Page 8 - Valley Life & Health
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8 SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2019                                                                                    THE MORNING CALL
        ■ Health





            A multi-disciplinary


            individualizedweightloss
            approach to








            Easton Hospital and Lehigh Valley Weight Loss provide comprehensive

            weight loss programs backed by interventional medicine




                ometimes it seems like everyone is on a diet.  the bariatric journey with the surgical division for  right method and mode of weight management
                More than half of Americans report that they  operative and post-operative care.  that best suits them.
           Swant to lose weight – and yet an estimated 160  “This was the first comprehensive program  It all starts the day that they walk in the door to
            million Americans are either overweight or obese.  for bariatric surgery in the Valley. Since then, we’ve  see their doctor – and the aim from day one is not
              One key reason that so many efforts fail? Many  treated more than 2,000 patients. And while Easton  to discuss surgery. Instead, the conversation
            weight loss programs focus on aesthetics and  Hospital is a relatively small hospital, there is a lot of  begins by talking about life events that led to
            fail to tackle the problems of disease prevention  stress on one-on-one patient care and one-on-one  the weight gain. Circumstances often include
            or treatment for diabetes, high blood pressure,  patient interaction with the surgeons,” says Vinay  pregnancy, divorce, depression, stress, addiction or
            heart disease, and other ailments associated  Singhal, MD, Medical Director of Bariatric Surgery  substance abuse, or other behavioral changes.
            with obesity. There is a true gap between where  at Easton Hospital, who oversees the program  “The aim is to recognize – not just to do
            medicine and bariatrics meet, and many patients  along with Artun Aksade, MD. “It’s very much a  surgery and get on with it. The aim is also to
            get caught up in programs that do not take an  family-oriented approach and a friendly approach  find out what problems this person is having
            individualized approach to their weight loss goal.  with one-to-one care, which is relatively different  due to their excess weight,” says Dr. Singhal.
               Each of us has a unique set of factors –  from some other programs.”          “There are some people who may carry excess
            among them are metabolism, hormone balance,                                      weight and don’t have any problems. But if they
            nutritional status, and genetic makeup – and  The weight loss journey            have uncontrolled diabetes or blood pressure,
            lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, self-care,  Successful weight management takes a true  or if they are having difficulty breathing or aren’t
            sleeping habits and stress management that can  lifetime commitment in order to have long-  getting a good night’s sleep, what is the root
            all interact with those variables.      term, lasting effects on your overall health.  cause? We talk about what things will get better
               Back in 2003, Easton Hospital realized that a  With each patient having individual needs and  if they lose weight.”
            truly successful weight loss program could not be  different influences, Easton Hospital’s weight loss  Another goal is to educate the patient that just
            developed with a one-size-fits-all approach. For  professionals work with patients to discover the  losing weight is not enough, and that their journey
            the last 15 years, they have offered an intensive,                               is about making a true lifestyle change. If a patient
            multi-component behavioral intervention                                          comes in who smokes or drinks too much, making
            program that combines the medical division for                                   sure they are rehabilitated prior to beginning the
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