The weight loss drug Orlistat (Xenical or Alli) never enabled significant weight loss and always caused nasty side effects. But, once again, the dieter is blamed for weight loss failure…this time blamed for “thinking” the drug will not work.

 

The weight loss drug is Orlistat.  You may know it as Xenical or Alli. It has been available by prescription since 1999 and over the counter since 2007.  A dieter is to take the medication at meals that contain fat.  The drug blocks the absorption of fat and allows it to pass undigested through the intestines.  The fat, grease, oil passes through the intestines…and out your back end….Side effects include steatorrhea (oily loose stools), excessive gas/flatulence, fecal incontinence, as well as frequent and urgent bowel movements.  Yep.  The average weight loss taking Alli is 3-5 pounds/YEAR.

Weight loss is supposed to occur from not absorbing the fat calories and from behavioral modification.  Embarrassing stool “leaks” and major gas should teach a dieter to eat less fat…or else.

With that said, I’m embarrassed to report Dr. Hollywood and Dr. Ogden’s (University of Surrey) research presented in Liverpool this week.

The doctors interviewed 10 women who gained weight while taking the drug Orlistat for 18 months.  Although the women attributed their failure to lose weight to the mechanics of the drug and talked about other weight loss methods that did not work for them, the doctors had a very interesting “take” on their comments. 

Dr. Hollywood interpreted their weight gain as a “self fulfilling belief” that they would not lose weight. and went on to say that “unless we get the psychology right and change people’s beliefs about themselves, their eating and the way the drug works, this medication is often going to produce disappointing results.

So…the dieter is blamed for not losing weight while taking Orlistat…and in fact gaining weight.  It’s not the failure of the medication, it’s consumer failure. 

Truth be known, the reason people don't lose appreciable weight while taking Orlistat is that the drug DOES work...it does cause malabsorption of ingested fat.  Yes, the drug does what it is supposed to do, and dietary fat intake will cause nasty anal leakage of fat as well as gas and oily stools.  The modus operandi of the drug is two fold...malabsorb fat and cause behavioral modification.  In an effort to stop the embarrassment of leaking fat...people are supposed to eat less fat.  They should eat less fat and the fat they do consume should be malabsorbed.  Messy...but it should work for weight loss, right?  WRONG. 

Here’s where the doctors Hollywood and Ogden got it wrong….

The problem with Alli or Xenical is that they target fat intake.  The reality is that for over 60% of the population, weight issues are not caused by fat intake...they are caused by excess carbohydrate intake.  Over 60% of the population has the genes for metabolic syndrome with its characteristic over-release of the fat- gain hormone insulin in response to eating carbohydrate foods.

If the millions of people with insulin imbalance (I call this Metabolism B) dutifully pop their Orlistat...and avoid obvious high fat foods to avoid nasty anal fat leakage and gas, they will still consume carbohydrates.  Even healthy carbohydrates like whole grain breads, fresh fruit, legumes, fat free yogurt and milk cause blood sugar to rise and insulin to release.  Over 60% of the population becomes "fat" from over-processing carbohydrate due to an imbalance of the hormone insulin.

The medicine Orlistat can’t help this situation... this medicine will never solve the underlying  problem. 

We need to recognize "Metabolism B"(aka  metabolic syndrome).  Spread the word that most overweight people have insulin imbalance.   They WILL lose weight, keep it off, have energy, cut medication needs for blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, and maintain excellent health following a lifestyle that matches their metabolic needs.

The lifestyle program written expressly for the millions with insulin imbalance (Metabolism B) is in The Metabolism Miracle.  Read more at www.themetabolismmiracle.com.

 

http://www.stonehearthnewsletters.com/those-unpleasant-orlistat-side-effects-are-not-the-drugs-fault-they-are-your-fault/health-care-ethics/

 

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The Biggest Natural Disaster in US History is Upon Us. Save Yourself and Your Loved Ones.

Enough with the costly research studies that provide shocking headlines such as this one:  “2 out of 3 very obese kids already have Heart Disease Risk Factors.”

Study after study confirms that the majority of Americans (from our children through our elders) have become the fattest, sickest people in the history of time.  We “require” the most prescription medications as our health care costs have skyrocketed into the trillions of dollars/year.  We are fueling trillion dollar businesses…with our declining health and ultimately paying with our lives.


We don’t need more studies to point this out.  We get it.

What we need is for our government, medical associations,  universities, medical community,  and our children’s schools….to educate the population and focus attention on a health issue that over 60% of Americans have…along with the diet and activity program that can start solving our weight and weight related health epidemics….starting TODAY.


This is a fact:  The majority of those who become overweight, obese,  those who go on to a diagnosis of pre diabetes or type 2 diabetes, who have nutrition-related cardiovascular disease ….all these people…have a quiet underlying metabolic problem that most are not aware of.

They don’t realize that the diet recommendations that are agreed upon by the government, medical associations, schools, food manufacturers to promote weight loss, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and prevent diabetes is the very diet prescription that PROMOTES WEIGHT GAIN, OBESITY, AND DIABETES.


