Obesity is a complex disease that is not caused by one single issue. Many things factor into the equation that leads an individual to gain weight to the point of threatening their health. Genes certainly play a role, but statistics from the last few decades indicate that the environment plays an even more important one. The American Psychological Association states that “the causes of obesity are rarely limited to genetic factors, overeating or leading a sedentary lifestyle. What we do and not do often is the result of how we think and how we feel”[1].
Obesity affects everyone around the world with data suggesting that “the number of obese people in the world has tripled since 1975 to roughly 30% of the total population”[2], and this number continues to rise.
This disorder is one of the leading causes of death because it dramatically decreases a person’s life expectancy. Obesity puts people at higher risk for several diseases or illnesses, such as: diabetes, heart disease, certain types of cancer, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, strokes, and high blood pressure.
There are several treatments that can help people who are dealing with obesity, starting with dietary changes and being more physically active, but if patients are unable to lose enough weight to improve their health, their doctor may consider adding other treatments, like bariatric surgery.
Unfortunately there are physicians all over the world who perform one operation after another and send patients’ home with no more than a goodbye or even a follow-up treatment. Surgery alone cannot solve such a sensitive problem and the bariatric patients must learn about the foods that promote greater wellbeing and how to manage the thoughts and behaviors that triggered their obesity. Comprehensive care is the only thing that will allow the obese patient to reach his or her goals and live a full and healthy life.
Obesity has also been linked to depression and it’s important to get a diagnosis in order to get the correct treatment. What we find as bariatric doctors while talking to patients is that the factors that caused their obesity are complex and deep. Patients speak of the emotional suffering they have experienced, how much they regret not being able to play with their kids or practice sports with friends; they also tell us about how uncomfortable it is to sit on an airplane or movie theater; about the shortness of breath they feel when climbing stairs, and in some cases about the treatments that include large amount of drugs they take to regulate blood sugar, blood pressure, or lipids.
Many doctors don’t take into consideration the emotional strife that many patients with obesity experience and often recommend treatments that don’t benefit their needs, or they simply ignore when their patients feel uncomfortable with what was prescribed to them. Dealing with obesity or any other related problems requires adopting new habits to lead a healthier lifestyle and abrupt or radical changes not only fail to work, but they can put your health at risk.
A complex disease such as obesity, with so many layers and with the emotional wear and tear that comes from years of struggle, cannot be resolved long term with a simple answer. Obesity treatments should be comprehensive if we want to see the patient get healthier and thrive in their new lifestyle.
When obese patients arrive at LIMARP®, we are usually the last stop on a long road that has led them to try every treatment to lose weight and achieve the famously elusive maintenance. Many times they come to us tired and feeling downright hopeless. Along with the bariatric surgery we offer, we have to help change the way a patient thinks and feels about the issues surrounding their weight.
At our Tijuana clinic, we have developed a comprehensive treatment model for the obese patients that allows them to feel safe and secure; one of our priorities is to empower patients to win their battle with obesity once and for all, thus keeping related diseases at bay.
Our team is composed of professionals from different disciplines, from bariatric medicine to general medicine, anesthesiology, nursing, nutrition, psychology, and fitness. Each one of our team members is certified by either international or national medical institutions. Our team has performed more than 10,000 weight loss surgeries in the last 10 years and we have witnessed their results first hand thanks to the testimonies of our patients.
Our treatment program includes an individual, one on one appointment with Dr. Liza Maria Pompa. This first meeting allows the doctor to personally assess the patient’s situation. Once a solution is designed, the patient receives support from a highly qualified and certified team, including psychological and nutritional guidance; all within a clinic designed exclusively for the bariatric patient, where every detail of the treatment has been planned to ensure their safety, wellbeing, and comfort.
The LIMARP® facilities in Tijuana are state of the art and certified as an International Center of Excellence for Obesity and meet international safety standards, while our Integrative Program is tailored to each patient, according to their body mass index, their weight loss goals, expectations, and needs. Depending on the patient’s profile, there are multiple surgical or non-invasive weight loss treatment options to help them begin to transform their bodies, health, and lives. Our treatment program has been proven effective, not only because we excel at our clinical interventions, but also because we provide a long term follow-up where we make sure our patients obtain the long-lasting results expected from their treatment.
This follow-up not only includes postoperative care after a surgical procedure, but a comprehensive obesity treatment that encompasses several aspects of what it means to lead a healthy lifestyle. There are four main groups we focus on when developing each specialized treatment: education, nutrition, fitness, and psychology.
- Education: We inform our patients by providing current and evidence-based information about what to expect during their treatment and which measures they should follow throughout their process. As a team, we will always be available to address all of your questions.
- Nutrition: Every bariatric patient needs a change of eating habits before and after their clinical intervention. We offer a personal diet program along with specific recipes and guidelines for patients to follow at different stages of their treatment. These guidelines are provided by a professional specialized in bariatric nutrition.
- Fitness: Physical activity is fundamental for keeping a healthy lifestyle. Your treatment will include the guidance of a physical fitness expert specialized in bariatric patients who is sensible to their needs and challenges. Our fitness expert plans personalized exercise routines for each patient, depending on their weight loss goals and on their progress in the program.
- Psychology: Having weight loss surgery or going through any obesity program comes with great changes in your everyday life. Your daily routine and your eating habits might be the most noticeable, but you might also experience changes in your self-perception and your relationship with others while your body transforms and your health improves. Every LIMARP patient goes through a thoughtful, caring, psychological evaluation and is provided counseling during their treatment. Our goal is to help patients so they can be in a good emotional place and have the necessary knowledge to adhere to their all-important postoperative program.
Contact Us to Learn More
If you’re looking for a comprehensive obesity treatment, schedule an appointment with one of our doctors. We can help determine the right treatment for you. Contact us online anytime or give us a call at (619) 373-0229.
References
[1] “Mind/body health: Obesity”. https://www.apa.org/topics/obesity/mind-body-health. (Accessed July 6, 2022).
[2] “Most Obese Countries 2022”. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/most-obese-countries. (Accessed July 6, 2022).