{"id":734,"date":"2016-04-26T04:20:19","date_gmt":"2016-04-26T04:20:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.injectionartistry.com\/modesto-botox\/?p=734"},"modified":"2016-04-26T05:09:09","modified_gmt":"2016-04-26T05:09:09","slug":"obesity-questions-from-a-student","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.injectionartistry.com\/modesto-botox\/obesity-questions-from-a-student\/","title":{"rendered":"Obesity Questions from a student"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Obesity Problem<\/h2>\n

I was recently asked via email to answer some questions regarding obesity for a student’s research paper. \u00a0Here are some of my answers which I thought I would share. \u00a0These questions are great and I hope I did them some justice.<\/p>\n

Obesity is a struggle most of us have to deal with. \u00a0Here’s a picture of me in my attempt to lose weight:<\/p>\n

\"before<\/a><\/p>\n

The Obesity Questions<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. What inspired you to do more with the community outside of your field of practice?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    I think I make some decisions which may seem strange, but I like to believe that they are well thought out.\u00a0 I\u2019m originally from New York.\u00a0\u00a0 In high school, I got accepted to many great universities including Brown University, Harvard, Stanford., etc.\u00a0 I chose to go to Brown for\u00a0their wonderful program in medicine.\u00a0 I met my wife, Plastic Surgeon Dr. Tammy Wu, at Brown University. \u00a0She subsequently graduated as the top female student in the medical school program. \u00a0We started to come to the conclusion that education is what you make of it for yourself, and that applies to where you live. \u00a0Your community is what you make of it, and we have the responsibility to create and sustain our own environment. \u00a0A few years after college when I was in my 20’s, I was running a marathon in California and it was during a hypoxic moment during that marathon that I decided that I was going to move to California. \u00a0Thus I applied for surgery jobs in California. \u00a0I had then received job offers in San Diego, Orange County, Los Angeles – but turned all those down – and decided on taking a trauma and general surgery position in Modesto, California. Here’s a link to that medical group which I joined in Modesto<\/a>. \u00a0A few years later I decided to become an acupuncturist, and while on that journey, I met a few folks in Modesto who had the dream of starting a Marathon in Modesto.\u00a0 I remembered that it was marathon running which brought me to California in the first place.\u00a0 I had often thought that it would be nice to have a marathon in Modesto.\u00a0 At that time I joined my wife\u2019s practice and we named our joined practice, Surgical Artistry.\u00a0 Through Surgical Artistry, we were able to support the creation of a new marathon in Modesto \u2013 it was dubbed the Surgical Artistry Modesto Marathon<\/a>.\u00a0 I have since also become a cosmetic physician with injections of Botox and Fillers<\/a>.\u00a0 I joke that half of my practice is acupuncture, and the other half is Botox, and then yet another half is surgeries.\u00a0 I am also involved in the classical music world in Modesto.\u00a0 We were founders of the Gallo Center of the Arts in Modesto and supporters of the Modesto Symphony.\u00a0\u00a0 In summary, we believe that our community is what we make of it, and it requires effort \u2013 just like my initial belief about taking responsibility for my own education.\u00a0 While I was working as a trauma surgeon, I\u2019ve come to realize some of the gang related problems with our town, and I was really seeing the worst part of Modesto.\u00a0 I think that has really motivated me to do the opposite and try to focus on the positive aspects.<\/p>\n

    \"sammrunlogo<\/a><\/p>\n

    \"18580_307958464649_6339563_n\"<\/a>
    The first newspaper advertisement for the Surgical Artistry Modesto Marathon back in 2009.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \n

    2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Why do you think it is important for every community to try and live a healthy lifestyle?<\/p>\n

    Health is a basic foundation of our lives.\u00a0 And our lives make up the community.\u00a0 Thus if we have personal health, then we can focus on making the rest of the community a better place.\u00a0 That is true for our own families as a microcosmic example.\u00a0 I think we can live by example, and then spread health to others, but it really starts with ourselves.\u00a0 And the community itself is a vibrant organism which needs health as well.\u00a0 So it’s my belief that health leads to a kinder and more compassionate community.\u00a0 Also, if health was a currency \u2013 it would be so much more valuable than money.<\/p>\n

    \n

    3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What suggestions do you have for motivating families to become more physically active?<\/p>\n

    As a doctor, I learn from my patients.\u00a0 I had a particular patient who has been running for most of his life.\u00a0 I asked him how he did that.\u00a0 He said that he saw running as part of his job, and that his job wasn’t done until he got his running done.\u00a0 I have many patients who are so dedicated to their jobs that they feel that they don’t have time for exercise.\u00a0 Thus, I try to tell them to consider exercise – such as walking outside – as part of their job.<\/p>\n

    I am now in a cosmetic surgery environment, and many of my patients are conscious of their youth.\u00a0 They come to me for Botox and other facial injectable procedures.\u00a0 I tell the patients that exercise is one of the ways to bathe the body in repair mechanisms and growth mechanisms to keep our entire bodies young.<\/p>\n

