Tag Archive for: weight control

Understanding High Blood Pressure and High Cholesterol

dreamstime_4464698Weight reduction surgery helps to put you on your path to a healthier lifestyle, but you can still tip into the realm of unhealthy if you don’t follow your doctor’s or nutritionist’s orders. Watching what you put into your body is very important because your blood pressure and cholesterol can dip toward unhealthy. Especially after weight reduction surgery, you should still be watching what you eat. By stepping up and undergoing bariatric surgery, you were ready to change your life around. Don’t take a step backward by letting yourself go again. Understand your body and how eating fatty foods and practicing unhealthy habits can contribute to poor overall health, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Understanding Your Body

Why do you need to think about high blood pressure or cholesterol if you’ve gone through bariatric surgery? No matter what stage of health you are in, you should consider the negative effect of what practicing unhealthy habits can have on your body.

Your Blood Pressure

What does it mean when you have high blood pressure? It means that your heart is working at an above normal level, and due to working harder it leaves your heart and arteries open to injury.

What does your blood pressure do? By keeping your blood pressure normal, you are able to reduce your chances of heart attack and stroke or developing heart and kidney failure. Having normal blood pressure will also provide your body with blood tissue rich in oxygen.

Your Cholesterol

There are two different types of cholesterol. The first kind, the so called “bad” kind, is called LDL and is the kind that leads to heart disease, stroke, and heart attacks. The second kind is HDL, and that’s the so called “good” cholesterol. HDL lowers your chances of heart disease, stroke, and heart attack. So, how are these differentiated? Making healthy decisions toward eating and drinking is what differentiates good from bad cholesterol. For instance, if you have a diet filled with red meat, sugars, and white flour, you’re likely to have higher cholesterol. If you have a diet filled with leafy greens, salmon, and you moderate your drinking, you’re likely to have a healthy cholesterol.

If you have high blood pressure or cholesterol, see a doctor to see how to fix it. If you are interested in bariatric surgery and want to learn more about controlling your weight, contact Weight Zen.

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Three Weight Loss Diets To Try

dreamstime_xxl_7134854To continue the theme of our last few posts, we’ll continue exploring different diets. Previously in our last few posts, we discussed The Mediterranean Diet, Three Diets You’ve Probably Never Heard Of, and Meal Plans For Changing Your Diet After Surgery. Luckily, there is no shortage of diets in our society, so if you didn’t find one for your there are always more to try. The diets discussed in this post are geared specifically toward losing weight, weight control, and are also helpful even after you’ve had bariatric surgery. Weight Zen is a facility for bariatric surgery and weight loss surgery located in New York; if you have any questions, please, don’t hesitate to reach out. After going through weight loss surgery, your bariatric surgeon gave you a list of do’s and don’ts, but what about for the rest of your life? Now, that you’ve changed your life, keep it that way. Take advantage of having your weight under control, and make sure you can continue on this new path of life. Read about three great weight loss diets below.

Three Weight Loss Diets To Try

HMR Program

The HMR program stands for health management resources. The main goal of this diet is to keep off the weight or lose weight by reducing your caloric intake. You reduce your caloric intake by replacing what you would generally eat with more fruits and vegetables. This diet encourages healthy lifestyle changes and physical activity. One of the things that you should take into consideration is that everything you put into your body and the physical activity you do is all on you; it’s personal accountability for how much weight you want to lose. The HMR program encourages meal replacement with lower calorie items. For instance, instead of pancakes and french toast for breakfast, you could try eating low-calorie shakes, nutrition bars, or oatmeal that are HMR approved. By eating healthier and adding more fruits and vegetables, your caloric intake is lower. Combining eating healthy with physical activity means you are going to be able to control and lose weight. Even the smallest physical activity will help you to achieve your weight loss goal.

