 rule! Chew. Chew. Chew. It’s very important that you focus on chewing your food well and eating slowly. Each bite of food should be chewed at least 20 times and each meal should last at least 20 minutes. We recommend eating your protein-based foods first to encourage the feeling of satiety, followed by vegetables.

TIP #3: Try softer foods. Foods such as casseroles, fish, cooked vegetables, yogurt and soups may go down easier without causing discomfort during stressful periods. Just be sure you are able to get back to your regular diet after the stress has passed.

If you’ve tried all of these suggestions and are still not able to comfortably tolerate your foods well, we recommend contacting us at the clinic for further assessment and discussion.

Yours in health,

Tammy, Debbie and Sue

Hi Everyone,

Did you know? APRIL is Stress Awareness Month!

In the next couple of weeks, our blogs from our healthcare professionals will be focusing on the subject, its association with obesity and coping strategies to help you fight the stressors in your life.

In 2001, the Canadian Mental Health Association / COMPASS surveyed 500 Canadians and revealed that 43% of individuals experienced stressed a few times a week while 24% of Canadians experienced it at least one a month. When asked what the main contributor to stress in their life was: 51% attributed it to work, 48% said financial, while 27% said their health is a main source of their stress.  

For years, many people have suspected that stress and obesity are linked — and now scientific research has found evidence to support this connection. Specific biochemical reactions appear to help explain this link and, as we better understand these reasons it may help develop strategies to deal with the epidemic of obesity.

The most insidious aspect of the link between stress and obesity is that it tends to be self-reinforcing.  Very often, when people are stressed they may eat inappropriately. If this causes them to gain weight, that can cause even more stress.

The Biological Connection

When we are stressed we tend to crave comfort foods that are high in fat or sugar. There are specific hormones that may play a role in this process.

Serotonin.  When we eat carbohydrates, such as bread and potatoes, it raises the body’s serotonin level.  Serotonin is the body’s feel-good chemical. It makes us feel and maybe even euphoric in some situations. When we are stressed we don’t tend to make smart food choices. Many people will tend to choose carbohydrates when stressed, but often they are the carbohydrates that are also loaded with fat, like muffins, pastries, doughnuts, and cookies. We usually don’t choose the more “healthy” carbohydrates like whole wheat pasta.

Cortisol. Researchers have also discovered that acute and chronic stress will cause the body to release excess cortisol. Cortisol is important in regulating fat storage in the body, and is also known to increase appetite and may encourage cravings for sweet or fatty foods.

Neuropeptide Y.  More recent studies also suggest that our bodies may process food differently when we’re under stress. One study found that lab mice fed a diet high in fat and sugar gained more weight when placed under stressful conditions than mice that were not stressed. Researchers linked that phenomenon to a molecule called neuropeptide Y that is released from nerve cells during stress and encourages fat accumulation. A diet high in fat and sugar appears to further promote the release of neuropeptide Y. 

Happy reading!

~CC

Hello Everyone,

It’s my pleasure to announce the transformation of the SWLC Blog that will be occurring in the next couple of months….in both content and design! Due to the increase in readership and popularity of the blog, SWLC will now be featuring its new line of bloggers starting this week. We will continue to post news and updates from SWLC as they happen, obesity news in Canada, as well as feature some exciting guest blogs.

And without further introduction, here is our new panel of bloggers!

The “Fitness Guru”

Sue is a Can Fit Pro Certified Personal Trainer Specialist (PTS) who look forward to providing bariatric patients useful tips in achieving their desired goal through physical exercise and activities. With knowledge in fitness, she will touch on topics of how to incorporate easy exercise activities into your daily regime, as well as help you stay motivated in maintaining the new active you.

The “Nutrition Enthusiast “

Margeaux is a Registered Dietitian with a zest for providing education on nutrition and healthy food choices. Her healthy information bits will not only contribute to maximizing a patient’s success, but will also provide general dietary tips for all readers alike.

The “Specialists”

Tammy, Debbie & Sue are Clinical Nurse Specialists who have in-depth knowledge and experience in patient care. Their expertise and dedication in caring for bariatric patients are second to none. With determination to help patients reach their goal, stay tuned for some of their practical tips and guidance in better understanding SWLC’s weight loss programs.

Happy reading!

~CC

Link to Article: http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/Local/2012-03-30/article-2944079/Radio-personality-on-public-weight-loss-journey/1 

Written by: Greg McNeil

SATURDAY, Mar 30th 2012 (Cape Breton Post) — Jay McNeil, news director for 103.5 The Eagle, has only recently gone public with his journey through social media and over the airwaves, but it was actually two years ago when he realized changes were necessary.

