September 2019 - Lap-band

What is the last thing you ate? What have you eaten in the last 12 hours? Now, can you recall the sensation you felt eating the food?

Chances are, if you’re able to recall everything you ate in the last day or so, you certainly can’t recall how you felt when you ate it. Studies show that, while Americans may spend an average of 2.5 hours eating per day, more than half of that time is spent multitasking. While eating, we’re working, driving, watching television, or mindlessly scrolling Instagram. Most of us aren’t fully mindful of what we’re eating. Some studies suggest that these mindless eating patterns can lead to obesity. Mindful eating can be the change you need to set you on the right path for healthy eating.

When practicing mindful eating, you are focusing on the moment. At the same time, you are acknowledging how you’re feeling, what you’re thinking, and how your body is feeling. You can apply this technique to any food you eat by truly paying attention to every bite you take.

Mindful eating goes further than how you feel during the actual act of eating. The act of being fully attentive to your food involves your food at every level—from purchase, to preparation, to plating, to consumption. In fact, it starts with your grocery list. Are you considering the nutritional value of every item you’re written down for purchase? Are you thinking about how it will make you feel once you’ve consumed it? Will you feel good about serving it?

When it comes to the actual act of eating, think about your appetite. If you’re starving, you’ll want to fill up quickly. That doesn’t give you a whole lot of room to eat slowly and think about what you’re consuming. Being hungry—but not ravenous—will help you dish up a healthy portion. Using a smaller plate is helpful, as it tricks the eye into thinking you’re consuming more than you are. Before digging in, take a minute to appreciate the food and express gratitude. As you eat, be sure to take small bites, chew slowly, and set your utensil down in-between bites; you’ll be able to absorb the full flavor. Make sure all your sense are part of the meal: how the food smells, looks, feels, tastes, and even sounds as you chew it.

In combination with a tool like the Lap-Band® System, which promotes satiety, eating mindfully can be a powerful tool in controlling your eating habits.

Source:

http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/8-steps-to-mindful-eating

If you’ve done any research into the Lap-Band® System, it’s likely that you’ve run across a few myths. It’s understandable to have questions before you take such a leap into your weight-loss journey. It’s time to set the record straight about Lap-Band and erosion rates.

Myth: Lap-Band has a high erosion rate

As with any major surgery, there are risks and the potential for complications. Some risks are associated with the patient’s ability to tolerate a foreign object implant in the body. While band slippage and erosion can happen, the rates aren’t nearly as high as believed. Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin, can contribute to an increased risk of band erosion. They should be used with caution.*

Some people have the wrong impression that all gastric bands are being removed because there is a high rate of erosion. Five-year results of prospectively enrolled patients in a US multi-center registry were published in 2013. Patients with the Lap-Band had a significant drop in their BMI. Among potential complications, the erosion rate was minor at 0.5%. A five-year, results of a multicenter, longitudinal prospective post-approval international study were published in 2015. The results showed that the majority of device-related events were mild (53.2%). The explant rate was 2.7% after the first year, and 5.4% after 54 months. This shows a low explant rate through five years. Study authors concluded that the Lap-Band Procedure is safe and effective for people with a BMI of 30-39.9. Not only did co-morbid health issues improve, patients also reported an improved quality of life. A similar study published in 2018 revealed that, of 3,554 patients, only 114 patients experience erosion of the band into the gastric lumen for a rate of 3.2%.

The upgraded Lap-Band Device and high band placement, as well as an approach that is proven superior, have resulted in fewer complications with the procedure (namely: rates of erosion). Additionally, aftercare maintenance has improved. The explant rate for the Lap-Band AP era is only 5.5% (N = 1896) and the erosion rate is only 0.69% according to studies conducted in 2018.

*Refer to Lap-Band® System Safety Information for more information

Sources:

Safety and Effectiveness of LAP-BAND AP System: Results of Helping Evaluate Reduction in Obesity (HERO) Prospective Registry Study at 1 Year. Cobourn, Chris et al. Journal of the American College of Surgeons, Volume 217, Issue 5, 907 – 918
JB Dixon, L L Eaton, V Vincent, R Michaelson, for the LAPBAND Lower BMI Study Group, LAP-BANDs for BMI 30–40: 5-year health outcomes from the multicenter pivotal study, International Journal of Obesity.
Long-Term Outcomes After Bariatric Surgery: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Weight Loss at 10 or More Years for All Bariatric Procedures and a Single-Centre Review of 20-Year Outcomes After Adjustable Gastric Banding. O’Brien, Paul E. et. Al. Obesity Surgery, Volume 29, Issue 1, pp 3-14 .

Is body acceptance the secret to healthier eating? Some studies suggest that it might be. It can be tough to hear the message over and over about what you should be doing or what you should be eating, especially when they’re advertised as being “easy to follow” tips. You might be feeling defeated because you’re struggling to follow that advice. In that defeated mindset, you actually end up becoming unmotivated rather than motivated. On the flip side, you might be motivated to try unhealthy yo-yo diets that do more harm than good—to your body and your mindset.

Lack of body acceptance and positivity seem to be at the heart of the problem for many individuals who are overweight or obese and struggling to lose excess weight. Hating your body and feeling uncomfortable in it can lead you down a dark, dark path. On one side of the spectrum, you may not feel worthy of losing weight and living in a smaller body, so you will self-sabotage. On the other hand, there is the tendency to start an unhealthy diet, restricting favorite foods and necessary calories. Very quickly, people give up on this type of restrictive diet and find themselves back at square one.

There is the common misconception that body acceptance promotes weight gain and unhealthy eating patterns. That is simply not true. Learning how to appreciate your body and the amazing things it can do at each size has been shown to reduce the dangerous practice of yo-yo dieting and unhealthy weight fluctuation. A healthy view of the body should be adopted in adolescence.

When your desire to lose weight is accompanied by thoughts such as, “I want to feel better,” I want to have more energy,” and “I want that pair of jeans to fit better,” individuals are able to more effectively adjust their food and exercise habits. Losing weight can be a slow-moving process at times, but noticing how much better your body feels as you go throughout the process will keep you motivated and consistent. Making how your body feels a priority can lead to healthier eating and weight loss.

Notice how you talk to yourself on a daily basis. Are you positively encouraging yourself to stay on track, or are you cutting yourself down?

Source:

https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/lisa-rutledge/body-acceptance-health_b_15387546.html