Volumetrics Diet

Similarly to the HMR program, this diet is also not as well known. The focus for this diet is specifically losing weight, unlike the HMR program that focuses on a better, healthier lifestyle. What you should know about food is that some food has less energy dense than other types of food. By directing your palette toward eating food with less energy, you’re eating less calories without actually eating less. Let’s break it down: by eating low-density food you will lose more weight. Low-density food has less calories but is higher in volume, so you don’t have that never-ending hunger while dieting. Focus your food intake on vegetables and fruits to fill you up and understand this diet is about getting more volume out of what you eat instead of eating more.

dreamstime_xxl_27254680Raw Food Diet

The raw food diet is pretty much what it sounds like. This diet doesn’t just focus on controlling your weight, it also focuses on improving your health and making the environment better. If you want to help the world and your body, this diet is for you. Here’s a tidbit about raw food: it is filled with nutrients and natural enzymes to help your body and assist it in losing weight. This diet has been around for several hundred years, stemming from when a doctor was able to cure jaundice by eating raw apples. Raw food is not cooked, microwaved, genetically engineered, processed, irradiated, or exposed to chemicals. The food you would focus on are fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and herbs all in their natural state. When you follow this diet, you are able to cut down on half of your caloric intake, in comparison to when you follow a cooked diet. However, it’s important to note that this diet is not usually rich in the all-important protein!

If you are looking to get weight loss surgery or want to talk to a bariatric surgeon, contact us today.

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Two Fun Exercise Hacks That Don’t Cost A Penny

dreamstime_xxl_57748543You are going to need to start exercising if you are going to undergo bariatric surgery or if you have already completed it. When you start on your road to weight reduction surgery you need to lose some weight before you can be accepted for the surgery. On the other hand, you also need to start exercising once you have completed your surgery. Going through bariatric surgery is a long process, one that might seem daunting, but you can do it. At Weight Zen, located in New York, we can provide more information about weight control and bariatric surgery. Come check us out and see if bariatric surgery is for you.

Fun Tip One: Competition

A little competition never hurt anyone. In fact, it helps people more than you think. A great way to begin losing weight for your surgery or after your surgery, is by competition with your friends. Go exercise with your friends and see how much better you become day after day. Start off slow with walking around the block with a friend or a group of friends and slowly work up to harder and harder activities. See how you and your friends last against each other and feel great doing it. You don’t have to be alone in your weight loss journey, encourage your friends to get healthy with you. As you become better in shape, you can also begin competing in different challenges such as how many miles you can do in a week or how many pushups you can do at once.

Fun Tip Two: Explore

Wherever you live I’m sure it’s gorgeous and fun. If you live in the country, go out and explore, if you live in the city, go check out a new part of it. No matter where you live, there’s some areas to explore. Check out a historic part of your city or go into the woods and try an easy nature trail. Wherever you go make sure you continuously move and remember to take in the people, view, or the beauty of being in nature. Walking is easy on your body and you can burn a few calories as you experience new things.

Set a goal to start exercising three times a week and see the changes in you. Combined with weight control you’ll feel like a new person.

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Health Problems You Face If You Are Overweight Or Obese

dreamstime_xxl_9388348It’s easy to gain weight. There are so many delicious foods that contribute to weight gain, such as sweets, sugary drinks, and complex carbohydrates. When you only have so much time in a day, it can be difficult to fit in exercise. Losing weight can be very difficult when you don’t have the time to eat correctly or exercise.

Weight Zen is a comprehensive weight loss facility located in New York that offers bariatric surgery and nutritional counseling to help you control your weight. There are many surgeries that will help you get back on track to being healthy again. With our help, you can start taking better care of yourself. You may wish to look into our weight loss surgeries to help you control your weight. Below are a few health issues complicated by being overweight.

Circulatory

Your circulatory system is how your blood and lymph travel through your body. This system includes the heart, lymph, blood, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels and glands. If you don’t lose weight, you can suffer from blood clots, poor circulation, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart attack. When you gain weight, you put more pressure on your legs and knees as well, so there is swelling in those limbs. You are also more prone to lymph node cancers and peripheral artery disease. Peripheral artery disease is a condition that causes blood vessel reduction to move through the limbs. This means that poor circulation may cause pain in your limbs, specifically your legs. By not taking care of yourself, you may be facing poor circulation and pain in your limbs as well as possible heart problems.

