As a chiropractor, it is my professional point of view that surgery should be the last resort for conditions of the back, hips, and knees. chiropractic treatment is a conservative, non-invasive and drug-free approach to problems relating to the musculoskeletal system. That said, I am also of the persuasion that surgery for most health problems should be a last resort as well. As I’ve said before, there is no such thing as a “minor” surgery. All surgeries, no matter how small, carry big risks. But, not only is surgery risky, there is no “undoing” this permanent attempt at correcting a problem. However, until just a few years ago, I would not have imagined that weigh loss would fall under the “only have surgery as a last resort” category. But, more and more adults are having bariatric surgery or other weight-loss surgery as an attempt to remedy their obesity. Again, surgery is surgery, and this type of surgery has high risks for already “at risk” obese adults. What has been even more disturbing to me is the fact that some parents are opting for surgery for their obese children, even though the risks of bariatric surgery are not only substantial in general, but the long-term safety and effectiveness in children remain largely unknown.
Now, what I am about to pass along will probably fall into the “duh, you think” category for most of us, but in reviewing studies on the “obesity epidemic,” scientists from Britain and the United States lifestyle changes such as better diet and more exercise should always be the first option, and treatment with drugs should be used rarely. In other words, bariatric surgery, or weight-loss surgery, such as operations to apply gastric bands to limit the stomach size of severely overweight people, should be a last resort.
Yes, it is true that childhood obesity can adversely affect almost every organ in the body and often has serious consequences, including high blood pressure, abnormal blood fats, insulin resistance or diabetes, fatty liver disease, and psychosocial complications, it is also true that parents need education (and perhaps intervention) and schools need to provide better food options and more daily exercise for children, and communities need to support parental efforts as well. No “toys” as a prize for buying high caloric kids meals is just the beginning. In my opinion as a healthcare provider, without education and support, even children who undergo bariatric surgery will continue to crave high caloric foods and still not get the healthy exercise they need.
Posted via email from chiropracticforever’s posterous
Aah, summertime. Time to head for the beach or a nice sunny park. So, bring out the picnic basket and blanket, the toys and swimsuits, and the sunscreen and tomatoes. Tomatoes!? Yep, that’s what I said. Tomatoes are high in lycopene, an antioxidant, which not only increases collagen in the skin and adds up to fewer lines and furrows, but actually helps to protect the skin again sunburn. According to Prevention Magazine, a recent study found that volunteers that consumed five tablespoons of tomato paste daily for three months had 25 percent more protection against sunburn.