Binge eating disorder

Category: Bariatric Surgery

What is Binge Eating Disorder?

| Advanced Surgicare

Many of us overeat, from time to time, but some people overeat regularly, even when they want to stop. Frequent overeating and the inability to stop eating can lead to binge eating disorder and serious health risks. Here are some commonly asked questions — and answers — on binge eating disorder.

What Is Binge Eating?
Binge eating means eating a large amount of food in a short period of time; for example, eating two large meals within two hours. Binge eating is common; many people overeat during holidays or when they feel stressed.

What Is Binge Eating Disorder?
Someone with binge eating disorder frequently overeats within short periods of time and feels a lack of control over their eating.

How Common Is Binge Eating Disorder?
Binge eating disorder affects millions of people each year. According to the National Eating Disorders Collaboration, binge eating disorder is more common than both anorexia and bulimia.

What Causes Binge Eating Disorder?
People develop binge eating disorder for a number of reasons, including genetics as well as psychological, emotional and social factors. Binge eating disorder affects both men and women of all ages and backgrounds.

What Are the Symptoms of Binge Eating Disorder?
A person with binge eating disorder may show one or several of the following eating-related symptoms:

  • Eating a large amount of food in a short period of time
  • Eating uncontrollably, even if not hungry
  • Eating until uncomfortably full
  • Eating faster than usual

Other symptoms include:

  • Guilt after overeating
  • Tiredness
  • Trouble sleeping

What Are the Health Risks of Binge Eating Disorder?

People with binge eating disorder put themselves at risk for depression and anxiety. Other health risks include chronic kidney problems, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which can then lead to stroke, diabetes and heart disease.

How Is Binge Eating Disorder Treated?
Fortunately, binge eating disorder is treatable and a full recovery is possible. Possible treatments include nutritional management, psychotherapy, antidepressants, and counseling. Not every treatment is suitable for every person. If you have been diagnosed with binge eating disorder, consult with your doctor about what treatment may be best for you.

A Higher Risk for People with Obesity
While people of all body shapes and sizes can be diagnosed with binge eating disorder, individuals with obesity have a higher risk for developing the disorder. Advanced Surgicare offers people with obesity several bariatric surgery treatment options to help them achieve healthier lives. To learn more about your weight loss surgery options, schedule an appointment with Dr. V. Kuzinkovas by calling 1300 551 533 today.

What Is Laparoscopic Surgery?

| Advanced Surgicare

Laparoscopy is a minimally invasive surgical technique that Dr. V. Kuzinkovas of Advanced Surgicare uses whenever medically appropriate. Developed over four decades ago, modern laparoscopy has many surgical applications. It is commonly used in bariatric procedures, including gastric bypass and gastric sleeve surgery. Dr. Kuzinkovas has had great success performing bariatric surgery with laparoscopic techniques.

In this blog post, Dr. Kuzinkovas describes laparoscopic surgery in further detail, and explains why it is preferred (in most cases) to traditional surgery techniques.

Procedures that Can Be Performed Laparoscopically

Our three most popular bariatric procedures can be performed laparoscopically (when appropriate for the patient):

Laparoscopic Surgery Procedural Details

Laparoscopic surgery is performed through several small incisions, in contrast to the single large incision used in traditional “open” surgery. The incisions usually measure up to half an inch. After making the incisions, Dr. Kuzinkovas fills the patient’s abdomen with carbon dioxide to help him see the organs clearly. He uses special surgical instruments, including a laparoscope, which is a thin, lighted camera that magnifies and projects images from inside the abdomen onto a monitor in the operating room. The camera functions as Dr. Kuzinkovas’ eyes, allowing him to watch the images on the screen as he works through the smaller incisions. The surgical steps vary, depending on the specific procedure being performed.

In some cases, laparoscopic surgery can be performed on an outpatient basis, and the patient can return home to recover on the same day. Just as with traditional open surgery, anesthesia is used for the patient’s comfort and safety.

Advantages of Laparoscopic Surgery

Although the specific surgical steps will vary by procedure, laparoscopic surgery is generally less traumatic on the body’s tissues. Using smaller incisions minimizes a substantial portion of the surgical risks, shortens the hospital stay, speeds up recovery time and causes less post-operative pain. Patients are able to return to work more quickly and with minimal discomfort after laparoscopic surgery.

