Public release date: 17-Sep-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Kim Barnhardt kim.barnhardt@cmaj.ca 613-520-7116 x2224 Canadian Medical Association Journal

Adequate sleep is an important part of a weight loss plan and should be added to the recommended mix of diet and exercise, states a commentary in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

Although calorie restriction and increased physical activity are recommended for weight loss, there is significant evidence that inadequate sleep is contributing to obesity. Lack of sleep increases the stimulus to consume more food and increases appetite-regulating hormones.

"The solution [to weight loss] is not as simple as 'eat less, move more, sleep more,'" write Drs. Jean-Phillippe Chaput, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario and Angelo Tremblay, Laval University, Qubec, Quebec. "However, an accumulating body of evidence suggests that sleeping habits should not be overlooked when prescribing a weight-reduction program to a patient with obesity. Sleep should be included as part of the lifestyle package that traditionally has focused on diet and physical activity."

The authors' recently published research found that total sleep time and quality of sleep predicted the loss of fat in people enrolled in a weight loss program.

The Canadian Obesity Network has included adequate sleep in its new set of obesity management tools for physicians.

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Adequate sleep helps weight loss

By CARL HESSLER Jr. chessler@journalregister.com

COURTHOUSE A former Penn Valley weight loss doctor showed no emotion as a jury convicted him of groping or sexually assaulting five female patients.

Dr. Arie Oren, 66, who operated his Conshohocken Weight Control office in the 100 block of West Third Avenue, was convicted Thursday in Montgomery County Court of four counts of aggravated indecent assault and five counts of indecent assault in connection with the inappropriate contact he had with five women between 2008 and 2010.

These patients all went to him because they wanted help in losing weight. They put their faith and they put their trust in this doctor and he violated and betrayed that trust in the worst way you can imagine, said Assistant District Attorney Jordan Friter, adding the women were searching for quality medical care and instead were violated.

They get isolated alone in an examination room with this guy and he gets them on his examination table and theyre defenseless at that point. He starts to touch them inappropriately and theyre just overcome with fear at that point, Friter added.

Defense lawyers David A. Tornetta and J. David Farrell declined to comment about the verdict.

Oren, of the 500 block of Fairview Road, Lower Merion, did not respond to a reporters questions as he was led from the courtroom in handcuffs for the trip to the county jail.

The victims were not in the courtroom for the verdict.

This has been a long time coming for them. All theyve wanted from the beginning is for this man to be brought to justice. I think theyll be very relieved and very happy to hear the news, said Friter, referring to the victims.

Oren faces a possible maximum sentence of 25-to-50-years in prison on the charges. Friter, who was assisted by co-prosecutor Noah Marlier, vowed to seek a lengthy state prison sentence against Oren. Continued...

Continued here:
Lower Merion weight-loss doctor Arie Oren found guilty of groping patients (with Video)

Expressing disgust, embarrassment and shock, several women confronted their former weight loss doctor in court, testifying he groped or sexually assaulted them during their visits to his Conshohocken office.

I was in shock. I couldnt believe that just happened. It was weird, it was like the Twilight Zone or something, one woman testified Tuesday in Montgomery County Court, recalling her Nov. 10, 2010 visit to Dr. Arie Orens Conshohocken Weight Control office in the 100 block of West Third Avenue.

The woman, who was 24 at the time of the alleged incident, told a jury that Oren, 66, of the 500 block of Fairview Road, Lower Merion, made sexually suggestive comments to her as he used a massager on her body, under the premise of breaking up fat, and touched her inappropriately and sexually assaulted her with the massager and his hand. Oren allegedly suggested to the woman that sexual activity burns 200 calories.

Oren, the woman testified, then grabbed her hand and placed it briefly on his genital area and said, Well, if you need a man, Im a man.

The woman testified she was uncomfortable with Orens conduct, abruptly ended the exam and quickly dressed. Oren, according to the woman, then asked her if that was too much for the first visit.

I said, Yeah, thats way too much,' the woman testified for Assistant District Attorney Jordan Friter, adding she was totally disgusted.

The woman testified Oren then told her, The visit is on the house because youre so hot. Oren tried to kiss the woman as she left the office but the woman pushed his face away from her, testimony revealed. Oren is charged with aggravated indecent assault and indecent assault in connection with alleged incidents that occurred with five women between 2008 and 2010. Authorities said Oren operated the business for about 10 years.

Oren faces a possible sentence of 25 to 50-years in prison if hes convicted of all the charges at trial.