The name of this underlying metabolic condition is “metabolic syndrome.”  It has also been called Syndrome X.  I call it “Metabolism B.”  Why Met B?  To make it simple.  It’s that easy to distinguish if a person has what has been known as normal metabolism (Met A) or is suffering from lack of knowledge regarding another “type” of metabolism (Met B).  It’s that simple.  Really, it is.

A person has Met A or Met B.  About 40% of people have Met A.  About 60% of people have the genetic predisposition to Met B. Met B is progressive.  And Met B is the type of metabolism that, if uncontrolled, leads to overweight, obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, triglycerides, hypertension, and some cancers  (including breast cancer).

Uncontrolled Met B is fueling the epidemics of obesity and diabetes, has cranked up the US’s dependence on pharmaceuticals/prescriptions, and is leading our country into staggering medical debt.


There is a solution for the millions of people with metabolic syndrome.  The solution does not require medication.  It requires 3 things:  Knowledge of the problem, factual information about how to control  the problem, and making good lifestyle choices while leading a “liveable” lifestyle that matches this metabolism.

Metabolic syndrome (Met B)  is genetic and progressive. A child is born with the genes for metabolic syndrome, and then the "stressors" of life...inactivity, stress, and  high carb intake push the button and the child progresses to have midline fat deposits, overweight/obesity, high cholesterol , hypertension, and even type 2 diabetes as a child. His/her parents are most likely living with the same metabolic disturbance.


Unfortunately, the medical community (in the 1960's) decided to treat metabolic syndrome with a low calorie, low fat, low cholesterol diet.  I’m not even going to ponder why this avenue was chosen, but I do know that we were "told" by the medical establishment that our cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, and blood sugar were the result of excess calories, excess saturated fat, excess cholesterol,  and inactivity.

Food companies went into high gear concocting low calorie, low fat everything: low fat mayonnaise, ice cream, salad dressings,  sugar free candy, cookies, cakes, low calorie frozen foods,  fat free potato chips.  A  food pyramid was designed to focus on low calorie, low fat carbohydrate foods like grains, fruit, non fat milk, juice, cereal, yogurt, breads, legumes…. (all carbohydrate foods at the base of that pyramid).

After the the high profile promotion of the low calorie, low fat, low cholesterol diet as the way to prevent overweight, heart disease, and diabetes…. the epidemics of obesity and diabetes took off!


Truth be known, this low fat, low calorie diet is about 50-55% carbohydrate (sometimes more).   For the millions with Met B, this style diet is a recipe for disaster.  Why?  The root underlying metabolic flaw for those with the genes for metabolic syndrome is INSULIN IMBALANCE and a  diet of  low fat, low calorie carbohydrate foods  flips the switch on metabolic syndrome’s root problem….insulin over-release, insulin imbalance, and insulin resistance.

Think about it….the low fat, low cholesterol, low calorie diet is really a HIGH CARB DIET.  The majority of people who will struggle with weight and weight related health issues cannot tolerate a high carbohydrate diet.  It will force them to over release the fat gain hormone insulin release making them fatter on their body and in their blood.  The longer they remain on a low fat, high carb diet, the fatter and sicker they will get.  In other words, the harder they try “to lose weight and get healthy”…the sicker they become….the more medication they will require…the more doctors visits (specialists, too) will be needed!


There is a ready and available solution to this disaster.  Obesity and weight (insulin)related health issues triggered by obesity is our greatest “natural disaster.”  It is very easy to determine if a person has Metabolism A (they can maintain health and wellness on the traditional low fat, low cholesterol, low calorie diet) or Metabolism B (they can attain and maintain health and wellness on a program designed for their special metabolic needs).  The answer is found in routine labwork.  It’s not a matter of opinion, it is a matter of fact if you have Met A or Met B.

For the 60% of the population suffering from overweight, obesity, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood pressure, diabetes, the solution is available today


I have spent over 15 years researching, developing, designing, and writing  and releasing the health and wellness program that will turn around the epidemics of obesity and diabetes.  I personally worked with over 6000 patients and have the data to prove that its success.  The program has been available to the public since April, 2009.  It has been reviewed by Harvard’s Nutrition Committee and the New England Journal of Medicine.  It is now followed around the world and is licensed in 7 languages.  It works.

I am saddened that the AMA, ADA, and Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is not strongly recommending the core lifestyle program behind The Metabolism Miracle and now The Diabetes Miracle.  They know that it works.


 If research money for finding the answer to the obesity/diabetes epidemics  should go anywhere, it should go into a large scale study that will prove that this program is the answer we’ve been looking for so that we can provide this information to the US and the world.

For those who  don’t want to wait for the government, medical institutions, universities, etc.  to decide to share this information (it will significantly reduce the need for medications and health care dollars)….you can start improving your health today.

