Obesity is a condition characterized by the accumulation of large quantities of fat in the body. This condition drastically increases the risks of health problems. The most important cause for obesity is the intake of larger number of calories than what are usually burned through exercises or other routine activities. One with a BMI (Body Mass Index) more than 25 is considered obese. The primary ways of treating obesity are through exercising regularly and following a healthy diet.

How can Ayurveda help?
Ayurveda is a holistic system of medicine which is free from side effects, unlike conventional methods of treatment. Ayurvedic treatments focus on getting to the root cause of the disorder instead of just focusing on the symptoms. There are multiple remedies in Ayurveda that are effective in controlling obesity. They are:

Restrict your calorie intake: While this may sound easy, it is actually difficult to implement. One of the major reasons for obesity is eating too much. The idea is to avoid overeating, so you need to be aware of your portion size. Eat frequent meals but in smaller quantities; this helps in keeping your metabolic rate elevated, that in turn is a prerequisite for greater fat burning.
Start exercising: Exercise is a great way to burn those extra calories around your middle. The best and simple way to go about it is to start jogging. Low intensity jogging done over a period of time is a great way to burn fat. If you want to gain muscle, then do weight based exercises instead of just doing cardio.
Meditate: The beneficial effects of meditation are well known. Apart from reducing your stress level, it also helps in boosting your focus and concentration. Being stressed can make you eat more and thus gain weight, so meditating on a regular basis can help manage stress effectively.
Get sufficient rest: Sleeping less than 6 hours a day? You are only setting your body for obesity. Not sleeping enough brings about hormonal changes in the body which increase your appetite.
Avoid junk food: Junk food should strictly be avoided as it can make you put on some serious pounds. Instead, opt for healthier food options, but keep in mind the portion sizes.

Obesity - How Ayurvedic Remedies Are Best For It?

When dieting and exercising fail to help an obese person manage their weight, bariatric surgery may be suggested. One of the most popular types of bariatric surgery is a gastric sleeve surgery or sleeve gastrectomy. The main aim of this surgery is to reduce the amount of food that can be consumed in one sitting. It does not affect the amount of nutrients and fats absorbed from the food that has been eaten. A majority of the weight loss resulting from this surgery happens within 12-18 months.

A gastric sleeve surgery is a relatively safe, straightforward and short surgery. Prior to surgery, few patients would have been given a special diet.  This surgery is always  performed laparoscopically popularly known as keyhole route. More than half the outer side of the stomach is removed. The remaining part of the stomach takes the form of a tube. 

Though recovery from any surgery varies from person to person, most patients are able to walk and allowed sips of water by evening. Though certain amount of pain and discomfort is expected, this remains in bearable range with pain killers. Usually liquid diet is advised for 2 weeks followed by soft foods for 4 weeks.

You will notice that you feel fuller much faster and are able to consume a very limited portion of your normal food intake. It is essential to drink plenty of water to remain adequately hydrated and to prevent constipation.

On an average, this surgery can help people lose up to 70% - 100%% of their excess body weight. However, this depends largely on your understanding and compliance of post operative dietary changes. A dietician can also help you make right food choices, decide meal portions and address the right number of meals needed by your body. For long term weight maintenance it is important not to fall back to your earlier lifestyle and to maintain a positive attitude.

Gastric Sleeve Surgery - What Is The Process Of It?

Tummy tuck surgery or Abdominoplasty is a cosmetic plastic surgery procedure which tightens the muscles of your tummy. Loose skin and fat from your abdomen are also removed and as a result, the abdomen gets flat and toned. This surgery is common among women after pregnancy who want to restore their figure. This surgery also assists patients who have lost a large amount of weight in a short time period. Most tummy tuck surgeries are carried out for cosmetic reasons. However, there are certain medical benefits, which are gained after an abdominplasty is carried out. They are enlisted below.