The alleged victims were between 24 and 59 years of age and resided throughout Montgomery County, authorities said.

Oren, represented by defense lawyers J. David Farrell and David A. Tornetta, showed no emotion during the testimony of the women. Continued...

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Conshohocken weight loss doctor on trial for sexually assaulting patients

MERIDIAN, Idaho, Sept. 16, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Healthy Habits Wellness Clinic announced that the Meridian weight loss center now offers Botox injections and Lipo-PLUS fat burning injections. Lipo-PLUS fat burning injections are a unique combination of amino acids, Vitamin B and Vitamin C that can help patients burn fat and boost energy levels. Weight loss patients may also take advantage of the clinic's new Botox treatments. According to the wellness center, Botox injections are now being offered so patients could look as young as they feel on the inside.

Meridian patients can now receive Botox injections and Lipo-PLUS fat burning treatments at Healthy Habits Wellness Clinic. The weight loss center in Meridian recently added these treatments to complement the existing medical weight loss program.

Lipo-PLUS injections are a specially-formulated combination of amino acids, Vitamin C and B Vitamins that help kick-start a patient's metabolism for fast weight loss. According to chiropractor Dr. Kimball Lundahl and the center's medical provider, Mari Aitken, FNP, these injections help patients safely lose weight by burning fat.

"Lipo-PLUS injects are an important complement to our existing Meridian assisted weight loss program," said Mari Aitken, FNP. "These injections can help patients successfully lose weight and keep the pounds off. After a successful assisted weight loss program, our patients want to look as young as they feel inside. That's why we are excited to announce that our clinic now offers Botox injections."

According to Botox Cosmetic, over 11 million Botox procedures have been performed worldwide since the treatment was first introduced in 2004. The Healthy Habits Wellness Clinic team is specially trained to administer these procedures to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

"Patients love how Botox enhances their natural beauty, turning back the clock without leaving patients looking like they had substantial work done," said Aitken. "Botox administration is both an art and a science, and our wellness center knows how to make sure patients look as great as they feel."

The wellness center also offers bio-identical hormone replacement therapy treatment. This program may help patients suffering from a thyroid disorder. According to Aitken, a thyroid disorder can prevent the body from properly metabolizing fat and losing weight.

"If a patient has tried but failed to lose weight, an underlying health issue, such as a thyroid disorder, may be the real problem," said Aitken. "Many patients benefit from a combination of bio-identical hormone replacement therapy and our Lipo-PLUS treatments. Together, these treatments help kick-start the metabolism for rapid weight loss."

Dr. Lundahl says that the new services were added to make it easier for busy patients to receive needed treatments.

"Offering these services in one place makes it is easy and convenient for patients to receive the care they deserve without the hassle of visiting multiple clinics or doctors," said Dr. Lundahl.

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Meridian Weight Loss Center Announces Botox and Lipo-PLUS Treatments

"Cinnamon" to Perform at Taste of Brunswick "Cinnamon" to Perform at Taste of Brunswick

Updated: Friday, September 14 2012 3:36 PM EDT2012-09-14 19:36:02 GMT

All week we've been featuring some of the food of the "Taste of Brunswick" event. But Saturday's event is also about music. The band "Cinnamon" will be adding a little spice.

All week we've been featuring some of the food of the "Taste of Brunswick" event. But Saturday's event is also about music. The band "Cinnamon" will be adding a little spice.

Updated: Friday, September 14 2012 3:24 PM EDT2012-09-14 19:24:00 GMT

Football season has kicked off, and with football also comes tailgating! Danielle Salvetti with BJ's Wholesale Club is here with some tailgating tips and some grill recipe ideas.

Football season has kicked off, and with football also comes tailgating! Danielle Salvetti with BJ's Wholesale Club is here with some tailgating tips and some grill recipe ideas.

Updated: Friday, September 14 2012 12:09 PM EDT2012-09-14 16:09:38 GMT

We're putting our community spotlight on a unique event to benefit Camp Sunshine. It's the first ever Maine Suitcase Party.

We're putting our community spotlight on a unique event to benefit Camp Sunshine. It's the first ever Maine Suitcase Party.

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Fighting Unhealthy Fat: A Weight Loss Success Story

By Helen Shen, Globe Correspondent

For millions of Americans on a diet, eating the right combination of foods could be key to keeping off unwanted pounds. Diets that limit processed carbohydrates such as breakfast cereals and bagels may enable longer-lasting weight loss compared with other diets with the same number of calories, according to a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

It says that from a metabolic perspective all calories are not alike, said Dr. David Ludwig, director of the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center at Boston Childrens Hospital. The quality of the calories going in affects the number of calories going out.

