Hydroxycut®, America's #1 selling weight loss supplement brand, is evolving by developing new support programs to help consumers stay on track this New Year. The brand is introducing a new, free weight loss app designed and developed based on key insights from a recent study conducted on American's views of New Year's Resolutions.
When January 1st arrives, Americans will be rushing to fitness centers the next day and re-evaluating their fitness goals. The study revealed that 56% of Americans would make New Year's Resolutions specifically about adopting a healthier lifestyle, however within the first week, six million people will have already broken those commitments. The study documented that the struggle of losing weight continues to remain the number one resolution and also showed that people believe it is also the most challenging one to keep.
"When we embarked on this unique study, we wanted a deeper understanding of the mindset and challenges American's have when making the important decision to adopt a New Year's Resolution that focuses on supporting a healthy lifestyle through weight management," Chief Marketing Officer, Brian Cavanaugh stated. "The results of our study prompted our consumer insights team to design and launch an easy-to-use, free app that will help people making healthier lifestyle changes easier so people can stay on track for the long term."
The simple but effective app offers users the opportunity to monitor their weight loss results with convenient meal tracking, supplement reminders and a simple to understand exercise plan. Throughout the weight loss journey, individuals can face challenges in meeting proper nutritional intake levels, proper hydration, and exercising regularly, all of which can influence weight loss success. The new Hydroxycut app minimizes the challenges associated with everyday diet programs by holistically supporting a more comprehensive approach, tailored to meet the needs of men and women, regardless of their fitness levels.
For more information and how to download the new weight loss App, simply search Hydroxycut on Apple or the Google Play Store. For full study results please go to www.Hydroxycut.com/NewYearStudy and follow us on Facebook.com/Hydroxycut and @Hydroxycut on Instagram® for product, news and updates, diet and training tips, special promotions and more.
Hydroxycut has sold more than 100 million bottles and continues to be a nutritional supplement leader by bringing unique and innovative products to consumers who want to change their lives. For more than two decades, the brand has been successfully inspiring and empowering weight loss for people who want real results. Hydroxycut products are available nationwide at WalMart®, Target, Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aid, GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Amazon, Bodybuilding.com and other fine retailers.
About Iovate Health Sciences International Inc.
Iovate Health Sciences is a dynamic, leading-edge nutritional supplement company that delivers some of the highest quality, most innovative and effective supplements in the world. Iovate brands are sold in over 130 countries globally, and include the sport and active nutrition brands MuscleTech®, Six Star® Pro Nutrition and Purely Inspired®.
SOURCE Iovate Health Sciences International Inc.
The White Studio releases ankle-biters into the wild
- The White Studio launches the first wood and cork tool designed to help increase over-splits
- Just as unique and individual as The White Studio Flexibility Wheels
- A valuable aid for anybody on a journey to improve flexibility
DECEMBER 2016, Northamptonshire, UK – British wellbeing hub The White Studio announces the launch of the latest tool crafted to improve fitness fans’ and gymnasts’ flexibility: handcrafted, made-to-order over-split stands affectionately nicknamed “ankle-biters”.
The ankle-biters rise the point of stretching by providing a natural curvature on which the user’s ankle rests during stretching and training routines; they are designed by the same team which produces The White Studio flexibility wheels, the first and only yoga wheel made in the UK with natural, sustainable materials and to the user’s specification.
The inspiring principles behind both ideas are the same: the human body can curve around the flexibility wheel and the ankle-biter in various poses, resulting in a range of stretches to the back, neck, shoulders and limbs.
The White Studio ankle-biters increase stretching efforts by fitness practitioners, yogis, gymnasts and dancers: anybody whose lifestyle would benefit from more flexibility, supple limbs, control over one’s body, a healthy and strong back, spine and joints, is an ideal owner and user. All ankle-biters are bespoke and can be any width (i.e. made to suit the individual). Because The White Studio has total control over the materials used, the ankle-biters are as strong and as light as they can be, and come (uniquely in a market which offers virtually no guarantees) with a written and dated warranty.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, The White Studio provides tutorials, help, support and advice about how to use the ankle-biters and flexibility wheels, to the individual or even to establishments like gyms. The company is in the process of producing Instructor Courses (three levels, Beginners, Intermediates and Advanced, supported by manuals and ‘live’ workshops) with certificates showing attainment of the highest standards. There is no other manufacturer or business which offers the entire package, alongside a professional lifetime of continuous development and drive to perfecting one’s abilities.
The White Studio Managing Director Simon Lines says: “we are delighted to announce the launch of the ankle-biters, which join our bespoke range of Flexibility Wheels. Our products are born from an unwillingness to accept second best: yoga and other fitness practitioners do not strive to be ‘mediocre’, so why accept products that are? Both our flexibility wheels and the new over-split stands will never replace the cheap plastic counterparts, just as the bicycle will never replace the car. However, not unlike the bicycle, our products allow those who truly care to become just that tiny bit closer to achieving a harmonious lifestyle.”
All The White Studio ankle-biters are handmade in the UK, come with a 1-year limited written warranty and are tested to a maximum loading of 150kg. They are made-to-order, can be specified in a variety of colours, individual engraving/widths and are priced from £55.
Website: www.thewhitestudio.life
Twitter handle: @thewhite_studio
Instagram: TheWhiteStudio
FACEBOOK page: https://www.facebook.com/TheWhiteStudioLife
Long wait times make destination healthcare attractive to Canadians
Seeking quality treatment outside of Canada is a viable option with no wait times
Wait times for medical procedures are at a 20-year high in Canada. Accessing private medical treatment for non-emergency procedures IS a viable option for Canadians. Safe, high-quality, private care is available to Canadians immediately at an affordable price.
"Canadians are becoming frustrated with unreasonably long wait times and lack of access to the care they need," states Nicola Banks, founder of Health City Canada, the Canadian office for Health City Cayman Islands. Health City Cayman Islands sees an average of 20 Canadian inquiries every week and have performed many joint replacement surgeries on Canadian patients, all of whom are back home and recovering well. "Patients should be aware that there are private options available outside of Canada and that suffering is not acceptable," adds Banks.
The practice of Destination Healthcare – also referred to as Medical Tourism – is becoming a fast-growing global industry. In the past year alone, the number of Canadians who left the country to receive medical treatment is in the tens of thousands. The accreditation standards and practices continue to evolve, empowering potential patients to seek affordable, high-quality care.
"The fact that we are only 6 days into corresponding with each other, and have made a determination and scheduled a surgery date, is way beyond our expectations," says the daughter of a current patient.
Health City Cayman Islands, a state-of-the-art accredited hospital, set up a dedicated Canadian office in 2016 to better serve the Canadian marketplace. "Our priority is to inform Canadians of their options when they feel there are none," says Banks. "Many inquiring patients are frustrated to the point of feeling desperate." As cited in a recent report by the Fraser Institute, long wait times can have a significant negative impact, beyond merely frustration for patients, such as increased pain, suffering, and mental anguish.
"In a perfect world, we would be able to meet the demands of Canadians needing surgery here in Canada in a timely manner," said Canada-based anaesthesiologist Dr. Cynthia Horner. "Given our current climate, this is becoming more difficult and Canadians are choosing to look for other options."
Based on the philosophy that a patient's medical journey starts – and continues – at home, Banks and her Canadian team of physicians are dedicated to optimize continuity of care for Canadians, and inform Canadians on how to access high-quality, affordable healthcare in a timely and safe manner.
About Health City Cayman Islands
Health City Cayman Islands provides compassionate, high-quality, affordable healthcare services in a world-class, state-of-the-art, patient centred environment. Health City Cayman Islands delivers excellence in adult and paediatric cardiology, cardiac surgery, cardiac electrophysiology, medical oncology, orthopaedics, sports medicine, paediatric endocrinology, gastrointestinal and bariatric surgery, cosmetic surgery, neurosurgery, minimally invasive spine surgery and pulmonology services.
SOURCE Health City Canada
Drug for narcolepsy could help food addicts lose weight
Overweight people could be given help with the discovery that a drug used for sleep disorder could also reduce the impulse for food.
There are many factors that cause obesity but there is a growing weight of evidence that shows obesity is not just caused by a behavioural disorder, such as a lack of self-control, but that many overweight people are physically addicted to foods rich in fat and sugar.
When we eat food that tastes good we get a powerful release of dopamine in the pleasure/reward section of the brain, but food addicts have been found to have a deficiency in a certain type of dopamine so that their sense of reward and pleasure is diminished, thus they have to eat more to reach the same level of pleasure as anybody else.
Scientists have also found impulsive behaviour is a factor in leading to food addiction and Ivo Vlaev, of Warwick Business School, plus Myutan Kulendran, Laura Wingfield, Colin Sugden, and Ara Darzi, of Imperial College London, discovered that a drug called Modafinil, usually used for narcolepsy, shift work disorder and excessive daytime sleepiness, can reduce impulsivity and thus food addiction.
“We found Modafinil, which is already on the market, did reduce people’s impulsive behaviour,” said Professor Vlaev.
“It has been shown to reduce impulsiveness in a variety of disorders such as alcohol dependence, schizophrenia and ADHD. Food addicts suffer from the same neurobiological conditions so we believe it will help food addicts as well and our initial tests have backed up that theory.
“This could have important implications for people who are obese. There is mounting evidence to show that there is a substantial number of obese people who are food addicts because they have an inability to control their impulsive actions and this drug has shown it can give them more control, which will help overweight people lose weight and so improve their health.
“Food addicts know they need to lose weight, but the desire for more food is overwhelming, leading to a spiral of depression that can lead to psychological issues as well as health problems.”
The drug, which is sold under a wide variety of brand names around the world, was one of two drugs tested by researchers, the other being Atomoxetine. Both drugs have been used for impulsive conditions, including ADHD.
In the paper Pharmacological manipulation of impulsivity: A randomized controlled trial published in Personality and Individual Differences, the scientists conducted a series of trials on 60 men aged between 19 and 32, with 20 taking a placebo, 20 Atomoxetine and 20 Modafinil.
The tests revealed that those who had taken Modafinil had a significantly reduced level of impulsiveness, whereas Atomoxetine produced no difference compared to the placebo group.
“Modafinil was found to have an effect on impulsivity in healthy individuals and so would be able to have an even bigger effect on food addicts, who are lacking in certain types of dopamine,” said Professor Vlaev.
“This drug could be a real help to those people struggling to control their desire for food even though they know they should lose weight.
“The drug improves self-control, which is a key factor in determining obesity, so our hypothesis is that this drug should help in treating the disease.”
Pregnant women should increase vitamin D levels - new studies suggest
TORONTO, ON – New studies have shown how important it is for pregnant women to have optimal blood levels of vitamin D to help lower the risk of their babies developing multiple sclerosis and autism.
A newly published study in Neurology from Danish researchers has found that babies born within the lowest quintile of vitamin D levels had twice the risk for future multiple sclerosis (MS) as infants born in the highest quintile. This led the researchers to conclude that low concentrations of neonatal vitamin D are associated with an increased risk of MS.
Earlier this year, a study published in JAMA Neurology on data from the Finnish Maternity Cohort also found that maternal vitamin D deficiency during early pregnancy was associated with a 2-fold increased risk of MS in the offspring compared with women who did not have deficient vitamin D levels.
Adding further support for increased vitamin D supplementation for pregnant women is a new study published in Molecular Psychiatry on autism. The large population-based cohort of mothers and their children found that gestational vitamin D deficiency was associated with an increase in autism-related traits in 6-year-old children linking gestational vitamin D deficiency and altered brain development. The authors concluded: “It is feasible that a safe, cheap and publicly accessible vitamin D supplement in at risk groups may reduce the prevalence of this risk factor. Just as prenatal folate supplementation has reduced the incidence of spina bifida, we speculate that prenatal vitamin D supplementation may reduce the incidence of autism.”
Dr. Reinhold Vieth, Scientific Advisor for the Vitamin D Society and retired professor at the University of Toronto, says that in addition to lowering the risk of developing multiple sclerosis and autism, a clinical trial now shows that risk of premature birth is lower if American women raise their blood vitamin D levels that match amounts that are naturally present in the blood of women living in the tropics.
“Getting vitamin D levels of pregnant women that are ‘natural for human beings’ will have a beneficial effect on infant health that will last a lifetime,” says Dr. Vieth.
Vitamin D scientists recommend that everyone including pregnant women reach a vitamin D blood level of between 100-150 nmol/L. Pregnant Canadian women, especially through winter, should consider taking up to 4,000 IU/d of vitamin D3 supplement for the best health of their future baby. You should test your 25(OH)D blood level after 3 months and see if the 100 nmol/L level has been achieved. If not adjust your dosage.
At the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), The Protect Our Children NOW! Program was launched by GrassrootsHealth and MUSC in 2015. The program helps pregnant women achieve a vitamin D level of greater than 100 nmol/L and frequently requires doses of 4,000 IU/d. It is expected to produce best practice procedures that can be replicated by hospitals worldwide and is based on research conducted by Dr. Hollis and Dr. Wagner of MUSC.
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) and Health Canada have recommended that the tolerable upper intake level (UL) of vitamin D for pregnant women is 4,000 IU/d. This represents the maximum daily intake that is unlikely to cause adverse health effects. Previous randomized controlled trial studies have proved the safety and effectiveness of pregnant women taking 4,000 IU of vitamin D3 supplementation per day.
“This new research adds valuable scientific evidence proving the importance for pregnant women to have optimal vitamin D levels between 100-150 nmol/L for the health of their new infant,” says Perry Holman, Executive Director of the Vitamin D Society. “The Vitamin D Society encourages medical professionals to advise pregnant women to take up to 4,000 IU of vitamin D3 supplementation per day and to reach the required serum level. It’s a safe, easy and inexpensive way to help ensure that they give their infant the best chance for a healthy life. This change to current clinical practices could help prevent future cases of multiple sclerosis and autism in Canadian infants.”
About the Vitamin D Society:
The Vitamin D Society is a Canadian non-profit group organized to increase awareness of the many health conditions strongly linked to vitamin D deficiency; encourage people to be proactive in protecting their health and have their vitamin D levels tested annually; and help fund valuable vitamin D research. The Vitamin D Society recommends people achieve and maintain optimal 25(OH)D blood levels between 100 – 150 nmol/L (Can) or 40-60 ng/ml (USA).
To learn more about vitamin D, please visit www.vitamindsociety.org
About GrassrootsHealth:
GrassrootsHealth is a US based non-profit public health research organization dedicated to moving public health messages regarding vitamin D from science into practice. It has a panel of 48 senior vitamin D researchers from around the world contributing to its operations. If you’d like to learn more about GrassrootsHealth Protect our Children NOW! Project, please contact Jen Aliano, Project manager, at jen@grassrootshealth.org or visit www.grassrootshealth.net.
Study Urges Public Health to Embrace Sunlight Benefits
Just weeks after research warned Canadians that vitamin D deficiency was costing Canadian healthcare $12.5B annually by leading to a higher risk of developing life-threatening illnesses, a new study from the US is supporting the Canadian research and challenging conventional sun exposure advice. The study calls for public health organizations to re-evaluate their current message of sun avoidance and to promote non-burning sun exposure for vitamin D and other health benefits.
The recently published study, written by one of the most qualified and diverse groups of researchers in the fields of pigment cell research, photobiology, melanoma research, dermatology and vitamin D, “The Risks and Benefits of Sun Exposure 2016” by David G. Hoel, Marianne Berwick, Frank R. de Gruijl and Michael F. Holick, has found that insufficient sun exposure is an emerging public health risk.
Published in Dermato-Endocrinology, the report says that the current state of the science behind the risks and benefits of sun exposure suggests that public health advice should be changed to recommend that all men, women and children accumulate sufficient non-burning sun exposure to maintain their vitamin D blood levels at 75 nmol/L (30 ng/ml) especially in northern climates. The research goes further, reporting about the positive benefits of vitamin D and outlines how many other photoproducts produced by sunlight exposure are beneficial to our health.
In Canada, lab tests relied upon by doctors, consider the sufficient vitamin D blood level range to be between 75 to 150 nmol/L or higher in some provinces. Currently 65% of Canadians, or 2 out of every 3, do not meet the 75 nmol/L vitamin D blood level and have insufficient vitamin D levels.
“The results of our study show that to live a healthier life, it’s important for North Americans to increase their vitamin D levels through non-burning sun exposure,” says Dr. Michael Holick, Scientific Advisor for the Vitamin D Society and Professor of Medicine at Boston University Medical Center. “Insufficient sun exposure has become a major public health problem, demanding an immediate change in the current sun-avoidance public health advice. Generating vitamin D with non-burning exposure to the sun every day or under artificial UVB sources can help prevent the development of serious diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis and others. Remember that the UV index must be above 3 and your shadow shorter than you are to produce vitamin D from the sun.”
A new Canadian study reported that increasing vitamin D intake could spare 23,000 Canadians premature deaths annually and save Canada $12.5 billion in healthcare spending and associated costs. The study found that Canadians vitamin D levels have been dropping due to lower sunlight exposure putting more people at risk of life-threatening illnesses.
“More and more research is being published urging individuals to increase their vitamin D levels through non-burning sun exposure,” says Perry Holman, Executive Director of the Vitamin D Society. We need to start looking at UV exposure differently and embrace the benefits while controlling for the risks of overexposure.”
Canadians can get their vitamin D levels checked by their physicians, or online, through a simple 25(OH)D blood test to ensure they aren’t deficient.
About the Vitamin D Society:
The Vitamin D Society is a Canadian non-profit group organized to increase awareness of the many health conditions strongly linked to vitamin D deficiency; encourage people to be proactive in protecting their health and have their vitamin D levels tested annually; and help fund valuable vitamin D research. The Vitamin D Society recommends people achieve and maintain optimal 25(OH)D blood levels between 100 – 150 nmol/L (Can) or 40-60 ng/ml (USA).
To learn more about vitamin D, please visit www.vitamindsociety.org
Ontario Chamber of Commerce calls on Government to implement a Health Cabinet with oversight for provincial health-related spending
Managing innovation requires cross-functional action from government
Today, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) released the report, Care in Our Control: Managing Innovation in Ontario's Multi-Payer Health Care System. The report examines why Ontario struggles to capture value for money spent, particularly on health innovations like pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The report recommends a new approach to this challenge by calling on the provincial government to create a Health Cabinet, to break down silos between Ministries in order to improve the way Ontario is investing in health care.
As medical devices and pharmaceuticals become more sophisticated, patient quality of life has the opportunity to greatly improve. However, government continues to struggle to afford new innovations that are entering the market with increasing rapidity. In order to adopt innovation while ensuring the province's system is fiscally sustainable, the government must better understand the value that innovation can bring across the system, to other public services, and to the health and wellness of Ontarians.
"Innovation is not being materialized. Across Canada, there are over 4,000 new medical devices licensed every year and not enough of them are getting to Ontario patients," said Allan O'Dette, President and CEO of the OCC. "Government needs to reform how the value of innovation is being assessed so that the lowest cost option is not the default, in doing so, we're not putting patients first."
Effectively integrating innovative treatments into the current health care system requires collaborative budget decision-making, and an understanding that spending in one area could result in savings in another. In Ontario, being able to measure the value of health care spending in this way means breaking down budget "silos" that exist between government Ministries. Currently, the system lacks structures that allow for the value of innovative treatments to be considered across multiple budgets.
"The formation of a Health Cabinet would help individual ministries understand how decisions within the health care system can impact other public services, and vice versa," added O'Dette. "Ontario is a source of great health innovation, and having a conduit between the ministries responsible for health, social services, research, and economic development would improve our ability to use those innovations for the benefit of all Ontarians.
The OCC's report argues that a Health Cabinet should also facilitate improved public/private relationships by including stakeholders from industry, research and academia. This would help government take advantage of the knowledge and capacity of experts in the health sector while creating a forum for collaboration and partnership across government Ministries that is dedicated to improving patient outcomes, including a specific focus on the challenges of our aging population.
SOURCE Ontario Chamber of Commerce
Provata Health Launches Groundbreaking Virtual Reality Guided Meditation App
PORTLAND, Ore. (November 22, 2016) -- Leading digital health company Provata Health announced the launch of Provata VR, a virtual reality (VR) guided meditation app available on the App Store. The app signifies the Portland startup’s aim to pioneer a new category of digital health: Virtual Reality Preventive Care.
With Provata VR, users escape to a variety of stunning locations around the world, including tropical waterfalls, secluded beaches, dazzling Northern Lights and even underwater coral reefs. Selecting from a collection of guided meditation exercises, users train their mind to positively impact their productivity and mood in immersive, idyllic settings.
The app also introduces meditation biofeedback, a patent-pending system that leverages advances in physiological monitoring to enhance the meditation experience. Users can sync popular wearable devices, such as Apple Watch, to visualize the effects of their meditation sessions on their heart rate. Through smart feedback, Provata VR helps users better understand which meditation exercises, locations, and times of day have the greatest impact on their heart rate.
“Virtual Reality presents an opportunity to expand digital health to new frontiers,” said Alex Goldberg, CEO of Provata Health. “The typical guided meditation approach—an audio recording instructing you how to meditate—hasn’t advanced much technologically in decades. Combining VR with mindfulness meditation and biofeedback monitoring lets users transport themselves to relaxing environments while seamlessly tracking their progress, bringing new dimensions to the meditation experience.”
As mindfulness meditation grows in popularity, scientific research reveals its benefits are widespread, including increased productivity, lower stress, as well as improved focus, cognitive skills and memory. The effects extend to physiological measures as studies indicate that meditation can help to lower risk of strokes and heart attacks. Studies suggest mindfulness meditation may even alleviate chronic pain by activating brain regions associated with pain control.
Provata Health provides the first commercial digital health program proven to improve both the physical and mental health of participants in a peer-reviewed medical journal. “Given the mounting evidence of the positive effects of meditation on our mental and physical health, Provata VR truly embodies our emphasis on providing holistic digital health solutions that address our total health,” Goldberg explained.
Currently the fastest-growing private tech and healthcare company in Oregon, Provata Health partners with employers, health plans, and hospital systems to provide evidence-based programs proven to improve the health of employees and lower medical costs. Provata VR marks the company’s first product available to both employers and consumers alike.
Anyone can download the app for free and upgrade to the premium version, which will be available at no cost to employees participating in Provata digital health programs through their employer or health plan.
Watch the Video: http://provatahealth.com/vr-health#provata-vr-video
Website for the app: http://provatahealth.com/vr-health
Download the app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/provata-vr-guided-meditation/id1121506806?ls=1&mt=8
Link to Release: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161122005302/en/Provata-Health-Launches-Groundbreaking-Virtual-Reality-Guided
THINK YOU KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT LIPOSUCTION? THINK AGAIN. 10 OF THE MOST COMMON QUESTIONS/MYTHS ADDRESSED
OR YOU COULD DO IT VIA TRAINING - For PT inquiries and online training email go to www.trainitright.com/programs
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www.zannisplasticsurgery.com
Liposuction is one of the top 5 most common surgical procedures in The United States. Approximately 363,912 procedures are performed each year. While every lay person knows that ‘liposuction sucks out fat,’ many are misguided about the procedure in terms of who is an appropriate candidate, how long the results last, and what the procedure can and cannot accomplish. Dr. John Zannis is a New Bern, North Carolina plastic surgeon who seeks to set the record straight.
Fat Will Come Back Somewhere Else After Lipo
The “fat return” fear is something plastic surgeons hear about pretty often, which is understandable! “New fat does not ‘find its way’ elsewhere after liposuction. This is one of the most common liposuction myths out there. Liposuction removes part of the fat in an area, but if the body is overwhelmed by a large amount of calories that are not burned they are stored proportionately in every remaining fat cell in the body, ” Explains Dr. Zannis. Fat cells aren't distributed evenly to begin with, and after lipo (or any type of fat cell removal) they definitely won't be distributed evenly. Even though individual fat cells grow evenly, there will be fewer in the places where the lipo happened, so those places won't fill out the same way they used to (which is what lipo patients want). Remaining fat cells in the rest of the body will pick up the slack. These cells will gain fat evenly, but not in the areas you're used to gaining in, since the fat cells in those places were liposuctioned out. He adds, “The more fat cells removed, the more the remaining fat cells will gain when you gain weight.”
Are the results of liposuction permanent?
The results of liposuction are intended to be permanent. What this means is that the fat cells which are removed will not reappear, but if you gain weight in the future, fat can accumulate in surrounding areas and the remaining fat cells in your treatment area can become larger. Dr. Zannis adds, “While the fat cells are permanently gone, you can once again find yourself with unwanted fat if you gain weight, so your healthy habits will determine whether you maintain your liposuction results.”
Is Liposuction a Reasonable Treatment for Obesity?
“Liposuction is not a good treatment for obesity,” says Dr. Zannis. He adds, “Liposuction is not effective, even as a last resort, for people who are unable to lose weight by dieting and exercise.”
Are There Non-Surgical Alternatives to Liposuction?
“Liposuction is still considered the gold standard for body contouring: It’s the most predictable, and it’s performed in a single treatment, says Dr.Zannis. However, there are minimally invasive alternatives though they won’t give you as dramatic results and treatments may need to be repeated for the desired effect. The most effective non-invasive options use heat, cold, or ultrasound on the surface of the skin. These alternatives include, but are not limited to:
CoolSculpting
UltraShape
Vanquish
Liposonix
Kybella (currently only FDA-approved for use underneath the chin)
How much weight will I lose from liposuction?
Liposuction actually has little effect on the number on your scale. It is not a method for weight loss but is instead a way to address specific areas of stubborn fat, also known as body contouring. However, many patients who want to lose weight find great success by reaching their goal weight first and then using liposuction to fine-tine the appearance they’ve worked so hard for.
Can liposuction reduce sagging skin?
“Liposuction solely focuses on removing fat, so it will not tighten excess skin. However, some patients benefit from a surgery which combines both fat removal and skin excision, like a tummy tuck or arm lift accompanied by liposuction,” says Dr. Zannis.
Will I have scars after liposuction?
Any surgery will leave a scar, but the scars from liposuction are particularly small and subtle. Dr. Zannis explains that, “The incisions only need to be large enough for the tiny tube which removes the fat, so the incisions are very small and are strategically placed in areas that are as discreet as possible.”
Does Liposuction Treat Cellulite
Cellulite is the fat right below the surface of the skin. It typically looks bumpy and uneven because the fat pushes through the connective tissue. While many people think it is unattractive, cellulite doesn’t present any health concerns. “It’s also not removed by liposuction, although the procedure might make your cellulite less visible. If it’s a concern for you, you can discuss options for reducing the look of cellulite with your doctor,” says Dr. Zannis.
Instant six pack abs & breast reductions are possible with liposuction
But it's important to manage your expectations. “The less fat you have, the more likely you will achieve sculpted, six pack abs than patients with higher body fat (despite having more fat removed),” Dr. Zannis stresses.
The More Fat Removed, the Better
“Actually, the more fat you remove, the higher the chances for risks you don’t want to deal with such as lumps and bumps.These fears are most likely driven by the fact that patients request aggressive treatment of localized fatty deposits. The more fat that is removed, the greater the potential risk of developing these problems,” says Dr. Zannis. The American Society of Plastic Surgery recommends limiting liposuction to 5 liters (about 11 pounds) in an outpatient setting.
Hispanic Adults with Diabetes Could Benefit from Peer Support Interventions
MU study finds peer support interventions effective at improving blood sugar levels of minority patients
Diabetes is a global health problem that disproportionally affects individuals of ethnic and racial minorities. Minorities are more likely to experience complications from the disease, and the death rate from diabetes among Hispanics is 50 percent higher than non-Hispanic whites, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health.
In the study, researchers at the University of Missouri School of Medicine examined the effectiveness of peer support interventions, where diabetic patients received support from a person who had knowledge from their own experiences with diabetes or someone who had been affected by diabetes, but may not have the disease themselves, such as a caregiver or family member. The researchers found that the interventions were effective at improving the blood sugar levels of participants from minority groups, especially those of Hispanic ethnicity.
“Peer supporters can help diabetic patients better manage their disease by providing advice on diet and exercise regimens, monitoring blood sugar levels and coping with the new diagnoses,” said Sonal Patil, M.D., assistant professor of Family and Community Medicine at the MU School of Medicine. “Peer support interventions have been suggested by the World Health Organization as a way to improve self-care behaviors of diabetic patients, but an adequate review of the effectiveness of such interventions has not happened.”
Patil and her colleagues analyzed results from 17 randomized control trials on diabetic peer support interventions conducted from 1960 to 2015. The researchers compared blood sugar levels of patients who received peer support to those who received similar care, but did not participate in peer interventions. Patil found that peer support interventions modestly improved patients’ blood sugar levels, with the most significant improvements found in studies with predominantly minority participants.
“Previous research has found that when culturally appropriate health education is provided to people with diabetes who belong to ethnic minority groups, their glycemic control and knowledge of diabetes improves,” Patil said. “Our findings suggest that peer health coaches might provide more culturally appropriate health education in ethnic minority populations, particularly Latino ones.”
Patil said that peer support interventions not only help diabetic patients, but also provide benefits to the peers delivering the support.
“Previous research has found that being a peer supporter to others actually increases one’s own self-management of the disease,” Patil said.
More random control trials are needed with African American participants before she can determine the effectiveness of peer support for that specific community, Patil said.
Additionally, Patil noted that peer support interventions should be done in conjunction, and not in place of, regular visits with the patient’s health provider.
Patil’s study, “Peer Support Interventions for Adults with Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis of Hemoglobin A1c Outcomes,” recently was published in the Annals of Family Medicine. The study was funded with internal funds from the University of Missouri Department of Family and Community Medicine.
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About the MU School of Medicine
The MU School of Medicine has improved health, education and research in Missouri and beyond for more than 165 years. MU physicians treat patients from every county in the state, and more Missouri physicians received their medical degrees from MU than from any other university. For more information, visit http://medicine.missouri.edu/.
