INTRODUCTION

Here at the NIX Weight Loss Surgery Center, it is our desire to be your partner in attaining your weight loss goals, and Lap-Band Surgery is a tool to help you on that journey.

These monthly newsletters will provide you with informative articles on diet and exercise, keeping motivated, and where you can go to meet a community of friends that are here to help you on that road to a happier, healthier you.  Weight Loss Surgery is a big decision, and the NIX Weight Loss Surgery Center is here for you every step of the way.

BIGGEST LOSERS!!!

On July 11th, over 600 Texans (and some from other states as well) came to the Nix Medical Center in downtown San Antonio to try out for this seasons “The Biggest Loser”.  The casting call began at 9:00 am with some contestants lining up at 11:00 pm the night before.  Even in the heat, all seemed to have a great day as they came to audition and take a step in bettering their health and lives.  We hope they serve as an inspiration to all those who need motivation to work towards their goals of a happier, healthier life.

OPTUMHEALTH (A United Health Care Company)

This month, the NIX Weight Loss Surgery Center was again included the OptumHealth Bariatric Center of Excellence network.  Facilities in this group consistently maintain favorable outcome results, and excellence in bariatric care.  We look forward to serving all of our OptumHealth patients, as well the all of the San Antonio community.

LET’S GET MOVING

We can all agree that regular exercise is an effective way of helping people get to a healthy weight.  We can also agree that if you are not already involved in an exercise program, that sometimes it is difficult to know where to start.  So each month, we will be including a section in our newsletter discussing exercise and the many ways you can start to get moving no matter what your exercise program is now. (Please make sure that you check with your physician before starting any exercise program)

HOT!!!  HOT!!!  HOT!!!

We are starting on what looks to be one of the hottest summers we have seen in a while.  So this month we are going to focus on how to keep up with your exercise while staying cool in the summer sun. First, to know why is so important to stay cool while exercising, you must understand what happens to it then you are in the heat.  Both the hot summer sun and the exercise can cause your body’s temperature to increase.  In order to cool itself down, the body increases the circulation to your skin; this means less blood flow to other parts of your body, and increased heart rate.  Also, if it is typical south Texas weather, the humidity is probably higher which means your temperature stays higher because the sweat is not evaporating off your body as it usually would.  If you are exposed to heat and humidity for an extended period of time, your body’s natural cooling abilities may not work as well as it normally does, which can cause heat related illnesses like, cramps, nausea, vomiting and heat exhaustion.

Make sure to keep yourself hydrated by drinking plenty of water.  You can also drink sports drinks as they do have the benefit of replacing potassium and other minerals that your body loses as it exercises.  Do not drink caffeinated or alcoholic beverages, as these types of beverages can have the opposite effect on your system.  Try not to go walking during the intense heat of the day, and dress for the heat by wearing light colored, loose fitting clothing.  One of the great things about summer is how long the days are, so take advantage of that and move your walks to earlier in the morning, or later in the evening to avoid the hottest part of the day.

Next, find some great fun exercise activities that can be done indoors, or that are designed to keep you cooler.

Here are some suggestions:

Mall Walking - In the San Antonio area, there are several malls that you can go to before the stores open to go and walk in the cool air-conditioning.  They are:

North Star Mall- 7400 San Pedro, San Antonio, TX, 78216 

     - Mall Walking Hours begin at 7:00 am (Eye Masters Entrance)

Crossroads Mall- 4522 Fredericksburg, San Antonio, TX  78201

     - Mall Walking Hours begin at 7:00 am

Rolling Oaks Mall- 6906 N Loop 1604, San Antonio, TX  78247

    - Mall Walking Hours begin at 8:00 am

River Center Mall- 849 E. Commerce, San Antonio, TX 78205

   - Mall Walking Hours begin at 7:00 am

Swimming - Even if you don’t have a pool, there are plenty of public pools in the San Antonio Area that can provide great exercise, and keep you cool at the same time.  The pools are open to the public, free of charge.  Many of the local pools provide swimming lessons, both in a group and on-on-one lessons, and water aerobic classes for a small fee.  Here is a list of the public pools in San Antonio, or if you need further information, please contact San Antonio Parks and Recreation at 210-207-3113.

• Concepcion    600 E. Theo & Concepcion Park  532-3473
• Cuellar    503 S.W. 36th St. & Cuellar Park  434 8028
• Dellview    500 Basswood & Dellview Park 349-0570
• Elmendorf 4400 W. Commerce & Elmendorf Park 434-7380
• http://www.nixweightlosscenter.com/default/enewsletter/action,Display/id,8
• 2 of 6 4/8/2010 2:20 PMFairchild 1214 E. Crockett 226-6722
• Garza 5800 Hemphill 434-8122
• LB Johnson 10700 Nacogdoches Road 599-0122
• Kennedy 3299 S.W. 28th St. & Emerson 436-7009
• Kingsborough 350 Felps St 924-6761
• Lincoln 2803 E. Commerce & Lincoln Park 224-7590
• Monterrey 5919 W. Commerce & Monterrey Park 432-2727
• San Antonio Natatorium 1430 W. Durango 226-8541
• Normoyle 700 Culberson & Normoyle Park 923-2442
• New Territories 9023 Bowen Drive 681-2929
• Palo Alto Natatorium 1400 Villaret 921-5234
• Roosevelt 500 Lonestar Blvd. & Roosevelt 532-6091
• San Pedro 2200 N. Flores & San Pedro Park 732-5992
• Southcross 819 W. Southcross & Flores Park 927-2001
• Southside Lions 3100 Hiawatha & Stringfellow 532-2027
• Spring Time 6571 Spring Time 558-0491
• Sunset Hills 103 Chesswood 435-4011
• Joe Ward 435 E. Sunshine 732-7350
• Westwood 7601 W. Military 673-3382
• Woodlawn 1100 Cincinnati & Woodlawn Park 732-5789

Swimming activities are also available at Palo Alto Natatorium, which the City of San Antonio co-owns with the Alamo Community College District.

