viernes, 28 de octubre de 2011

Zumba brings the dance party into the health club

Zumba, the Latin-inspired dance workout that is more like a wild party scene than a strict exercise regiment, has salsaed into the top 10 fitness trends for the coming year, according to a report being released Thursday by the American College of Sports Medicine.

"Zumba has experienced a rapid surge in popularity in the past year, but we'll see if it's a trend or just a fad," says lead author Walter Thompson , a professor of exercise science at Georgia State University.

The survey, conducted since 2007, is designed to identify trends in areas ranging from career opportunities to groups of people being targeted to specific workouts and to help the fitness industry make business decisions for the future. ACSM surveyed more than 2,600 fitness professionals to compile the top 20 fitness trends for 2012. A total of 37 potential trends were given as choices.
Top 10 fitness trends:

1. Educated and experienced
2. Strength training
3. Fitness programs for older adults
4. Exercise and weight loss
5. Children and obesity
6. Personal training
7. Core training
8. Group personal training
9. Zumba and other dance workouts
10. Functional fitness (for older adults)

Source: American College of Sports Medicine / usatoday.com


ArturoRodriguez, MD
md@thebariatric.com
http://www.thebariatric.com
http://www.bandstersforum.com
Phone: 011-52-81-8378-3177

sábado, 22 de octubre de 2011

How weight loss may ease an embarrassing problem

Losing weight reduces the risk factors for many diseases, especially cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Shedding just 10 pounds, for example, can lower blood pressure. Weight loss also lowers blood sugar and improves cholesterol levels.

Now, it looks like a new benefit can be added to the list. Losing weight can reduce urinary incontinence in women who are overweight or obese. In a randomized trial funded by the National Institutes of Health, moderate weight loss in a group of heavy women who undertook a six-month diet and exercise program cut the frequency of urinary incontinence episodes by nearly a half.

Urinary incontinence affects more than 13 million women in the United States. It not only causes inconvenience and emotional stress, it also raises the risk of falls, fractures, and nursing home admissions. Obesity has long been associated with urinary leakage in women, but until now, there’s been little research to confirm that losing weight would help reverse the problem — or to suggest how much weight loss would be needed.
The PRIDE study

Investigators with the Program to Reduce Incontinence by Diet and Exercise (PRIDE) at the University of California at San Francisco worked with 338 overweight or obese women (average age 53) who leaked urine at least 10 times per week. Participants were randomly assigned to either an intensive program of diet, exercise, and behavioral modification or to a control group that was instructed in the benefits of weight loss, exercise, and healthy eating but received no training to help them modify their habits.

At the start of the study, subjects were given self-help bladder-control booklets and completed seven-day voiding diaries in which they identified incontinence episodes as stress incontinence (urine leakage with coughing, sneezing, straining, or exercise), urge incontinence (urine leakage after feeling a sudden need to urinate), or other.

The weight-loss group met weekly for six months in one-hour sessions led by experts in exercise, nutrition, and behavior change. They were given a low-calorie (1,200–1,500 calories per day), low-fat diet and told to gradually increase moderate-intensity physical activity up to at least 200 minutes per week. The control group participants met four times in one-hour group sessions.
Research results

After six months, women in the first group had lost an average of 17 pounds and had 47% fewer urinary incontinence episodes; the control group participants lost an average of 3 pounds and reported 28% fewer episodes. A higher proportion of the women in the weight loss group (41%) than in the control group (22%) experienced a 70% or greater drop in the frequency of incontinence episodes. Perhaps not surprisingly, weight-loss participants reported feeling happier about the change in their incontinence, compared with the control group.

The PRIDE investigators acknowledge that their findings may not apply to all women. They selected participants partly because they lacked certain medical conditions and were willing to stick with the behavioral program. Also, it was impossible to “blind” the experiment so that neither participants nor researchers would know which group was receiving the treatment. Nonetheless, the study strongly suggests that weight loss reduces incontinence episodes, possibly by reducing pressure on the bladder and pelvic floor. Understanding this may help women concerned about urinary leakage during exercise to stick with their workouts, knowing that doing so could improve urinary incontinence down the road.

Article taken from www.health.harvard.edu

ArturoRodriguez, MD
md@thebariatric.com
http://www.thebariatric.com
http://www.bandstersforum.com
Phone: 011-52-81-8378-3177

miércoles, 12 de octubre de 2011

Diet before lapband

Why a low Carbs Pre Lap-band Diet is Helpful?

I am used to performing surgery on patients that have not done any pre-operatory diet mainly because many of them can’t follow any kind of diet and by asking for one just increases their stress before surgery.