Respiratory

The respiratory system consists of the organs that help your breath. The organs that are involved in the respiratory system are responsible for taking in the oxygen and breathing out carbon dioxide. When you are overweight, your respiratory system won’t work as well. You could develop asthma, sleep apnea, pulmonary hypertension, and pulmonary embolism. Sleep apnea is when your breathing stops and starts while you sleep. It’s very dangerous because you stop breathing. Pulmonary hypertension is when you have high blood pressure that affects the arteries in the lungs and the heart. Lastly, pulmonary embolism is when your lungs become blocked due to a blood clot. When you are overweight or obese, your respiratory system doesn’t work as well, and you may face breathing problems.

Psychological

This one might be surprising; what does weight control have to do with psychological issues? If you are overweight or obese, you may be facing many psychological issues, such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. Our culture plays a part in triggering low self-esteem and depression for people who are overweight or obese. When you live in a culture that tells you what beautiful is, it’s very hard to ignore it. Unfortunately, there’s a very low emphasis on being healthy in our society. Many people have eating disorders because they want to be beautiful and skinny, so they don’t think of the health repercussions. If you are at an unhealthy weight and think you are depressed or you suffer from anxiety, reach out to someone who can help. Developing eating habits that could be considered a disorder will not fix the problem. Get healthy the right way, by exercising and dieting or by talking to a doctor about weight loss surgery.

dreamstime_xxl_47131645Reproductive

This also might be a surprising health problem you might not think about. For women, being overweight can lead to polycystic ovarian syndrome, infertility, and irregular menstruation. It can also lead to ovarian, endometrial, cervical, and breast cancer. For men, being overweight can lead to prostate cancer, infertility, and erectile dysfunction. You may have read our article on PCOS earlier.  To refresh: Polycystic ovarian cancer or PCOS can cause the hormones to become out of balance and for the body to produce more testosterone than it should. If you are overweight and are trying to conceive, it can be hard to do so if you have PCOS.

If you’re overweight and any of these conditions sound familiar, talk to a doctor or nutritionist about weight loss and weight reduction surgery. Call us today to begin changing your life.

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The Benefits Of A Food Journal After Bariatric Surgery

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If you’ve been reading our blog for a while, then you likely know that we spend a lot of time and dedication to helping patients before and after bariatric surgery in our New York office. We put a focus on helping you know your body and its needs. While this can be difficult to do at the beginning, with organization and discipline, it becomes easier.

With that in mind, we want to take a look at food diaries today, which can be a great tool after your bariatric surgery.

What Is A Food Journal?

Simply put, a food journaling is a way to keep track of what you eat. Food journals are recommended by many nutritionists for people who are struggling to lose weight. This helps you assess the amount of food you consume as well as when you’re consuming it and perhaps how you feel when eating. It’s a great way to count calories and take note of habits in your diet and lifestyle.

Understanding Eating Habits

As you begin to adjust to life after your weight loss surgery, it’s highly likely that you’ll take notice of many changes to your lifestyle and diet. Keeping a food journal is a great way to keep tabs on those pesky cravings, what you’ve eaten during the day, how often you’re eating and how you feel throughout the day.

When you keep a food journal, make sure you’re keeping track of the following:

  • What did you eat?
  • How much did you eat? (This is why measuring is so important.)
  • When did you eat?
  • Where did you eat?
  • How did you feel while you were eating?

While this may appear trivial on the surface, having a food journal that keeps track of the above information on a daily basis is very beneficial in the long run.

Track Your Nutritional Needs

People often notice in their food journals that they’re eating too much of one food group and neglecting others. As you accumulate to food logs, you’ll be able to see trends and take note of any nutritional needs you should be meeting but aren’t. By working with our nutritionist Megan Wolf, you’ll be able to alter your diet as needed and tailor a plan that fits your exact needs.

Monitoring Your Health On A Daily Basis

We understand that your life can be different for a little while after your bariatric surgery. Being able to monitor your health on a daily basis is not only important to you, but to your doctor and nutritionist, too. If you notice issues with constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, abdominal pain, or indigestion, make sure you take note of it. Patterns of these types of issues may indicate certain foods that do not agree with you, or it could be a sign of a something that needs to be addressed further.

