weight loss and supplements

I wish everyone a very safe, healthy and happy New Years eve...

First, thank you Martac for taking the time to comment!

Yesterday a 6 year study was released demonstrating that the popular supplement sold for memory enhancement, Ginko Biloba, has absolutely no benefit. There was no doubt about the results: very clearly, this supplement does nothing to help people with memory problems or helps prevent memory issues from developing.

This supplement has sold hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars over the past 10 years, How can a supplement of no value be sold to so many people? The answer: marketing hype. Pure and simple scam marketing hype.

So what does this have to do with weight loss? The answer is that starting now, with so many people's New Years Resolution being weight loss, many supplement companies launch their miracle weight loss pills. You will see infomercials, commercials, print ads, radio spots and other advertising venues hawking these products. Many people see the "weight loss is simple...take this pill" ads and they take out their credit cards.

Do not be one of the victims of scam. Weight loss is NEVER a simple matter of taking a pill. Not the supplements you see being hyped, not our serotonin product, not any product. Weight loss requires the work of managing caloric intake, planning your meals and lowering your carb and fruit intake. This is work...work that can save your life.

To quote PT Barnum: "There is a sucker born every minute". Do NOT be one of them!

Help Us Write the Best Weight Loss Book EVER!

CALL FOR HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As I mentioned in a previous entry, we are in the process of writing a book about weight loss. Unlike books in this genre which focus on some catchy or fad subject matter that garners Today Show appearances (Skinny Bitch Diet???, Really???) our book will be reality based and will cover such subjects as the chemical nature of carbohydrate addictions, the basis of stress eating and how to overcome this, childhood obesity, stories of remarkable achievemnet and how they did it, and a number of other topics that are extremely pertinent to achieveing and maintaining weight loss.

One of our chapters is being written by YOU!!! (Sorry if you didn't know this!). One of our chapters is called "SEROTININ PEARLS" This chapter will be bullet-point (actually butterfly point) helpful hints that our patients find help their efforts. Such common-sense things such as "Dont go shopping when you are hungry" to "Keep a picture of yourself at a heavier weight AND a lighter weight on your refrigerator" to "Don't keep high-caloric food sources in your house".

We are asking that YOU send us your helpful hints that have worked well for you. Sharing this with our other readers will helo their efforts and reading theirs will help your.

For those of you submitting 5 or more hints, you get a FREE book at our major book signing event in June AND our many many thanks. In advance , thank you for your help!

weight loss and support

One of the elements that helps a person's weight loss efforts is support. The support of family, friends, co-workers, etc. When the person trying to lose weight is being sabotaged by people around them, the results are not as aggressive. Whether it be the well-intentioned relative who says " Oh, just a little bit of this cake cant hurt you!"..to the other relatives or "friends" who say..."You are losing too much weight....you dont need to lose anymore"...people around us will be influencing our weight loss efforts.

Try to recruit others to join your efforts and try to hang out with them...perhaps friends, co-workers, family members who need/want to lose weight. Team up with them on this effort. By surrounding yourself with people who SUPPORT your efforts (as you are supporting theirs) you will have a much better chance of success. Do not be afraid to put an invitation out to people you know who would benefit from weight loss to join you...whether it be exchanging recipes to having a workout partner...having support will help lots.

weight loss and sacrifice

First, Thanks MM for the comment and I look forwaerd to discussing the goal weight when we see you. Congrats on the great weight loss!!! What a change in dress size!!!! Amazing!!!

This morning I want to bring up the concept of sacrifice and deprivation. When we begin a weight loss process most often we sigh and say to ourselves that we are about ready to "diet" and that is not fun. The reason why it is not fun is that we equate "dieting" (remember...we are lifestyle changing, NOT dieting) to sacrifice and deprivation. We are giving up fun food sources and fun drinking activities...i.e. we are sacrificing fun.

I do not want to bring up negative thoughts, but lets pretend that something happened medically that was serious. Serious enough to deprive you of more years with your family, children, grandchildren....serious enough to deprive you of working in your profession...serious enough to deprive you of enjoying the recreational activities you may love, like golfing, going out for drives, shopping with friends etc. Those all would be much mre serious deprivations than not eating a piece of cake.

Evaluate the things in your life that you would be deprived of if God forbid a serious medical problem developed for you. This would be horrible but yet if you are overweight, you are increasing your chances of this happening. Do not deprive yourself of a great qulaity of life. That is true deprivation ans sacrifice.

weight loss and age

First of all, before we start, just a bit of a football update...Giants need to win out by beating the Panthers and the Vikings and then they need Green Bay or Dallas to lose one of their games over the next 2 weeks. Dallas plays the Skins tonight. GO REDSKINS HAIL TO THE REDSKINS I AM ROOTING FOR DAN SYNDER TO SMILE TONIGHT

Okay, back to business....last week I had several patients enter the program with their initial goal being unrealistic..they wanted to get back to their college weight.

Setting a realistic weight goal is important but it must be remembered that our bodies' change as we age and metabolism slows down. Heck, I went off to college 155 pounds..if I weighed tha now my patients would think I had a malignancy.

Do not look at the charts...the ideal weight for you will take into account lots of factors and we are available to help you determine what an ideal (and realistic) weight shoudl be for you.

Do not set your goal too difficult to maintain...getting there is one thing..maintenance is an entirely different picture.

Aim for a weight that keeps you healthy, off some medications that were there only because of the weight and a weight that makes you feel attractive to yourself . Ask our opinion as to what that weight is for you.

weight loss and self esteem

I certainly hope that all of you enjoyed your Christmas day. I know it was challenging to def;ect some of thos high-caloric food and drink sources that were a part of everyone's dinner table. Hopefully, you all did a great job of concentrating on the fact that the love for your family members and friends is conpletely separated from the need to ingest lots of calories.

One of the major positive effects we see for patients as their weight loss programs progress is the marked increase in self-esteem that accompanies the weight loss. The ability to fir into clothes that are perceived more fashionable and form fitting, not have to hide from social events that may include picture taking and feeling more attractive both to yourself and others all add up to a much heightened level of self-esteem. We see this in people of all ages, but especially in our teenagers. It is quite amazing to see the transition of self-esteem in a relatively short period of time.

Certainly, our prime focus on weight loss is to become healthier, rid ourselves of medications, lessen our risk of serious medical sequelae, but the added benefit of feeling so mcuh better about ourselves is wonderful.

Stress and Eating

I want to wish each and everyone of you a very happy and healthy holiday. I hope Santa brought you a wonderful gift that warms your heart and does NOT contain any calories. Enjoy your friends and families and as you are feeling the warmth of the gatherings,, this will help you remember all the reasons why it is si important to you to stay as healthy as possible in order to be at many more of these loving events.

Yesterday's entry about serotonin and stress eating prompted several comments of interest. One of the issues brought up was about the chronic nature of the business stress environment. There are clearly some jobs (NOT dermatology...laughing) where the stress levels will be always very high because of the nature of that position. On the physician side a surgeon who specializes in high-risk cases will feel more stress than the radiologist. Perhaps on the legal side, an attorney who practices family law involving tough issues like child custody may feel more stress than the government attorney who reviews contracts. An educator teaching in a very difficult school may feel stressed than a music teacher at a ritzy private school.

In any event, the more stress the more propensity to turning for immediate gratification sources such as food and alcohol. These of course will lead to weight problems.

Certianly, if you struggle from weight issues and have the chance to chnage stress environments, this is a great solution. However, for many people under stress, they cannot. These people then have to learn how to approach stress in ways other than derailing eating and drinking behaviors.

Exercise is a stress reliever for many including me. NOt only does exercise prevent stress eating, it also burns off calories. Meditation, yoga, self hypnosis and other methods may be employed.

Find ways of not turning your stress into a feeding frenzy. Eating the food sources helps nothing long term other than making you unhealthy and unhappy.

weight loss, key lime pie, serotonin and stress eating

Good Christmas Eve morning..First and foremost I want to wish every one of you an incredibly safe journey if you are traveling. For those of you staying around town, I hope the night brings you great warmth and happiness. I have been writing the chapter in our upcoming book about serotonin and its effect on eating behaviors and then I heard a story yesterday clearly points out the rle of neurotransmitter imbalance on eating behaviors.

Yesterday I had a very prominent attorney tell me that when she feels under stress at times, she will indulge by eating an entire key lime pie. She was not talking about a piece of it....we are talking the entire pie. She actually explained that she does separate out and discards the whipped cream, but the tart part and crust is then consumed.

This attorney has a very stressful position and especially for females, the brain chemical serotonin becomes depleted during times of stress. The brain manufactures serotonin from the building block amino acid tryptophan. This amino acid is found in large amounts in carbohydrates and sweet food sources. When the brain becomes deplete of serotonin, the person is compelled biochemically to seek the food sources that have the building block. Unfortunately that amino acid is found in high-caloric foods.

I had three answers for my very stressed out attorney: 1- Recognize the behavior sequence and do not allow herself to be in the position of having the availability of that key lime pie..i.e. do not have it in the house and do not go to a restaurant that offers this 2- Take the serotonin supplement three times a day 3- Go back to school and become a dermatologist!!! (no weekends, nights, emergencies, etc!)

weight loss and weekend eating

As mentioned previously, I am often asked whether it hurts weight loss efforts to "take the weekend off" as this relates to following a prudent dietary strategy....My answer has always been "no", and now a study comes out to confirm this: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34482022/ns/health-diet_and_nutrition/from/ET


Vigilance is very important every day when you are trying to become healthier and happier. Alcohol and other weekend derailign sources will hinder those efforts. Remember: there is no food or drink that will taste as good as your weight loss will feel,

To my comment person re: not rubbing in the Giants win over the Skins. You are welcome. My heart goes out for the fans and the coach of the team. Zorn seems like a really great guy and he has been castrated by the owner. Zorn doesnt deserve this treatment and I am soooo rooting for them to beat the Cowboys Sunday nite....as a matter of fact, can I borrow a Campbell Jersey for that night???

weight loss and "what they say"

I often hear patients tell me: "but THEY say that a glass of red wine a day is good for you" but THEY say that nuts are good for you" "but THEY say that one day a week you can eat what you want one day a week and still lose weight".

Okay...my question is: who are THEY??? Probably the same people who told my parents not to let me go swimming after eating cause I would get cramps and die.

I really believe that "THEY" are really things people read on the internet, things people hear around the water cooler and other arenas where lots of misinfotmation exists.

Beware of the internet and some of the information we read, as often it is erroneous.

Have a question, check with us, not "THEY"!!!

weight loss and medications

Last week I saw several patients who were able to drop several prescription medications because of the weight loss they experienced in our program. One patient was able to discontinue a blood pressure pill and a diabetic medication and another patient did not require a diabetic and acid reflux med.

Take stock of what medical problems you are experiencing as a comorbidity of weight control issues and realize that it is possible that some of these medications may be able to be discontinued as the medical problems resolve due to the weight loss.

Sleep apnea, arthritis, restless leg syndrome, cancer of the breast, colon, pancreas, stomach are some of the other life-threatening issues related to being overweight. Aside from the discontinuation of cigarette smoking, weight reduction is the most effective intervention you have control over to prolong your life and live happier and healthier.

weight loss and the post snow day

Well, lots of snow on the ground with most of us being home bound for now going on almsot 40 hours.

If there has been some boredom-related eating, get to that basement gym equipment and put some extra time on those machines.

If you are planning meals at home today hget creative to make some high-protein and vegetable dishes that will challenge your culinary prowess yet not challenge your waistline.

Out door activities to burn off calories? lots of it! shoveling, wlaking thru the snow (try a slight jog with boots on!)

Turn the weather adversity into a positive weight management expereince. Be creative and stay away from those Dove chocolate minis!

weight loss and santa

Wow..lots of snow...I think this is the third time in 21 years we actually closed the office.....

Reminder: NO baking cookies and doing the snow eating stuff I wrote about yesterday,....if you have gym equipment at home, work out!!!

Read an story about a British journal article attacking Santa for being a poor role model for kids because of the childhood obesity epidemic. Seems the author took offense of the "fat and jolly" role model, meaning thaqt kids list Santa as their favorite character, and the author contends this promotes kids to want to eat lots and be overweight like Santa.....

Attacking Santa would be akin to insulting one's grandmother....you just do NOT do this....

Helping our children learn healthier eating patterns is incumbent upon parents, and blame cannot be pointed at Santa.....

By the way...second favorite character that children pick? Yep, Ronald McDonald.....

weight loss and snow

Okay....first big storm approaching and we will all be housebound for a day or so....for any of you heading to Giant or Safeway this morning my strong advice is NOT to buy the cake making materials, popcorn and any of the other food sources that we tend to turn to when we get snowed in.

There is a certain "nesting" instinct that takes over when we sense being cut off from food/protection....hence the reason why there is a run on toilet paper and milk at the stores despite us all knowing the reality that we will be able to shop the next day or so after the snows that hit our area...we are never "cut off" of food and almost all of us have provisions for days and days.

Being home and feeling housebound produces a boredom factor that results in trips to the kitchen...also,..cooking activities pass the time.

Be sure to not succumb to the boredom eating behaviors that accompany snow days.....we will all be challenged enough in the next several weeks!

weight and job promotions

As unfair as this sounds, a study was released from Yale that actually showed that females in better physical shape had higher levels of raises and job promotions than women who were overweight. Men were not included in this study.

Should job performance be judged on someone's weight? Should professional progression be affected by weight? Of course not. But this is an unfortunate reality...we are often judged by others on our external appearance.

Losing weight should be an individual decision based on one's desire to be healthier. live longer , etc. However, clearly, others judge as as well professionally based on our appearance and losing weight can only be helpful. Having said this, does being "too attractive" hurt a woman's professional advances if that is intimidating to other women? A very complicated subject and one that I am very interested in your thoughts. Please feel free to comment.

weight loss and pressure

Yesterday I entered a new patient who was somewhat tearful as she related that the major reason for her beginning our program was her husband's unhappiness with her weight situation.

We all would like to think that the reason(s) why we want to lose weight our our own...not outside pressure from a spouse, parent or other family member. However, it is a very sensitive situation when a spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend/significant other seems dissatisfied with the physical status of the affected, overweight person. In the case of the female overweight person, usually the male partner is a Type "A", avid exercising person who never struggles with weight control. Often, not being a medical person, the male is very insensitive to the weight struggles that the female incurs. Its not as if the female is eating Bon-bons every nite...metabolism slows and the weight control issues spiral.

I am not certain what the "answer" is to this very complicated issue. Feeling attractive is often influenced by what others think about our look, and in the case of a spouse or lover, this is even more blatant.

I do not believe that losing weight saves marriages, because if a weight control issue was the make or break of a relationship, then the relationship is probably not worth keeping. However, losing weight for one's self makes you happier, healthier, better self-confidence, and yes, others will find you more attractive. Is that important to you? You need to answer that question for yourself. Tough issue this morning, but one that does require soul searching for each of us.

weight loss and resolve

Intellectually, we know all the reasons why we want to lose weight....the improved health, lessening the risks of serious medical problems, ridding ourselves of medications that would no longer be needed, looking younger, having a higher self-esteem, etc. Our intelligence part of the brain tells us these reasons daiky. Then why is it so difficult to follow through on this plan? Clearly there is another part of our brain that is instinctually driven that almost compells us to eat the high-calorie food sources.

To lose weight requires constant thinking and planning. To gain weight requires no thougjt at all...do what is fun and do what feels good.

Try to think of ways to allow the intellectual part of your brain to tise above the instinctual part. As soon as we stop thinking about it, we are almost guaranteed to go vback to old behaviors and that will result in weight gain.

weight loss and associations

Good morning....GREAT comment yesterday...helpful to all and I encourage you to take a look at the comment left by "Anonymous" to yesterday's entry.

Associations: Macaroni and ____________ peanut butter and ____________ hamburger and ___________ steak and ______________

filling in the blanks....cheese, jelly., fries and mashed potatoes.

We are all used to combining food sources in these association-type of ways. But it doesnt have to be that way....perhaps a hamburger and a side caesar salad....steak and steamed vegetables, movie theatre and NO popcorn...

Take time to think of the associative eating patterns that you do and try to eliminate these "automatic" combinations that will derail your desire to be happier and healthier.

weigtht loss and airports

No, I am not writing this entry at 1am..rather, I am in the Vegas airport ready to hop the redeye back to DC.

Tonight when I got close to my gate I saw a huge line in front of one of those pretel and cinammon bun places. Talking about calories! this cream topping is supplied for only a small amount of money extra, and people were going to town on those sticks and the topping. It is 10PM here.....I would imagine that most people ready to leave Vegast 11PM had earlier in the evening found their way into a famous Vegas buffet or other high-caloric dinner venue. So why then this sabotaging dessert choice? Boredome waiting for their plane? Concern that hunger will occur during the flight so a preemptive intake? Other reason.

Bottom line: if someone is in mode to lose weight, eating airport snacks.,.,,ice cream, pretzels, Cinnamon sticks etc will derail your efforts. Plan your meals to avoid having to choose food sources in airports.

Now to my flight....see you Monday!

weight loss and alcohol

First, I want to thank very much our very fine staff members who are at the office seeing patients and taking care of your medical and weight loss needs allowing the rest of the staff to be here for our Holiday party in Vegas. We had a staff dinner last nite and what stories I was hearing about the exploits of Jessica, Jennifer(s), Julia, Shayna, Nathan, Nicole, Jean and Donna. I cannot believe what I was hearing! But alas, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas so I cannot share any of this on the blog. But, rumors do exist that a new movie entitled "The Hangover, Part 2" is being contemplated based on the adventures of the Serotonin-Plus crew.

What a place to talk about a subject that has profound impact on weight loss efforts...alcohol.

Alcohol usage is incredibly damaging to weight loss efforts and I often hear the refrain: "A few glasses of red wine daily is good for you." Let me dispel that...alcohol in any form hinders weight loss efforts. There is a adverse metabolic effect of alcohol that is damaging beyond the calories you see listed on the side of the bottle.

This time of year is especially challenging as it seems that almost every social/holiday function is based on lots of alcohol availability.

Make your choices wisely...if your goal is to lose weight, then keep alcohol out of your life.

Weight loss and corporate America

Good Friday Morning....

I read an article in the paper that a cereal manufacturer company is lowering the sugar content of their flagship cereals such as TRIX, Lucky Charms and Cocoa Puffs. (Isn't it amazing that these cereals were present even when old guys like me were kids!) This is a responsible act. Fast food companies targeting their ads to minorities with a high obesity rates is IRRESPONSIBLE.

I saw a cartoon months ago that was poignant. It showed Osama Bin Laden holding in his hand a food plate with a huge burger on it with fries and the caption was: "We don't have to do anything to them..they are doing it to themselves."

Corporate America, whether it be soda companies, fast food restaurants, candies etc are doing nothing illegal, and quite frankly nothing unethical, but it is always wonderful to see some acts of responsible behavior on their part. Obesity is killing America: Lets total this up: Swine flu which hits the front page weekly has killed 100 people. Obesity related diseases kill hundreds of thousands of Americans yearly. Many companies are selling us foods that are contributing to this killing epidemic. We need to turn them off.

Viva Las Vegas

Goiod Thursday Morning....Yes, as the title implies, your good, non -blackjack playing, non-buffet eating, non-alcohol drinking doctor (okay, truth be known...he does play some blackjack, does go to one buffet but does not drink!) and most of the staff are celebrating their holiday in Las Vegas for a quick getaway....we oc course do have staff back home so your medical and weight managment needs are covered till I return Saturday....I am VERY proud of our wonderful staff...they really do care soooo much about you, your family and your medical/weight management needs and the Vegas quick-trip is for me to say thanks to them for helping us be (sorry for the boasting here) the most attentive and caring medical practice in the area.

Okay: hints to avoid weight gain on a Vegas trip: 1-keep alcohol to a bare minimum 2-when you hit the Mirage buffet, stick with protein, protein and more protein and do NOT go to that dessert bar...there is no way you feel anything close to hunger 3-work out daily..bring those gym clothes..the fitness facilities and spas are great 4- snack foods such as nuts that are in that server bar...stay away!

Okay,...back to the tables..oops...i mean the gym....(yeah, right....)

weight loss and sex

Good Wednesday Morning....Please be careful driving out there today....

Today I bring up a topic that was brought up by a patient in the program yesterday...a topic that is uneasy for most people to discuss and an issue that probably does affect most people with weight issues...sex.

The patient told me that since she lost over 40 pounds, one of the best outcomes of this has been a marked improvement in her relations with her husband. She said that not only does she feel much more attractive, but physically, everything seems to work much better. She told me that her husband seems much more interested in passionate moments and keeps commenting about how much younger he feels and how much younger she looks.

I have had several men tell me that after their significant weight loss, erectile dysfunction improved.

Clearly, there are many other reasons why losing weight improves the quality of life, but there are certain "byproducts" of significant weight loss...improved relations is one of them.

weight and psychological issues

Good Tuesday Morning...

Yesterday I had an interesting discussion with a patient in our program which allowed me to obtain some additional insight into some of the damaging psychological aspects involved with people having weight control issues.

People who do not have weight issues do no think/angst for a second about such mundane things as getting on an airplane and thinking whether the seatbelt will go around them, thinking about whether an event will require a certain type of clothes that may not fit or worrying whether an event will include picture taking of the people attending.

My patient told me that before she lost a significant amount of weight, issues such as these and more would preoccupy her thought processes in a very negative fashion. Even so far as to choose (and pay more) for an airline that she knew had a larger seat/seatbelts that would fit around her.


Losing weight helps reduce medical risks such as diabetes, heart disease, cancers etc. However, the psychological improvement that accompanies weight loss is incredible.

weight loss and vacation choices

Good Monday Morning.....

I was up in Atlantic City for an overnight on Saturday and one of the things I noticed very prominently at the Taj Mahal Hotel was that the number of overweight/obese people at the casino was amazingly high. We all know that the percentage of Americans overweight is 67% but my estimate was that the number was closer to 85% at the hotel.

I went to the gym upon arrival and I was the only person in the gym right smack in the middle of the day.

Activities at the hotel? gambling and eating and drinking.....clearly, if someone is in a mode to lose weight, this would NOT be a good choice of vacation venues.

As you are pondering your winter getaways AND if you are in a weight losing mode, try to avoid "All -Inclusive" resorts, cruise ships, Las Vegas or any other place which focuses on "all you can eat" and lots of drinking...Perhaps vacations that inolve lots of hiking/touring/walking Perhaps food venues that focus on quality..not quantity...

Set yourself up for success in your weight loss efforts and choose your vacation venues wisely.

weight loss and liquid diets

Good Sunday Morning....

I read in the NY Post this morning that Slimfast had a recall of their products because of possible bacterial contamination.

I have mentioned this before and will do so again: Long term weight loss strategies MUST be based on eating "real food" as opposed to meal replacements. Learning how to eat the proper admixture of proteins, fruits, carbs etc in the correct portions is what will sustain your weight loss.

The Post labeled the story "The Diarrhea Diet".....pretty funny, huh?

GO GIANTS!!!!!!

weight loss and maintenance

First, I want to thank the people who posted some very nice comments and also the patients and staff who were a part of our event last nite. We missed our patients who could not make it and do wish to thank you again for being our patients.

This past week we had a number of patients return to our practice who were with us awhile ago and unfortunately put on a significant amount of weight that they had lost. I emphasized to these patients (and to those of you who may have done this and have not come back in) that we understand this completely and there is nothing to be embarrassed about. Many of these patients told me that they hesitated to pick up the phone and call us because of the embarrassment factor.

As much as we tell ourselves that there is no "finish line", when we exit the formal visits of a program psychologically we tend to perceive a finish line and start returning to old behavior patterns. As this relates to eating behaviors this will result in weight gain.

I implore every one reading this to write your weight down once a week next to your scale at home and if that weight goes up 5 pounds from when you exit our program, CALL US. This becomes a one time visit...not a multiple week, thousand dollar program. We will refocus you, provide you with a medical jumpstart again and you will lose those 5 pounds quickly. Unfortunately if 30 pounds or more goes back on it is a full program again.

This is hard...nothing easy about losing weight and maintaining. We are here to help you.

Our 21st ANNIVERSARY

Good Friday Morning

Tonight represents the 21st anniversary of our medical practice and this is a very nostalgic and poignant night for me. We celebrate this by throwing a Patient Appreciation Nite. The staff and I provide low caloric and caloric foods and drinks and would love for you to stop by and join us.

For 21 years I have had the honor and priviledge of providing medical care (21 years) and weight loss help (7.2 years) for thousands and thousands of really great people in the Northern VA/DC/Maryland area. 15 years ago I made the bold and risky move of removing myself from insurance lists and so many patients continued to use our practice. I want to thank you so very much for allowing me to practice medicine without having some mid level insurance employee telling me how to treat you. Your loyalty to my practice is met with my loyalty to you: Anyone who has called me on a holiday/Sunday etc know what I am talking about...I am available to you and your family at all times and many of you have seen me in a sweaty baseball hat on a Sunday morning or had me placing an IV into you on Superbowl Sunday to have you avoid an ER visit.

Medicine is changing rapidly...from electronic health records where doctors walk around with PCs typing into it as they are talking to their patients never looking into their eyes to large practices where your call under duress is met with a recorded phone menu frustrating you because all you want is a human voice asking : "How can we help you?" Yes, I am old school but somehow I think that old school is good when it comes to helping people medically.

I want to thank Ellen, Brian and Kym for always supporting my efforts to establish and build the practice and also understanding when Dad had to run off to the office to see a patient after hours.

I want to thank all of my workers both past and especially present for allowing me to boast the "best practice in the area" and the fact that so many of you wonderful people still come to us despite the insurance issue tells me that that staff and I are doing a pretty good job.

For those of you expecting this retrospective nostalgic note to end with "I am announcing my retirement".....SORRY!!!!! I am more energized than ever!!! We have so many ideas as to how to help your medical and weight loss needs better and better. Our staff is young and full of enthusiasm and committed to bringing us to higher and higher levels of patient satisfaction.

I will end this with one more "thank you" for being our patient. Please join us tonight , 5-7 pm for our event. If you cannot make it, please know that your presence is missed and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate you calling me "your doctor".

Onto the next 21 years!

weight loss and scam supplements

Good Thursday Morning...REMINDER!!!!!!! PATIENT APPRECIATION NITE TOMORROW, FRIDAY 5-7 WE WANT TO SHOW YOU HOW MUCH WE APPRCIATE YOUR CHOOSING OUR PRACTICE TO PROVIDE YOUR MEDICAL AND WEIGHT LOSS NEEDS

Yes, it is that time of year when the scam Direct Response industry (you know, the infomerical folks) start coming out with their miracle weight loss pills. You have seen the commericals...the people holding their pants that are 10 sizes too large now and cry into the camera telling everyone how this miracle pill changed their lives. The DR industry knows too well that as we head towards January, many people have their New Year's Resolution to lose weight. People are susceptible to the message that there exists some easy, "short-cut" to lose weight.

I have mentioned this before and will emphatically state this again: There is no such thing as a pill that allows you to lose weight and jkeep it off without the aggressive caloric restriction and exercise necessary. The commercials make it seem that taking the pill makes it easy.

You will never hear your good Doctor tell you that the Serotonin pill is a "miracle" tablet for weight loss. It is not. We use it as part of an overall program that includes a high protein dietary planm, exercise and also a prescription medication.

Buyer beware....as it relates to weight loss, anything that sounds too good to be true, i.e. making weight loss sound easy, must be scrutinized very carefully. Weight loss long term requires behavior modification.

weight loss and the internet

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32862449/ns/health-fitness/from/ET

Good Tuesday morning....The above link details a study out of Australia that proves what I suppose we all suspect: Those people who are affixed to the internet have a much greater risk of weight problems than those who do not use computers DESPITE exercising.

Those people who spend greater than 3 hours a day on the internet have a 2.5 times greater chance of developing obesity compared to people who spend no computer time at all.

Is it the snacks that are consummed while on the computer? Is it just the sedentary nature? The study actually showed that people who exercised regularly still had weight issues more frequently.

If your occupation requires lots of internet time, make certain NOT to snack while doing your work....eat your meals and healthy snacks on a schedule.....

If your occupation does NOT require lots of internet time, then convert lots of your internet time to activity!

REMINDER!!!!!! Patient Appreciation Nite THIS FRIDAY!!!!! 5-7PM PLEASE COME VISIT US FOR A GREAT TIME AND ALLOW US TO THANK YOU FOR BEING OUR PATIENT

weight loss and gifts of Health

Good Tuesday Morning....A reminder...Patient Appreciation Nite this Friday...5-7pm...Come out and see your Doctor croon Frank Sinatra songs on the Karioke....Please join my staff and me for a very fun time....as you know we have many young people working in the office and the energy they bring to these events is incredible. We look forward to seeing you.

A subject we have discussed before but one that is important to bring up again: As you are purchasing gifts for friends and family members for the holiday please be very sensitive to the medical issues that the person may have and how that gift may adversely affect that person.

Obviously, as this relates to weight, try very hard to NOT give gifts of calories. The overweight person does NOT need brownies or cookies. You will derail their efforts to be healthier and happier. That nice bottle of wine will also perform the same sabotaging efforts.

Movie coupons, gift certificates for clothes stores...these types of gifts do not at all sabotage weight loss efforts. Please be sensitive to the things that would harm someone and hopefully your loved ones are giving similar thought.