Winner of the Best Diet Plan: DASH

DASH diet took the first place spot in U.S. News’  2^nd ever ranking of the best weight loss plan for the second year in a row. The undefeated DASH, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, actually wasn’t developed to supplement Rancho Cucamonga weight loss surgery patients or Ventura bariatric surgery patients; instead, it aims to lower blood pressure. But it earned high marks from a panel of experts for its safety, nutritional merit and usefulness for chronic disease sufferers.

DASH diet was developed to help prevent and treat hypertension, but it was meant to work in conjunction with other healthful behaviors, such as getting at least 30 minutes of exercise each day and drinking alcohol in moderation. There’s no secret trick to the DASH eating plan — just an emphasis on low-salt, high-fiber fare, like eight to 10 daily servings of fruits and vegetables for a standard 2,000 calorie-per-day diet. It limits high-calorie sweets and meats that are high in saturated fat. Instead, in addition to fresh produce, the diet calls for fat-free or low-fat dairy, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, seeds, and nuts. DASH diet prescribes a lower sodium intake — either the recommended 2,300 mg in the standard version or 1,500 mg for people who are more susceptible to, or already diagnosed with, hypertension, according to The Mayo Clinic.

DASH diet won best-overall and also ranked first in “best diets for healthy eating” and “best diabetes diets.” Its lowest score was a ninth rank for “best weight-loss diet.” Studies show that the diet can lead to weight loss, though research has focused on overweight and obese individuals who already suffer from high blood pressure (between 130 and 159 mm Hg). One study found that overweight and obese hypertension patients who followed the DASH diet in conjunction with exercise and weight loss classes lost more weight over four months (an average 9.5 pounds) than counterparts who simply followed DASH eating plans (8 pounds) — and both did better than a control group of participants who continued their typical diet and received basic weight loss advice (an average of 3 pounds).

Ultimately for those who cannot loss weight on this or any other diet plan, a weight loss surgery such as Los Angeles Lap Band, Los Angeles Gastric Sleeve (also knows as sleeve gastrectomy) maybe a good alternative plan.

Weight Loss and Lap Band Surgery Reduces Mortality in Obese Patients

Photo of a Lap Band

Patients undergoing Lap Band or Weight Loss Surgery had a significantly reduced rate of subsequent myocardial infarctions and strokes and significantly increased survival, compared with similar, morbidly obese patients who had other types of surgery, in a retrospective cohort study of more than 9,000 U.S. patients. In his study of bariatric surgery patients in South Carolina during 1996-2008, the combined rate of MIs, strokes, and deaths was 52% below the rate in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery, and 28% below the rate of those who had orthopedic surgery – both statistically significant differences. The results also showed significant drops in each component of the combined end point (MIs, strokes, and deaths).

The new study used hospital in-patient records collected during 1996-2008 through the South Carolina Office of Research and Statistics, and death data collected by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. The analysis included morbidly obese patients aged 40-79 years who underwent nonemergency surgery (4,747 patients who had any form of bariatric surgery, 3,066 patients who underwent joint replacement or spinal surgery, and 1,327 patients who had a cholecystectomy, hernia repair, or lysis of gastrointestinal adhesions). Those with a history of prior MI or stroke were excluded.

Patients were followed for an average of 14 months after lap band surgery, 25 after orthopedic surgery, and 26 months after gastrointestinal surgery.

In a multivariate analysis that controlled for age, sex, race, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, coronary artery disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and a history of transient ischemic attack, patients undergoing bariatric surgery had a significant 41% reduced rate of first MI compared with the orthopedic surgery patients, and a significant 51% lower rate compared with the gastrointestinal surgery patients. Mortality in the weight loss surgery Los Angeles patients dropped by a significant 19% and 55% relative to the orthopedic and gastrointestinal patients, respectively, and the stroke rate was also significantly lower following bariatric surgery compared with the rates in each control group. The magnitude of these event-rate reductions was consistent with prior reports of risk reduction. Notably, bariatric surgery “reduced cardiovascular events, as opposed to obesity-drug treatments that may actually increase the risk for cardiovascular events,” he noted. “Bariatric surgery has been rigorously tested and [proved] over the past 20 years, and it has a dramatic effect on all aspects of patient health. [Most] medical treatments for obesity don’t have 20 years of data, and some medications actually cause heart problems. We don’t know how bariatric surgery reduced myocardial infarctions and strokes, but it’s probably several factors: weight loss and resolution of diabetes, hypertension, and sleep apnea. The spectrum of returning patients to a more normal, baseline state probably leads to less morbidity and mortality,” said one the best weight loss surgeon

Drew Carey Weight Loss: How Did He Do It?

Fans of Drew Carey know that the “Price is Right” host lost a lot of weight in recent months, dropping a whopping 80 pounds since January.But some audience members were astounded to see his amazing metamorphosis when the show’s 2010 season kicked off earlier this year.According to People magazine, Carey, 52 went from a size 44 pants to a 33-34. And he did it the old-fashioned way – diet and exercise  although some suspect weight loss surgery or lap band surgery.  He cut back on simple carbs, snacked on fruit, and drank lots of water. He also hit the gym, doing cardio for at least 45 minutes a day, according to the magazine.Not only did he lose weight, he lost his type-2 diabetes. “I’m not diabetic anymore,” he told the magazine. “No medication needed.”"It sucks being fat, you know,” he said  at a party in Beverly Hills. “I like being skinny,” said Carey. “I was sick of being fat on the camera. Really, I just got sick of it. Once I started losing weight, again, like once I started dropping a couple pant sizes, then it was easy ’cause once you see the results, then you don’t wanna stop.”

Adjustable Gastric Band

Adjustable gastric band, also known as a Lap Band, Realize Band or O Band is an inflatable silicone device that is placed by laparoscopic surgery around upper portion of the stomach in order to treat obesity.  Adjustable gastric band surgery is an example of bariatric surgery designed for obese patients with body mass index of 35 or higher in order to achieve weight loss. Conditions that may improve include sleep apnea, diabetes, hypertension, GERD and other obesity related conditions.