Cutting calories may not add years to your life

"Don't feel so bad that you can't get yourself to this phenomenally lean, you might say emaciated, body state," says Austad, "because there's not any evidence that that's really going to help you live a lot longer anyway."

NPR 

Booyah.  Case closed.  Cut it out.

Morning Edition

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Early-bird Registration Extended to September 12 for the OAC Event!

• Register now!

Gabriel Iglesias - Not so fluffy

My kids LOVE this man.  We saw him last night at the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis, MA -

Gabriel Iglesias has been described as unbelievably witty, electrifying and as a talented performer who has the ability to consistently deliver a uniquely hilarious comedy experience –from start to finish – in every venue he performs in. His high-octane show is a sure-fire hit: a mixture of storytelling, parodies, characters and sound effects that bring all his personal experiences to life. Gabriel’s clean and animated comedy style has earned national crossover appeal, making him popular among fans of all ages. Ask anyone who has seen him in concert and you will probably hear the same thing, “Fluffy was SO funny!”

And he's getting skinny, yo.  I have no photos or video, I got in trouble for having my Phone On With Facebook On The Screen, sooo...

He's less fluffy than before and while his schtick has been, "I like cake!"  he ain't eating it anymore. Gabriel announced last night that he's dealing with Type II diabetes and eating healthy. His Twitter stream appears to include sugar-free protein shakes.

Yeah. I said it.  GO  YOU, Gabriel.

 

(A very happy Gabriel fan.)

It's been a long time.

It's my 13th wedding anniversary today.   Yes, I had two of my own children at my wedding, and it's been a lot longer than THAT, and this past year plus some has been a bit of a blur and I am so not getting into that Right Now -- SO needless to say ...

Actually, I did ask.

Ooh!  Check out these neat-o to go packs from Bariatric Advantage.

OAC Launches Annual Awards Program - Now Accepting Nominations!

The OAC is proud to announce the start of our Annual Awards Program! This is our chance to recognize our exceptional members and show our nation the power of the OAC's voice. With the launch of our National Convention this year in Dallas, TX, we now have an established place where our members and followers can come together and get celebrated for their efforts in helping individuals affected by obesity.

The OAC's Annual Awards will be presented at the 1st Annual Awards Dinner,taking place during the OAC Convention at the Hilton Anatole on Saturday evening, Oct. 27. The Annual Awards that will be given out are:

• Outstanding Membership Recruitment by an OAC Member
• Outstanding Membership Recruitment by a Physician
• Bias Buster of the Year
• OAC Member of the Year
• Advocate of the Year - NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS
• Community Leader of the Year - NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS

Two of these awards are open for nominations from the OAC Membership:

Advocate of the Year and Community Leader of the Year.

Nominations are open to the membership and self-nominations are allowed. The remainder of the awards will be nominated from within the OAC's Awards Review Subcommittee. Here are the details on the two awards for which we are now accepting nominations:

2012 Advocate of the Year

This award will be given to the OAC Member who has led the charge in taking on National, local and state advocacy issues. This individual should be a tireless advocate to advance the cause of obesity and the individual affected by obesity. This individual must be an OAC member.

2012 Community Leader of the Year

This award will be given to an individual who continually works in their community to further the cause of obesity. The recipient should be an individual who actively engages their community or with their constituency in spreading awareness of obesity and encourages others to get involved in activities that further the mission of the OAC. OAC membership is not required to be considered for this award. 

• The deadline to submit nominations for these two awards is Monday, October 1. 
• The Award recipients will be announced at the OAC's National Convention in Dallas. 
• For more information on the OAC's Annual Awards Program and to nominate yourself or fellow OAC Members now, please CLICK HERE.

 

Doctor refuses to treat overweight woman

From my local news - Doctor refuses to treat overweight Shrewsbury patient 

There's a video at the link - check it out - but WAIT?

Is it legal to choose not to serve a patient because she's overweight?  I'm overweight -- is this a reason to not help me?