LET’S SLEEP ON IT

Tips on talking with your doctor

Lab results…diagnoses…symptoms…questions…

It can be very easy to feel overwhelmed by information you receive at a doctor’s appointment.  With these simple tips, you will be on your way to feeling more in control, and taking an active role in your health care.

 If you are comfortable, bring someone else with you.  It helps to have another set of ears to hear what is said and ask questions as necessary.

Be sure to write down your questions ahead of time, and don’t be embarrassed to refer to your written list while you have the doctor’s attention.

Write down the answers that you get, and ask for clarification if you don’t understand something.

Ask what your next steps should be, and where you can get additional information about what was discussed.

Despite the fact that we spend 30-40% of our lives asleep, we very rarely talk to our doctors about the quality or quantity of our sleep.  A recent study showed that most physicians wait for their patients to bring up the topic, instead of asking their patients direct questions about sleep.  So, if you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, or if you suffer from daytime fatigue, use these questions to start a conversation with your physician.

How do I know if I’m getting enough sleep?

 Could any of the medications I am taking be causing my sleep loss?

 I am often sleepy during the day, even early in the morning.  What could be causing this?

I often find myself turning to over-the-counter sleep aids, and I am worried about dependence.  What else can I do?

My partner has told me that I snore.  Is there anything I can do about it?

Could my sleep problems be a factor in any of my other illnesses?

At what point should I consider going to a sleep specialist?

If you have any questions about sleep disorders or to schedule an appointment, please contact the Nix Sleep Center at (210) 579-3355.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Nutrition - Low-Carb on the go snacks and ready made meals

Let’s face it, many of us are living “on the go;” work, school, picking up the kids, sports, church, music lessons, and if we are lucky, a trip to the gym.  Staying with a healthy diet is hard to keep up, living a busy schedule.  The result of this lifestyle is an affect on weight contributing factors such as: skipping meals followed by larger meals, irregular insulin, low energy, poor food choices, lack of sleep and weight gain.

Making better food choices and planning ahead can go a long way in reaching your weight loss goal.  Here are some great “on-the-go” low-carb snacks and ready made meals, full of protein that will keep you satisfied longer, increase metabolism and regulate insulin.

Low-Carb Snacks:  On-the-Go!

1.    Nuts:  raw, non-salted

2.    Sunflower and Pumpkin Seeds:  Raw, non-salted

3.    Cheese Sticks

4.    Raw Vegetables (no carrots): Eat with ranch salad dressing or peanut butter

5.    Hard Boiled Eggs

6.    Jerky and Sausages

7.    Low-carb liquid meal replacements/protein bars:  Atkins Advantage

8.    Hot Dogs (without the bun)

9.    Deli Meats (low sodium)

10.    Beverages:  Water, sparkling water and diet drinks (including diet iced tea) are all low-carb beverage choices

Grocery Store:  Ready-to-Go

1.    Deli Foods:  The deli counter can be a great place to find low-carb foods.  Try tuna, chicken, or shrimp salads.  Vegetable salads can be good, although make sure the dressing doesn’t have a lot of sugar.  Guacamole can be purchased to dip cucumber rounds, celery sticks, or other low-carb vegetables in if these are available.  Many delis have roast chicken, which can be paired with a salad or fresh vegetables.
2.    Salad Bar and Pre-made Salads

3.    Vegetables:  Celery, mushrooms, green beans, bell peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli require very little preparation to be eaten raw, and can be eaten with a deli tuna or chicken salad or low-carb dip.

4.    Deviled Eggs

5.    Individual Cheeses

6.    Low Carb Meal Replacement Shakes/bars:  Atkins Advantage

JUMP ON THE “BAND” WAGON

Support Groups- Support Groups will now be held at our NIX Alamo Heights Location.   They will still be held the 3rd Thursday of every month, from 6:00-7:00 pm. We look forward to seeing you there.

The new location address is:
NIX Alamo Heights
5307 Broadway
San Antonio, 78209
Second Floor

Podcasts- Our first podcast is now on the website!  We are so excited about bringing this new service to our patients.  It will be one more way for you to get information like diet help, exercise tips, and motivational help from the partners at the NIX Weight Loss Surgery Center.  Please keep checking back to the website for new pod casts as they become available.  If you’re considering Bariatric Surgery our podcasts are a terrific resource for information.

E-Newsletters- Keep checking back for our monthly E-Newsletters!!  They will keep you posted on seminars and supports groups, and information that will keep you involved with the NIX Weight Loss Surgery Center.

For more information about the NIX Weight Loss Surgery Center, please call (210) 579-3161.