? Should You Consider Weight-Loss Surgery

Having weight-loss surgery because of obesity is a major decision that will alter your life forever. It changes what and how much you can eat. You’ll have to swap your normal-size meals for small portions that you eat slowly, and you may have to give up some of your favorite foods.

But weight-loss surgery may be just what you need if you’re carrying around a significant amount of extra weight that you haven’t been able to lose through diet and exercise. With obesity rates in the United States soaring, many are choosing weight-loss surgery. The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery estimated over 220,000 people in the United States had bariatric surgery in 2008 — more than double the number of just five years earlier.

It’s a big choice to make, and one that should take some time and contemplation.

Weight-Loss Surgery: Are You a Good Candidate?

There’s a misconception that anyone can decide to have weight-loss surgery, explains Margaret Furtado, RD, a clinical dietitian specialist at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center Bariatric Surgery Program in Baltimore. Bariatric surgery programs like the one at Johns Hopkins have a screening process to determine if this surgery is right for each patient.

Screening starts with evaluating your body mass index, or BMI, a calculation based on your weight in relation to your height. The minimum weight criteria is either:

• BMI of 40 or higher, with or without health problems
• BMI of 35 or higher with health problems such as diabetes, heart disease, or sleep apnea

Typically, men who have weight-loss surgery are 100 pounds or more overweight and women are 80 pounds or more overweight, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Weight-Loss Surgery: Have You Tried Diet and Exercise?

Insurance companies require that patients first try to lose weight by eating healthy foods, cutting portions, and exercising for at least six consecutive months. If that fails, they meet the criteria for weight-loss surgery. Most people attempt this by working with their primary physician or through classes at a medical center, Furtado says. But it can also be done through Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, NutriSystem, or other weight-loss programs.

Other questions that need to be answered include:

• Do you have untreated emotional problems? Part of the screening involves meeting with a psychologist at the weight-loss surgery center to make sure you are not binge eating and don’t have untreated depression. If you’re experiencing a condition like binge eating, you may need cognitive-behavioral therapy before you can have the surgery, Furtado says.
• What are your expectations? When a patient tells Furtado that she wants weight-loss surgery in order to be a size 2 or to look like her personal trainer, she explains that those are unrealistic expectations and may be a sign that she’s not ready for the surgery. The same goes for patients who refuse to give up drinking soda or won’t quit smoking before the surgery. “It’s a red flag that they’re not ready,” Furtado says.

How do you know when you are ready? When you understand that weight-loss surgery is a tool to help you take control of your weight for the rest of your life and that the ultimate goal is to be healthy. “Some people think their life will be perfect,” Furtado says. The reality is, there’s work to be done after the surgery. You’ll still have to think about your diet, you’ll have to practice mindful eating, you’ll have to eat slowly, and you’ll have to listen to your body’s signals of feeling hungry and feeling full.

If you’re ready and you meet the criteria, you have the opportunity to see big-time results. The average patient loses 60 to 75 percent of excess weight during the first two years after surgery. Studies show that weight-loss surgery can resolve diabetes in 77 percent of patients and sleep apnea in 86 percent of patients. High blood pressure and high cholesterol can also be improved or resolved in many patients.

Weight-loss surgery can mean a whole new life for you, as long as your goals are realistic and centered on wellness.

Ten Tips for Your Vegetarian Diet Plan

(NaturalNews) Vegetarians and vegans typically live longer and healthier lives. Lower body weight, good cholesterol levels, and less risk to diabetes are just a few reasons to become vegetarian or vegan.

The transition from a meat eater can often be hard. Many experienced vegetarians struggle to find new options and avoid monotonous meals. Below are tips for starting or staying on the vegan or vegetarian diet plan.

1. Find Vegetarian Restaurants - You may find yourself calling a restaurant ahead of time to determine just what is in their vegetarian meal. This can be a good idea to insure your meal is good but you can instead use the "Vegan" or "Vegetarian" option under "Restaurants. This way you can view ratings and reviews of local restaurants with vegan or vegetarian cuisine. Another method would be this search on Google Maps .Just change the zip code in the Search box at the top to your own.

2. Join a Vegetarian Support Group Online - This could include a Facebook group, vegetarian forum (message board), church group, or social group. Or you and your friends can start your own vegetarian support group. The purpose is to get talking and exchange help, support, tips, recipes, and stay strong in the vegetarian lifestyle.

3. Be Sensitive to Carnivores - You may think it is gross but not everyone has seen the light of the vegetarian way. To them eating meat is natural and tasty. An overly negative reaction or nagging will never convince them. Could they convince you to eat meat? So be patient, understanding, and polite with your carnivore friends and maybe they will follow your good example.

4. Stock up on Vegetarian Recipes - Do not get yourself into a food situation with limited choices and repetitive meals. There are plenty of great vegan and recipes available online for every meal of the day.Talk to your vegetarian support group and exchange recipes. Visit a bookstore and browse some of the vegetarian recipe books. Do not be afraid to experiment on your own.

5. Beans & Lentils - Beans and lentils provide a much needed source of protein, fiber, iron, and other nutrients. Beans and lentils can easily be combined into many different types of foods. There are a wide range of ethnic foods that can use beans and lentils as a tasty and filling combination. Women in particular need to consume more beans and lentils to avoid a risk of anemia.

6. B12 - B12 is necessary for the natural health of your body. It is normally found in animal products and a vegetarian  on its own does not provide enough B12. Most multivitamins contain B12. Or you can try soymilk fortified with B12.

7. Calcium - Calcium is important for strong teeth and bones. There are many other alternatives than dairy products for obtaining calcium. Make sure to eat plenty of dark leafy greens. You can get large boosts from drinking orange juice fortified with calcium and by eating molasses, tofu, soy, and more.

8. Vitamin D - Vitamin D is necessary for strong bones. Make sure to spend time in the sun, take a vitamin D supplement, or drink soymilks fortified with Vitamin D.

9. Omega 3 - Omega-3 fatty acids help you to regulate your cholesterol. They can be found in flax seeds, walnuts, fish, almonds, and cloves.

10. Drink Lots of Water - Drinking plenty of water is highly recommended for everyone. It is particularly important for vegetarians to get your body running at peak performance and not wasting energy or nutrients. It can help your body adjust to and create a filling feeling.