Obesity PPM says - 

Primary care provider, Dr. Helen Carter, at the UMass Memorial Medical Center refused to treat a patient because she was clinically obese. Apparently, it is office policy NOT to treat clinically obese people because several employees were injured while helping overweight patients - and there are treatment "alternatives" for those who are obese.

And for those already wondering ... no, it's not illegal to refuse treatment because of a person's weight. What we'd like to know is this: If there are tall individuals who are not clinically obese, but could require assistance that might result in the "injury" of a staff member, will those people be turned away, too? Is this really about risk of injury, or is it another example of weight bias?
Obesity Action Coalition (OAC)

Doctor refuses to treat overweight Shrewsbury patient -

"I can't believe and I did say that out loud, 'I can't believe you guys just said that to me.'  I have never heard anything so ridiculous in my life," Davidson said.

Davidson said she is a "little overweight."  The incident on Wednesday occurred during a second visit to Dr. Helen M. Carter at the doctor's Worcester office.

Davidson said she believes, "I may be high risk for her and too much work is what I felt." 

She said Carter focused on weight.

According to Davidson, "She's like, 'You gained weight, are your feet swollen, are your feet swollen?' I said 'No.' She was really obsessed about the whole thing and me being in her office and she didn't want to care for me."

Carter told NewsCenter 5  it's a matter of "self preservation for herself and her employees."

"After three consecutive injuries (with other patients) trying to care for people over 250 pounds, my office is unable to accommodate a certain weight and we put a limit on it," Carter said.

The policy may be unusual, but it is not illegal. 

The American Medical Association's Council on Ethics and Judicial Affairs policy reads "Both patients and physicians should be able to exercise freedom in whom to enter into a patient-physician relationship ... physicians do not give up their freedom of association by merely becoming professionals."

WLS is the easy way out.

Can you believe diet frozen dessert labels? NO.

It does not please me to know that there might be upwards of 68% MORE calories in my frozen confections!  If you were wondering why some of these products haven't helped you maintain your weight, uh... this is why.

Gasp!

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy...

 

 

Protica Inc. Recalls Product Because Of Possible Health Risk

Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts Protica Inc. Recalls Product Because Of Possible Health Risk.  Super!  I definitely have some of these in my sample lots.  *goes to the trash*

-

   

800-PROTICA (800-776-8422)

Media:
James Duffy
[email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 23, 2012 - On August 17, 2012, Protica Inc. of Whitehall, PA had undertaken a voluntary product withdrawal of four products including Body Choice "Protein Shots", Nutritional Resources "Protein Wave", ProBalance "Protein to Go French Vanilla Latte" and "Protein to Go Milk Chocolate Shake" because they have the potential to be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium which can cause life-threatening illness or death. Consumers are warned not to use the product even if it does not look or smell spoiled. Botulism, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning, can cause the following symptoms: general weakness, dizziness, double-vision and trouble with speaking or swallowing. Difficulty in breathing, weakness of other muscles, abdominal distension and constipation may also be common symptoms. People experiencing these problems should seek immediate medical attention. No illnesses have been confirmed to date.

The problem with the lots below were discovered when investigating the processing parameters for all manufactured products. The products withdrawn were distributed nationally through retail and direct mail and are limited to specific lots of the branded products. The affected lots follow.

Protein to Go Milk Chocolate Shake (2.5oz bottle)

 

Manufacture Date	Lot Number
2/9/12	PP0402 4109 A
2/9/12	PP0402 4109 B
2/9/12	PP0402 4109 C
2/9/12	PP0402 4109 D
2/9/12	PP0402 4109 E
2/9/12	PP0402 4109 F
2/9/12	PP0402 4109 G
2/13/12	PP0442 4113
2/16/12	PP0442 4115
3/29/12	PP0892 4121
4/12/12	PP1032 4131 A
4/12/12	PP1032 4131 B
4/25/12	PP1162 4134 B
4/25/12	PP1162 4134 C
4/25/12	PP1162 4134 A
5/3/12	PP1242 4139
5/8/12	PP1242 4140
6/7/12	PP1592 4145 B
6/7/12	PP1592 4145 A

 

Protein to Go French Vanilla Latte (2.5oz bottle)

