WLS Center E-Newsletter

A FREE publication from
http://www.WLScenter.com

Hosted by Barbara Thompson
Author of:
Weight Loss Surgery:
Finding the Thin Person Hiding Inside You.

Hello Everyone:
Do you know that during the holiday season we get a double whammy when it comes to gaining weight? First of all, we have all of the food and festivities around us that causes us to gain weight. And then there is the stress of the holidays – getting everything done, spending more money than we have, and sometimes dealing with relatives. Stress causes our coritsol levels to increase. Cortisol is the stress hormone that when increased, causes a rise in appetite, a lowering of metabolism and causes us to store more fat in our mid section. So our double whammy is food and stress.  It is a difficult time, but try your best to keep both under control.

I wish each and every one of you a wonderful holiday season!!

In This Issue

* Research Article: Bariatric Surgery Increasing
* Holiday Display
* Holiday Special: Last Chance
* You Know You Are a Weight Loss Surgery Patient When
* Recipe: Rich Chocolate Cheesecake  
* Success Story: LaQuita F Derise

News from the American Medical Association

Bariatric Surgical Procedures Increase Substantially.

While it may seem more and more difficult to obtain insurance coverage for bariatric surgery, the numbers are increasing dramatically each year.  According to a study reported in the Oct. 19^th, 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, surgeries increased from 13,365 in 1998 to 72,177 in 2002. The article estimates 130,000 surgeries this year and 218,000 by 2010.

For the full article, Click Here

Although the video clip below has been on the internet, I think this is such a neat display and you may have missed it.  I did hear on the news that the creator of this choreographed display has turned it off because of traffic jams in the neighborhood.  But we are left with the display on the internet.  I hope you think it as amazing as I do.

Please turn your sound up loud and enjoy!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szLmAPW39uE

Looking for a great dessert for the holidays?  Try this.  It is good enough to serve at a party or to take with you to a gathering.  No one will ever suspect that it is not rich and calorie laden.

Rich Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 Tbl margarine, melted
3 packets of Splenda

2 packages (8 ounces each) of reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1 package (8 ounces) fat-free cream cheese, softened
18 packs of Splenda
2 eggs
2 egg whites
2 Tbl cornstarch
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/3 cup European or Dutch-process cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla
Fresh mint sprigs, raspberries, nonfat whipped topping and orange peel (optional)

Mix the first set of ingredients (crumbs, margarine, and Splenda) together and pat into the bottom and up the sides about ˝ inch of a 9-inch springform pan

In a large mixing bowl, beat the 3 packages of cream cheese and the Splenda until fluffy. Then beat in the eggs, egg whites and cornstarch. Mix in the sour cream, cocoa, and vanilla until well mixed. Pour the mixture onto the crust.

Place the cheesecake in a roasting pan on top of an oven rack. Pour into the roasting pan about 1 inch of hot water. Bake the cheesecake in a 300° F oven for about 45 to 50 minutes or until the cheesecake is set in the center. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan and return the cheesecake to the oven. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the oven door ajar for 3 hours. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Remove the sides of the springform pan. Put on a cake plate and garnish if you like.

Makes 16 servings.

Each serving:
189 calories, 8 grams of protein, 14 grams of carbs

If you have a recipe that you would like to share in future issues of this newsletter, please send it to me at Barbara@WLScenter.com

I want to offer a special thanks to LaQuinta for her story.  I am often asked about people having surgery who are older than 65. I hope LaQuinta will serve as an inspiration to them. Here is her story:

In Jan 2004, at the age of 65, I had weight loss surgery.  I am a female, 5'2" tall and pre-surgery I weighed 276 pounds. 

I had diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, acid reflux, and urinary incontinence. One knee was replaced and the other was going bad.  I have lumbar stenosis and my orthopedic surgeon wanted to put metal plates and wires in my back.  I could only walk or stand 15 to 20 minutes at a time without being in so much pain I had to sit and take the pressure off my back.  I went to a pain management specialist and had epideral steroids, facet blocks and was taking dilaudid which didn't do a lot of good.  I was doing research on what it would take to have Medicare pay for a scooter so I could do my own grocery shopping and get from a car to the doctor's office for my every 3 months appointments.

I tried Weight Watcher's 3 times, Nutri-System, Adkins, diet pills and every crazy diet out there.  I must have lost 500 pounds over my lifetime, only to gain it all back plus more.

Today I weight 115 pounds. My diabetes is gone. My high blood pressure is gone. Every health problem I had is gone.  I can now walk as much as I want to and believe me, I want to walk.  I am working out at the gym and do water aerobics 3 times a week.  Without the excess weight there isn't as much pressure on my back.  I now see the doctor only if I am sick.

Weight loss surgery not only made an improvement in my quality of life, but it greatly extended my life. 

LaQuita F Derise
Corpus Christi, TX 
lderise@sbcglobal.net

Before	After

I love good news.  If you have good news, a success story to share, or inspiration, please send it to me at Barbara@WLScenter.com so that I can include it in future issues.