Dr. Adeyeri

You GO Maggie! Let me know how it goes! Dr. Adeyeri. Holmdel, NJ, USA

Kathleen, great comments! Thank you so much for sharing and best of luck in your continued effort. From what you said, you are destined to be very successful. Dr. Adeyeri.

Thanks so much to all of you for your comments. I'm honored you took the time to respond and admire everyone's determination and courage to defeat obesity. And we're not even warmed up yet! Extra pounds...you're going DOWN! Wishing you all a great day. Dr. Adeyeri Holmdel, NJ

One of the lessons you learn after weight loss surgery is that you are in charge of your health, diet and exercise program. The food no longer rules the roost--you do. The truth of the matter is no matter what the scale says, 110 or 310, everyone puts on a few pounds now and then. As a bariatric surgeon in New Jersey for more than 10 years, one of the biggest anxiety triggers for patients is weight gain. "That's it--it's over--I'm going to gain all the weight back." Of course that's not true. To get back on pace, I’ve listed a few essential steps to help get you back on track to dropping the pounds once again: • Go back to the beginning Post-surgery, you probably followed your healthcare team’s advice to the letter. But as time passed, and you looked and felt healthier, you may have started to deviate from those dietary and exercise guidelines. Pull out your notes and review the program guidelines that brought you this far. Get back on the scale once a week and fire up your food journal again. • Get thyself to the nearest support group ─ STAT Weight loss is a personal journey, but it doesn’t have to be a lonely one. Online support groups on BariatricPal.com are great secondary resources to live weekly or monthly groups with your bariatric doctor or hospital. There is support all-around you, reach out and take it. • Work it out Are you using the ‘too tired’ reason for missing a trip to the gym or 30 minute fast walk around the neighborhood? If you need energy, you know how to get it—get up, get out and get moving. “Too busy,” you say? Remember, only you can prioritize your health and wellness. You matter—make time for your health every single day. • Come to terms with the weight gain This doesn’t mean blaming yourself. Rather, be forthright about how and why it happened and pat yourself on the back that you’ve recognized it now—not later. There’s no need to beat yourself up. You have already done the hard part by recognizing some weight has crept back on. That in itself shows you are going to battle back. We encourage our patients at Sterling Surgicare to call us if they feel frustrated or defeated--everyone needs a pep talk now and then. Remember there are many people supporting you 24/7 in this effort. Life is filled with occasional side-steps and set-backs. It is part of making us who we are. Make a plan, regroup, recommit. You can do this.

Studies have shown that obesity can result in a higher risk for dental problems. Issues with your teeth can affect your overall health and even open the door to serious chronic medical conditions including diabetes, heart disease and osteoporosis. Specifically, overweight people have higher tooth decay levels, more missing teeth and fewer required dental fillings. They also visit a dentist less frequently, have more difficulty accessing dental care on a regular basis and are likely to visit a dentist only when they have a problem. Dental issues after bariatric surgery Keep in mind, dental issues can continue even after obesity is defeated. Once bariatric weight-loss surgery has been completed and the weight begins to fall off, there are nutrition guidelines that patients need to follow. If this protocol is not adhered to, resulting gastrointestinal issues can cause damage to the teeth and mouth. Overeating causes stomach distension which frequently leads to regurgitation and reflux exposing the teeth to caustic gastric juices at pH levels high enough to dissolve tooth structure. This can lead to cavities, root degeneration and gum disease. Tooth erosion is a common condition that includes hypersensitivity to eating or drinking cold or hot items. This can be compounded by sugar ingestion which produces even more acid in the mouth. The combined acid attacks invites uncontrolled enamel demineralization that defeats daily oral hygiene efforts even in someone who has never experienced dental decay issues. Six ways to get back on the dental health track Proactive dental hygiene and early diagnosis of any problems will contribute to your overall health and wellness strategy. Here are steps to take to get rolling in the right direction: • Have a thorough dental cleaning and examination and take care of any problems before they become more serious. • Rinse with mouthwash for one minute twice a day prior to brushing and flossing. • Use one of the new toothpastes that helps to preserve and protect tooth enamel. • Add baking soda to your toothpaste to help neutralize acid levels in the mouth. • Drink water throughout the day to help offset the negative effects of dry mouth. • Eat more seeds, nuts, soy, seafood and spinach—this starves decay-producing bacteria and reduces acid levels in the mouth. The bariatric weight loss process is a way of regaining control over your health. During the journey, it is important to take care of your teeth, gums and mouth. Not only will your mouth be fresher and healthier, white teeth will serve as a terrific accessary to your new outlook and your new body. (Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhoto.net)

