DR. JAYDEEP H. PALEP

Striking the right balance between one’s intake and energy output, so that the body does not accumulate fat is the real challenge which most people face. Saying no to all the food you love, sweating it out in the gym or jogging around the park are not what you really want to be doing. Or you may be doing all of this yet not achieving that perfect figure.

So, the easy alternative is to be tempted by the miracle stories you hear or media publicity of various over the counter “weight loss” or slimming pills available. These medicines can act in various ways: suppress hunger, increase metabolic rate and accentuate weight loss for sure. But these “magic quick fix solutions “…are they doing more harm than good to your body?

Patients are already on medications for diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure, thyroid disorders, and are these slimming pills going to take them off these medications eventually? Will these make sure they are in good health down the road? Or are they in danger of facing more side effects, metabolic derangements and the most worrisome of all – fatal cardiac events!

Points to ponder

For those who are overweight (Asians) and have a BMI of more than 32Kg/m2 Bariatric Surgery offers a far more sustained weight loss, reversing metabolic disorders within 2 weeks after surgery.

You are looking at a very natural weight loss process unlike the ‘slimming pills’. Why does this happen and how? If you visit a weight loss surgeon in Mumbai looking for a weight loss treatment, Mumbai is where you would the best answer since generations. Some of the most experienced and best weight loss clinics are in Mumbai.

Not many people in our busy city of Mumbai or even in India know how bariatric surgery causes weight loss. Most people confuse it with removal of fat with a tube-like suction device, which is called liposuction.

Bariatric surgery (in Mumbai or globally) also known as metabolic surgery or surgery for type 2 diabetes today is the most physiological (natural) weight loss surgery, and is recommended by most scientific bodies across the world.

Once we reduce the capacity of the stomach, the brain re-wires and decides that it has to do something about the reduced food intake of the person, which has started all of a sudden. The brain takes a couple of weeks to realize the new change and starts mobilizing its reserves (the extra fat) of your body.

This is how you start the process of weight loss. Serially you lose weight for the next 8-10 months and eventually plateau after roughly a year from your weight loss surgery. Now you understand this from basic sciences, your brain will only work or the best interest of your body.

Let it decide how much weight it loses over how much period of time. This gives the most sustainable and long- lasting results in terms of weight loss.

Apples and oranges!

It’s never fair to compare Apples and Oranges. One can’t compare something as unscientific as slimming pills, which can only harm your body, to weight loss surgery in Mumbaiwhich benefits your body all around!!

A bottle of pills may cost Rs.3000- 5000 per month, but the harmful effects of this last a lifetime. One may think this a small price to pay, but are you really solving the big problem?

THE CHOICE IS YOURS ….