- Men's Health, Weight Loss, Women's Health, Wellness, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogMarcella Carter has a good reason to drive three hours to AAMC to see her doctor. “I could have found someone else,” the 47-year-old from Williamstown, New Jersey said. “But he’s the top in his field. If he’s in Maryland, I’m going to Maryland.” A well-known expert in bariatric surgery, Alex Gandsas, MD, came to AAMC from New Jersey to build the new Weight Loss and Metabolic Surgery Program. Many of his former patients, like Marcella, made the decision to enroll in the program despite the long drive. “What we are building here is comprehensive. It’s not just about the surgery. Weight loss is a matter of improving a person’s overall health and changing lifelong habits. Here, we support them every step of the way,” he said. Bariatric nutritionists and fitness experts prepare patients for surgery and the lifestyle changes they need to make through the Bariatric Optimization Program. They continue to support and monitor patients after surgery, sometimes for a year or more. “Everybody is here to help you and to make sure you are a success,” she said. For that, the three hour drive is well worth it. Within six weeks of surgery to reduce the size of her stomach, Marcella’s weight has dropped from 318 to 286 and continues to fall. She sleeps through the night for the first time in years, and her blood pressure is on the decline. “If I need to come back and have any type of procedure done, I would definitely come back to AAMC,” Marcella said, “I would recommend it to anybody else as well.”
- Men's Health, Women's Health, Uncategorized, Wellness, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogDaniel Fluharty, a weight loss surgery patient, describes his experience and life after surgery. My name is Daniel Fluharty, and I teach both high school and college, and I adore teaching. Growing up I was always fat so—no matter what—I was fat in my head. I was never good enough. If someone were laughing [I assumed] they were laughing at me because of my weight. Even though it had nothing to do with me—they could be telling a joke to a friend—I saw it as me. As a teacher, if kids were talking, they were talking about me. My highest weight was approximately 342 pounds. One of the health issues that I really had to deal with was high blood pressure and some of the medication caused weight gain. I was also pre-diabetic. My family has a very strong history of diabetes and I was close to a heart attack or stroke. I have used weight watchers. I’ve done lean cuisine meals. I’ve been a member of TOPS—Taking Off Pounds Sensibly. When I realized that I needed to do something for myself—I just couldn’t deal with dieting—I thought maybe I should look into gastric bypass. Right now, my weight is approximately 200 pounds. The moment the surgeon who did the surgery said to me, ‘Dan you are at the healthiest you have ever been, you are at the weight your body should be at for your age and your height’— that was it. There’s such a major change. I’m more confident than I was. There are things I’ll do now that I wouldn’t have done before. I have gone cave tubing. I have rock climbed. I’m going to go hot air ballooning. I’ve got a sky diving opportunity. I am as far from being diabetic as you can get. I haven’t had a real headache in seven years. I am a firm supporter in gastric bypass. If I could have, I would have done it years ago. I recommend it, but I’m not going to say I encourage it, because you need to find out first if diets work. But if you feel that you’re ready for it, go talk to the physician. See what you need to do to be eligible and then go for it. Watch the video of Daniel’s interview on our YouTube Channel.
- Men's Health, Women's Health, Wellness, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAnnapolis resident Doug Jones had been a muscular young man, but just as his doctor had predicted, his weight crept up steadily with age leading to complications such as diabetes and high cholesterol. Doug was at high risk for heart a heart attack until weight loss surgery helped him regain control of his health. I went from 160 pounds to 388 pounds, and I was absolutely out of breath. Absolutely tired. I would think how far do I have to walk? Can I take a car to go two blocks? That sort of thing. My feet hurt. My ankles hurt. And then they had a thing on 60 minutes a report on the benefits of weight loss surgery for diabetics and after I saw it, I said, we ought to look into that because it sounds like it’s perfect for me. The day I got out of the hospital I never had another problem with diabetes and every day I would lose an average of two to three pounds. My cholesterol is better than it’s ever been. I guess the best way to say it is: I have 13 grandchildren and before I had this operation, I didn’t know how long I’d be around with them or how much I could enjoy them. Since I’ve had the operation I’ve felt like I cheated because I’ve tried to go on every diet there was. This went so easily that I literally feel like I’m cheating. I feel like a million dollars, and I think I look like I feel. There are no ifs, ands, or buts! If you want to know would I do it again? In a heartbeat. Watch the full video of Doug’s interview on our YouTube Channel.