Contact Weight Zen Today For More Information

If you’re interested in bariatric surgery in New York and want to make sure that you get great, long lasting results, make sure you contact Dr. Rosen at Weight Zen to schedule a consultation and discuss your options. Our entire team looks forward to connecting with you and helping you meet your weight loss and health goals.

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Are You Aware Of The Benefits Of Bariatric Protein Powder?

dreamstime_xxl_51748043Once you have weight reduction surgery, you need to consume a certain amount of nutrients to stay on the path of being healthy. One of the nutrients that need to be consumed daily is protein. Now that you’ve gone through bariatric surgery, it’s important to focus on a new dietary plan. It can be hard to adjust, but your nutritionist and bariatric surgeon probably told you why there are dietary restrictions and what foods need to be consumed. To help you stay on track, there are many foods that you can try, but there are also protein powder shakes to give you the nutrients you need in smaller portions. Portion control can be hard to maintain, but by exploring the wonderful world of bariatric protein powder you can hit your nutrient goals everyday, stay full, and continue on your path of being healthy and losing weight.

What is Bariatric Protein Powder?

Not all protein powders are good for bariatric patients, which is why there are specific protein powders people who have gone through bariatric surgery prefer to consume.  Some protein powders have too much sugar – something that should be avoided.  It’s important to always read nutrition labels to be sure you know how much you’re drinking.  Bariatric protein powder is geared toward post-op patients who need to meet their nutrient requirements.  Ideally, look for protein powders that have at minimum 20 grams of good quality protein and fewer than 10 grams of sugar. Remember to keep it simple; it’s okay to add some fruits, and other ingredients, but be aware of your intake, and don’t overdo it.

dreamstime_xxl_50656252Why Use Bariatric Protein Powder?

Because your stomach size is reduced, you are only able to consume a certain amount of food.  You want to maximize your intake with the best quality ingredients and wholesome foods.  Protein shakes are easy and filling: all you have to do is make the shake.  Make one in the morning, and then take it to work with you, or drink it after a long day when you aren’t up for cooking dinner. However you look at it, bariatric protein powders are geared for post-op patients and work well to help you meet your protein requirements.

There are many protein powders out there, so you’ll be able to find you what you like. We offer a few of our favorites in the office, and our nutritionist Megan Wolf can walk you through the benefits of each.

Do you live in the New York area and are interested in weight loss or bariatric surgery? At Weight Zen, we offer a few weight reduction surgeries to help you get your life back. To make an appointment or to learn more, call [uxi_button link=”2122032146″ new_window=”0″ tel=”1″ class=”button-block-mobile button-32″ padding_x=”” padding_y=”” text=”(866) 429-5961″ text_size=”14″ text_size_mobile=”” text_font=”header-font” sub_text=”” sub_text_size=”12″ sub_text_size_mobile=”” sub_text_font=”header-font” icon=”” icon_size=”12″ icon_size_mobile=”” icon_align=””].

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Five Super-Healthy Foods To Try

Now, that you’ve gone through bariatric surgery or if you are gearing up for bariatric surgery and need to lose some weight, you probably aren’t sure what to eat. At Weight Zen, we love food – so today, we’d like to share some healthy foods that are both delicious and nutritious.

Five Must-Try Healthy Foodsdreamstime_xxl_1992777

These foods are just an introduction to all of the other yummy and healthy foods that you can try now that you are exploring healthy foods. It might be hard to get into the habit of staying away from oily, fatty foods, but in no time you’ll realize how much better, healthier, and tastier eating healthy is.

Coconut

Coconut is big right now; there’s coconut water, oil, and flour. Coconut flour is a great substitute for white flour and is a healthy way to add nutrients and flavor to baked goods. There are many health benefits of eating coconut too. Coconut flour boasts five grams of fiber per every two tablespoons with an additional limited amount of saturated fat. Coconut flour is naturally gluten-free and may help stabilize blood sugar.