The results will be objective…. In black and white.  The program will predict the target range of fat pounds lost every 8 weeks, the inches lost that will match the fat pounds lost.  You will see major marked improvement in your blood glucose, total cholesterol, LDL and HDL cholesterol, blood pressure, triglycerides,  and vitamin D. Your energy will skyrocket.  Your medication requirements will dramatically decrease.   All this will become evident within 8 weeks…and the program keeps on working.

When you reach your desired weight, are on as little medication as possible, have normal lab work, and love the way you look and feel, there is a maintenance “way of life” that keeps you there.


The cost?  The cost of a paperback book…under 11 dollars… The Metabolism Miracle by Diane Kress, RD CDE  (also on Kindle or in hardcover)    http://www.amazon.com/The-Metabolism-Miracle-Control-Permanently/dp/0738213861/ref=tmm_pap_title_0

Need support?  For 20 cents/day there is a support site where I personally answer your questions , there are videos, recipes, tips, Forums, 24/7 chat with other Met B’s, and the best support you have ever seen for a lifestyle.  Miracle-Ville.com  is the place where those following the Metabolism Miracle lifestyle can meet for support, information, and one on one help.  20 cents/day.    www.miracle-ville.com.


We can do this on our own.  We don’t have to wait to be spoon fed the information twenty five years from now when the government and medical associations agree that the Metabolism Miracle is the answer. By that time, hundreds of millions more will die and suffer from the ramifications of uncontrolled metabolic syndrome.

Let’s make history now.

American Heart Association and American Diabetes Association take a BABY Step linking sugar to heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. At this rate, these deadly epidemics won't be stopped until the next century!

Click here to read the article

I am happy to see focus by the AHA and ADA on the sugar content of foods (specifically the content of sugar in soft drinks)...but they are focusing on only one small area of the macronutrient that is the primary cause of the obesity and type 2 diabetes epidemic today.  A high carbohydrate diet not only triggers weight gain in over 60% of the population, but also causes increased blood sugar, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, midline adiposity, visceral fat stores, fatty liver,  depression, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, breast/colon/skin/prostate cancer, and more. 

Stop the focus on calories, already.  The health problems that plague the majority of Americans are not related to calorie intake as much as they are related to the SOURCE of those calories.  And it’s not only sugar!  All carbohydrate foods change directly into blood sugar.  As blood sugar rises, it triggers the release of the fat gain hormone, insulin.  Millions of people who have the genetic propensity for over-release of insulin (over 60% of those who struggle with weight) gain weight and get fat on their body and in their blood from excess insulin response to ALL carbohydrate foods!  Sugar is just ONE source of carbohydrate.  At this rate, it will take the AHA and ADA until the next century to get to the “heart” of the matter…..the diet protocol that is already available in The Metabolism Miracle and The Diabetes Miracle.

Yes, sugar sweetened beverages are 100% carbohydrate.  A 12 ounce regular soda contains about 45 grams of net carbohydrate grams.  But, 12 ounces of orange juice, 12 ounces of grapefruit juice, a hard roll, a regular sandwich wrap,  the crust of a slice of pizza, about 1 cup of cooked pasta,  about 1 cup of rice, or  a restaurant sized baked  potato also contain 45 grams of carbohydrate.  If eliminating soda due to its carb content will decrease the epidemics of obesity and diabetes, we will have to eliminate other foods like soda that break 100% into blood sugar.

So....when we focus our attention squarely on added sugars....we are pigeon-holing the problem.  Yes, it is a step in the right direction....but why not let the cat out of the bag and get it over with?  Tell the American public the whole truth.  The traditional diet that has been promoted and prescribed for over 60 years for overweight, diabetes, hypertension, and cholesterol issues; the low calorie, low fat, low cholesterol diet DOES NOT WORK for the majority of dieters.  And, worse yet, this style of diet is ramping up the epidemics exponentially.

Research missed the mark back in the 1950's and 1960's.  The assumption was that our expanding waists, increasing blood lipids, blood pressure, and blood sugar were due to the fat in our diet.  The researchers and medical associations chose the wrong path almost 60 years ago.  The result?  Epidemics of overweight/obesity/diabetes.   It is now time to admit the error and clean up the mess.  The truth is...the comorbidities of metabolic syndrome are due to excess carbohydrate intake (all types of carbohydrates) PLUS our inactive lifestyle.  


I'm sure it will not be easy for the major medical associations to admit that they advised hundreds of millions of people incorrectly....that the diet protocol recommended for weight and diabetes was just not right and it needs to be changed ASAP. How about this?  Just tell the public that research has proven that the low fat, low calorie diet is appropriate for about 40% of overweight people, but will not work for the majority of those suffering from weight and weight related health issues.  


Medicine and science are dynamic fields and new information and research points us in the right direction to update and change our theories and guidelines accordingly.  Just say it was the latest research that lead you to the right diet prescription...but say something.  People are dying for lack of accurate information.