Ludwig oversaw the study to examine how three popular diets might change the bodys metabolism and its ability to maintain weight loss.

We know that many people can lose weight for a few weeks or months, but most people have difficulty maintaining that for a long time, he said. As dieters cut their food intake, their bodies naturally burn energy more slowly, making more efficient use of limited calories. Slower metabolism can work with increased hunger to contribute to weight re-gain. The authors found that different diets slowed the burning of calories to varying degrees.

Twenty-one overweight and obese young adults participated in the research at Childrens and at Brigham and Womens Hospital. For the first phase of the eight-month study, participants ate a typical American diet but with portion-size limits intended to lower their weight by about two pounds per week.

After participants reached stable, reduced weights, they tried each of three test diets for four weeks at a time. All diets provided the same number of calories but differed in their protein, fat, and carbohydrate content. At the end of the study, participants reported no changes in feelings of hunger or well-being while on the different diets.

The study found that a low-fat diet, favored by many weight-conscious consumers, contributed to the greatest reduction in metabolic rate, meaning they were more at risk of putting pounds back on in the long term -- though the study didnt track participants long enough to observe weight gain. This diet also was associated with the biggest drop in insulin sensitivity -- a risk factor for diabetes.

By comparison, participants burned about 300 more calories per day while on an ultra-low-carbohydrate diet similar to the Atkins diet. Thats equivalent to about an hour of moderate physical activity without lifting a finger, said Ludwig.

Despite these metabolic gains, participants also had higher circulating levels of chemicals associated with biological stress and inflammation while on the ultra-low-carbohydrate diet. Ludwig suspects that the diet, which consisted of 90 percent protein and fat, may be hard on the body in the long term.

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Right diet, not just reduced calories, could help maintain weight loss, study finds

WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - Sep 13, 2012) - The Washington, DC weight loss surgeons of Bluepoint Surgical Group have announced they will be hosting a patient reunion to celebrate the successes of their past and present bariatric patients. The event will be held from 6:30-8:30 PM on Wednesday, September 19, 2012 in the Hylton Education Center at Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center. The Bluepoint surgeons say they are anticipating over 100 guests, and they feel the reunion is a great way for patients to interact and celebrate with one another, as well as receive inspiration from someone who has been in their shoes.

Katie Jay, the director of the National Association for Weight Loss Surgery and former bariatric patient, is scheduled to headline the night by telling her inspirational story. Having successfully navigated weight loss surgery herself, Ms. Jay will recount her journey to defeat obesity, spanning from the difficulties she faced before her gastric bypass surgery, to the long struggle of maintaining her weight loss after the procedure. The Bluepoint surgeons say they believe Ms. Jay's story is a great example of how weight loss surgery can change one's life. They add that they hope anyone considering bariatric surgery will hear what she has to say and use it as motivation to determine the best course of action to meet his or her needs.

In addition to providing the chance for patients to hear inspirational stories like Ms. Jay's, the Bluepoint Surgical Group surgeons feel the patient reunion is vitally important to their practice and offers a sense of community for patients in need of weight loss surgery in Washington, DC:

"It's an important event for the practice because, ultimately, the purpose of the surgery is to achieve results, both in weight loss as well as comorbidity resolution. The reunion allows patients to showcase their results, and to encourage others in the process who may not have yet reached their goals. It's also about building a sense of community around our patients, so every patient feels supported and understood."

About Bluepoint Surgical Group

Comprised of a number of experienced surgeons and a well-qualified staff, Bluepoint Surgical Group is dedicated to providing the Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland communities with the highest degree of weight loss care. From LAP-BAND and gastric sleeve, to gastric bypass and non-surgical options, each surgeon utilizes the most advanced treatments and procedures available. The practice has a 95% success rate and offers individualized pre- and post-surgery care. In addition to bariatric surgery, Bluepoint Surgical Group also performs general and post-bariatric plastic surgery.

Bluepoint Surgical Group has a center located in Fairfax, VA, Woodbridge, VA, and Stafford, VA. Contact information for each location can be found online at bluepointgroup.com, and the surgeons can also be reached via their Facebook page at facebook.com/bluepointgroup.

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Weight Loss Surgeons in Washington, DC to Host Patient Reunion