Specifically, overweight people have higher tooth decay levels, more missing teeth and fewer required dental fillings. They also visit a dentist less frequently, have more difficulty accessing dental care on a regular basis and are likely to visit a dentist only when they have a problem. Dental issues after bariatric surgery Keep in mind, dental issues can continue even after obesity is defeated. Once bariatric weight-loss surgery has been completed and the weight begins to fall off, there are nutrition guidelines that patients need to follow. If this protocol is not adhered to, resulting gastrointestinal issues can cause damage to the teeth and mouth. Overeating causes stomach distension which frequently leads to regurgitation and reflux exposing the teeth to caustic gastric juices at pH levels high enough to dissolve tooth structure. This can lead to cavities, root degeneration and gum disease. Tooth erosion is a common condition that includes hypersensitivity to eating or drinking cold or hot items. This can be compounded by sugar ingestion which produces even more acid in the mouth. The combined acid attacks invites uncontrolled enamel demineralization that defeats daily oral hygiene efforts even in someone who has never experienced dental decay issues. Six ways to get back on the dental health track Proactive dental hygiene and early diagnosis of any problems will contribute to your overall health and wellness strategy. Here are steps to take to get rolling in the right direction: • Have a thorough dental cleaning and examination and take care of any problems before they become more serious. • Rinse with mouthwash for one minute twice a day prior to brushing and flossing. • Use one of the new toothpastes that helps to preserve and protect tooth enamel. • Add baking soda to your toothpaste to help neutralize acid levels in the mouth. • Drink water throughout the day to help offset the negative effects of dry mouth. • Eat more seeds, nuts, soy, seafood and spinach—this starves decay-producing bacteria and reduces acid levels in the mouth. The bariatric weight loss process is a way of regaining control over your health. During the journey, it is important to take care of your teeth, gums and mouth. Not only will your mouth be fresher and healthier, white teeth will serve as a terrific accessary to your new outlook and your new body. (Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhoto.net)

Duodenal switch surgery is a combination of a gastric sleeve and gastric bypass surgery, in simple terms. It decreases both the quantity of food that can be accommodated by the stomach and the number of calories that can be absorbed and used by the body. It is considered one of the more specialized weight loss surgery procedures and is only performed by bariatric surgeons who have successfully undergone procedure-specific training to perform it. WHO IS APPROPRIATE FOR DUODENAL SWITCH SURGERY? Duodenal switch revisional bariatric surgery is sometimes performed as a secondary procedure after a gastric band or sleeve gastrectomy surgery did not achieve the desired overall weight loss the patient hoped to achieve. This lesser know procedure actually offers the patient the highest opportunity to lose the highest volume of weight loss. DUODENAL SWITCH KEY FACTS: *It may reduce hunger significantly. *You may have nutritional deficiencies and must take multi-vitamins daily *You will not experience dumping syndrome if you consume sugar. *You will carefully monitor your diet to ensure you are consuming enough healthy foods. Duodenal Switches involve stapling about 70 percent of the stomach off and leaving the rest of the stomach connected to the first part of the intestine (the duodenum) which is then re-attached at a lower area of the intestine. This procedure prevents bile and digestive juices from processing food further down the intestine which results in less caloric absorption. Because of this longer period between eating and digestion of food, the food passes to the colon faster, and the patient doesn't process the full amount of calories he or she normally would have. The positives and negatives of DS Surgery Duodenal switch surgery has excellent results, with the average patient losing 70 to 80 percent of excess weight in the two years that follow the procedure. However, patients who choose this type of surgery are at higher risk for nutritional deficiencies than with other types of weight loss surgery. Nutritional supplements, including vitamins and minerals, will be necessary for the lifetime of the patient. If you are still considering your bariatric options, talk with your surgeon about the viability of this weight loss surgical option for you.

Losing weight is a 24/7 job, make no mistake. And along the way, you will be forced out of your comfort zone. One of the biggest challenges my patients face is the buffet. Whether you are attending a special event, visiting a restaurant or enjoying that long-awaited cruise, the buffet can be a friend ─ or foe. I’d like to share some of my tips, along with those of my dietitians, to help. Plan Your Strategy Beforehand Before you head out the door, decide how you will eat a small portion of the right kinds of food and drinks for you. If anyone comments about your smaller portions, feel free to say you like to eat "tapas" style where you try small portions of several foods. Stick to Proportions Divide your meal into three distinct sections—mostly veggies, a sampling of a few proteins topped off with a bite or two of carbs, if that's in your weight loss plan. Stick to these proportions and you’ll feel satisfied, full and enjoy a variety of foods in moderation. Take a Tour Insider tip: The most expensive (i.e. healthiest) are “hidden” at the end or up at the top of the buffet and the least expensive (carbohydrate-laden) selections are usually right at the beginning. Therefore, stroll around the buffet before making your final choices. Forego the typical foods you eat regularly (green salad, common cooked vegetables) and sample some new items or those that you might not normally eat. Dining should be fun and interesting. The game is to also make it healthy. Let Others Go First If you’re first in line for the buffet, you’ll also be the first one eating. By the time everyone has served themselves, you’ll be staring at an empty dinner plate, possibly considering a repeat performance. Try to time your meal so you are choosing your foods about midway through the meal. At that point, there will be ample servings of your favorite foods and you’ll finish eating with the other guests. Keep it Simple Chicken, fish and high quality, lean cuts of beef (steak) are both excellent sources of lean protein ─ but not when they’re drenched in creamy sauces, wrapped in bacon, or hidden under layers of cheese. Stick to foods simply seasoned with herbs and spices or lightly tossed in olive oil. With a strong emphasis on healthier eating, the buffet is no longer the enemy. It’s actually a rather fun game to fill your plate with delicious and nutritious food. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to make a delicious plate without feeling like you’re missing out! @sterlingsurgnj Follow Dr. Adeyeri for his tips and commentary about bariatric weight loss surgery. Image courtesy of Rosen Georgiev at freedigitalphotos.net.

I’d like to share some of my tips, along with those of my dietitians, to help. Plan Your Strategy Beforehand Before you head out the door, decide how you will eat a small portion of the right kinds of food and drinks for you. If anyone comments about your smaller portions, feel free to say you like to eat "tapas" style where you try small portions of several foods. Stick to Proportions Divide your meal into three distinct sections—mostly veggies, a sampling of a few proteins topped off with a bite or two of carbs, if that's in your weight loss plan. Stick to these proportions and you’ll feel satisfied, full and enjoy a variety of foods in moderation. Take a Tour Insider tip: The most expensive (i.e. healthiest) are “hidden” at the end or up at the top of the buffet and the least expensive (carbohydrate-laden) selections are usually right at the beginning. Therefore, stroll around the buffet before making your final choices. Forego the typical foods you eat regularly (green salad, common cooked vegetables) and sample some new items or those that you might not normally eat. Dining should be fun and interesting. The game is to also make it healthy. Let Others Go First If you’re first in line for the buffet, you’ll also be the first one eating. By the time everyone has served themselves, you’ll be staring at an empty dinner plate, possibly considering a repeat performance. Try to time your meal so you are choosing your foods about midway through the meal. At that point, there will be ample servings of your favorite foods and you’ll finish eating with the other guests. Keep it Simple Chicken, fish and high quality, lean cuts of beef (steak) are both excellent sources of lean protein ─ but not when they’re drenched in creamy sauces, wrapped in bacon, or hidden under layers of cheese. Stick to foods simply seasoned with herbs and spices or lightly tossed in olive oil. With a strong emphasis on healthier eating, the buffet is no longer the enemy. It’s actually a rather fun game to fill your plate with delicious and nutritious food. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to make a delicious plate without feeling like you’re missing out! @sterlingsurgnj Follow Dr. Adeyeri for his tips and commentary about bariatric weight loss surgery. Image courtesy of Rosen Georgiev at freedigitalphotos.net.

No, it's not just you. This time of year, it seems like everyone is battling some kind of cough, flu or strange virus. If you have recently undergone weight loss surgery or are several months post-op, don't let these winter bugs pull you off track. Here are the tricks and tips I offer to my own bariatric patients here in New Jersey to stay healthy. Losing weight after bariatric surgery demands a lot from your body and mind. You are engaged in a completely new way of eating and daily living ─ it’s a big change. During this transformation, the last thing you want is to face a setback due to an acute illness such as flu, cold or other viral infection. Being ‘under the weather’ can also derail whatever exercise program you are engaged in ─ and that’s not good either. Those of us who work in hospitals know several tips and tricks to keep from getting sick by boosting our immune systems. I’d like to pass these ‘insider’ tools on to you: Get at least 7 hours of sleep every night, no matter what. Find ways to help lessen stress and do them every day. Stay hydrated; aim to drink 5 water bottles daily. Sweat it out. Keep moving and sweating at least 30 minutes daily. Wash your hands for a full minute, all the time. Eat foods rich in zinc, such as grass-fed beef, pumpkin seeds and spinach. Zinc stimulates your body to produce immune-boosting antibodies and overcome cold viruses. Add vitamin C-rich foods (I favor oranges and bell peppers) to your diet. Vitamin C stimulates the production of antibodies to help fight infections (and lessen cold symptoms such as a runny nose). Super-charge your gut with healthy bacteria just by eating Greek yogurt. Go ahead and eat the garlic ─ it’s a potent antiviral, anti-fungal and antibacterial weapon. Germs and sicknesses, in varying degrees, are out there right now ─ but that doesn’t mean you have to fall victim to them. Living a healthy lifestyle every day makes serious chronic diseases and common seasonal bugs less likely to take hold of you. Just like overcoming obesity, it’s another way to boost your quality of life, every single day.

Losing weight after bariatric surgery demands a lot from your body and mind. You are engaged in a completely new way of eating and daily living ─ it’s a big change. During this transformation, the last thing you want is to face a setback due to an acute illness such as flu, cold or other viral infection. Being ‘under the weather’ can also derail whatever exercise program you are engaged in ─ and that’s not good either. Those of us who work in hospitals know several tips and tricks to keep from getting sick by boosting our immune systems. I’d like to pass these ‘insider’ tools on to you: Get at least 7 hours of sleep every night, no matter what. Find ways to help lessen stress and do them every day. Stay hydrated; aim to drink 5 water bottles daily. Sweat it out. Keep moving and sweating at least 30 minutes daily. Wash your hands for a full minute, all the time. Eat foods rich in zinc, such as grass-fed beef, pumpkin seeds and spinach. Zinc stimulates your body to produce immune-boosting antibodies and overcome cold viruses. Add vitamin C-rich foods (I favor oranges and bell peppers) to your diet. Vitamin C stimulates the production of antibodies to help fight infections (and lessen cold symptoms such as a runny nose). Super-charge your gut with healthy bacteria just by eating Greek yogurt. Go ahead and eat the garlic ─ it’s a potent antiviral, anti-fungal and antibacterial weapon. Germs and sicknesses, in varying degrees, are out there right now ─ but that doesn’t mean you have to fall victim to them. Living a healthy lifestyle every day makes serious chronic diseases and common seasonal bugs less likely to take hold of you. Just like overcoming obesity, it’s another way to boost your quality of life, every single day.

People dealing with significant obesity (who are pre- or post-bariatric surgery) are often challenged with a battle against emotional eating. We mistakenly feel (usually a short-term emotion) that eating will lighten the load, lessen the bad news, cure a sad feeling or be more fun than being bored. New research has found a quick and simple way to help offset these cravings many of us face. It's so simple. And it works. New research might provide insight into a simple way you can fight the urge to eat something fatty or sugary: Think about the future. Researchers at the University of Delaware looked at how people’s emotions affect their food choices. In the first study, researchers found people rated healthy foods as being more favorable than indulgent foods when they were in a good mood (as opposed to a neutral one). In a second study, researchers found people are more likely to prefer indulgent foods when they’re in a bad mood. In the final two studies, researchers found that asking participants to focus on the future resulted in them choosing healthier food options while thinking only about the present caused participants to pick the less-healthy choice. This held true regardless of what mood participants were in when the study was conducted. When you’re thinking long-term, you’re more likely to consider future health and overall quality of life benefits (better chances for finding a partner, better job options, expanded wardrobe options). But when you’re thinking now, it’s easier to get caught up in how tasty your food is—and forget about the consequences down the road. The next time you’re ready to head to Wawa and get the mega Icy with a side of Wing Dings, make yourself stop ─ dead in your tracks ─ and think about how you’ll feel tomorrow about the decision you made. Will you feel empowered because you overcame the need to eat, or proud that you kept your “eye on the prize” and focused on losing weight? Like every decision you make in your weight-loss journey, it’s your call.

New research might provide insight into a simple way you can fight the urge to eat something fatty or sugary: Think about the future. Researchers at the University of Delaware looked at how people’s emotions affect their food choices. In the first study, researchers found people rated healthy foods as being more favorable than indulgent foods when they were in a good mood (as opposed to a neutral one). In a second study, researchers found people are more likely to prefer indulgent foods when they’re in a bad mood. In the final two studies, researchers found that asking participants to focus on the future resulted in them choosing healthier food options while thinking only about the present caused participants to pick the less-healthy choice. This held true regardless of what mood participants were in when the study was conducted. When you’re thinking long-term, you’re more likely to consider future health and overall quality of life benefits (better chances for finding a partner, better job options, expanded wardrobe options). But when you’re thinking now, it’s easier to get caught up in how tasty your food is—and forget about the consequences down the road. The next time you’re ready to head to Wawa and get the mega Icy with a side of Wing Dings, make yourself stop ─ dead in your tracks ─ and think about how you’ll feel tomorrow about the decision you made. Will you feel empowered because you overcame the need to eat, or proud that you kept your “eye on the prize” and focused on losing weight? Like every decision you make in your weight-loss journey, it’s your call.