Long term carbohydrates and fat diets will turn to storage and infiltration of fat into the hepatic cells. Under this condition, the liver total mass will be progressively enlarged to what’s called pre-cirrhotic stage. By this, fat infiltration of the liver and on patients, the liver will remain enlarged during the lapband Surgery, the Gastric sleeve or the Gastric bypass and the working surgical area turns into a tiny space, reduced for errors in placing the instruments in the right position.

Because there is less room to work with also makes it very difficult to see and recognize the structures, to have enough space to do the right sutures and perform a safely procedure unless the surgeon has enough experience to handle these kinds of situations and has the right bariatric instruments to work with.

We don’t know for sure how much the total liver mass will be reduced by one or two weeks with pre op-diet. My personal belief is that will not shrink too much to make a difference and that the surgeon should be able to adapt to all situations.
ArturoRodriguez, MD

md@thebariatric.com
http://www.thebariatric.com
http://www.bandstersforum.com

Phone: 011-52-81-8378-3177.

martes, 11 de octubre de 2011

Getting to know you…

Learn More About your Bariatric Surgeon

Dr. Arturo Rodríguez is a highly skilled, compassionate surgeon with more than 13 years of surgical experience. He is a member of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery and Johnson & Johnson Proctor. He has performed more than 6,500 weight loss surgeries for patients from Mexico and the United States.

Dr. Arturo Rodríguez understands the life-changing effect that Bariatric Surgery can have on an individual, and he is committed to providing long-term support for his patients as they embark on their journey to healthier and happier lives.  Dr. Rodríguez specializes in minimally invasive laparoscopic Gastric Banding Surgery-Lap Band, Gastric Sleeve and Gastric Bypass which greatly reduces scarring and postoperative recovery time.  He is highly skilled in placing and monitoring both the Lap Band and the Realize band, and he personally consults with each one of his patients to determine which procedure best suits their needs. His extensive experience and education also allows him to help patients who suffer from complications of morbid obesity.

Dr. Rodríguez and his professional medical team are dedicated to providing expert care and compassionate support from the first consultation through years of follow-up.  Patients also receive long-term support through follow-up consultations, interaction with Dr. Rodríguez in the online forum and patient reunions held in Monterrey.

To schedule an in-person or online consultation with Dr. Rodríguez and learn more about your weight loss options, you can contact him at:

ArturoRodriguez, MD
md@thebariatric.com
http://www.thebariatric.com
http://www.bandstersforum.com

Phone: 011-52-81-8378-3177.

sábado, 8 de octubre de 2011

Have Lapband surgery for Less in Mexico

Christus Hospital
Mexico has become the best location to obtain surgical operations for less money, especially in the areas of weight loss and plastic surgery. You can have lap band surgery for less in Mexico, yet still enjoy the same level of professionalism, technology, after-surgery care, and state-of-the-art medical facilities.

The Mexicans have developed numerous reputable medical schools in recent years, such as the University of Monterrey, and some of the best Mexican hospitals are located nearby with exceptionally skilled physicians and surgeons. Many American medical students have also obtained their education from this University. In addition to gastric bypass or gastric sleeve surgeries, one of the most common and widely available surgeries in Mexico is the Lapband procedure.

Lapband surgery is also known as gastric band surgery. It is minimally invasive, especially when compared to other types of obesity control methods. The surgery is much safer as well. When comparing the price of this surgery between the United States and Mexico, patients can receive the exact same Lap band procedure in Mexico for up to 70% less than in the states. Despite the lower price, patients are advised to avoid the cheapest clinics.

Blindly placing trust in the least expensive location is not the best idea. Patients should expect to pay somewhere between $7,000 and $12,000 for the lap band or gastric bypass procedure. Avoid going to clinics that quote an extremely low Lapband price. Often, the reason for the deeply discounted price is due to a lack of business, poor reputations, a lack of proper facilities, or a lack of qualified personnel.

Choosing where you will obtain your lap band surgery is a very important decision. Certainly, you can have lapband surgery for less in Mexico, yet you must still make an informed, educated choice between hospitals, clinics and doctors. It is always the best choice to choose full-fledged hospitals for any surgical procedure in Mexico, primarily because they have all the necessary medical equipment and emergency surgical backup if any complications should arise. Good hospitals, such as Christus Health, will have major facilities such as blood banks, XRAY, MRI, and ICU centers. Some of these same hospitals will also have boarding facilities in which patients can stay along with a friend or relative. Finally, large hospitals will also have staff who speak English fluently, which is an important factor when considering a surgical procedure in another country. You need to be able to communicate your desires, your feelings, your pain, and your concerns to your physician or surgeon.