Nicholson Clinic Blog

Tracking the calories you eat is an important part of staying healthy. With FoodScanner (on the iPhone) you can scan the bar codes of over 200,000 foods. It’s simple to do using the built-in camera, just point at the UPC label and the app will automatically recognize the food and record the nutritional information.

For those items that don’t have labels (i.e. natural food) you can manually add those items by searching the database. Take a look at the embedded video below for a demo of the FoodScanner on the iPhone.

FoodScanner Demo from Andy Smith on Vimeo.

What do the popular TV show, “The Biggest Loser” and the national Feeding America program have in common? At first glance, you might think nothing, but a closer look reveals otherwise. September is Hunger Action Month, and efforts are under way to provide healthy food to families in need. Feeding America is the nation’s leading charitable hunger-relief organization and provides groceries each year to 25 million Americans at risk of hunger.

Campaigns are encouraging Americans to fight hunger in a big way by giving up something small. Publicity efforts talk about how giving up one latte could provide nine meals; a lunch out, 15 meals; a new purse, 135 meals; and a round of golf 180 meals. The Feeding America website even provides a calculator to help you get started and see how many meals a donation could provide.

And getting back to the correlation between hunger and The Biggest Loser, the program not only showcases obese Americans in their struggles in losing weight, it also educates participants and television viewers alike about healthy eating and ways to eat less, exercise more, and to feel great–on the inside as well as the outside. Charitable giving to an organization that deals with the opposite end of the hunger and food spectrum is a way to offer a lasting connection.

Many food banks are beginning their drives now in order to stock their shelves for what is expected to be a huge year for helping to serve families in need–especially around the upcoming holidays. As the economy continues to take its toll on family incomes and the ability to feed family members nutritional meals, community support through canned food drive or cash donations are appreciated more than ever. If you’re on the road to losing weight and having a healthier lifestyle yourself, donating what you might have previously spent on fast-food or extra food can go to a great cause and bring a smile to the giver and receiver alike!

Did you know that laparoscopic weight loss surgery can prevent, reduce and often eliminate sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea can be weight-related. Additional fat around the neck may make the airway narrower, making obstructions more likely to occur. For some overweight people losing weight can be an effective treatment. Weight loss may reduce the severity of the sleep apnea. Sleep apnea also occurs in thin people, however excess weight is a contributing factor of some sleep apnea issues.

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, multiple sites of obstruction often occur in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. An elongated and enlarged soft palate impinges on the posterior airway at the level of the nasopharynx and oral pharynx. In addition, a retruding jaw pushes an enlarged tongue posteriorly to impinge on the hypopharyngeal space.

Here at the Nicholson Clinic we believe that weight loss surgery is not just about changing the way you look, it’s an investment in your health. Take look at the video below that explains why people choose The Nicholson Clinic to help them transform their lives.

New research shows that “buyer beware” philosophy isn’t exactly working when it comes to trans fat. While companies are making strides in removing trans fat from foods, it is still easy to think you’re doing a better job of avoiding the trans fat than you really are. It can be quite confusing to understand what you think you’re reading on labels about trans fat and the reality of what the food contains. Food producers market their foods in a way that can snare a naive consumer, resulting in continued over-consumption of the trans fat.

Trans fat is typically formed when liquid fats are processed, called hydrogenation. Partial hydrogenation makes the oils spreadable or to promote a longer shelf life. While trans fat is found naturally in meats and dairy products, the health risks are more focused on the partially hydrogenated trans fats. These are thought to increase the risk of heart disease, promote inflammation, and increase the risk of cancer–among other health factors.

So, how much trans fat should you have in your diet? Current recommendations call for less than 1 percent of calories from trans fat, which means less than 2 grams per day for most Americans. In addition to the more obvious culprits, such as cookies, fast foods, pies, cakes, french fries and chips, it can also be concentrated in deep-fried fast foods. A restaurant may tout that it fries its foods in trans fat-free oils, but if the product is pre-cooked it may already have trans fat in the processing–something most of us don’t think of.

Another thing to be wary of is that zero trans fat doesn’t mean trans fat free. Yes, really! A food with less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving is labeled as 0 trans fat in the United States. Since many of us consume portions larger than a recommended standard serving, you could easily reach or exceed the daily recommended limit by eating several servings of foods with just under 0.5 grams per serving.

Finally, nutritionists are warning Americans to think about what is being used in certain products instead of trans fat. The ingredient that is substituted to achieve the same result can be almost as bad. The best course of action to take is to adopt a healthier eating approach and reducing or eliminating certain foods with fats from your diet altogether. At the very least, become an informed consumer who doesn’t fall for marketing ploys or packaging tricks.

Of course you’ve tired all kinds of diets, but many times it only takes a rough day at the office or a change in your schedule to through off your new healthy eating habits. So what causes it and how can we take back control? CNN.com has a great article that discusses why we eat too much, and how to get control.

You’re Not Getting Enough Sleep
Missing out on your zzz’s not only puts you in a mental fog, it also triggers a constellation of actual metabolic changes that may lead to weight gain. A lack of shut-eye harms your waistline because it affects two important hormones that control appetite and satiety–leptin and ghrelin.

How to get control:
To quell the urge for fattening foods and still get the energy kick you need, reach for a combination of complex carbs and protein. At breakfast, have whole-wheat toast with egg whites or a high-fiber cereal with fruit and a yogurt. And for a food-free way to perk up during the day, take a 10-minute walk outside. You also can prevent uncontrollable cravings in the first place by prioritizing a good night’s sleep — get seven to nine hours a night in a slumber-friendly bedroom.

You’re Sabotaged By Stress
Constant stress causes your body to pump out high doses of hormones, like cortisol, that over time can boost your appetite and lead you to overeat. “Cortisol and insulin shift our preferences toward comfort foods–high-fat, high-sugar, or high-salt foods,” says Elissa Epel, Ph.D.

Fat cells also produce cortisol, so if you’re overweight and stressed, you’re getting a double-whammy in terms of exposure. Overweight women gained weight when faced with common stressors such as job demands, having a tough time paying bills, and family-relationship strains, according to a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

How to get control:
Yoga, meditation, and deep-breathing exercises are powerful tools that keep tension in check. And spending 20 minutes doing progressive muscle relaxation–alternately tensing and relaxing muscle groups–significantly lessens stress, anxiety, and cortisol.

You’ve Got Fatty Foods (Literally) On The Brain
We’re hardwired to hunger for fatty, sugary, salty foods because, back when our ancestors were foraging for every meal, palatable eats meant extra energy and a leg-up on survival, says Dr. David A. Kessler. So it’s not just a lack of willpower that’s tripping you up, but rather your outdated survival mode. In fact, when you eat fat-rich foods, your brain not only gets a signal that your body is satisfied but also forms long-term memories of the experience.

How to get control:
Avoid eating your favorite treat if you’re in a particular mood, if it’s a certain time of day, or if you’re in a specific place; this will prevent you from creating a triggering link between those feelings or locations and that treat, Kessler says. And since the smell and sight of fatty, sugary foods is pure temptation, try to keep yourself from passing the bakery or ice cream shop you can’t resist.

You Pigged Out — Now What?

• Forgive yourself. “Having one overindulgent meal should not derail you from your healthful eating habits, while being too negative will make you more likely to throw up your hands in despair and overindulge at the next meal or several meals for days to come,” Elisa Zied, R.D., says.
• Give yourself a do-over. Immediately start with lean protein, veggies, whole grains, and fruit, and drink plenty of water, Zied suggests.
• Learn from it. Think about what triggered your overindulgence–not to punish yourself, but to choose smarter next time. “If you keep a food journal, you might see you ended up pigging out because you waited too long to eat,” Keri Gans, R.D., says.
• Add on exercise. To feel in control again, simply tack on a few extra minutes to your regular walk, gym routine, etc. At the same time, “try not to think of exercise as a punishment for overindulging,” Zied says. If you do, you’ll grow to dread the gym.

Article from CNN.com

If you’re like many Americans, then you’re probably drinking too much sugary soda. Nutritionists and doctors agree that it is something you should reduce or eliminate from your diet as a way to lose weight or for healthier eating. Some health experts even suggest that drinking diet soft drinks can undermine your diet as well by making you crave sugar more in general, even though the soft drinks themselves may be calorie-free.

A debate is growing over whether sugary soft drinks should be taxed as a way to fight the growing trend of obesity in America and to provide billions of dollars for healthcare reform. According to an article published in the Thursday edition of the Star-Telegram, a 12-cent tax on 12 ounces of soda could generate $160 billion over 10 years. A 10-cent tax could raise $140 billion and a 3-cent tax could raise about $45 billion. However, some projections show that the taxes could drop beverage sales about $10 billion a year. That is concerning to many in today’s tough economy because it could ultimately result in a loss of about 60,000 jobs.

And, what about the raising taxes issue? A Kaiser Family Foundation poll this summer indicated that 53 percent would support taxes on soft drinks to help pay for healthcare reform with 55 percent favoring taxes on unhealthful snacks as well. While any discussion of raising taxes has many people upset and even delves into the Republican vs. Democrat political issues, others say it should be considered. President Barack Obama was even quoted in a recent interview as saying it is an idea worth exploring, although White House officials have since said the President is not asking Congress to raise taxes.

It might also be difficult to discern which products might be taxes and which ones shouldn’t. Drawing a line in the sand about what constitutes “healthy” isn’t always as it seems, and informed consumers now know that low-fat or low-calorie doesn’t mean nutritional. The best solution, of course, is eating fresh produce and avoiding vending machine, boxed products, and anything that could be considered so-called “junk food.” That’s the best approach for healthy eating–tax or no tax!

Fox News has an interesting article that lists 7 things that you didn’t know about fat. Being the health gurus that our readers are, you may know several of these bits of info, but a few of them were surprising.

1. Fat cells can swell to as much as six times their minimum size

When you consume more calories than you burn off, fat cells in the body swell to as much as six times their minimum size, and they begin to multiply — from 40 billion in an average adult up to 100 billion. Everyone has fat cells; they begin to form and take shape before birth. Around the age of 16, the body’s fat cells are mature, and then lifestyle and genes play a role in gaining or losing weight as you age.

Fat cells are critical for survival and help assist the body’s “store and management” energy system. Simply put, fat that is not used for fuel immediately is stored for later use. To that end, if you’re eating high-calorie meals every day and not burning very many calories, your fat cells swell and multiply, resulting in weight gain.

2. Fat cells secrete extra estrogen

Carrying a few extra pounds may also wreak havoc on your hormonal balance, leading to a variety of illnesses and health risks. Estrogen, the classified “female hormone,” is a fat-storing hormone that is also naturally present in small amounts in men. But when you gain weight, estrogen levels rise and other health problems ensue.

Although estrogen is necessary in men, as it regulates a healthy libido, improves brain function (especially memory) and protects the heart, when the levels are too high, testosterone levels are reduced, and many men experience fatigue, muscle tone loss, decreased sexual function, and in some cases, enlarged prostates. In other words, there are no good side effects to increased estrogen levels in men.

3. If you lose a lot of weight, your fat cells shrink, but they do not disappear

Having 100 billion fat cells in your body from weight gain may sound scary. The good news is that you can still lose weight after your fat cells swell and multiply; in fact, when you lose weight, your fat cells shrink. Although their total number only decreases slightly (if at all), the cells become less metabolically active and remain in your body, waiting for you to pick up a bag of pork rinds so they can expand again.

This means that it’s better to try to maintain a normal weight than to gain and lose weight on fast, “quick fix” types of diets. Someone who has maintained a normal weight (i.e. has been relatively thin) all their life will have an easier time staying at that weight than someone whose fat cells have swelled and multiplied.

4. Fat tissue attracts cells that promote inflammation

Aside from the lousy way you feel when you’re packing a few extra pounds, there are also internal complications that result from excess fat.

Fat tissue attracts immune system cells called macrophages that promote inflammation in the body. So, if you are carrying any extra fat, your body begins to produce an immune response similar to the reaction your body exhibits when you develop the flu or have an injury.

Inflammation’s intended purpose in the body is to fight infection. Therefore, your body sees the extra fat calories that you consume from fried calamari and greasy pizza as an invasion in the body.

But don’t worry: You don’t have to give up your favorite foods just yet. Studies show that decreasing your total body weight by as little as 10% (if you’re overweight) can improve your health and limit the immune response that your body exhibits from the extra weight.

5. Fat cells behave differently in different parts of the body

Men typically carry excess weight in the midsection; thus, if you gain weight (whether you drink beer or not), most of it will go directly to your gut first.

Belly fat increases the likelihood of bad cholesterol (LDL), triggers extra fat in the bloodstream, and raises blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Furthermore, abdominal fat tends to be deeper inside the body, as opposed to hip or thigh fat, which is stored directly under the skin.

Fat cells within the abdomen are metabolically more active than fat cells located in other areas of the body. They release more fatty acids, which can lead to diabetes, coronary artery disease, stroke, and certain cancers. Abdominal fat cells may also affect the healthy functioning of the liver.

Unfortunately, there is no way to target weight loss in one specific area of the body (i.e. your abs). So, in order to lose your spare tire, you must exercise your entire body. The good news is that excess weight in the midsection is usually the fastest to come off during regular exercise.

Visit foxnews.com to read the rest of the article.

An article in the Sept. 15 issue of Medical News Today confirms what we thought we already knew: That our brain is to blame after getting back on board with a diet after indulging! Researchers from UT Southwestern Medical Center are suggesting that fat from certain foods we eat makes it way to the brain and then cause the brain to send messages to the body’s cells warning them to ignore the body’s appetite-suppressing signals from hormones involved in weight regulation.

A particular type of fat, called palmitic acid, is particular crafty in accomplishing this, researchers have found. According to senior author of the study Dr. Deborah Clegg, this hormonal reaction essentially causes us to overeat after eating something good, an effect that can last about three days.

“What we’ve shown in this study is that someone’s entire brain chemistry can change in a very short period of time. Our findings suggest that when you eat something high in fat, your brain gets ‘hit’ with the fatty acids, and you become resistant to insulin and leptin,” Dr. Clegg said. “Since you’re not being told by the brain to stop eating, you overeat.”

So, what is palmitic acid anyway? It’s a common saturated fatty acid found in foods such as butter, milk, cheese and beef. That helps explain why after eating some really tasty ice cream or steak why we tend to crave even more food later. The next step in the study is determining how long it takes to reverse the effects of short-term exposure to high-fat food.

The study suggests that the best way to continue to stay on the path of healthy-eating and weight control (before or after a weight-loss surgery) is to continue to make appropriate food choices and avoid foods that can set you on the path of overeating. Whether it’s your brains fault or not, it’s still up to you to choose which foods to eat!

Recently, the Weight Loss Surgery Channel interviewed Jacqueline Lueck Sneve from the American Society of Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) about what it means for a weight loss surgery center to be designated as a Center of Excellence. Take a look at the video below.

© Weight Loss Surgery Channel All Rights Reserved

Here at the Nicholson Clinic we are proud to be recognized as a Center of Excellence by ASMBS.

ASMBS website

Bariatric surgery now has some welcome checks and balances from the Surgical Review Corporation. For the past five years, this independent, nonprofit organization has used a list of criteria to assess safety and quality in determining “Centers of Excellence.” More than a thousand bariatric surgery centers have sought its seal of approval; so far, only about a third has it.

The corporation administers the “Center of Excellence” program on behalf of the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. The centers are measured based on the experience of their surgeons; the accreditation of their surgeons and hospital; the volume of their surgeries; the thoroughness of their bariatric surgery program; and the level of quality their equipment meets when it comes to dealing with obese patients.

Nicholson Clinic main website

Tuesday (September 15th) in Plano, Texas we will be hosting a free weight loss surgery seminar. This is your chance to learn all the details about weight loss surgery and meet Dr. Nick Nicholson. More information and sign up form here on our website.

Gastric bypass and Lap-Band surgery are both proven tools to help you lose weight quickly, but many people don’t understand the difference between the two procedures. Gastric bypasses have been performed for many more years than Lap-Band surgery, but each procedure has specific characteristics. Each requires similar incisions and average recovery time, but they differ in these ways:

Lap-Band Surgery

• Average 36% excess weight loss in one year; average expected 60%-65% excess weight loss in 3-5 years
• Technically lower risk than gastric bypass
• No dumping syndrome discomfort
• Band may require multiple fills, at an additional cost, to be effective
• Typically day surgery

Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass

• Average expected 77% excess weight loss in 12-18 months
• Technically higher risk than Lap- Band
• Some dumping syndrome discomfortNo need for fills or adjustments
• Typically requires at least one night hospital stay

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