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Let´s not ignore the elephant in the room. 

Surgery is not a walk in the park. Although you can always find yourself running into a burglar, crazy person or diarrheic bird who chose your shoulder to get relief... 

There are always risks. This is why you should do your homework and research on who´s hands you´re putting your life in. You have to make sure this person is the best for you, that you trust his skills and prepare for the recovery process.

Let´s do a little exercise... Take a piece of paper, separate it into two columns and label it "Pros and cons of having weight loss surgery".

Let´s start with the cons: 

- You´ll be under general anesthesia... And you´ve heard all those horror stories about anesthesia and how its sole purpose is to drown people into deep sleep and never bring them back. That´s not the way it is. If the surgeon is responsible and has an interdisciplinary approach to weight loss, you´ll have a pre operative check that will catch if there are any additional steps necessary for you to come out well from the OR.

- What if I´m the 0.1% that suffers from a complication (i.e. leak, infection, etc)?... Well, yes there is the chance, but your doctor would know how to tackle it. He should always be prepared to care for you afterwards. It might slightly delay your recovery process, but don´t worry, it´s not a race.

- What if I don´t handle the diet well? / What if this doesn´t work for me?... As with every life changing decision, it´s a choice. You can choose to have support, get help, listen to your mind, be honest with yourself and look in the mirror. Do you like what you see? Are you willing to do something about it? Surgery is merely a kickstarter point, the rest is up to you. Embrace your choice and go for it!

- (Put all your other concerns here) I would not be able to wear a bikini any more!... Those scars are all over my stomach... I´ll have saggy skin later... etc

Ok, moving on to the pros:

- Bye, bye Diabetes / High blood pressure / Sleep apnea / Joint pain / Heart problems / Liver problems / ... I can extend the list, but you know where I´m going. You´ll avoid many present and future health issues! Isn´t this exciting? 

- There are many studies that confirm obesity to be directly related to serious health problems (cancer, coronary disease, vascular problems, joint replacements, spinal problems, hormonal unbalance).

- You´ll be lighter and mobile!... You´ll be less tired!

- You´ll feel better about yourself.

- You´ll start a new chapter in your life

Some may call it adult diabetes, others non insulin dependent diabetes, but this is no longer true. With the increase on obesity rates around the world and more children suffering the consequences of their parents choices, we no longer can use these aliases...

Diabetes is a chronic condition where the cells do not metabolize sugars (glucose). Sugars are the bodies main source of energy. This is because of two possible causes: the body resists the insulin or the pancreas does not produce enough insulin.

At this moment and time, we can´t say we don´t know at least one person with diabetes (don´t we?). Have you ever thought you or someone close to you should get a check up? Is there a history of diabetes among your relatives? 

Are you aware of the symptoms?

1. More thirst (= more peeing): Excess sugar in the blood absorbs water from the tissues, which makes you thirsty. More water, makes us go to the toilet a little more often.

2. Got the munchies? Insulin makes sugar enter your muscles and organs. If insulin can´t do that, then they´ll be weak and ask for "extra fuel".

3. Weight loss: At this moment, you´re eating more, you should be putting some weight, right? Mmm, no. If your body does not metabolize glucose, the body tries to get the energy from the muscles or fat.

4. Tired lately? Since your cells don´t have energy, you´ll feel more tired than usual (aren´t we all?)

5. Blurred vision: Remember #2? Seems like the lenses in our eyes are a great source of liquid... By the end of the day, you´ll have difficulty focusing on objects.

6. Soars don´t heal as fast as they used to... UTI anyone? T2D affects the way we fight infections and the ability to heal.

7. Darkened skin areas: Have you noticed patches of dark skin around the waistline, elbows, neck or arm pits? It´s not because you´re not scrubbing well enough, it´s a condition called acanthosis nigricans. Looks like velvet and it´s usually located in the folds and creases of the body. FYI, this last one may indicate insulin resistance.

Are you grabbing your phone and trying to get an appointment with your GP yet?

Again, we won´t even get started on the triggering factors or related risks. We only want you to listen to your body and make the necessary changes in your life. Who knows, we might end up meeting in Costa Rica soon? 

If you need further information on how to control the metabolic syndrome or how to reverse diabetes, contact us. Find us on Facebook and Twitter as DrJacoboZafrani.