Salmon

Rich in heart-healthy fats and lean protein, salmon is a perfect choice. Raw or cooked, it cannot be beat. Especially good for postoperative patients, salmon is soft and filled with protein. If possible, look for wild varieties in your local market. Fresh or frozen, you really cannot go wrong!

dreamstime_xxl_38437127Skyr

What is skyr? It’s yogurt that’s similar to Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is delicious and can be used in baked goods and smoothies, as sour cream, and even as a dessert with some fruit and honey. Skyr and Greek yogurt have a pretty similar texture and similar nutrients. Look for skyr at your local world market, and try it out to see how you like it.

Seaweed

If you’re a sushi lover, then you’ve likely tried seaweed before. Especially popular in seaweed salads and as a wrapping on sushi rolls, seaweed is common in Japanese cooking. Seaweed has potassium, iodine, and iron. It is salty but not overpowering and it can be enjoyed in many different ways. Seaweed salad, seaweed in smoothies, seaweed instead of potato chips, or in soups are all must-tries. Check out the flakes or dried strips and sheets in your local supermarket.

Amaranth

What is amaranth? It’s quinoa’s lesser known cousin. It is a newly popular whole grain; iron, zinc, protein, calcium, and magnesium are all featured in this lesser-known grain. Native to Central America, it has been used for up to 8,000 years. Amaranth, when cooked, is thick and oatmeal like, so it works as a great thickener. Try amaranth in soups, oatmeal, stews, and even pudding to add some healthiness to your desserts. Similar to quinoa, is can be found in natural-foods stores or a very well-stocked supermarket. You can also find a delicious amaranth recipe in our nutritionist Megan Wolf’s new cookbook Great Meals with Greens and Grains!

Are you interested help controlling your weight or in weight loss surgery? Learn more about Weight Zen and how you can start living a healthier life by contacting us today!

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Three Diets You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

dreamstime_xxl_15116074Food is one of the best parts of life. There are so many options no matter what you like. After your surgery, your bariatric surgeon and nutritionist probably told you what you could and could not eat. You likely went over a plan for food, but what about when you are finally back to eating a “normal” diet? Below are a few diets you may not have heard of, but may be just the diet you need in your life. Even if you haven’t gone through bariatric surgery, consider these three diets.

The DASH Diet

The DASH diet was originally designed to help lower blood pressure. If you are overweight and suffering from high blood, you may consider trying the DASH diet for weight control. This plant based diet has a heavy emphasis on fruits, vegetables, and is balanced with the appropriate amount of protein. . If you have high blood pressure, consider taking advantage of this diet. The DASH diet is one you can follow for the rest of your life.

The TLC Diet

Does cardiovascular disease run in your family? Do you have heart problems? This diet was created by the American Heart Association to help decrease the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This diet is based on reducing saturated fat in your diet. Saturated fat, is found in whole-milk dairy, butter, cheeses and fried foods. When you eat too much saturated fat, your cholesterol increases too, which can lead to cardiovascular issues.  The TLC diet helps to limit your saturated fat intake which can help to control cholesterol.

dreamstime_xxl_38437127The MIND Diet

If you’re worried about developing Alzheimer’s, want to prevent Alzheimer’s from happening to you and your family, or simply to enhance your brain function with certain healthy foods, this diet may be for you! The MIND diet may lower your risk for cognitive decline.  This diet focuses on the ten brain healthy food groups: leafy vegetables, vegetables, nuts, berries, beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, olive oil, and wine. If you want to work on strengthening your mind and your heart, this diet might just be perfect for you.

At Weight Zen, located in New York, we want you to have the body and mind you’ve always imagined. If you are looking for weight loss surgery, weight loss or  general health and wellness, Weight Zen can help you. Contact us today to begin changing your life.

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The Mediterranean Diet

dreamstime_xxl_60747427You may or may not have heard about the Mediterranean Diet. This diet has recently become more and more popular. After you’ve had your bariatric surgery at Weight Zen, located in the heart of New York City, you probably talked to your bariatric surgeon and nutritionist about what foods you can consume and what you can’t. As you acclimate back to eating a normal diet, or if you want to try dieting before you turn to weight loss surgery, you may consider this diet.