Following the death of his father in 2010 and a move back home to take care of his mother, McNeil, 29, came to the conclusion his lifestyle would no longer work.

“Some people do it for their kids. I think you just do it for whatever situation you are in,” said McNeil, who discovered he weighed 460 pounds after recently stepping on a scale for the first time in 10 years.

“I don’t necessarily know that I thought about doing it for myself until I was forced to see that I had to do it for somebody else.”

Besides taking care of his mother, there were other aspects of life that his weight impeded.

“If you are travelling with your boss then you’re sitting in the airport wondering if he realizes I’m going to be taking up a quarter of his seat as well.”

And forget about playing on the company baseball team.

“People would ask ‘why don’t you play ball anymore,’ and I’d think, ‘No, I’m too big.’ You don’t risk the failure of it if you take yourself out of it completely, so I was using (weight) in a big way to justify my withdrawing from stuff.”

As part of his journey, McNeil will be in at the Surgical Weight Loss Centre in Mississauga, Ont. on Tuesday to have an adjustable ring surgically implanted around his upper stomach.

Read the rest of this entry »

FRIDAY, Mar 16^th 2012 (SWLC News) — “For the first time in my life I feel like I want to be me, but in a different body…and now, at this point in my life, it’s about more than comfort and vanity” says Jay McNeil, a morning show radio host from the Eagle 103.5 FM in Nova Scotia, who will be undergoing the Lap-Band procedure with the Surgical Weight Loss Centre (SWLC) and Dr. Chris Cobourn in Mississauga in April.

McNeil, like so many other individuals in Canada who have been struggling with obesity most of their life, has had enough and is taking control of the situation that has only proved to deter him from varying opportunities due to his excess weight and anxiety.

In 2010, McNeil lost seven family members within six months, including his dad, who passed away from a heart attack while on the job, leaving McNeil as the provider and caregiver for his mother. Assisting his mother with the funeral arrangements, McNeil and his family were faced with a challenge in picking out their father’s casket. Sadly, there weren’t any caskets large enough to support the size and weight of his deceased father. This soon became McNeil’s AHA Moment and his continuing motivation towards his personal transformation.

As one of Cape Breton’s favorite radio personality, McNeil will be documenting and sharing his experience with his listeners as he goes through his weight loss journey. While his goal is to achieve an improvement in his overall health and wellness, McNeil looks forward to more years with his mom and family with a healthier and active lifestyle.

Celebrating seven years since the clinic opened in Mississauga, Dr. Cobourn and the SWLC team look forward to providing support and guidance to Jay on his life changing decision.

To follow and support Jay on his journey, visit his blog at http://bit.ly/ygRUqz.

FRIDAY, Feb 24^th 2012 (SWLC News) — The 12^th Annual Minimally Invasive Surgery Symposium (MISS) was held in Salt Lake City this year at The Grand American Hotel in Utah on February 20^th – 25^th. The yearly event draws in leading experts from all over the world to learn about the “latest advances in minimally invasive surgery”. The Symposium comprises a wide range of topics that cover the areas of expertise such as colon disease, hernia repair, foregut and metabolic & bariatric surgeries. While the Symposium presented lectures from world renowned experts, the event also included workshops and poster sessions throughout the five day event.

Dr. Chris Cobourn of the Surgical Weight Loss Centre (SWLC) was among the 28 faculty presenters for the Bariatric / Metabolic Program, but the only bariatric expert from Canada. On the subject of “LAGB: Slip-Pouch Dilatation: New Insights”, Dr. Cobourn presented a riveting lecture on the latest development associated with Lap-Band surgery. As an international and Canadian noted speaker in the field of bariatric, MISS is Dr. Cobourn’s first of many speaking engagements scheduled for 2012.

TUESDAY, Mar 6th 2012 (SWLC News) —- The Surgical Weight Loss Centre (SWLC) is proud to announce the upcoming dates for its Patient Information Seminar hosted at the Plastic Surgery Clinic at 1421 Hurontario Street in Mississauga from 5:30pm – 7:30pm.

If you, a family member or a friend is interested in learning more about sustained weight loss and the Lap-Band program, join us and register at info@swlc.ca or call 905-278-8000.

April 11th
April 24th
May 23rd
June 18th

Does the type of bariatric surgery affect your metabolism?

When speaking with patients who are considering the Lap-Band procedure for morbid obesity, it is very common to hear be offered the explanation that their inability to lose weight is due to a problem with a slow “metabolism”. It will be of benefit to anyone considering bariatric surgery to explain exactly what your metabolism is, and how it can be affected.

When speaking of metabolism, we are talking about a combination of the amount of energy (calories) we utilize just being alive which is called the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), plus the number of calories we burn being physically active and keeping our body temperature steady at 37⁰C.