If you are interested in learning more about this topic and gaining control of your weight, health, and well-being....www.themetabolismmiracle.com.  The lifestyle program that can and will the epidemics of obesity, metabolic heart disease, and type 2 diabetes already exists.  It is available today in The Metabolism Miracle or for those with pre diabetes or type 2 diabetes, The Diabetes Miracle.  ***Guaranteed to be the programs the ADA and AHA promote by the turn of the next century.

Take good care of yourself. 

Another Dr. Oz “Magic Pill”….Green Coffee Bean Extract

Another Dr. Oz Show topic makes “The Whistle Blog.”   What is he promoting now?  Well, not surprisingly, another dietary supplement.  This time the “miracle pill” and “magic pill”  (he used these two adjectives to describe the supplement)  is GREEN COFFEE EXTRACT.  Let’s talk reality about this “amazing discovery.”


Green coffee beans are coffee beans before they are roasted. Once roasted, they turn the characteristic brown color of coffee.  Green coffee beans are a very good source of chlorogenic acid.

Chlorogenic acid (CGA) is one of the most abundant polyphenols and antioxidants in the human diet.  Major food sources include coffee, blueberries, grapes, apples, sunflower seeds, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, Chinese parsley, eggplant.

Although it is present in many commonly consumed foods, it is considered a poorly absorbed dietary polyphenol.

On Dr. Oz’s program promoting green coffee bean extract, he spoke of the “staggering study” that showed proof of CGA’s miracle weight loss ability.

The “Staggering Study”:

****The study was funded by Applied Food Sciences, which makes the green coffee antioxidant supplement.

The findings were presented at “The American Chemical Society” in San Diego?????

Number of participants in the “staggering study?”   16

Length of the study? 12 weeks

Did  the study represent adults of all ages?  The participants were 22-46 years of age

Location of the study? Although the study is presented as being conducted by the University of Scranton, the study was actually conducted in India.  The study was led by Joe Vinson, professor of chemistry at the University of Scranton, Scranton, Pa.

Quote from Joe Vinson, professor of chemistry at the University of Scranton, “We don’t think it’s the caffeine in it.”

What was the weight status of study participants….”they were obese.”  “They did not change their diet during the course of the study...  average 2400 calories/day. They WERE physically active burning over 400 calories/day with exercise”.*  

***Please note that 2400 calories/day with a 400 calorie exercise burn is not a typical intake for an obese adult. A 2400 calorie dietary intake with 400 calories of exercise burn is typically a weight loss diet for an obese adult.”

Another Vinson quote: Vinson can’t say for sure why the coffee bean extract seems to help weight loss.  He suspects “one explanation is the unroasted beans’ chlorogenic acid.”

The Whistle Conclusion:

There does not appear to be any strong evidence that taking green coffee bean extract.   Dr. Oz’s guest recommends 800mg twice a day (nice income for Applied Food Sciences, the company who funded this study).  I’ve read that caution should be used in consuming green coffee bean extracts as they may contain high levels of caffeine as well.

I’ve also read some information about a 2006 study in which green coffee bean extract in a very low dose (140 mg) administered to hypertensive subjects resulted in a significant reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels, without any observed side effects.  Dr. Oz’s guest presenter recommended 1600mg/day.

When the dust settles and all is said and done, green coffee extract may be a great antioxidant like the antioxidants in many other fruits and vegetables.  Does there appear to be any reason to start using it regularly at this point?  No.  Was this a staggering study?  No.  Is green coffee extract a “miracle pill” or “magic pill” (Dr. Oz quotes).  No 

Raisins three times a day will lower blood sugar? Twisted study recommendations can actually promote type 2 diabetes!

At the ADA's 2012 scientific sessions, the "Raisin Board" presented study results they claimed showed that eating raisins 3 times/day could actually lower post prandial blood glucose...Hand picked study participants guaranteed that result....

CLICK HERE to read the published article

If the information I provide in this post continues to be withheld from the American public, millions of people's short and long term health, well-being, and lives will continue to be at stake.

The fact that this research study -claiming that purposely choosing raisins for the positive effect they have on lowering postprandial blood glucose rather than other snack foods...and suggesting that raisins be consumed 3 times/day ...is a misrepresentation of research findings as well as a disgrace. Why?

RAISINS ARE A CONCENTRATED SOURCE OF SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATE. A ONE OUNCE INDIVIDUAL SIZE BOX OF RAISINS CONTAINS 22 GRAMS OF CARB, 20 GRAMS OF WHICH ARE SIMPLE SUGAR. THAT IS THE EQUIVALENT OF 5 PACKS OF SUGAR!

Please read on to understand what this means...and then write to the ADA and ask for The Metabolism Miracle and information about Metabolism B be made available to the public….now.

Over 110 million Americans have pre diabetes or type 2 diabetes. Millions more have metabolic syndrome (a compilation of medical maladies based in insulin imbalance including hypertension, hyperlipidemia (LDL and triglycerides), midline adiposity and increased visceral fat deposits, and blood glucose aberrations. If metabolic syndrome is left uncontrolled, it progressively leads to pre diabetes and type 2 diabetes.