 

Manufacture Date	Lot Number
9/8/2011	PP2511 4066 A
9/8/2011	PP2511 4066 B
10/11/2011	PP2841 4079
10/18/2011	PP2911 4086
12/6/2011	PP3401 4103
2/13/2012	PP0442 4112
4/2/2012	PP0932 4122
4/4/2012	PP0952 4125
4/11/2012	PP1022 4129
4/24/2012	PP1152 4133 A
4/24/2012	PP1152 4133 B
4/24/2012	PP1152 4133 C
5/1/2012	PP1222 4138 A
5/1/2012	PP1222 4138 B
5/1/2012	PP1222 4138 C
5/8/2012	PP1292 4141
6/8/2012	PP1592 4146 A
6/8/2012	PP1592 4146 B

 

Nutritional Resources Protein Wave gelatin (6oz cup)

Manufacture Date	Lot Number
May 03 2012	PP 1242 6123

Body Choice Protein Shots (3oz vial)

Manufacture Date	LotNumber
Dec 20, 2011	PP 3541 2924

Consumers who have purchased any of the above products can return them to the place of purchase or to Protica for a full refund. Consumers with any questions should contact Protica at 1-800-PROTICA (1-800-776-8422).

Protica, founded in 2001, is headquartered in Whitehall, PA. The company relocated from Horsham, Pa., to the Lehigh Valley in January 2009, occupying and rehabilitating the former vacant Lehigh Valley Dairy Plant near Allentown. Protica has approximately 60 employees and is privately held.

 

Call Me Maybe. Later. A lot later.

We do this. Too much.

Woman Suffers from Lap Band Surgery Gone Wrong - Wernicke's Disease

Neurological diseases sometimes occur (if very rarely) triggered in part by a weight loss surgical procedure for various reasons -- some avoidable -- some not, please don't hate.  (Says she who developed a cognitive disorder and intractible epilepsy after weight loss surgery.  Be kind.)  The woman in the following story developed Wernicke's Disease after gastric banding surgery in 2009.

Wernicke's disease occurs at times with persistent vomiting after WLS, a study in Neurology (2007) states that in a review of cases a "majority of the patients (25 of the 32) had vomiting as a risk factor, and 21 had the classic Wernicke's triad of confusion, ataxia, and nystagmus. Other symptoms seen in these patients included optic neuropathy, papilledema, deafness, seizures, asterixis (bilateral) flapping tremor of the hands and wrist, weakness, and sensory and motor neuropathies."

• A small number of cases, patients who undergo weight reduction surgery may develop Wernicke's encephalopathy, marked by confusion and problems with movement and eye control.
• The cause is a thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency and, if detected, can be easily corrected with dietary supplements. Untreated, it can be fatal and cause severe neurologic morbidity.

Woman Suffers from Lap Band Surgery Gone Wrong -   Video at the link

Shacka says she suffers from multiple health issues because of a lap band surgery she had in California back in 2009. It went horribly wrong.  And since then her independence is gone and her life has never been the same.

"At some point, I say I don't know what my life is supposed to be like now.  Like, where am I supposed to go?  Where do I fit in?," said Shacka.

But what is lap band surgery?

"They're a weight loss surgery where this band is placed around the top part of the stomach.  The bands have a balloon on the inside on the inner surface and through adjustments in clinic, the balloon can be tightened or loosened and help people feel full on a smaller amount of food," said M.D. Corrigan McBride of the Nebraska Medical Center.

Officials from the Nebraska Medical Center say health issues with weight are a common factor for patients battling weight gain and obesity.

"There's a certain percentage of patients that it's just not the right weight loss tool for them and they will elect to have the bands removed and converted to a different surgery," said McBride.

"I said I can't do this anymore, I need to go to the hospital.  This is not right, I'm still throwing up.  And finally I went in, and by then I had double vision and that's a sign of neurological disease," said Shacka.

Shacka also suffers from Wernicke disease—a form of brain damage.  She says this was a result of her surgery.  Through years of therapy, learning how to walk, speak and use her hands again, Shacka says her journey to better health isn't over.