    The above two paragraphs refer to strategies I have for adults.\u00a0 As for kids, I encourage them to join group activities in school which involve physical activity.\u00a0 I try to help support a group called Teens Run Modesto<\/a> which allows for kids to run as a group socially – especially before a workout.\u00a0 It also holds them accountable, and they meet other like-minded kids and mentors. \u00a0It’s an amazing group.<\/p>\n

    What I’ve observed from the Teens Run Modesto program is that when the kids are active, the parents start to want to participate too.\u00a0 I think some people call this the “Disney Effect.”\u00a0 If the kids do it, then the parents do it too – like visiting Disney World or Disney Land. \u00a0I recently learned this concept from the founder of a fitness minded group in Modesto.<\/p>\n

    And hopefully families will think of social activities to do together which involve more physical activities such as hiking or gardening instead of just passively watching movies.\u00a0 It would be great if the kids would take the lead in their families health.\u00a0 It does make quite an impact on the adults.<\/p>\n

    Although I do support movies as a form of art. \u00a0I am also passionate about art. \u00a0I see much of what I do as a surgeon as a form of art as well.<\/p>\n

    \"10372801_10152457144664650_3172067381537143485_n\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    \n

    4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 According to recent studies, one in every three children are considered to be obese\/overweight. Do you think those rates are going to continue to increase over the next few years?<\/p>\n

    I think they would increase in the next few years.\u00a0 But it’s our job to try to decrease this rate of increase until one day, hopefully, we will decrease our rate of obesity.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I’m hoping that with social media, crowd-effect and education that we will once again be closer to our ideal Body Mass Indexes.\u00a0 I am personally vegan, and I hope that there would be more vegans again in the world.\u00a0 Things tend to go in cycles, and perhaps one day vegans will dominate again and hopefully be healthy vegans rather than potato chip and soda type vegans.\u00a0 If we keep ballooning out at this rate, then we will be lost and our general lifespan on earth will surely decrease.<\/p>\n

    \n

    5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 If any at all, what recommendations would you make to professionals in health care services and education industries in raising more awareness with obesity?<\/p>\n

    Health care professionals need to emphasize prevention of disease.\u00a0 Obesity itself is a disease.\u00a0 Health care professionals should consider leading by example, and we should all immerse ourselves with the latest studies on nutrition.\u00a0 I believe that although there are some complexities of how our bodies process foods, and how our bodies hang on to fat – the first law of thermodynamics apply to our bodies: where increasing our calories spent and decreasing our calories eaten will lead to weight loss.\u00a0 Yes, there are other hormonal factors at play, but calories in and calories out are things that we can measure and thus manage more effectively.\u00a0 There are calorie \/ step counting watches that make calorie expenditure more fun, and if that is what helps, then I support it.\u00a0 One thing we have to do as health care professionals, I think we have to stop caving into consumer demand for a quick fix.\u00a0 We should be slower to offer that pill or that surgery to fix problems, and try to make patients more accountable for their outcomes.<\/p>\n

    \n

    6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What steps have you taken to reach out to the community? Do you think it was successful and how do you think it will be sustained over the next few years?<\/p>\n

    \"12670876_10154073104069650_7989825672128173445_n\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    I’ve helped to create a new marathon for Modesto.\u00a0 I helped to set up training groups for adults and teenagers for this marathon (which includes other distances like a half marathon and a 5K).\u00a0 In combination with eating more of a vegan diet, I believe that running is one of the most efficient and effective methods of losing weight.\u00a0 I’ve joined in with my local vegan group.\u00a0\u00a0 And I participate sometimes in our local online facebook pages regarding running and eating well.\u00a0 I think all these efforts have been somewhat successful.\u00a0 We haven’t exactly come up with ways to quantify the differences that we’ve made in this community.\u00a0 But I can say that I definitely, without a doubt, see a lot more runners in our parks in Modesto.\u00a0\u00a0 It’s like an army of runners.\u00a0 I am now branching out into nearby towns such as Ripon and Manteca for training groups and running events.\u00a0 I just recently started financially supporting (via sponsorship) a group known as Modesto Moves and it just started last Saturday and has about 240 members – walkers and runners.<\/p>\n

    \"Modesto<\/a><\/p>\n

    \n

    7. \u00a0 \u00a0 Final question. \u00a0Do you think it is more important to educate children or adults when talking about obesity and its effects?<\/p>\n

    Great question.\u00a0 I think if I had to pick one.\u00a0 I would say, educate the children.\u00a0 They are the future, and children have a way of educating adults in a positive manner.\u00a0 As for the other way around.\u00a0 I don’t think kids listen to their parents when they say “Eat your broccoli.”\u00a0\u00a0 Educating kids is also educating them at a point where they can prevent obesity and its associated diseases.\u00a0 So like any disease – it’s good to catch them early or before it even begins.\u00a0 Thus we should educate the young and focus our energy there.<\/p>\n

    \"Dr.<\/a>
    Dr. Tammy Wu and myself on the cover of the March 2016 issue of Modesto View Magazine. \u00a0We’re trying to make a difference. \u00a0Thank you Modesto View for this rare opportunity.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

     <\/p>\n

    \"1397246_10153848708634650_5001381184426954135_o\"<\/a>
    Tummy tuck is not a solution for obesity.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    For more information on Tummy Tucks, visit my Tummy Tuck Today<\/a> webpage:<\/p>\n