I have coined the term “Metabolism B” (or Met B) to describe the genetic predisposition to excess insulin release and eventual insulin resistance in people on the path to metabolic syndrome. When I see a patient with fasting blood glucose between 90-99mg/dL inclusive, I tell them they have “Met B”. Metabolism B is the precursor to metabolic syndromeà pre diabetesà type 2 diabetes. If a person’s fasting glucose is over 89mg/dL, they are on the road to or have already begun metabolic syndrome. Just take a look at their progressively increasing blood pressure, belly fat, LDL, triglycerides, and blood glucose.

What is the underlying metabolic flaw in those with Met B? Their pancreas releases EXCESS INSULIN RELEASE in response to a rise in blood sugar from both carbohydrate foods and the liver’s release of glycogen.

If a person with Met B consumes a high concentration of carbohydrate, their pancreas over –releases insulin. Excess insulin causes blood sugar to DECREASE. An ironic twist for those in the beginning stages of uncontrolled Met B is that they often have LOW hemoglobin A1C levels because their excess insulin is causing them to have LOWER than normal average blood sugar.

If you repeatedly present a person with Met B high concentrations of concentrated carb, their pancreas will eventually fatigue from over-work. This is when Met B progresses to pre diabetes. If the assault on the pancreas from excess carb continues, pre diabetes progresses to irreversible type 2 diabetes.

That the ADA does not recognize this information is neglectful and the over 100 million Americans with pre diabetes and type 2 diabetes should hold the ADA liable for withholding scientifically proven and medically indicated information that can save people’s health and lives.

Please note that this study was purposely set up to include people with Met B! Everyone had fasting glucose between 90-100mg/dL. This way, when their blood glucose was tested post prandially, the majority would have a lower reading than if you gave them an alternate snack. High amount of simple sugar = high amount of insulin = lower blood sugar. So, it appears that the raisins are magically doing wonderful things to blood sugar when in fact they are provoking excess insulin ….a fat gain hormone.

I will not rest until this information is common knowledge from coast to coast. The program designed to stop the progression of Metabolism B to pre diabetes to type 2 diabetes is in The Metabolism Miracle (for the millions with Met B or pre diabetes) and The Diabetes Miracle (for those with pre diabetes or type 2 diabetes.

Read more about Met B at :
www.themetabolismmiracle.com or www.thediabetesmiracle.com.

Knowledge is power and I will never stop advocating for those with Met B, pre diabetes, type 2 diabetes. I’m not only a Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator, and author of the only books written to control this epidemic…I am also a person with diabetes.

The "Real" Skinny on the Long Term Results of Obesity Surgery!

Click here to read the article

Imagine finding yourself 150# OVER weight.  Your desired weight is 150# and you weigh 300#.  You’ve tried everything throughout the years to lose weight, and to no avail.  Diet after diet fails and you ultimately gain even more weight after the diet du jour ends.

You run into an acquaintance you haven’t seen after a year and are stunned to see that she has lost close to 100#.  What?  You find out that she has had gastric bypass surgery.  She looks and feels great.  You are mesmerized.  If she can “do it”…you can “do it, too.” 

You find that there are two main types of obesity surgery: Gastric banding and Gastric bypass.  You want to have one of the procedures done, but you want to know which will be most effective.  This is what researchers from Bristol University are seeking to pinpoint and are beginning a research study involving 700 participants. 

Read on to discover some very interesting “insider” information on obesity surgery…and then vote with your conclusions!

Which type of obesity surgery is best?  If the study organizers are really interested in assessing the results of the surgeries, I truly believe they have the time line set one year too soon. 

 I have worked with gastric bypass/banding patients on a one-on-one basis for over 15 years.  I counsel them before and after the procedure.  I have kept data on thousands of patients.  I can conclude that the outcome line should be set at the end of year 4 post surgery.  Why?  By the end of the 4th year, more than 50% of patients will experience weight regain...and some have regained all their lost weight, are back on all their previous medications, and return to the exact health picture the surgery was supposed to eliminate.

Lap band surgery

An inflatable silicone band is placed around the top portion of the stomach minimizing stomach capacity to 1/2 cup. ( A normal stomach can hold 6-8 cups.  Banding does not rewire the GI tract.  Stomach acid is still present in the bottom portion of the stomach.  The band is supposed to minimize over-eating.  If the patient eats one bite over the "cap", he will vomit up the contents of the pouch...and in this motion, acid will also pass through the pouch and into the esophagus.  The band causes a feeling of extreme fullness after eating just 1/2 cup of food (think of the feeling after Thanksgiving dinner).  One more bite and....out it comes.  The surgeons I worked with called this procedure "extreme behavioral modification." 

As with many things, sometimes behavioral modification causes new behaviors to surface.  Patients quickly realize that liquid and semi solid/soft foods pass right through the band and can be consumed comfortably without vomiting.  You get the picture.  Also...many small meals through the day and night (ultra grazing) can add up to LOTS of calories/day. 

