Feed: Lap Band Surgery Or A 500 Calorie Diet? - AggScore: 9.5

The gastric band, aka the Lap-band is a restrictive only procedure. This surgery works in only one (1) way and that is to basically control portion size, thereby reducing the amount of food you take in and that results in less calories consumed. The gastric band received FDA approval in the United States in June of 2001; but had been used successfully in Europe for many years prior. Almost every gastric band that is placed is done using the laparoscopic approach (tiny incisions). This surgery is the least invasive weight loss treatment currently available today. It is important to note that there is no cure for obesity, bariatric surgery, including the gastric band, is only a tool to help you lose weight and sustain the weight loss.Since it’s introduction in 1983, there have been more than 350,000 gastric bands placed world-wide and studies have shown that the placement of this band has been proven to help patients feel full with the intake of small meals and weight loss occurs when following proper nutrition guidelines and incorporating exercise into your daily routine. Like all bariatric surgeries, this procedure does not work alone, you will need to modify your behavior and adopt new habits, including exercise, to have a successful outcome.The gastric band does not involve the cutting, stapling or re-routing of the stomach or the intestines in any way. Food travels from the smaller banded pouch on the top of the stomach to the larger lower part of the stomach where it is completely digested. Unlike the gastric bypass, the digestion process for the gastric band is not affected at all. Gastric band patients do not experience the dumping syndrome, so you will need to watch your intake of sugar and fat and make nutrient-rich food choices.The gastric band works by physically restricting the size of the stomach to about the size of a ping-pong ball or an egg using an adjustable silicone band that is placed around the top portion of the stomach. When you eat, the smaller top pouch created can only hold a small portion of food (usually 1/4 to 1/2 cup per meal) and when that pouch is full, it tricks your body into thinking the entire stomach is full so you are not hungry. The channel or opening that is created with the gastric band that separates the top portion of the stomach from the bottom is narrow and allows food to pass very slowly out of the top pouch to the bottom portion of the stomach where it mixes with gastric and digestive juices normally. No mal-absorption takes place so you need to be wise with your food choices, especially with high fat and sugar content. The band physically restricts the amount of food your stomach can hold; as stated above, a change in eating habits is essential in order to make the surgery work, as is daily exercise.One of the best features about the gastric band is that it is adjustable, so if a patient starts to feel hungry and is able to eat greater portions without being satisfied, the band itself can be adjusted by the injection of saline into the silicone bands inner ring which greater narrows the channel or the opening between the upper pouch and the lower stomach so the food will pass more slowly, and in turn, keeps the top pouch full longer. Like the gastric bypass, the key is to keep your smaller stomach pouch full so you do not feel hungry, this is accomplished by not drinking with your meals. Fluid intake is done a half hour or so before and after meals. If you drink fluids with meals, your solid foods will liquefy, causing what you have eaten to pass quickly through the stomach pouch and you will experience hunger rapidly. With this procedure, you will eat four (4) to six(6) small meals per day.As stated, the gastric band is made out of silicone and is easily accepted by the body. The inside portion of the band is like the inner tube of a bicycle tire and can be inflated or deflated to make the opening between the upper pouch and the lower stomach larger or smaller as needed. A small thin tube leading to what is called a port, connects to the inner tube of the band. The port is small and will be surgically placed under the skin of the abdominal wall when the band is placed and cannot be seen from the outside. It is through this port that band adjustments are made when needed with the filling or removing of saline.When the band is first placed, it is empty. Most patients will have their first fill or adjustment at about six (6) weeks after surgery. Regular and routine visits with your surgeon after surgery are expected to keep your band filled at an optimum level for you. Weight loss with the gastric band is gradual and much slower than that of the gastric bypass patient; expect about a one (1) to two (2) pound weight reduction per week. The more weight you have to lose, the quicker the weight loss. All patients should receive nutrition counseling prior to this surgery. The intake of protein, fruits and vegetables is essential to avoid malnutrition following any bariatric surgery.By: Roxanne ErdmanAbout the Author:

Liposuction is one specific way for a person to get rid of fat in a relatively quick way. The majority of individuals turn to this option when they discover that they are incapable of adhering to a diet program for a long enough period to make a significant difference while simultaneously they want to look better as well. The latest advancement in this field currently is laser liposuction.What Exactly is Liposuction?Prior to educating yourself in the deeper aspects of liposuction you need to know the basics of this type of procedure. Liposuction is a way of taking out fat from different places in the body, such as thighs, buttocks, neck, abdomen etc.The fat is dispatched by way of aspiration with the assistance of a thin tube which is inserted underneath a persons skin through a two or three millimeter surgical incision. Even though this type of procedure initially appears simple in nature it is classified as surgery and sometimes there will complications that do happen.On the positive side of the situation, liposuction can furnish you with an ideal way to lose fat with a minimum amount of inconvenience. However, the success of this type of procedure is greatly dependent on the flexibility of your skin. Because of this reason the procedure is not recommended for people over a certain age regardless if they were in ideal physical condition.What Are The Differences In Laser Liposuction?The majority of people develop some amount of bruising after a regular liposuction procedure which in normal circumstances disappears after a few days. This after effect is expected and should not be alarming, though for many patients they end up shocked anyways. Primarily this does not happen with laser liposuction since a laser is utilized to blast the fat that is beneath the skin. This is opposed to saline that is used in the older procedure in order to break down the fat.Because of this laser liposuction has less pain, does not have a tendency to create bruising which essentially means having to spend less time for post-surgery recuperation and lastly, it is much quicker as well as more thorough. There is also less chance that there would be any type of scarring or any type of significant tissue damage when utilizing a laser.Another excellent benefit is that because of the heat that the laser generates, it encourages the production of collagen which enriches the skins elasticity. This is one of the reasons why laser liposuction can be used on individuals who are middle age, because the odds of the skin having a greater chance of recovery are good as well as the skin having a better appearance after surgery are also good.What Are The Risks and Limitations?This kind of procedure is generally recommended for areas that are smaller. For instance the neck, face, upper arms, etc. because there is a danger of retaining fat fluid which could end up being a serious health threat in greater instance when used on larger areas. There are other factors to consider but using the laser option is certainly a great benefit over past procedures to those looking for a relatively quick way in sculpting their bodies.By: Korbin NewlynAbout the Author:

There are many terms that are associated with Liposuction, this includes Lipoplasty or fat modeling, Liposculpture, or in shorter terms Lipo. Although, the terms Liposuction, Lipoplasty, and Liposculpture differ in some ways but still they entail fat removal. Liposuction, as what we commonly call it, is a cosmetic surgery operation that can remove fats from the different areas of the body. Most people who want to undergo Liposuction want to extract the fat away from the neck, abdomen, thighs, buttocks, back of the arms, and practically elsewhere where there are great fat deposits.Because of the popularity of Liposuction, many people especially those who find it difficult to manage their weights and body fats want to undergo Liposuction surgery. However, Liposuction is not accessible for everybody since the cost is not that affordable. Sometimes, there are several factors that can limit the amount of fat that can be removed in one session, thus fat removal may need several sessions – the more that it will become more costly.On the other hand, no matter how costly Liposuction is, it is still one of the accessible surgeries that some individuals want to avail. There are several benefits of Liposuction that can still encourage people to undergo one, these are:It is safe and effective. Liposuction compared to other fat removal and other surgery procedures is safer and more effective and it can easily be combined with other techniques in cosmetic surgery.It gives improved health performance. Since Liposuction extracts the fats away from your body, then it has overall good effects to your system. Most, if not all, doctors agree that weight loss or fat loss is the best way to lessen the risks of heart diseases, diabetes, certain types of cancers, and other diseases that are associated with excess weight and sugar problems. Although, Liposuction has its limits that it cannot remove very large quantities of fat, but it can help remove up to 10 pounds of stubborn fats – those fats that resist diet and exercise.Although uncommon, Liposuction can also give benefits to those who are in need of breast reduction. This type of surgery is often used when disproportionate large breasts can cause health problems such as migraines, headaches, back pains and even neck pains.It enhances appearance. Those people who have low self esteem due to their inability to manage their weight properly can now move on to a normal life. Furthermore, even those people who find it difficult to remove fats away from the problem areas of their body can now make it possible. Liposuction also offers body smoothing and contouring effects by the simple virtue that one can fit into his or her clothes and feel better. Patients who undergo Liposuction can even find themselves that they can now join activities which they normally shied away.It removes fat effectively. Fat is never been bad for the body. In fact, fat cells are designed to store unused energy for the body for survival purposes, insulation from cold, shock absorption, and the body’s source of emergency fuel. However, the specific areas of the body where fat is stored primarily depends on one’s body type and genetics. Liposuction is a very effective surgery for those who want to remove unwanted pockets of fat accumulated disproportionately in different areas of the body that contributes to more undesirable appearance.It removes cellulite. Cellulite build up is caused by the fat cells which are pushed through the collagen connective tissues which are directly beneath the skin’s surface making a dimpled appearance or giving a cottage cheese look. The appearance of cellulite is not related with the amount of body fat a person has; it is even common to healthy people and even underweight people. However, cellulite is more common to women since women do not have tighter collagen mesh patterns compared to men. In this way, liposuction aids in cellulite removal in both men and women but it is not a permanent cure to cellulite. Since cellulite removal is dependent on many factors including genetics, one cannot expect that liposuction can 100% eliminate cellulite from the body.Now as benefits are mentioned above, there are also risks, complications, or disadvantages entailed by Liposuction, these are:Liposuction is costly. Not all people can afford Liposuction. Sometimes, one session is not enough to thoroughly remove fats from the body and it entails more costs for multiple sessions.Excessive removal of fats can cause lumps and dents. Sometimes, if done excessively, Liposuction can cause lumpiness and dents around the area being treated. The more fats that are removed from the body, the more risks it entails.Allergic reaction to medications and materials used during surgery may arise. There might be a tendency of an allergic reaction from the patient once the medications are applied and/or once the materials have been used to the body. This may result to complications and undesirable results.An infection may occur. Once the body is incised or punctured, there is a greater chance for bacteria to get in and cause an infection. During the liposuction process, multiple small punctured wounds are made just to insert the cannula or tube, which may vary in size, to a part of a body which may cause infections.Problems may arise during the insertion of the cannula. The cannula if not inserted properly can cause damage to the tissues beneath the skin which may show up as a spotted appearance on the skin’s surface. On the other hand, since the surgeon cannot see the cannula, sometimes it can damage the internal organ. However, experienced surgeons can unlikely puncture an internal organ.Other complications can also include contour irregularities and fluid imbalance. These complications may arrive to the destruction of the internal organ or make a person in a bad shape.By: Martin EdlandAbout the Author:

Do you want to have a slim figure? First of all you must have a regular life and healthy eating. If you are not a prerequisite for slim, then you want to build better, it would be hard! So if you want to slim down, you first need to view their daily life is not in compliance with the following code.Code One: Healthy Eating
Want to have a healthy body and slim body, beginning from the beginning of a healthy diet. Therefore, a balanced and adequate diet is essential. Must eat breakfast, and cereals, fruits, vegetables, and the like should be in full uniform distribution of meals eaten.Code Two: the cycle of accelerated metabolism of the body
Health and the health you want to slim down quickly, first of all are sure to completely rule out the body’s waste, and eliminate waste in the body by strengthening the body’s circulation. The easiest way is to maintain healthy eating three meals a day, and then 30 minutes of exercise each day, this way, will also make the body’s metabolic cycle acceleration.Code Three: smaller meals with more times
Smaller meals with more times approach, is used to avoid a large number of eating, the body will secrete more digestive enzymes, and then to eat into the food absorption, digestion and faster. Therefore, eat more meals, but hungry faster!Code Four: the right amount of exercise
Want to have a solid body, in addition to sports other than no law. Therefore, efforts to exercise every day or set aside for 30 minutes and then strengthen the movement, this way you can have a good strong body.Code Five: early hours per day
Only enough sleep will have enough spiritual movement, and then under long-term normal sleep, physical and mental nature will be healthier.Code Six: eat to avoid the intake of salt
As already eat too much salt is unhealthy, the resulting symptoms are heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease…, so long as the daily intake of 500 mg of sodium is sufficient it! Do not eat too much to avoid injury to the body.Code Seven: adequate intake of water a day
The body of water a day is 2000CC, but not every day we must force yourself to drink so much water, but added almost as much as possible can be, because the body can intake from other foods to which part of the water, drinking water is intended to supplement the shortage of water.By: Serena DuAbout the Author:

Liposuction in the UK is now the country’s most popular weight loss surgical procedure. The aim of the treatment is to sculpt the body by removing targeted fat cells from specific areas that refuse to respond to diet and exercise. Fat can be removed from under the skin in areas such as the abdomen, buttocks, thighs, calves, neck and chin. The male chest can also be treated in this way.Liposuction in the UK has an excellent safety record and the latest techniques such as advanced Laser Lipo means that, in general, there is little discomfort, bruising or side effects. Laser Lipo is used for targeting the common problem areas such as abdomen, buttocks, backs of arms, chin etc. The final result is dependent upon the severity of the problem area to be treated, but major improvements are normally clearly apparent around six weeks following surgery. After the six week period, the area treated will continue to improve, with final results seen approximately four months following surgery.It is very frustrating to have followed a low fat or low carbohydrate diet, religiously exercised every day, but those stubborn pockets of fat just refuse to budge. It could be the belly, back, jaw line, upper arms or hips. The ideal candidate for liposuction in the UK is someone who has followed a sensible and healthy diet, is fairly close to their ideal weight and who takes regular exercise but is unable to shift fat from a specific area of the body. Advanced Laser Lipo techniques use a fine “cannula” which delivers a powerful but very safe laser to heat targeted fat cells. This causes the fat cells to break down and these are then disposed of naturally. A “cannula” can also be inserted under the skin to aspirate the broken down fat for immediate results. The laser is then used to seal off the minor blood vessels and stimulate the production of collagen, to given smooth, tight results. The procedure is carried out under local anaesthesia and is virtually painless. However, if conventional liposuction is performed at the same time, some discomfort may be experienced.Depending on the extent and severity of the area to be treated, more than one treatment may be necessary. If this is the case, you will normally be advised of this by the surgeon at your initial consultation. However, up to three areas can be treated at a single session, for example lower abdomen, neck and upper arms, providing the amount of fat to be removed is not too great. Technological advances mean that side effects are usually short-term and minor and may include some bruising, swelling or discomfort. Sometimes antibiotics are prescribed to prevent infection.Liposuction in the UK is regulated by the Healthcare Commission and is carried out under strict guidelines. When choosing a surgeon, look for one who is qualified and highly experienced in liposuction techniques. Should any complications arise during the operation, an experienced physician will know how to deal with them efficiently. Also look for surgeons who have treated a large number of patients, as they will be more skilled at using various liposuction techniques.By: Yvonne FisherAbout the Author:

Almost every man in the world would love to do some sort of body sculpting. Body sculpting is the act of working out simply to raise your aesthetic qualities. Although body sculpting can be quite healthy as well, the number one purpose is to attract more women. Here are some good body sculpting techniques for men that will build up muscles and create a shapely chest and stomach.If you do not have any workout equipment at home, that is fine. These next few exercises that I will tell you about are pretty well known and can give the same desired effects without all of the startup costs. The first exercise is to work on your abdominal muscles. Move yourself down into a push-up position. After that, rest all of your weight on your elbows and keep your hands flat on the ground. Move your elbows underneath your shoulder blades and keep your back straight and hold the position for as long as possible. This is called the Planck and if you can hold this position for more than 30 seconds, you are doing quite well.You may not want to hear it, but push-ups are going to be the best thing for your arms and chest. There are three different types of push-ups you can do that will make it harder and more effective. There is of course the typical push-up which will work on your triceps and pectorals. If you want to work on your biceps though you can simply point your fingers inwards and continue doing push-ups that way. Another technique is to do a regular push-up but put your hands next to each other. This technique will work on your shoulder blades as well. Doing a combination of all three exercises will give you a maximum return on your investment.Body sculpting is quite easy for anybody that is willing to put in the work. There are a few body supplements you can use for body sculpting to help aid in the process. As long as you do not go overboard with them they will be more of an asset than a liability. If you combine all of these with a good diet that is high in protein and low in fat, within a few months you will see drastic improvements. Do not forget that body sculpting can be quite healthy at the same time and good stretching is required before any exercise.By: Emma HarrisonAbout the Author:

The gastric bypass diet is a special plan of eating that is following bariatric surgery patients for the first few months following their surgery. Now this diet may appeal to individuals who have not had the surgery because it is the diet being followed by individuals who are about to lose a large amount of weight very quickly. Truthfully, a bariatric diet is not much different than a meal replacement diet.One thing you have to understand is it is not the bariatric surgery diet that is causing the patients to lose weight. It is the fact that their stomach is about the size of an egg and cannot hold more than a few ounces at any one time. The reason for the liquid diet is because there has been surgery in the stomach and digestive area. Anyone who has surgery in this area for whatever reason will be on a liquid diet for at least a few weeks during the healing process.With that being said, both Diet Direct and Medifast offer nutritious meal replacement plans. But you should be eating at least one sensible meal each day and the rest of the day you can drink shakes for your nourishment. Step 2 is the most difficult as well as the most critical part of the gastric bypass diet. This step will begin once you are out of the hospital and I was actually required to have my first step 2 meal while I was still in the hospital.I am a firm believer in simpler is better, so I stuck with high protein low sugar shakes. However, you can have baby food or strained pureed foods. The idea of baby food or strained pureed foods was not appealing at all. I figured for the 2 to 4 weeks that I was on this plan this was the best way for me. This is the time when you begin to realize that food serves a purpose besides being a comfort, because there really is nothing comforting about protein shakes and baby food.If you a person that has not had weight loss surgery and thinks that you will lose weight on the gastric bypass diet, I think you will be disappointed. If you had difficulty sticking to other food plans, you will probably find the diet for gastric bypass impossible. If weight loss surgery is not an option for you and you have tried numerous diets, you may want to consider counseling or a support group. It might be best to start with why you eat than what you are eating.By: Arlene SchneiderAbout the Author: