Surgical Associates is starting a medical Optifast program this fall. It will be an 18 week weight loss program and will include a weekly behavioral health module, as well as an exercise component. We are very excited to be able to help patients who are battling obesity but do not qualify for, or desire weight […]

I wanted to share some tips that are being recommended by the makers of the lap band. Eat only three small meals a day Eat slowly and chew your food thoroughly Stop eating as soon as you feel full. Do not drink while you are eating Do not eat between meals Eat only quality foods. […]

A recent study ranking obesity by state written by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation showed that Mississippi is number 1,with 33% of the population classified as obese . They also ranked number 1 in the percentage of the population being treated for hypertension at 34%. These numbers and their health implications are staggering. California, which […]

NASH (nonalcoholicsteatohepatits) is often a “silent” liver disease. It resembles alcoholic liver disease, but occurs in people who drink little or no alcohol. The major feature of NASH is fat in the liver, along with inflammation and dammage. Most people who have NASH feel well and not aware they have a liver problem. However, NASH […]

Typically, it is counterproductive for people trying to lose or maintain weight to think of foods as “good or bad”. In small amounts, and on special occasions, most foods can have a place in a balanced diet. It is alarming however, how many people bascially live on fast foods and consider french fries a vegetable! […]

The biggest problem we face in America is not terrorism. The biggest health problem we are facing is obesity” Julie Gerbending, M.D. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity is considered an epidemic in this country. The consequences of obesity are staggering. 14% of all deaths can be attributed to the combination of diet and […]

“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you always got” Anonymous This adage basically sums up the truth about weight management after weight loss surgery. If you return to your old lifestyle, the excess weight you have lost will be regained. Lifestyle changes sometimes seem daunting to maintain. Make a conscious decision […]

Lap band surgery has become more and more popular among the patient population desiring surgical weight loss. The band is does not require re-routing of the intestines, which appeals to many people. Unfortunately patients who have lap band surgery will definitely lose weight slower than gastric bypass patients. Another misconception that many band patients have […]

Making the decision to pursue weight loss surgery is often very difficult. Many patients are afraid of the risks, or think they should be able to lose weight on their own. Once they make the decision to go forward with surgery, they must then decide what procedure is right for them. Unfortunately, due to a […]

Insurance companies are getting very strict about covering bariatric surgery for patients more than one time. In the past, if a patient failed a procedure or starting gaining their weight back, the surgeon would suggest revision surgery. Often this was adding a band over an existing gasttic bypass, or converting a band to a gastric […]