In the end: success depends on following a diet and exercising WITH the band.  Success is not all that great by the end of year 4 and most patients return to their previous weight or have had the band removed.  (If you have GERD, no banding for you as the problem will worsen.)

GASTRIC BYPASS

GASTRIC BYPASS is a much different  story,  although if the researchers wait until after the 4th year post op, they will note that MANY patients who took this very significant leap have regained or are on their way to regaining their weight, medications have returned, and health issues are coming back into play.

With bypass we have the surgical trifecta:

 Part one: The stomach is stapled in 2 parts.  The top pouch is left at about 2 ounces in capacity (after 1 year will expand to about 1 cup) and the stomach acid remains in the bottom part.  This might sound like a benefit as it can no longer reach the espophagus and cause inflammation/irritation, but it also can't help digest foods.

Part two:  the small intestine's duodenum and first part of the jejunum are bypassed.  These are vital areas of digestion and absorption for many essential vitamins/minerals and ....calories.  So, in bypassing this part of the intestine, the person will never absorb nutrition to its fullest.  If vitamins/minerals are not religiously taken, serious vitamin/mineral deficiencies will occur.

Part three:  the intestine that is left is reattached to the bottom of the 2 ounce pouch.  Food passes from the stomach pouch (without the pre-digestion from acid) into a lower portion of the intestine (without begin broken down by many enzymes and with nutrition still intact...never to be absorbed). 

I'm sure you can see how MAJOR this "permanent" surgery is.



Carnie Wilson before gastric bypass, after gastric bypass, and now

Check on these patients AFTER the 4th years and you will find that more than half who initially lost weight are steadily regaining or have already regained their weight, are back on meds, are becoming the person they were prior to the rewire.

I'm sure it's obvious that in terms of weight loss, the gastric bypass is going to come out "on top" in comparing gastric banding vs gastric bypass. The band is just a band around the stomach making it difficult to eat over 1/2 cup without vomiting. The bypass involves a total rewiring of the GI tract PLUS minimizes the amount of food that can be ingested.

What I was shocked to find was that even after the gastric bypass, after the 4th years, more than half the patients were well on their way to regaining weight or had already regained their lost weight. Remember, they are "rewired". How and why does this happen?

My belief is that after the stomach pouch stretches to its new maximum (at about the one year mark post surgery), it can accommodate enough carbohydrate to stimulate the pancreas to return to over-releasing the fat gain hormone insulin. MANY patients who become morbidly obese have underlying insulin imbalance. When their pouch is at the 2 ounce mark, and they are encouraged to eat mostly protein and veggies, they do not suffer from over insulin release. After about a year, there is enough room in the stomach to accommodate protein AND significant portions of carb foods and therein lies the problem. It becomes possible to eat bread, pasta, potatoes, cereals, snack crackers...and in fact...it's comfortable once again

I feel very sorry for patients who undergo gastric bypass surgery and all it entails, who watch themselves lose over 100 pounds, get off many medications, look and feel great...only to watch while the pounds creep back on....for what seems to be "no reason".

Ultimately, I have to tell these patients that they will need to once again "diet." The diet will be the core program from the Metabolism Miracle or Diabetes Miracle.  I now tell patients contemplating gastric bypass that they might consider opting for living the Metabolism Miracle lifestyle before having surgery.  Several patients lost significant weight and did not opt to have the surgery.  They are now at their desired weight.  In either case…whether they have the surgery or not…over 50% will need to live the core program from Metabolism Miracle to maintain weight loss.  Surgeons are NOT telling their patients this! 

I would love to get the word out to these patients that if they have metabolism B,  gastric bypass surgery will help them lose a large amount of weight in a short period of time and get off many medications. They will look and feel great. But one year after the surgery, they will need to begin following The Metabolism Miracle program and make this their lifestyle. In this way, they will get where they need to be...and stay there.

What I have seen happen is that because they were never fore-warned, they are blamed for regaining weight.  The surgeon states he/she “has no idea why they are regaining” as the surgery was done correctly.  The patient is back to feeling like a failure, when he was really not informed.

I hope this article INFORMS and helps those who have had the procedure and are now regaining to understand why and to realize that there is a way to stop the gain.

For more information on Metabolism B: www.themetabolismmiracle.com.

"Blow the Whistle"  Please answer the Whistle Question!

Michelle Obama’s “Improved” School Lunch Program

QUESTION: Will the changes to the Federal School Lunch Program make a difference in childhood obesity?  

Michelle Obama’s campaign to end childhood obesity involves revamping the Federal School Lunch Program based on new USDA Guidelines.  Those guidelines – introduced as "historic improvements" by the federal government – are championed by First Lady Michelle Obama as part of her Let's Move! Campaign and signed into law by President Barack Obama.  The new “rules” for what constitutes a healthy lunch determine what is served in the schools and what students are allowed to bring from home.   

CHECK OUT the following 3 articles on the topic and Blow the Whistle at the end!

SCHOOL LUNCH POLICE

Article #1:  http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/homemade-lunch-replaced-with-cafeteria-nuggets.html#.TzyFTutFNAs.twitter

A four year old child in Hoke County, NC was forced to eat a school lunch because a government inspector determined her home-made lunch did not meet USDA requirements. 

The child’s mother sent her to school with a lunch consisting of a turkey and cheese sandwich on whole grain bread, a banana, potato chips, and apple juice.  You might assume that the lunch was berated because of the inclusion of potato chips.  This was not the case.

The state's Department of Health and Human Services requires that all lunches served to pre-kindergarten students -- whether from school or home -- meet USDA meal guidelines of one serving each of meat, milk and grain, and two servings of fruit or vegetables. The regulations also state that if meals or snacks brought from home do not meet nutritional requirements outlined in the "Meal Patterns for Children in Child Care," the school "must provide additional food necessary to meet those requirements."

A state inspector assessing the pre-K program at the school said the girl also needed a vegetable, so the inspector ordered a full school lunch tray for her. While the four-year-old would still allowed to eat her home lunch, the girl was forced to take a helping of chicken nuggets, milk, a fruit and a vegetable to supplement her sack lunch.  The child’s mother was billed $1.25 for the “replacement” lunch containing the chicken nuggets. (yes, chicken nuggets).

The student’s mother told the Journal she received a note from the school about the incident and was charged $1.25 for the cafeteria tray, from which her daughter ate three chicken nuggets. The note explained how students who did not bring “healthy lunches” would be offered the missing portions and that parents could be charged for the cost of the cafeteria food, the Journal reports. 

The mother, who lives in Fayetteville, sent a statement to state Rep. G.L. Pridgen (R-Robeson) detailing her complaint. Pridgen says he was shocked to hear it. Pridgen has since learned this is a nationwide practice based on federal guidelines.

An assistant to Pridgen says the girl’s grandmother was also upset and asked, “This isn’t China, is it?”

The mother, who was not identified in the report, expressed concerns about school officials telling her daughter that she wasn’t “packing her lunch box properly.”

The mother says her daughter doesn't like vegetables and - like most four year olds - will only eat them at home under close supervision.

The mother says the girl was so intimidated by the inspection process that she was too scared to eat her homemade lunch. The girl ate only 3 chicken nuggets provided to her by the school, so she still didn't eat a vegetable. 

Tater Tots, French Fries, Pizza…..The USDA’s Answer to the Childhood Obesity

Article #2: : http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/26/us/politics/new-school-lunch-rules-aimed-at-reducing-obesity.html?_r=1

The Obama Administration announced long awaited changes to government subsidized school meals…and promised to increase fruits and green vegetables and reduce salt and fat. 

The initial proposal called for reducing starchy foods like tater tots, french fries, onion rings, pizza  (all very high in salt and fat) from school lunches.  The miniscule amount of tomato paste on a slice of pizza could not be counted as a vegetable.

The food industry retailiated!  They lobbied and won a vote in Congress to block the administration from carrying out an earlier proposal that would have reduced starchy foods like potatoes and prohibited schools from counting a small amount of tomato paste on a slice of pizza as a vegetable. Under the latest rules, potatoes are not restricted, and tomato paste can qualify as a vegetable serving.

The rules were announced by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Michelle Obama at Parklawn Elementary School in Alexandria, Va.  School lunch would contain a serving of meat, whole grain, two fruit/veggies, and milk.  Home lunches would also have to contain these components.

Representatives of the food industry also approved.

“From our perspective, the new rules improve school nutrition, but at the same time give schools the flexibility to serve a variety of foods to meet the standards,” said Corey Henry, vice president for communications of the American Frozen Food Institute. “It’s a balanced approach that meets the goals of everyone involved.” 

The National Potato Council, which had opposed the attempts to limit the serving of potatoes, said that it was pleased with the new rules but that it still had some concerns.

“Despite the fact that Congress said the U.S.D.A. could not limit potatoes in school lunches or breakfast, we still feel like the potato is being downplayed in favor of other vegetables in the new guidelines,” said Mark Szymanski, a spokesman for the council. “It seems the department still considers the potato a second-class vegetable

Earlier versions of the proposal met with political opposition because they would have cut the amount of potatoes served, a move not popular with lawmakers from potato-growing states. It would also have required schools to put more than a quarter-cup of tomato paste on a slice of pizza for it to count as a vegetable serving, an idea food service companies opposed as unappetizing. And the rules would have halved the amount of sodium in school meals gradually over 10 years. (the food manufacturers warned that if sodium was reduced, the “food wouldn’t taste as good.”)

A group of farm state senators, led by Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, blocked those earlier rules. Ms. Collins, who once worked on a potato farm, said the proposal to limit potatoes was overly restrictive.

The American Frozen Food Institute was concerned about the previous guidelines’ restrictions on sodium levels and the amount of tomato paste required to qualify as a vegetable serving.

The institute backed the latest rules, which continue to allow about a quarter-cup of tomato paste on a slice of pizza to count as a vegetable serving.

LAUSD Students Roundly Reject Healthier School Lunch Menu

Article #3:   http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/01/19/lausd-students-roundly-reject-healthier-school-lunch-menu/

The Los Angeles Unified School District has received government awards and commendations for the revamping of their school lunch program to meet recommendations to end childhood obesity with new USDA guidelines for the Federal School Lunch Program.

This is the second largest school district in the nation.  They changed their program to include vegetarian curries, vegetarian tamales, quinoa salads, and pad Thai noodles.  Students are throwing their school lunches in the trash can by the thousands. 

Initially, the school banned chocolate and strawberry flavored milk.  Now, the LA  Times reports cartons of plain milk are being thrown away en masse, unopened, along with uneaten entrees.

Participation in the school lunch program has dropped by thousands of students, who are ditching lunch and are suffering from hunger-related ailments.

 The complaints have been heard and the “award winning” district is planning changes to the menu, the Times reports. Burgers and pizza are coming back, and dishes like quinoa salads and brown rice cutlets are out.

The Whistle…Diane Kress’ position:

Every first lady has at least one personal “cause” that she devotes much time and energy to, and can even influence government programs to support.  Michelle Obama chose a very relevant cause:  Championing healthier diet and lifestyle for America’s children to stop the obesity epidemic.

The Federal School Lunch Program has long been under scrutiny for providing funding for school lunches that included full fat chocolate milk, full fat cheeses, high fat ground beef, canned vegetables, fruit canned in syrup, etc.  For many American children, school lunch is the only meal the child eats on a daily basis.  It sounded like a great plan to “improve” school lunch to provide more nourishing food and teach about good nutrition through example.

The preceding three articles show what happened when the plan was implemented.  The first article describes the plight of a four year old whose mom packed a reasonably healthy lunch.  Because it was missing a vegetable (that the child would not eat anyway), her homemade lunch had to be supplemented with school lunch….chicken nuggets.  No where could I find the other foods that were on that tray, but it’s a good bet that French Fries accompanied those nuggets.

Is it the government’s place to determine what you must provide your children to eat , to force food choices that you, as the parent, did not provide….and bill you for this service? 

I can’t see how providing the Chicken nugget lunch is going to curb childhood obesity, can you?

The second article shows how the food industry got its hands into the mix…..lobbying and getting Congress to change the original plan that would have eliminated fries, tator tots, onion rings, and pizza as vegetable choices.  The food industry also reneged on cutting sodium in the foods saying they won’t taste as good with less salt.

Obviously, the original plan to increase fruits and veggies as well as decrease salt and fat is not part of the finalized program.

 I can’t see how counting deep fried, salted starchy potatoes, onions, and pizza sauce as veggies is going to curb childhood obesity, can you?

The third article goes right to the source, the second largest School Lunch Program in the country, a lunch program that received accolades for the great changes they made in school lunch, is going back to fries, pizza, burgers after the “new and improved” health school lunch failed miserably.  Remember, this program was considered the best of the best.

I can’t see how reverting to the past school lunch choices is going to curb childhood obesity, can you?

My position:  Why is it that when Americans think about getting healthy, they immediately think “weird” food choices.  How many children, preteens, teens are going to enjoy their lunch time rice burger with a side of quinoa?  Why not take school lunch….a normal school lunch…and make it healthier. 

All the bread, rolls, breading made from whole wheat or whole grain

Pasta: whole grain

Rice: brown

Fruit: fresh or packed in water/fruit juice

Veggies: fresh or frozen, seasoned for flavor

Meats: lean chicken, beef, turkey, pork, fish….not deep fried

Natural peanut butter

Eggs

Low fat yogurt, milk, cheese

Pizza with whole grain crust and low fat cheese

Salad or salad bar with light dressings

Oven “fried” replaces deep fried foods

Let’s keep it simple but make it work!  Changing recipes to make them healthier is not rocket science.  Improving school lunch is not about changing everything over to “foreign looking, sounding, tasting” foods.  Most kids are not interested in developing their palate…they want to eat the type of foods they like.  All the “healthy” food isn’t worth a thing if it ends up in the trash.  To say we are providing healthy food is totally different from the children actually consuming the healthy food.

We should focus on food choices kids are accustomed to seeing at lunch….but improve on their nutritional content and composition.  In the student’s eyes, their lunch can still look like typical lunch food favorites, but quietly these foods could be prepared to be lower in carb, salt, fat.  Simple changes would absolutely impact the health of our children, and get them on track for a future of healthier food choices.

Instead of forging ahead as if the revamped National School Lunch program is working...the administration should learn a lesson from the first attempt and make real, effective change a reality.  It’s not as hard as you might think..if the childrens’ health and well-being trumps  outside financial interests.  Lesson learned.