- Behavioral HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAt any age, mental health challenges can arise. While significant focus has been rightly given to mental well-being in younger people, it’s crucial not to overlook our seniors. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) underscores this, revealing that up to 25% of older adults live with mental health issues, like anxiety or depression. If left untreated, mental health conditions can negatively affect your physical well-being and quality of life. Fortunately, many factors contributing to mental health decline are avoidable. As May marks Mental Health Awareness Month and Older Americans Month, now is an ideal time to implement these five strategies aimed at preserving your mental well-being as you grow older. 1. Nurture/invest social connections Loneliness and social isolation can significantly increase mental health issues later in life. They can also increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and early death. These tips can help nurture/invest social connections: Stay in touch with friends and family via social media or video chat. Virtual meet-ups can help you feel less alone. Volunteer. Giving back to others can help you meet people in your community. It can also provide a sense of purpose that older adults may lose after retirement. Get tested and treated for hearing loss. It affects one in three adults aged 65 to 74, according to NCOA. Hearing loss can make it difficult to follow what’s happening around you. It’s a common reason older adults withdraw from social interaction. 2. Get regular physical activity Sitting for long periods of time and lack of physical activity can increase your risk of depression. Physical activity can boost your mood. For overall health and well-being, older adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, like brisk walking, each week, or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise, like running. Talk to your primary care provider and decide what’s best for you. They also need at least two days of strength-building and balance activities, which can be done from the comfort of your home. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends multicomponent physical activities to meet these triple goals. Try these: Sign up for a dancing class at a local community center for older adults. Take up yoga or Tai-chi. There are many online offerings at no cost. Explore outdoor activities like gardening or hiking. But remember to stay hydrated. 3. Try music therapy Listening to or making music seems to activate brain areas that can improve mental and physical health. Research finds that music-based interventions may be helpful for anxiety, depression and chronic pain. Go ahead and play that oldie but goodie! 4. Reduce caregiver stress Some older adults face the added emotional challenges of caregiving. According to a 2023 AARP Survey, 50% of caregivers said caregiving increased their emotional stress, while 37% said it caused physical stress. If you’re a caregiver, the Luminis Health Caring for Caregivers page provides self-care tips and local caregiver resources. These can help you care for your loved one while taking care of yourself. 5. Recognize mental health issues Depression is common in older adults, but it’s not a normal part of aging. Less than half of older adults who struggle with mental health and substance use issues get the treatment they need. Getting help starts with scheduling regular checkups with your primary care doctor. They can help you manage physical limitations or medical conditions, such as post-stroke or cancer recovery, which may increase your risk of depression. Should you or your loved one experience any of the following symptoms persistently for more than two weeks, it’s crucial to inform your doctor, as they could point to mental health issues: Anger or irritability. Anxious or sad mood. Changes in appetite, mood and energy level. Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions. Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much. Drug or alcohol misuse. Feeling guilty or hopeless. Hearing, feeling or seeing things other people don’t. Loss of interest in things they once enjoyed, including sex. Next steps After ruling out medical causes, your doctor may start treatment for a mental health condition, or refer you to a mental health professional for evaluation and treatment. Mental health problems are often treated with a combination of medication and talk therapy. You can receive high-quality mental and behavioral health services at The Luminis Health Doctors Community Medical Center Behavioral Health Pavilion on our Lanham campus. You can also call 301-623-4350.
- Weight LossGeneral Page Tier 3BlogYou may have kicked off 2024 determined to lose weight. If you accomplished your goals, congratulations on your hard work and dedication. However, we know that maintaining weight loss can be just as challenging as achieving it. It’s tempting to reward yourself with old habits once you reach your goal, but remember, this is just one milestone in your journey to a healthier you. Let’s discuss a few steps you can take to maintain your healthy weight. Healthy Weight Benefits Achieving a healthy weight can lower your cholesterol and blood sugar levels, lower blood pressure, reduce stress on bones and joints and ease the workload on your heart. All these health benefits are why it’s important to not simply lose weight, but to maintain the weight you have lost. Contrary to what some may think, people without obesity generally have just as much difficulty sustaining a small degree of weight loss as people with obesity have maintaining even larger degrees of weight reduction. It Takes Dedication It’s no secret that many weight loss journeys fail in the long term. This can be because strict diets are difficult to maintain over time. Another factor is that the decrease in calories to lose weight causes a drop in the rate your body burns calories. For these reasons, extremely low-calorie diets and rapid weight loss are discouraged. Luminis Health weight loss experts recommend losing no more than half a pound to two pounds per week. Gradual weight loss such as this is more likely to help you sustain it for the long term. Long-Term Weight Loss Individuals who have successfully maintained their weight loss share some common strategies across the board. Regardless of which diet you use to lose weight to begin with, taking up these habits may help you to keep it off: Stay physically active—Try exercising for at least 60 minutes every day. Walking is a great low-impact option. Find an activity you enjoy and do it with someone who brings you joy! Keep a food log—Recording what you eat every day helps hold you accountable, sheds light on emotional eating habits and keeps you motivated. Maintain a balanced diet—What you eat each day should be healthy and well balanced, minimizing ultra-processed foods and high fructose corn syrup. Eat breakfast every day—This is important because eating breakfast boosts metabolism and staves off hunger later in the day, which helps prevent those late afternoon junk food binges. Regularly check the scale—Weighing yourself weekly may help you detect any small weight gains, enabling you to promptly take action if you see the number creeping upwards. Keep Your Eye On The Prize Although many people are concerned about weight loss because of how it affects their appearance, it’s important to remember that even a small amount of long-term weight loss can have remarkable health benefits. Remember to determine your weight management success based on your health and how you feel—not on how you look. Author Dr. Jilian Nicholas, is a board-certified, fellowship-trained bariatric surgeon at Luminis Health.
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