Scarring is significantly lessened with the laparoscopic approach. There may also be less internal scarring with laparoscopic surgery, compared to traditional surgery.

Learn More about Laparoscopic Surgery

Laparoscopic surgery is not appropriate for everyone. To learn more about laparoscopic weight loss surgery and determine whether you qualify for the minimally invasive approach, please contact Advanced Surgicare. Call 1 300 551 533 today to speak to a member of our team or schedule a consultation with Dr. Kuzinkovas.

What Is the “Paleo Diet”?

| Advanced Surgicare

It seems as though everyone is talking about the “paleo” diet these days. You might be wondering what it is and if you could benefit from trying it. The answer is that, yes, the paleo diet might be beneficial for individuals who are trying to decrease their percentage of body fat. Let’s take a closer look at what it entails.

Eat Like a Caveman (or Woman)

“Paleo” refers to the Paleolithic era, otherwise known as the Old Stone Age. Thus, the paleo diet is based on the idea of eating as if one were living during the Paleolithic era. Given that our Stone Age ancestors were hunters and gatherers (and not farmers), this means eating only food items that could be hunted or found in nature (versus those that are farmed and / or processed). Basically, if a caveman did not have access to a certain type of food, individuals following the paleo diet will not eat it.

Foods That Are Allowed on the Paleo Diet

Individuals following the paleo diet eat:

  • Fish and other seafood
  • Grass-fed meats
  • Fresh veggies
  • Fresh fruits
  • Eggs
  • Seeds
  • Nuts
  • Healthy oils, such as olive, coconut, avocado, flaxseed, walnut and macadamia

Foods That Are Not Allowed on the Paleo Diet

Those on the paleo diet do not eat:

  • Legumes (including peanuts)
  • Cereal grains
  • Dairy
  • Refined sugar
  • Potatoes
  • Processed foods
  • Foods high in salt content
  • Refined vegetable oils
  • Candy / junk food

The Philosophy Behind the Paleo Diet

In order to understand the philosophy behind the paleo diet, envision the timeline of humanity as a 12-month calendar. For the first 11.95 months, our human ancestors were hunters and gatherers. It is only in the past .05 months of the year that we have started farming. Farming has caused a dramatic transformation in our diets, which now include processed grains and dairy products, neither of which were part of our early ancestors’ diets. Adherers of the paleo diet posit that although our diet has changed as a result of agriculture, our genetics have not had time to adjust to the new diet; therefore, the human body still responds best to the type of diet our Stone Age ancestors followed.

Learn More About Healthy Living

For individuals recovering from bariatric surgery, following the paleo diet can be beneficial to their weight loss efforts. For more information about available bariatric surgery options, such as the Lap Band System or gastric bypass, contact Dr. Kuzinkovas of Advanced Surgicare. He will work with you to devise a weight loss surgical treatment plan, complete with nutritional counseling, to help you lose weight successfully and keep it off over the long run.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kuzinkovas to learn more about your weight loss surgery treatment options, please contact Advanced Surgicare by calling 1 300 551 533.

Health Conditions Often Alleviated With Bariatric Surgery

| Advanced Surgicare

For individuals struggling with obesity, their weight is not just a cosmetic concern; it is a health concern as well. This is because people struggling with obesity often have related health conditions, referred to as “co-morbidities.” Thankfully, losing excess weight with the help of bariatric surgery can resolve many or all obesity-related co-morbid health conditions.

Co-Morbidities

The following are common obesity-related co-morbid health conditions:

  • Heart disease
  • High blood cholesterol levels
  • Type-2 diabetes
  • Hypertension (high blood pressure)
  • Asthma
  • Sleep apnea
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease or acid reflux
  • Urinary incontinence
  • Menstrual dysfunction
  • Depression
  • Increased risk of some types of cancer

How Bariatric Surgery Can Help Resolve Co-Morbidities

Although this information may seem bleak, the positive news is that losing the excess weight with the help of weight loss surgery can help patients resolve their co-morbidities. The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), which is a branch of the National Institutes of Health, states that, in one study, more than 75 percent of study participants completely resolved their type-2 diabetes after successfully losing weight with the help of bariatric surgery. In a different study, over 70 percent of participants showed a substantial improvement in cholesterol levels two years after successful weight loss with bariatric surgery.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kuzinkovas to learn more about your weight loss surgery treatment options, please contact Advanced Surgicare Clinic by calling 1300 551 533.