Alex Brecher

It's at the magnificent http://www.bostonconventioncenter.com/

Yup! PM me if you're interested please.

If you struggle with obesity, you probably already face or are worried about getting a variety of health conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, and asthma. Type 2 diabetes is another obesity-related condition that can affect you and lead to scary complications if you’re unable to control your blood sugar. You can use diabetes medications to help control your blood sugar levels, but often, weight loss surgery and the right diet can be even better. Reminder: the Importance of Diabetes If you don’t have diabetes, someone in your family might if obesity runs in your family. You may remember a parent, aunt or uncle, or grandparent who had diabetes and suffered from complications. 29 million Americans, or 9.3 percent of the population, have diabetes, or high blood sugar, and most cases are linked to obesity. Type 2 diabetes is the seventh-leading cause of death in the U.S., but it gets worse. It’s a risk factor for heart disease and high blood pressure, stroke, and high cholesterol. Uncontrolled blood sugar can lead to kidney failure, blindness, infections, and amputations. In total, the U.S. spends about $245 billion per year on diabetes. Medications for Diabetes Diabetes medications can help keep your blood sugar in check in various ways. The following are some common types of diabetes medications. Increase insulin sensitivity. Reduce the amount of sugar your liver releases to the bloodstream. Increase insulin production. Prevent the kidney from reabsorbing sugars. Slow down metabolism of sugars and starches. Diabetes medications help, but each type has drawbacks. They can cause weight gain, increase your risk of infections, harm your heart, and lead to nausea and vomiting. Unless you’re on a good health plan, these medications can also be expensive. The Effects of Weight Loss Surgery on Diabetes When considering weight loss surgery, you probably think about the number on the scale, how nice it will be to shop at regular clothes stores, having more energy, and improving your heart health. It turns out that weight loss surgery has a big effect on diabetes, too. People who get weight loss surgery often see their blood sugar levels drop and are able to decrease their medication doses or get off of medications entirely. You’d expect to have improvements in diabetes if you lose a lot of weight after weight loss surgery. After all, your diabetes was probably caused by obesity. Whether or not you get surgery, you’re likely to have better control over your blood sugar levels if you lose a lot of weight. However, it turns out that weight loss surgery has a bigger impact on diabetes than what you’d expect just from losing weight alone. In some studies, patients have had their blood sugars lowered as soon as a few days after surgery! In just a few days, you can’t lose enough weight to explain the drop is blood sugar. There must be another explanation. As it turns out, researchers do have a lot of theories about what causes the health improvements so quickly. It may have something to do with the way your body processes carbohydrates. There could be increases in insulin sensitivity. Multiple hormones are probably involved. Researchers don’t know all of the reasons for sure, but these results are pretty consistent. The gastric bypass is most likely best at resolving diabetes quickly, following be the vertical sleeve gastrectomy. The lap-band isn’t as effective, but lap-band patients do tend to see at least some improvements. Each type of weight loss surgery has its own advantages and disadvantages, so be sure to ask your surgeon for advice. The Weight Loss Surgery Diet and Diabetes Surgery is only part of the solution to controlling diabetes or preventing pre-diabetes from developing into diabetes. If you want maximum benefits and lasting effects, you also need to take a look at your nutrition. For weeks, months, and years after weight loss surgery, your diet will largely determine your weight loss and blood sugar levels. Fortunately, the weight loss surgery diet is also a diet that can lower your blood sugar levels. First, stick to your low-calorie diet. If you’re not counting calories, serve yourself only the portions and types of foods that your surgeon allows. The low-calorie diet lets you lose weight and as you do, you’ll find that your blood sugar is in a healthier range. Next, there’s the protein content. You already know that you need to focus on protein on your weight loss surgery diet. It keeps you full to help you lose weight, and prevents symptoms of protein deficiency. Another benefit is that it doesn’t spike your blood sugar and insulin levels like carbohydrates do. When you eat fewer carbs and more protein, your blood sugar levels will be more stable. There are a few other ways you can plan your weight loss surgery diet to also be healthy for your blood sugar. Better yet, these tips will also make your diet higher in nutrients. Instead of refined grains, select whole grains, such as oatmeal and whole wheat bread and pasta, whenever possible. Eat plenty of vegetables, since they’re filling, low-calorie, and unlikely to spike your blood sugar. Choose unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, instead of saturated fats, such as butter, to promote heart health and better control your blood sugar. Eat high-fiber foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, beans, and fruit, to feel less hungry and to prevent blood sugar spikes. Type 2 diabetes can be an inconvenient disease to manage, and it can cause all kinds of devastating complications. If you have diabetes or prediabetes and are thinking about weight loss surgery, it’s important to know the facts. Weight loss surgery can help resolve your diabetes and get you off medication, but it’s not likely to be too effective without a good diet, too. Just like with weight loss, weight loss surgery is a tool for diabetes management, and you need to follow a healthy nutrition plan to get the maximum results.

Ha! Let me know your results. I can so see this as the next diet fad. Theoretically the study is right but it's a bit more complicated than just strapping on ice packs to your belly.

We're created posters and flyers. They're really easy to print and disseminate.

Thanks for the happy bday wishes! For those that really know me, you know I'm only jesting! I'm happy with and have accepted almost everything life has thrown my way. I have lots and lots of gratitude to the BariatricPal members and staff. Without everyone, none of us would have amounted to much THANK YOU!!! I'm also on FaceBook, Twitter and LinkedIn if anyone want's to connect.

I'm aiming for a really nice bike OR a really nice GF for my birthday. It's tough having both at the same time

Thank you dear! I'm gradually inching towards 40. How the hell did this happen so quickly ???

Thank you! You'd be surprised how many WLS professionals and patients have never heard about us. We definitely need to do a better job at publicizing our existence. That's one of the reasons we've started attending events like YourWeightMatters, WLSFA and ObesityWeek.

All of the books are available in softcover via Amazon.

Relax! We're going to fix it shortly. Sorry about this issue.

Just someone to sing our praises to attendees for a little each day while we're exhibiting

We're planning on exhibiting BariatricPal at ObesityWeek November 2-7 in Boston, MA. We have an extra 1 full conference ticket and a few exhibit hall only tickets. If you're local and would like to assist us, please let me know!

Since you first started looking into weight loss surgery, you’ve probably been hearing a lot about the importance of protein. You need at least 60 to 80 grams a day for the following reasons: It’s a filling nutrient that helps you lose weight by decreasing hunger. It’s an essential nutrient for healthy skin, hair, nails, hormones, and enzymes. It helps stop you from losing too much muscle while you lose body fat. Almost everyone needs protein supplements right after weight loss surgery. Protein shakes and powders give you the protein you need when you’re not allowed to eat solid foods. But which types should you choose? And should you keep using them when you’re eating solid foods and surgery is long behind you? Protein for the Liquid Phase of the Post Weight Loss Surgery Diet Progression After a day or two of sticking to clear liquids, you progress to a full liquid diet. You can be on this diet for a few days, if you’re a lap-band patient, or a couple of weeks, if you have the gastric sleeve or gastric bypass. Protein sources include the following. Non-fat milk, with 90 calories and 8 grams of protein per 8 ounces. Non-fat milk powder, with 100 calories and 10 grams of protein per ounce. Low-sugar protein powder, with 110 calories and 25 grams of protein per ounce. Low-sugar protein shakes, with 100 or more calories and 15 or more grams of protein per 8 ounces. Without supplementing your diet with protein shakes and powders, you’re not going to be able to hit your 60 to 80 grams of protein. Protein Powders and Shakes in the Pureed Foods Phase This phase is really a transition phase. You’re adding foods back into your diet, but aren’t yet ready to eat chewy, sticky, crunchy, or other solid foods. Protein foods include the following. Non-fat cottage cheese, with 12 grams of protein per half-cup. Non-fat ricotta cheese, with 5 grams of protein per half-cup. Egg whites, with 4 grams of protein per extra-large white. Non-fat Greek or regular yogurt, with 8 to 14 grams of protein per container. During this phase, your surgeon will probably have you start to decrease your use of protein shakes and powders, but will probably recommend keeping them in your diet to help you get to 60 to 80 grams of protein per day. You might need one or two shakes a day, plus powder in foods such as oatmeal, yogurt, or pureed potatoes. Be Wary of Protein Supplements in the Long-Term Protein shakes and powders can be convenient, but they’re not your best bet for long-term weight loss. As you progress from pureed foods to semi-solid and then solid foods, your surgeon will probably recommend that you stop drinking shakes and focus instead on solid sources of protein. They’re more substantial and satisfying than liquid shakes. They take longer to eat than drinking shakes. They’re easier to fit into a real-life eating plan. You won’t be “drinking your calories.” They have more natural nutrients than processed shakes and powders. Most weight loss surgery patients can get enough protein just by choosing one or two high-protein foods for each meal. You’ll get 60 to 80 grams with the following foods. Breakfast: 2 scrambled egg whites with ½ light English muffin and some fruit. Lunch: ½ cup fat-free cottage cheese and a green salad with 3 ounces of canned light tuna. Dinner: 3 ounces of chicken breast and steamed spinach. Snack 1: 1 low-fat cheese stick. Snack 2: 1 6-ounce container of plain low-fat yogurt and ½ cup carrot sticks. When Protein Supplements Are Okay Still, some weight loss surgery patients may still need protein shakes and powders in the long term. That’s often the case for vertical sleeve patients if your sleeve fills up too quickly to allow you to eat enough solid protein throughout the day. Talk to your surgeon to find out whether you should still use shakes and powders. Your surgeon might suggest that you include one or two protein shakes a day as snacks or mix protein powder into your yogurt, cereal or other foods. Protein supplements can still come in handy even if you’re able to meet your protein requirements on your daily weight loss surgery diet. If your routine gets interrupted, you might come up short. Consider the protein you can miss if you need to change your regular plans for a meal or snack. 10 grams of protein if you run out the door without grabbing your yogurt in the morning. 22 grams of protein if you forget to pack your tuna for lunch. 26 grams of protein if you’re stuck in a meeting instead of cooking your chicken dinner at home. When you’re stuck in the car or too busy to plan ahead, protein shakes can be lifesavers. On vacation, you can take protein powder with you so you’re always sure to have a source when you need it. You could also try Unjury Protein’d Cheese Sauce on steamed vegetables for an extra 21 grams of protein. Read the Nutrition Facts Panel to Find Protein Content The Food and Drug Administration lets food manufacturers call a food “a good source of” protein if it has at least 5 grams of protein. If a serving has at least 10 grams of protein, a food can be labeled “high,” “rich in,” or “an excellent source of” protein. That doesn’t do you much good if you’re trying to find a shake or powder with at least 15 to 20 grams of protein per serving. Don’t rely on a claim on the front of the label when you’re looking for a protein supplement. You could end up with a “high-protein” shake with only 10 grams of protein! Instead, check the nutrition facts panel to see how many grams of protein the food or shake has per serving. Check the Label for Calories and Sugar Protein shakes and powders can be high in calories and sugar. A bottle of Special K Protein has only 10 grams of protein, but 190 calories and 18 grams of sugar. A Pure Protein Frosty Chocolate Shake has 15 grams of protein, but 190 calories and 25 grams of sugar. A can of Boost High Protein drink has 15 grams of protein, 240 calories and 27 grams of sugars. No matter which stage of your weight loss surgery diet you’re on, you can’t afford to eat too many calories or too much sugar. The only way to protect yourself is to read the labels. Protein supplements can be great choices for boosting your intake to 60 to 80 grams a day. Shakes and powders can get you through the liquid and pureed foods stages of the post-surgery diet progression, and they can have a place in your diet even when you reach your long-term weight loss surgery diet plan. Just make sure not to overuse them if your surgeon is concerned, and to choose low-sugar options.

We're looking into it. Which Kindle model are you using ?

We're working on adding sigs and profiles to the mobile apps. You should see that feature available within the next few months.

I try my best not to recommend specific practices or surgeons. There are some really great surgeons within the tri-state area, If you require a doc in BK, I'd suggest Danny Sherwinter or Abraham Krikhely at Maimonides. I believe Ren-Fielding and Dr. Schwack also have offices in Flatbush and they're there once a week or so.

Here are some pics which are more up to date: https://www.facebook.com/alex.brecher/photos

How'd surgery go ?

This feature isn't available at this point It's on our (growing) todo list!

Hey, BariatricPal Members! This is a beautiful time of year, with gorgeous days and crisp nights. Everything’s back to normal after the summer lull, and it’s time to take advantage! You’re more likely to be able to lose weight when you fit a healthy diet and exercise into your regular schedule, so take a few minutes to rearrange your schedule if you haven’t already. First, though, here’s what we have for you in this month’s newsletter. Member Poll: How Did You Find and Choose Your Surgeon? Member Spotlight – Meet Georgia! In the News: Can Weight Loss Surgery Make You Smarter? Need a surgeon? Take Advantage of BariatricPal’s Surgeon Directory! We hope you enjoy the newsletter and find some inspiration in it. For a lot more inspiration, log on to BariatricPal and join the discussions. See you on the boards! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Member Poll: How Did You Find and Choose Your Surgeon? Choosing a surgeon is one of the most important parts of weight loss surgery. You want a surgeon who is skilled and who is someone you can trust. How did you find and choose your surgeon when you decided to get weight loss surgery You had no choice. For example, you’re covered under an HMO and you went with the surgeon whom you were referred to. You used BariatricPal’s surgeon director or another online directory to find the surgeons or bariatric centers in your area and then chose one based on their reviews and your initial experience with them. You used Google (or another search engine) to find surgeons in your area. You saw advertisements online or on television and contacted the bariatric center or surgeon. Your primary care or other regular doctor recommended a surgeon to you. A friend or family member got weight loss surgery and recommended his or her surgeon to you. You couldn’t afford weight loss surgery in the U.S., so you got a friend’s recommendation or used an online search to find a surgeon in Mexico or another country. Other – tell us about it in the discussion below! Mark your answer and let us know in the conversation on the boards how you found your surgeon and why you chose the one you did! This information can help BariatricPal members who are considering surgery to find a great surgeon. Insure Nutrition We are always thrilled to welcome a new newsletter sponsor into the BariatricPal family, and this month, Insure Nutrition is giving us the pleasure of doing just that. Our latest sponsor, Insure Nutrition, is an online company that specializes in getting health insurance coverage for nutritional supplements. Its Post-Bariatric Surgery Nutrition products includes Premier Protein shakes in chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors and OptiSource High Protein drinks in caramel and strawberry flavors. Checking if you are eligible is easy. Insure Nutrition encourages you to use its online form to find out if you qualify. Our sponsors help make BariatricPal newsletters and other services possible. We encourage you show your thanks by considering them first for your bariatric needs. Exciting News – We're welcoming unjury and Opurity to BariatricPal! BariatricPal is proud and excited to announce two new sponsors for our newsletters. The new sponsors are Unjury, a supplier of wonderful tasting, highest quality protein supplements, and Opurity (from the makers of UNJURY), highest purity Vitamin supplements for bariatric surgery patients. Their support lets us keep BariatricPal newsletters coming to you each month. Unjury was founded by a master’s degree dietitian who has been helping patients since 1974. It is committed your health. You know the importance of getting enough protein after weight loss surgery, but you also know that meeting your protein goals can be challenging. Unjury makes your task not just easier but actually enjoyable. Product flavors include Chocolate Splendor, Chocolate Classic, Vanilla, Strawberry Sorbet, chicken Soup Flavor, Unflavored, Protein’d cheese Sauce (seasonal, October through May). These ready-to-use protein powders come in single-serve and multi-serve containers, and contain high-quality whey protein to keep you full and nourished. Launched in 2007, Opurity is dedicated to using the purest ingredients in its supplements. Opurity Bariatric Multivitamins have two unique big advantages: First, each multivitamin requires only one tablet per day*. Second, Opurity is so dedicated to quality that it is unique in using no ingredients from China. Choose from chewable orange-berry multivitamins for gastric bypass and gastric sleeve patients or for lap-band patients.Opurity also sells chewable calcium, vitamin D and folic acid/vitamin B-12 chewables. All supplements come with a 100% satisfaction guaranteed. They return policy is: “Yes you can return it.” Support from Unjury and Opurity helps us continue to bring you the services you enjoy on BariatricPal, so please support these two brands! When looking for your bariatric surgery supplements, first visit Unjury.com and Opurity.com. Purchasing from these companies helps support BariatricPal. Thanks to Unjury and Opurity for your generous sponsorship, and thanks to BariatricPal members who support our partnership! *You still need calcium and sublingual B-12. Member Spotlight – Meet Georgia! This month, we are pleased to feature Georgia from Conway, Arkansas. She had struggled with her weight for most of her life, and gradually put on the pounds as the years passed. She thought about weight loss surgery for years, and made her decision on Christmas Day, 2009. That was the day she found her mother on the floor at home after a fatal stroke. Georgia knew she’d be next if she didn’t act. She carefully researched her options and signed up for a seminar in March of 2010. Though she had thought she would get the lap-band, she changed her mind when she learned about a new procedure vertical sleeve gastrectomy. It sounded perfect for her, and she got the surgery in June of 2010. Her weight was 250 pounds. Georgia’s life improved immediately. Within months, she got off of her blood pressure medications and stopped using her C-PAP machine for sleep apnea. She lost 100 pounds, or 100 percent of her excess weight, in the first eight months! She loves shopping wherever she wants for clothes and hearing her granddaughter say, “Nannie, you are sooo skinny!” People tell her she doesn’t look or act anywhere near her age of 60. It wasn’t all easy, though. When she hit her goal weight, Georgia learned that maintenance is tough. Little slip-ups in her diet added up to a gain of 27 pounds by June of 2013, and she knew she needed to act. She and some BariatricPal friends tried the 5:2 Diet, which involves eating without much restriction for five days, then cutting way back on the other two days. She got down to a lifetime low of 140 pounds, and then slowly gained some back. Now, she’s realizing that everyone, even slim people, need to struggle with maintenance, and she’s learning how to succeed in her own personal way. Georgia found VerticalSleeveTalk (now BariatricPal) early on, and continues to use the boards one or more times a day. She suggests finding a group of members whom you “can trust and bare your soul to.” Georgia helps out everyone on the boards by being a Forum Host. Her advice to others is to “connect, connect, connect with BariatricPal members.” Log your food using a convenient program or app, and she also suggests using a Fitbit or other fitness device. You’re more likely to succeed when you know what you’re doing. For members who are approaching or at goal weight, she says to make sure you figure out how to keep the pounds off in a way that works for you. Georgia, thanks for being a Forum Host and for sharing your story with us. Congratulations on your weight loss! For members who want to see how great Georgia looks, you can check out her photos on her profile! Is there someone you want to see featured in the BariatricPal newsletter? Nominate yourself or someone else in the Member Spotlight Forum, or send Alex Brecher a private message. We love hearing from you! In the News: Can Weight Loss Surgery Make You Smarter? What benefits do you think of when you think about weight loss surgery? Looking better? Getting off your medications? Keeping up with the grandchildren? Fitting into “regular” clothes? What about getting smarter? It turns out that weight loss surgery may support brain health, too. A study published in August in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism looked at the effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass on the brain. They tested the brain function and used MRI to look at brain activity and metabolism before and after surgery in 17 women with an average BMI of 50 kg/m2. What they found was striking. Before surgery, the test group had lower scores in neuropsychological tests compared to normal-weight women. However, they had higher levels of activity in an area of the brain responsible for higher-level thinking. 24 weeks after surgery, the gastric bypass patients had an average BMI of 37 kg/m2. Remarkably, their brain function and metabolism was similar to that of the normal-weight women! That means that obesity can make the brain work harder without performing as well. It’s also known that obesity is a risk factor for dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Is it time to start taking care of your brain? Need a Surgeon? Take Advantage of BariatricPal’s Surgeon Directory! A good bariatric surgeon can make the difference in your success with weight loss surgery. The right one: Works with you to decide on the best type of surgery for you. Is skilled at the surgical procedure. Provides the care and support you need before and after surgery. It’s not always easy to find the right bariatric surgeon, since you may not know many other weight loss surgery patients and online reviews aren’t always trustworthy. That’s not a problem with BariatricPal’s weight loss surgeon directory. Search for surgeons in your area. Narrow your search by location, surgery type, accepted insurance, and hospital type. Read member reviews from BariatricPal users who are patients. It’s an important decision, and you want to make the right one. You can be sure to get credible information when you use BariatricPal’s surgeon directory. That’s it for this month’s newsletter! Come talk about it on the boards, or feel free to drop a line through private messaging. We love hearing from members!

What are you looking for that you can't find please ? The new app has every option our previous app had + quite a bit more.

Sadly Polls aren't supported in our mobile app. It's on our todo, thanks.

Choosing a Bariatric surgeon is one of the most important parts of weight loss surgery. You want a surgeon who is skilled and who is someone you can trust. How did you find and choose your surgeon when you decided to get weight loss surgery? Mark your answer and let us know in the discussion below how you found your surgeon and why you chose the one you did! This information can help BariatricPal members who are considering surgery to find a great surgeon.

I believe I read an article recently published in the print version of http://www.generalsurgerynews.com/ . I'll let you know if I still have it saved. Don't think I do. You might be able to find it by searching their website.