Body Positive

There's a very incorrect idea out there that weight loss surgeries such as gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy are primarily obtained for cosmetic reasons. While there's no getting around the fact that weight has an enormous impact on how people are perceived in our culture, and that losing weight can definitely help people socially, at University Bariatrics we're committed to reminding the public this is serious surgery that is nearly always obtained for solid medical reasons.

We were reminded of the public's misconception of bariatric medicine while reading a post that appeared last week at the Time web site. Writer Trish Harms describes herself as a "body positive feminist." That meant that she had intellectually and emotionally accepted her weight and size as being perfectly okay for her. We don't doubt that the emotional and psychological benefits of this were very real for her.

However, what Ms. Harms found was what those of us in the medical community have long known. Obesity is not just a social issue, it is a medical condition that produces real medical harms. From a doctor's point of view, it's truly immaterial whether larger bodies are attractive or unattractive -- that is truly in the eye of the beholder. What we see are the very real medical harms that obesity causes both to the length and quality of life.

If you come to us for bariatric surgery in Thousand Oaks, you'll find that aesthetic or moral judgments about obesity are the furthest things from our mind. We like to think of ourselves as extremely body positive and we want people to be happy with themselves as they are -- it's just that we also want our patients to be as healthy as possible, also.

Your Health is the Ultimate Christmas Present

It’s a well-known medical fact that severe obesity takes a heavy toll on the body with very serious, often life threating risks. Heart attack and stroke are just a few of the conditions that an obesity individual faces every single day. Though the desire to feel better about how you look is a great motivator for losing weight, the truth is that your health is the most important factor. 

At University Bariatrics we care about your health, and we utilize bariatric surgery to help the severely obese obtain a healthy weight because it’s the only method of weight loss that is proven to yield consistent, effective, and long term results. The sleeve gastrectomy procedure, for example, is proven to be a safe operation that offers results that can dramatically increase one's lifespan and improve the quality of life of someone living with severe obesity. In addition to being able to live longer, that life will be more enjoyable without the many ailments associated with severe obesity. These issues affect every area of the body and can make for a truly debilitated daily routine. Consider bariatric surgery in Thousand Oaks to give yourself the best holiday gift possible by investing in your future and a healthier existence. 

Always Consider Every Option!

Many bariatric surgeons, looking to make a name for themselves, brand their practice as the place to go for one specific bariatric procedure. They put forward a single surgery as the best, most "cutting edge" option for their patients, when in reality, every patient is different. At University Bariatrics, we objectively examine every case to determine what is best for the patient, not the doctor. Here are the three major types of bariatric surgery, and depending on your case, any one of them may be right for you.

1. Lap Band - Perhaps the most discussed procedure, the Lap Band involves placing an adjustable band around the entrance to the stomach that limits the amount and speed at which patients eat. While this is the least invasive procedure and is reversible, it does not usually result in as much weight lost as other options.
2. Sleeve Gastrectomy - The gastric sleeve surgery involves removing a portion of the stomach so the patient gets full much faster. This surgery results in moderate weight loss but has a very slight increase in complication risk.
3. Gastric Bypass - The oldest and most documented of the procedures, the gastric bypass involves rerouting the way food is digested away from the stomach so the patient can only eat very small amounts of food at a time. Although this results in the largest amount of weight lost, it is the most invasive. Yet, because it is the oldest, doctors know more about it's risks and benefits than any of the other procedures

If you are considering bariatric surgery in Thousand Oaks, the key to selecting a procedure is talking to your bariatric surgeon to balance the risks and rewards depending on the severity of your obesity.

Research Round-up: Recent Data on Bariatric Surgery

Over the past several months, various studies have come out shining a light on the benefits of bariatric surgery. Here are just a few of the recent developments that illustrate the positive impact that bariatric surgery in Thousand Oaks can have for patients.

1.       Diabetes Remission – A study presented during the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery revealed that sleeve gastrectomy weight loss surgery can help Type 2 diabetes patients become disease-free. Patients with less severe diabetes were found to be more likely to see these benefits.

2.       Diabetes Prevention – According to a study published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology journal, weight-loss surgery reduced the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 80% for pre-diabetic patients over a seven year period.

3.       Systemic Financial Benefits – The UK’s National Health Service wants to promote weight loss surgery after concluding that it’s positive effects on long-term health problems will save the nation billions of dollars in years to come. This financial benefit is not just a cold statistic either. Having to spend less on care is a direct result of happier and healthier nation.

University Bariatrics always recommends that patients do their research before electing any surgical procedure, but it can’t be denied that the facts about weight loss surgery are exceedingly in favor of its benefits.