Approved by the FDA in June 2001, the BioEnterics® LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding System is the newest and the only adjustable surgical treatment for morbid obesity in the United States. It induces safe weight loss by reducing the capacity of the stomach, which restricts the amount of food that can be consumed. Since its clinical introduction in 1993, more than 100,000 LAP-BAND® procedures have been performed around the world.

The LAP-BAND® System is also the only adjustable weight loss surgery. The diameter of the band is adjustable for a customized weight-loss rate. Your individual needs can change as you lose weight.

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Filed under: Clinics and Services

We all have them; food cravings that jeopardize our efforts to lose weight and our long-term health. Why, because the cravings are nearly always for foods that are high in sugar, salt, fat and calories. What causes food cravings, why do we have them, and how do we eliminate them?

Simply put, food cravings are an intense desire for a specific food. Nearly always, our cravings are for food that is very sweet, salty, fatty or loaded with carbohydrates. The cravings can differ according to gender, age and/or personal tastes.

Some of the most common food cravings are for chocolate, ice cream, potato chips, pizza, and pasta. Most of us only have food cravings once in a while. However, food cravings can become an addiction, leading to obesity, depression, eating disorders, and increase the risk for many diseases and conditions.

What causes food cravings? Actually, there can be many possible causes. Identifying the possible causes for your cravings will help you find the solutions for eliminating them. Food cravings can be caused by emotional or physical factors.

EMOTIONAL CAUSES

*Anger, resentment, bitterness or frustration.

*Stress, anxiety, tension or fear.

*Boredom or emptiness.

*Depression.

*Loneliness.

*Chronic fatigue.

If you suffer from any of these problems chronically, your food cravings will remain.

PHYSICAL CAUSES

*RESTRICTIVE OR HABITUAL DIETING. If you are trying to follow a very restrictive diet, your body will become nutrient deficient. It will try to fill this deficiency in the form of food cravings. Consequently, if you are constantly on a diet, you will constantly be craving certain foods. This is why diets based on too many food restrictions cause us to put on more weight instead of lose weight.

*HABITS. You always eat candy bars and popcorn at the movies, you always eat dessert after a meal, you always eat way too much food at your favorite restaurant, etc.

*LOW BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS. If your blood sugar levels are low, your energy levels are low. This can signal your body to crave certain foods.

*SENSORY TRIGGERS. Sometimes your body may respond to a smell like walking past a bakery.

ELIMINATING FOOD CRAVINGS

There are many changes we can make to help deal with food cravings. The following tips will help you with the physical factors that cause cravings. *EAT A WELL-BALANCED DIET. By eating a wide variety of nutritious food, eating in moderation, and never skipping meals, our bodies will not feel deprived or lacking in the nutrients it needs. NEVER skip breakfast!

*DO NOT EAT AT NIGHT. This is the time when the greatest number of food cravings occurs. If you must eat, have a healthy snack like a piece of fruit or a yogurt.

*AVOID HIGH-SUGAR FOODS. Sugar causes a steep rise in blood sugar levels, immediately followed by steep declines.

*DRINK LOTS OF WATER. Water keeps you feeling full, keeps your body hydrated, and flushes unhealthy toxins out of your system. You may think you are hungry, when your body is actually telling you it needs water.

*GET PLENTY OF SLEEP. Get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. This way your body will feel rested.

*BRUSH YOUR TEETH. If you brush your teeth every time you eat, it will discourage you from eating too much.

*If you suffer from compulsive eating and cannot satisfy your craving by eating a small portion of the food you crave, you should completely avoid the food.

The emotional causes of food cravings are more difficult to deal with as they can be very complicated and difficult to overcome. Some of the tips listed below may help you.

*AVOID STRESS. You must make efforts to reduce your stress level. Take up a new hobby, something that you think you would really enjoy. Try knitting, crocheting, working puzzles, playing games with your kids, read, take walks. Use relaxation techniques like yoga or learn how to meditate. Get a massage every week.

*KEEP TRACK OF THE FOOD YOU EAT. Write down everything that you eat in a day. You may be appalled at how much you are actually eating each day. What times do you eat the most? What can you do instead?

*ADDRESS EMOTIONAL ISSUES. If you are angry, depressed, frustrated, etc., deal with what is causing the feeling. Try to find a solution. Remember that eating is not the solution.

*GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK. If you do give into your cravings occasionally, go easy on yourself and try to do better the next time. No one is harder on us than ourselves.

*GET LOTS OF EXERCISE. You don’t have to go to a gym. Walk your dog. Mow your grass. Play with your kids. Getting exercise makes you feel better mentally and physically.

If you suffer from food cravings, you are not alone. However, if they are controlling your life, discover why they are controlling your life and do something about it. No one can help you unless you help yourself.

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Filed under: Diet Food

There are several reasons for weight gain and each is rather simple, but surprisingly very few people are aware of them. People do not gain weight for not exercising, although this can contribute to the cause. The true reasons for weight gain include eating the wrong foods, the wrong types of calories per meal, and eating in the wrong patterns of the day.

The food that you put into your body can either make you thin or fat, it is up to you. It may seem too simple to be true, but it really does boil down to this. If you get on the proper diet and put the right kinds of nutrients into your body, you can avoid weight gain altogether.

Another factor that plays a role in whether or not you gain weight is the amount of calories you put into your body each meal. It is better to eat several small meals than it is to eat two or three large meals. The reason for this is because it gives your body time to digest the food and break it down. By overwhelming your digestive system with two or three large meals, it will not properly break down the food.

This is something that many people do not realize. You need to be eating more than three times per day to lose weight. When people go on diets, they feel the need to starve themselves. This is the last thing you want to do. By eating several times a day with small portions, you can burn the calories much quicker and far more efficiently.

The last reason you may gain weight is due to the pattern you eat your food in. It is vital that you spread your meals throughout the entire day. Getting up and skipping breakfast is one of the worst things you can do for yourself. You want to start the day off right and give yourself a healthy and nutritional meal. From there, you will want to eat something every few hours

Starving yourself and jogging more is not going to help you lose weight. If you really want to lose weight, you have to eat the right foods at the right times of the day. By doing this, you will be able to burn the calories better and digest your food properly. All you have to do is reverse the cycle that you have going for yourself right now. You can get slim by eating the right foods at the right intervals.

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Filed under: General