BMR is determined for the most part, by your lean body mass, or in other words, the amount of muscle (and bone) you have. Fat tissue is not very active and therefore does not significantly contribute to your BMR. One of the major advantages of the Lap-Band procedure is that the weight loss occurs typically at the rate of 1 – 2 pounds per week.

Many studies have shown that at this rate of weight loss, patients will preferentially burn fat while building muscle. When you lose fat, while maintaining or increasing muscle mass, this type of weight loss will increase your BMR at the same time you are losing weight. Thus you have the secondary benefit of increasing your BMR while you lose weight.

Other bariatric surgery procedures such as the gastric bypass lead to weight loss at a much higher initial rate. Studies have shown that this rate of weight loss will reduce the lean body mass and may actually reduce your BMR.

The point is that the gradual and steady weight loss achieved with the Lap-Band procedure will have a beneficial effect on your metabolism, making ongoing weight loss more efficient.

~CC

As a highly respected bariatric surgeon in Canada and an international contributor to Lap-Band research, Dr. Chris Cobourn of the Surgical Weight Loss Centre (SWLC) will now be adding “blogger” to his resume as he officially posts his first blog (the Cobourn Critique) exclusively on the SWLC website. Serving on expert committees to help establish worldwide standards, Dr. Cobourn’s opinions are highly regarded in the medical community, his peers and patients. Not only will the Cobourn Critique blog offer smart and honest views, but also thought provoking perspectives on the subject of obesity and the Lap-Band.

Happy reading!

__________________________________________________________________________

The Canada – Vital Signs 2011 report (http://www.vitalsignscanada.ca/nr-2011-index-e.html) was released this week. This report is a compilation of quality of life reports cards from 22 communities across Canada. It is a very interesting look at how Canadians view and report their perceived quality of life.

This study shows that even though Canada has been actively attempting to address the problem of obesity for more that a decade, obesity rates continue to rise. Some of the initiatives that have been instituted include better food labelling, healthier food options in schools, reduction of trans fats in our food supply and tax incentives to promote physical activity.The estimated cost to Canadian communities is $4.6 to $7.1 billion each year.

The most recent statistics (2010) show that 18.1 per cent of Canadian adults describe themselves as obese, an increase of 2.8 percentage points since 2003. Unfortunately the current efforts by policy-makers, businesses and non-profits are not working.
When asked to comment, Dr. Arya Sharma, scientific director for the Canadian Obesity Network said:

“We have nurtured the obesity epidemic – through sedentary work and lifestyles, a constant time crunch, and our fast-food culture – and now we must accept that it is a chronic disease,”

Sharma said most anti-obesity programs in Canada offer short-term solutions, which are not effective because, as research shows, most obese people may be able to lose weight but unfortunately they are not able to keep it off.

This has been the overwhelming experience of patients who have received Lap-Band surgery at the Surgical Weight Loss Centre. Many patients have experienced repeated cycles of weight loss followed by weight gain, often with the gain being greater than the loss. It is now accepted in the medical community that the most effective method of achieving sustained weight loss is with bariatric (weight loss) surgery such as the Lap-Band procedure.

The Vital Signs report discusses some of the societal initiatives that may hopefully reduce the incidence of obesity, but in addition we need to discuss effective ways to deal with those individuals for whom prevention has not been successful and for whom effective treatment is required.

We will discuss effective treatment strategies in future blogs.

~CC

Link to Article: http://www.vancouversun.com/health/Obesity+next+epidemic+health+ministers+warn/5766183/story.html

Written By: Richard Foot

FRIDAY, November 25th, 2011 (Vancouver Sun)– Canada’s health ministers issued separate but similar warnings Thursday that obesity – specifically child-hood obesity – is now a critical national health concern and a major contributor to rising health care costs.

Obesity is the “next epidemic,” said federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, speaking in Ottawa to a Senate committee studying the health system.

Provincial and territorial health ministers, meeting in Halifax, were even more emphatic. “It’s not the next epidemic, it’s the present epidemic,” said Quebec Health Minister Yves Bolduc.

The ministers are gathered in Halifax for a two-day summit to start outlining priorities for the next national health accord, which will replace the existing 2004 health care funding agreement between Ottawa and the provinces that expires in 2014.

It’s not yet known whether the Harper government will renew the funding deal, in which Ottawa raises its health transfers to the provinces by six per cent a year, or whether federal cuts to the transfer are coming.

Nova Scotia Health Minister Maureen MacDonald was at pains to point out that the health ministers are not dealing with the details of a new accord. Those discussions are left to the country’s premiers.