Stress urinary incontinence is reduced: After giving birth, many women develop Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI). This is a bladder control disorder that causes leakage of urine without control when you sneeze, cough or laugh loudly. Usually, this disorder can be treated without having a surgery, but in certain cases a tummy tuck enables speedy recovery in patients who did not have a caesarian section. A slight amount of bladder obstruction is created, which reduces the SUI.
Gives you a better posture and enhanced abdominal tone: The stomach muscles sometimes become distended due to extreme loss of weight or because of pregnancy. A tummy tuck surgery helps in tightening of the weak muscles, removes excess fat and skin and the abdomen gets flattened. After carrying out a tummy tuck, people get an improved posture as the tightened muscles provide better support to the vertebrae.
Correction of ventral hernia: A ventral hernia occurs due to the breake down of intestinal or abdominal tissues through the abdomen walls, and a sack is formed. The causes include abdominal weakness as a result of huge weight loss or previous surgeries.
The symptoms that lead to a ventral hernia correction are similar to the symptoms of a tummy tuck, as both the surgeries rectify abdominal muscles. Once you have a ventral hernia correction, you may need to repeat it again. In case you have this type of surgery, it is recommended that you should also have a tummy tuck done. This might prevent future occurrence as the combined methods leave you in a much safer condition. Medical expenses and recovery time are also reduced.

Tummy tuck surgery is becoming increasingly popular these days. It is a major surgery which requires almost five hours to be completed successfully. A tummy tuck can remove up to ten pounds of fat from a person s abdomen. It takes several weeks to recover after having a tummy tuck surgery.

Tummy Tuck -  Understanding the Benefits!

What are Different Types of Bariatric Surgeries? 

Bariatric Surgery is one of the most popular options for obese people looking for a way to control their weight. To get bariatric surgery, one has to qualify for certain criteria like BMI (Body Mass Index), associated comorbidities like Diabetes, Hypertension, sleep apnea, infertility, hypercholesterolemia etc. There are many kinds of bariatric surgeries or weight loss surgeries, different surgeries work differently in order to give the desired effect, which is why it is important to understand these surgeries thoroughly. 

Weight loss surgeries are divided into different categories like - 

  Restrictive surgeries: Some bariatric surgeries are focused on limiting the amount of food that can be stored in the stomach. This allows a person to eat less than they used to, because of the limited capacity of the stomach. Sleeve gastrectomy, Adjustable gastric banding, Gastric imbrication, Gastric balloon surgery are examples of restrictive procedures. In sleeve gastrectomy, the stomach is divided into two halves first, then one half of the stomach is completely removed. The remaining part of the stomach is formed into a tube-like structure. This tube-like structure cannot hold enough food and restricts excessive food intake. It also limits the secretion of an appetite hormone called Ghrelin which limits the desire of a person to eat. 

  Malabsorptive procedures: In this procedure, a large segment of the small intestine is bypassed i.e the food is not allowed to enter a large segment of the small intestine and hence malabsorption will be there. Duodenal switch is a malabsorbtive surgery. 

To Summarize: The weight loss procedures that suit our Indian population are the Roux en Y gastric bypass and the sleeve gastrectomy. We do not come across any sign of malnutrition in patients who have undergone these procedures. For successful outcomes, vitamin, calcium and protein supplements are required. 

There are certain myths about bariatric surgery --- life will never be normal after the surgery, pregnancy is a problem after this surgery, one will never be able to eat after this surgery, marriage is a problem after this surgery etc. All these are incorrect as one live a better life after the surgery as one has shed the extra kilos, one is cured of existing problems like diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, obesity induced infertility and sleep apnea extra. IN FACT, the quality of life is phenomenal after this surgery. CHOICE of surgery depends on the existing BMI, existing associated problems and results of the investigations that are done prior to the surgery. Your surgeon is the best to decide the right procedure for you. As the procedure which your friend has undergone might not be good for you. Choice of procedure and proper follow up are the key points for a successful surgical outcome. 

  Combination of restrictive and Malabsorptive surgeries: In these procedures, the surgery is done on the stomach as well as the small intestine. It involves creating a small stomach pouch which is attached to the small intestine, thus bypassing a small segment of the small intestine to get the desired effect if the person has diabetes associated. The rest of the stomach produces important digestive juices and is also connected to the intestine so that it can transfer these digestive juices in it. As a part of the stomach and few centimetres of the small intestine are bypassed i.e food does not enter this part, the surgery is called the gastric bypass. The Roux en Y gastric bypass and the Mini Gastric bypass surgeries are examples of these combination procedures.

Bariatric Surgeries - Know Forms Of Them!