"I beat the odds twice.  They told me I would be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life…and I'm walking.  They told me I would never do steps again, I went up four flights of steps with one physical therapist.  So I beat the odds and I need more additional help," said Shacka.

But through this traumatic experience, Shacka says she sees the bright side of it all.

"I met some wonderful, wonderful angels who've helped me to know what life is about.  I can't take that back and I would have never gotten it if I wouldn't have gotten sick," she said.

And her fight to spread awareness about the risks of lap band surgery keeps her motivated.

"You don't give up, and I'm not going to give up.  And I guess this is my way of not giving up and living life," she said.

Shacka plans to sue the doctors in California that did the surgery.  She's had some financial struggles raising enough money to hire a lawyer, but finally met that goal.  Now, she is trying to raise enough money to receive therapy and more medical treatment at Mayo Clinic. 

Clin Nutr. 2000 Oct;19(5):371-3.  Wernicke's syndrome after bariatric surgery.

 

Picking winners now - Thank you! - Pay it forward - Win more!

 

Perfect for your CLICK, perhaps?

I found these insulated tumblers while out shopping the other day and I had to have them.  I would have purchased the whole shelf display, but these were all that available in the black/pink option.  

Would you like a chance to win of these super-cute BPA-free tumblrs with protein shake samples?

Please help me raise funds for the Walk From Obesity!

 

Do the following and make sure to leave a comment on this postfor a shot at winning one of four tumblrs and protein shake samples!

• Please make a donation of any size to Team MM + BBGC for the Walk From Obesity!  
• Other ways to help -
• Follow me on Twitter and Tweet - "Walk From Obesity!  Join Team @mmbbgc in the fight to end obesity http://tinyurl.com/8qtvgah"
• Follow MM on Facebook and share - "Walk From Obesity!  Join Team @mmbbgc in the fight to end obesity http://tinyurl.com/8qtvgah"

• Copy and paste the code below and share MM on your blog! 

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Thanks, all! I will pick FOUR winners later in the week from the pool of new donations this week!

"Your Weight Matters" Convention Advocacy Training Session

Weight loss surgery reduced obese patients' 10-year risk of getting Type 2 by 80%

Weight loss surgery reduced obese patients' 10-year risk of getting Type 2 Diabetes by 80%, Swedish researchers report.    

40% off! GO!

• Slimpressions is celebrating  co-founder Amy Pedersen's 40th birthday* by giving YOU the presents!
• Enjoy 40% off your Slimpressions order using code BDAY40!  
• Click the image above now!

Beautiful as I am ...

Beautiful as I am May Faith Photography - Click for FULL SIZE

Leslie Carpenter, owner of May Faith Photography in Vancouver, WA, created this powerful photo on Saturday, August 11th. Carpenter said, "I did this from my heart. I did this so every woman, every girl will know it is OK to BE YOURSELF. Be beautiful as you are." Her photo has gone viral in only 3 short days, with the goal of having the original image shared 10,000 times. 

"Will you stand up against bullying?"

Read more: http://www.wild1075portland.com/pages/kristina.html?article=10343745&fb_comment_id=fbc_10150987259776230_22403889_10150988286866230&comment_id=22403889#f31b4a765faf588#ixzz23i9ygFFV

 

Sopa De Grao A Alentejana - Chickpea Soup

MM Wants Chickpea and Chorizo Soup.   I don't have the ingredients (aside from the chickpeas, because I ALWAYS HAVE chickpeas!) so here's another recipe for the To Make At Some Point file here on the blog.

Via NPR - 

Recipe adapted from Food of Portugal By Jean Anderson (HarperCollins 1994).

 

Eve Turow for NPR

Makes 6 to 8 servings

• 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 4 large yellow onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons peanut, corn or vegetable oil
• 2 medium Yukon potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground coriander seeds
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 quart beef or chicken broth
• 2 cups canned chickpeas
• 1/2 pound pepperoni, chorizo or, if available, Portuguese chourico or linquica, sliced into 1/4-inch thick pieces
• 2 cups finely chopped spinach
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Stir-fry the garlic and onions in the oil in a large, heavy saucepan until translucent. Add the potatoes and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes. Add the herbs and cook over low heat for about 2 to 3 minutes more. Add the broth, chickpeas and sausage, raise the heat and bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook slowly for about 1 hour or until everything is soft.

Ladle out 2 cups of soup, avoiding the sausage. Using an immersion blender or standing blender, blend the soup until smooth and add it back to the pot along with the spinach, stirring to mix everything together. Simmer another 10 to 20 minutes. Stir in salt and pepper to taste.

Can sugar make you stupid? Studies point to yes.

Can sugar make you stupid?  

Oh dear.   

If the following study regarding the ingestion of sugar and cognition is true -- I should be gaining brains instead of losing them -- considering that I eat about 95% less of the sweet stuff since I had roux en y gastric bypass surgery.  

However as we all know, *MY brains are very special since I had weight loss surgery.   

The combination of a high-sugar intake and a lack of Omega-3 Fatty Acids caused brain fail in rats!  

What about... us?  What if poor diet causes brain issues that aren't reversible?  This intrigues me.

National Geographic -

 Sweet drinks scrambled the memories and stunted learning in lab rats in a new study—leading to "high concern" over what sugary diets may do to people, according to neuroscientist Fernando Gomez-Pinilla. (Read more about memory from National Geographic magazine.)

 For the study, Gomez-Pinilla's team first trained rats to successfully navigate a maze, giving them only water and standard rat chow for five days. During the following six weeks, the rats' water was replaced with syrups that were 15 percent fructose.

"Most sodas people consume are about 12 percent sugar, so imagine if you drank soda with sugar added instead of water," said Gomez-Pinilla, of the University of California, Los Angeles.m

During the six-week period, half the rodents were also given flaxseed oil and fish oil—both rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These antioxidants may protect against damage to chemical connections in the brain called synapses, past research suggests.

After six weeks of the fructose syrup, all the rats were slower at running the maze. However, those that had received omega-3s were slightly faster than their counterparts.

By studying the dissected brains of the study rats, the researchers determined that the high-fructose diets had sabotaged the ability of synapses to change, a key factor in learning. The sugary drinks had also disrupted the sugar-regulating protein insulin in a brain area called the hippocampus, which play a role in memory formation in both rats and humans.t

"I was very shocked to see how strong an effect these diets could have on the brain—I have high concern that the foods people eat can really affect mood and cognition," Gomez-Pinilla said.

Study Abstract -

We pursued studies to determine the effects of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in brain, and the possibilities to modulate these effects by dietary interventions. In addition, we have assessed potential mechanisms by which brain metabolic disorders can impact synaptic plasticity and cognition.

We report that high-dietary fructose consumption leads to increase in insulin resistance index, insulin and triglyceride levels, which characterize MetS. Rats fed on an n-3 deficient diet showed memory deficits in Barnes Maze, which were further exacerbated by fructose intake.

In turn, n-3 deficient diet and fructose interventions disrupted insulin receptor signaling in hippocampus as evidenced by a decrease in phosphorylation of insulin receptor and its downstream effector Akt.

We found that high fructose consumption with n-3 deficient diet disrupts membrane homeostasis as evidenced by an increase in the ratio of n-6/n-3 fatty acids and levels of 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), a marker of lipid peroxidation.

Disturbances in brain energy metabolism due to n-3 deficiency and fructose treatments were evidenced by a significant decrease in AMPK phosphorylation and its upstream modulator LKB1 as well as a decrease in Sir2 levels. The decrease in phosphorylation of CREB, synapsin I and synaptophysin (SYP) levels by n-3 deficiency and fructose shows the impact of metabolic dysfunction on synaptic plasticity. All parameters of metabolic dysfunction related to the fructose treatment were ameliorated by the presence of dietary n-3 fatty acid.

Results showed that dietary n-3 fatty acid deficiency elevates the vulnerability to metabolic dysfunction and impaired cognitive functions by modulating insulin receptor signaling and synaptic plasticity.