Pink Prescriptions - January 2023

NO-besity! Now is the Time to Lose the Weight

 PinkRx1122
January 2023 Issue — Pink Prescriptions
NO-besity! Now is the Time to Lose the Weight

There is one thing for sure when it comes to obesity: It is not good for you! While the fashion industry and pop-culture are starting to veer away from stick-thin models, the “big” trend is swaying to meet its over-sized consumers, but that doesn’t mean being over-sized is healthy. Fact is, obesity is a leading contributor of almost every disease, from diabetes to heart disease, to high blood pressure to joint pain. The great news is any amount of weight loss—even 5-percent of your body weight—may help the possible invasion of disease recede!

Make 2023 your 5-percent year! Even if you weigh 200, all you have to lose is 10 pounds to help your body get a little healthier—literally less than a quarter pound per week. Find a program that fits you, one you will enjoy, and most importantly, that you can sustain. Don’t make this year about losing weight and then gain it back. It’s time to just lose it…because your health has so incredibly much to gain if you do!

 


 

PinkRx 0123 Davis CoteBy Roxanne Davis-Côté, MPH, RD, LD, CNSC
Beaufort Memorial Hospital

Help! I overeat at every meal.
How can I get this under control?
Overeating is often caused by eating too fast, which can be caused by waiting too long to eat between meals. To avoid this, consider your hunger scale from 1 to 10. Think of a hunger scale of 1 being so hungry you could eat a whole elephant in one sitting. You ate the whole elephant, and now you're at a hunger scale 10, so full you may never eat again. To avoid overeating, it is best to start eating at a hunger scale of 3 or 4 and to stop when satisfied, at a hunger scale of 6 or 7. When we do this, we are more likely to make healthy choices and avoid overeating.

Other ways to avoid overeating include:
• Pause before a meal. Reflect on what is on the plate, the colors, the textures, the aroma. This will slow you down, and hopefully in doing so, you will avoid overeating.

• Sit down to eat. Standing up and eating on the go often leads to overeating because we are not focused on how our body feels when we are eating.

• Put the fork down between bites. This slows us down and allows our stomach and brain to communicate in a timelier manner, helping us to feel our body being satisfied before it gets too full (when we eat too quickly).

• Count your chews. Chewing 20-30 times per bite helps improve digestion and slows down eating.

It is easy to overeat when we are busy, as we are not focusing on how much we are eating, and sometimes not even on what we are eating. Try one or several of these techniques to help you avoid overeating.

Roxanne Davis-Côté, MPH, RD, LD, CNSC, is a clinical nutrition manager at Beaufort Memorial and a registered dietician with the hospital’s Healthy Weight program.



PinkRx 0123 BlusewiczDr. Tracy Blusewicz  |  Advanced Women’s Care of the Lowcountry & Aspire Medical Spa

Are there any new medical breakthroughs
in weight loss?

As gynecologists we see women of all ages, and one thing that seems somewhat universal with women is the desire to lose unwanted weight and look and feel better about themselves. Throughout a woman’s life her body weight can increase due to hormonal changes, pregnancy and childbirth and menopause. There are different body types, and whether you are an endomorph, ectomorph or mesomorph, weight can add on throughout your life. Not everyone has 50 pounds to lose, some only want to lose 10 pounds. Different plans are available, which can be customized to your body type, current weight and weight loss goals.

But losing weight is not just about looking better. It is also about feeling the best you can at the optimal weight for your body type, having normal blood sugar levels and good cholesterol levels. For many women, obesity eventually turns into type 2 diabetes, which has a host of associated medical complications. Many of the medications used for type 2 diabetes are the same ones used for weight loss under a different name, showing how closely these two conditions are linked. The GLP-1 receptor agonist medications such as Saxenda and Wegovy have shown great results in terms of percent of body weight lost. GLP stands for glucagon-like peptide, and this is what is secreted in the gut in response to food to stimulate the pancreas to secrete insulin and lower blood sugar levels. The newest medication on the market, which is currently only approved for diabetics, is Mounjaro. This is a GLP-1 and GLP-2 receptor agonist and has shown even better results. It will be released in the new year for weight loss also!

These breakthroughs in the treatment in helping lose the insulin-resistant fat is truly revolutionary and exciting! Whether you only need a little jump start on weight loss for an upcoming event, or you need a long-term weight loss plan to treat or prevent type 2 diabetes, there are lots of options to help you.

Tracy Blusewicz, M.D., F.A.C.O.G., compassionate, genuine bedside manner has earned her the trust of many women for their health care needs. She can be contacted at Advanced Women’s Care of the Lowcountry | The Medical Spa 843-341-9700; www.awclc.com



PinkRx 0123 DaleyTiffany Daley, APRN, FNP-C — Well Being Health Care,
Hilton Head Regional Memorial Hospital

I’m completely overwhelmed at the thought of losing weight. Please advise me on how to overcome diet overwhelm.
Making the decision to lose weight is the first step. If your mind is steadfast in your decision, then your body will follow. It is extremely important you understand YOU are part of your weight loss journey. You are part of the care plan. Weight loss is ultimately in the hands of the person wanting to lose weight. The next step is to have a solid plan. This can be tricky since there are so many diets to choose from. Some are just not attainable, and of course, none of them are one-size-fits-all. Your health care provider should want to know you, your medical history and your goals. This will help to come up with a plan you are comfortable with and is attainable in losing weight.

How does metabolism affect weight loss?
How do I know if my metabolism is low?
Metabolism is a process in which the body turns food and drink into energy. Your metabolism takes your calorie intake and mixes it with oxygen, then makes the energy your body needs. Your metabolism never stops. Even when you are resting, it is working. We often want to blame our weight gain on a low metabolism. The truth is there are many things within the body that affect weight gain, such as hypothyroidism, genes, hormones, age and eating more calories than your metabolism can burn. It’s important to find a health care provider who can look at you holistically to help understand what may be causing your weight gain. It is not just about giving you a pill and sending you on your way.

What can I do to kick start my metabolism?
Kick starting your metabolism can be done to a degree. The best way to do it is through diet and exercise. With adding Lipotropic B12 injections to this regimen, you can ignite your metabolism naturally to burn fats and calories. Lipotropic basically means utilization of fat. Remember your body only metabolizes the amount of energy it needs to keep going. When we overeat, our body converts the unused calories into fat stores for a later date. Vitamin B12 helps to accelerate your metabolism, while the amino acids help to release the fat throughout the body. Lipotropic B12 shots not only increases your metabolism and reduces stored fats, but also increases energy levels, improves mood, mental clarity and improves liver detoxification. The list really does not stop there. Since this is an injection, it will work faster and more efficiently to obtain your weight loss goals.

A native of the Lowcountry, Tiffany Daley, APRN, FNP-C earned her Master of Science at South University in Savannah, GA. Her background includes step-down PCU, cardiac care, and several years in home health care. She and her partner, Tamatha Moore, APRN, FNP-BC, opened Well Being Health Care in 2022. The goal of Well Being Health Care is to provide holistic care with an individualized approach to reaching each patient’s healthcare goal.

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