Looking good and feeling good are sometimes one and the same thing which can be achieved with good skin and a fit body. One can turn to many measures to achieve the same, including cosmetic procedures. Cosmetic surgery like liposuction is generally used to remove the excess fat in the body which cannot be treated with normal exercise or diet control measures. This surgery is conducted by a plastic surgeon. Here is everything you need to know about liposuction.

About: Liposuction is a cosmetic procedure. It removes the excess fat present in one s body with the help of a procedure known as body contouring. This kind of contouring may be carried out in various parts of the body including the calves, knees, buttocks, hips, abdomen, upper arms, breasts and even the neck and chin area. These are the areas that generally end up accumulating excessive fat which does not go away easily. For some people, persistent diet control and exercising may help. But for severe and chronic cases, one will have to make use of measures like liposuction.

Types of Liposuction: Depending on your case as well as the individual system of the patient, one can go in for one of the various types of liposuction. The fluid injection based liposuction is the most popular and common form where a large dose of medicated solution is injected with a local anaesthesia blended into it. This helps in contracting the blood vessels so that the fat can be suctioned out. The next type is the super wet liposuction where the amount of liquid solution injected is the same as the amount of fat that has to be removed. Ultrasound assisted liposuction uses ultrasonic waves in order to transform the fat cells into liquid which can be vacuumed out later. Further, laser assisted liposuction makes use of laser pulses and beams in order to make the fat cells liquid before they are vacuumed out of the system.

The procedure: The plastic surgeon will make use of a special liposuction machine and cannulas or special instruments, so that the surgery may be carried out in a proper manner. Also, depending on the type of procedure you are going in for, you will require local or general anaesthesia. A small incision is made so that the tube may be inserted for the liquefaction process to begin. After this, the fat that has been dislodged will be vacuumed away through the same suction tube. Small drainage tubes will be inserted to remove blood and fluid from the deflated areas and in some rare cases, blood transfusion or fluid replacement may also be required. High blood pressure and cardiovascular cases should not use this option.

Liposuction - How It Can Help You?

Bariatric surgery is unlike other surgeries, the success is defined after 6-18months later. It is not without its complications. But complications managed well by Bariatric surgeons and the introduction of Laproscopy, it gives advantages of reduced post-op pain to less incisional hernias and less post-operative hospital stay. 

Sometime problems may happen like- 

Post-operative bleeding: Managed well by the surgeon. 
Dehydration: Chances of dehydration, therefore, one of the main post-op instructions, would be to increase water intake significantly, after the first week of course, when water is included in the diet. For someone who is not used to drinking lots of water, this can be difficult. 
Indigestion: Difficulty digesting food after the surgery is very common. There could be a burning sensation in the stomach. This is often managed by dietary changes like avoiding fatty foods, eating small frequent meals, avoiding too much sugary food items, etc. Too much fruits and vegetables should not be introduced early on, as fibre can be difficult to digest. Avoid fruits like nuts, seeds, fried foods, processed foods, etc. Gradually moving from water to pureed diet to semi-solids to solids can help in getting the stomach used to it. 
Vitamin and mineral deficiency: With the drastic cut in the amount of food consumption, there could be multiple problems including skin rashes, weak bones, dental issues, hair loss, gallstones, kidney stones, etc. All these are due to deficiency of various essential minerals like calcium, potassium, etc. This can be managed through minor diet modifications to ensure the body gets the required minerals and vitamins, even if they are in the form of supplements. 
Dumping syndrome: With a reduced size of the stomach, the food moves from the stomach into the smaller intestine much faster. Therefore, the sugar levels increase rapidly, producing various symptoms like bloating, diarrhoea, nausea, weakness, and anxiety. This is managed by eating less amount of sugars and fats and spacing out the meals through the day. Five to six small meals are preferred over 2 to 3 large meals. Some people also get relief from lying down after eating. 
Hernias: Less after laproscopic surgery but sometime it may happen. 
Diet changes: Whether it is medications or foods, some substances have to be knocked off your list. A detailed diet plan should be made with the doctor, as some can affect the stomach in an adverse manner. 
Altered bowel habits: Some people may have diarrhoea, others have constipation. Looking into one s diet and making suitable changes will help. Therefore, it is very important that you must keep regular follow-up and consultation with your surgeon, in order to avoid complications.

Bariatric Surgery - 8 Complications It Can Cause!

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