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

This diet is seen as one of the healthiest diets because of what it focuses on. The Mediterranean diet is the diet that is consumed in the Mediterranean in countries such as Greece, Turkey, Albania, Croatia, Israel, Syria, Tunisia, Slovenia, Monaco, Morocco, Libya, and other countries are located.

What Foods Are Involved in the Mediterranean Diet?

The foods that are involved in this diet are fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, and legumes. For protein, lean protein is chosen such as fish and poultry versus the red meat that the American diet is heavily focused on. Red meat also has saturated fat, which is what leads to heart problems. Red wine is included in moderate amounts. When you shop for this diet – and other healthy diets like it –  make sure to stay on the perimeter of the grocery store. You may have noticed when you go to the grocery store, most of the healthiest foods are on the edge of the store versus the inside. If you find yourself with lots of junk food in your cart, try to stay away from the aisles and only shop on the edge of the store where the vegetables, poultry, and fruits are offered.

dreamstime_l_14561359Why Should I Consider This?

Research shows the benefits of eating a Mediterranean diet. Weight loss, decrease in depression, and control of blood glucose levels, are all positive outcomes when following a Mediterranean diet. In addition, there have cases of reduction in heart and Alzheimer’s disease.

If you need to control your weight or have just went through bariatric surgery, then you may want to consider this diet. If you are in need of weight loss surgery or want more information, reach out today to schedule a consultation.

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How Your Body Temperature Changes After Your Bariatric Surgery

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Undergoing weight loss surgery means that your body and lifestyle are going to experience a number of changes. Some of the more expected changes can include weight loss, getting slimmer, and generally experiencing better health. There are others that are unexpected, but thankfully they’re manageable. Dr. Rosen and his entire bariatric surgery team in New York understand these issues, which is why we’re taking the time to cover one unexpected change: body temperature fluctuations.

Cold Intolerance

In general, some people just feel colder than others, and this doesn’t always directly relate to body weight. If you often feel colder than others and need a jacket or sweater, it’s possible that you have a condition known as cold intolerance. Cold intolerance has been linked to changes in body fat, resulting in issues regulating body heat.

Feeling Cold After Rapid Weight Loss

When your body loses weight rapidly as a result of bariatric surgery or some other reason, the result is a loss of body fat. This obviously impacts the way a person is insulated from cooler temperatures. When a person is losing weight rapidly, their metabolism also slows down, which can cause issues with overall body temperature regulation, too.

Anemia Can Also Contribute To Feeling Colder Than Usual

After undergoing any kind of bariatric surgery, it is common for patients to become anemic. Anemia, the deficiency in red blood cells or hemoglobin in your blood, can cause feelings of fatigue and can also contribute to feeling colder than usual.

Why does this happen after weight loss surgery? It mostly occurs due to an iron deficiency. Like we’ve discussed in previous blogs, it’s easy to get an iron deficiency after bariatric surgery, especially if you’ve undergone a malabsorptive surgery, as it can be difficult to get all the iron you need.

Feeling Hotter Than Usual?

While the majority of bariatric surgery patients feel colder than usual, it is common for patients to feel warmer than usual, too. This is typically just your body’s response to a major change in fat storage and weight.

Are These Hot And Cold Sensations Permanent?

No, not necessarily. As your body weight stabilizes, which is normally after 18 to 24 months, you will likely notice the fluctuations in your body temperature subside. We know that it can be a frustrating time, but your body is really good at adapting to change.

What Are Your Options For Addressing These Issues?

Addressing cold intolerance involves addressing the root cause in a realistic and sensible way. If you’re anemic or have issues with iron deficiency, consuming a healthier diet or taking iron supplements will be your best option. During the surgical consultation, we’ll discuss how you can get the most ideal diet for several different nutritional deficiencies. Sometimes you may need to carry a light jacket or sweater with you until your body temperature evens out.

Contact Dr. Rosen At Weight Zen

To learn more about bariatric surgery in New York and all of the potential side effects and challenges you may face, be sure to contact Weight Zen weight loss center today, using the below form. Our team will work with you to meet your needs and enhance your overall health and appearance.

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