Lately it seems that I cannot get away from those 1-800-Get-Slim ads. You know the one with the curvy blond woman who is standing proudly on a scale and with her arms up in the air as if she is jumping for joy because of the number she sees on the scale. These ads suggest to let your new life begin with a quick and easy way to get slim by getting the laparoscopic gastric banding, also known as "lap band surgery."These ads are literally posted on every billboard I see driving from here to there, on the side of every bus in town, their commercials air on almost every radio station, and that annoying jingle gets stuck in my brain and drives me crazy. We all are well aware that obesity is a problem for a growing number of people around the world but lately it seems like so many are just plain sick of the ups and downs of dieting and resorting to the lap band surgery. So needless to say I decided to check out this new craze and get the skinny on the lap band surgery. I wanted to see what exactly this lap band surgery is all about. Is it a cure for obesity or just a quick fix? Here is some great information I found on ehow.com on the actual process of the lap band surgery as well as some advantages and disadvantages of the surgery.
1. Process- During lap band surgery, an adjustable band is placed around the stomach, dividing it into an upper and lower section. The upper section becomes a pouch with a small outlet, restricting the amount of food you can eat. Since you can't eat as much food, you will lose weight. The band can be tightened or loosened if you want to lose more weight or if you need to be able to eat more food. It can also be removed completely.
2. Weight Loss- One disadvantage of lap band surgery is that it produces less weight loss than other types of weight loss surgery. Weight loss surgeries that restructure the stomach make your body absorb less nutrients as well as restricting the amount you eat. This means that these surgeries produce a greater amount of weight loss than lap band surgery. A person who gets lap band surgery will, on average, lose 40% of his excess weight; a person who has gastric bypass surgery will lose an average 60% of his excess weight. Weight loss is also slower than with gastric bypass surgery.
3. Diet- Lap band surgery can significantly alter your diet. Because the stomach outlet is so small, you will not be able to eat certain types of food after lap band surgery, such as corn, popcorn, rhubarb, asparagus, pineapple, nuts and other chunky foods. You may also have problems eating red meat, pasta, and fresh bread. All these foods can block the stomach outlet. Other foods must be chewed thoroughly to prevent blockage. You will only be able to eat small, strictly scheduled meals, and you won't be able to have liquid with your meals.
4. Side Effects- There can be complications to lap band surgery. Nausea and vomiting can occur after the surgery, necessitating loosening of the band. After surgery, there can be wound infection or bleeding. The gastric band can slip or deflate, or scar tissue can form around the band, choking off the stomach outlet. The stomach pouch can also enlarge, allowing more food in and halting weight loss. However, lap band surgery still has less risk of complication than other forms of weight loss surgery.
5. Lifestyle- After any weight loss surgery, you must adhere to a strict healthy diet and exercise plan. If you eat unhealthy food and lead a sedentary lifestyle, you can expect to have poor weight loss results. Lap band patients can also experience pain and embarrassing side effects if they eat the wrong types of food, and overeating can also enlarge the banded-off portion of the stomach. By J.D. Wollf Ehow Contributing Writer
With how our society is today and the hustle and bustle of life we all want that quick fix and search for the fastest results which may not be the best thing. So who knows, maybe this is the next best thing in weight loss or maybe not? Only time will tell. On that note I would love to hear your thoughts on the lap band surgery and if you have had a personal experience with the surgery or know someone who has, please feel free to share your thoughts and experiences. You never know you may be helping someone out or possibly changing their life just by leaving a simple comment.
Danielle Line, Plus Size Model & Guest Writer for Sealed with a Kiss Designs Boutique, your one-stop shop for trendy
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