Since the early 90’s, many farmers have worked with genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, to increase their yields. By tinkering with the DNA of seeds from American dietary stalwarts like soy and corn, proponents of GMOs claim that farmers are able to produce more food faster and with fewer chemicals, resulting in cheaper food and a smaller environmental impact. In 1992, the FDA declared that GM foods are “not inherently dangerous” and the United States, unlike 50 other prominent countries like Brazil and China, continues to lack requirements for any sort of special labeling or regulation of GM foods.

Yet, studies on how GMOs impact human health are few in number. Many are concerned that by the time science finds an answer to how GMOs affect us it will be too late to reverse their potential damage, leading to an increased push to label GM foods as such in supermarkets. If you’re a patient of a bariatric procedure like gastric bypass, gastric sleeve or LAP-BAND in Dallas, you’re used to being careful with your diet—is genetically modified food something you should add to the list of things to avoid or just another modern marvel we don’t yet fully understand?

Risky Implications

The majority of studies on the effects of GMOs have taken place on animals, meaning the results may not necessarily apply to humans. However, those studies have resulted in a number of troubling health issues for their animal subjects, including inflammation, changes in metabolism, reduced fertility and malfunctions in the kidneys and liver. In a study of multiple generations of hamsters, a diet of genetically modified soy led to infertility by the third generation.

GM seeds are run through an extensive battery of tests before usage to ensure their safety, but the complexity of changing a seed’s genetic makeup provides the potential for unforeseen circumstances. Some worry that transferring genes between plants may result in new allergens, or may transfer allergens from one plant, like peanuts, to another like soy.

Avoiding GMOs

Though 18 individual states have introduced legislation that would lead to the labeling of GMOs, spotting which foods in today’s grocery stores are genetically modified is something of a challenge. With the amount of GM produce steadily increasing and the FDA expected to soon approve GM salmon and pigs, the best strategy in avoiding GM foods is to search for the “Certified USDA Organic” sticker, which guarantees that the product has not been genetically engineered in any way. Another strategy may be to avoid the supermarket altogether—local produce sources like farmer’s markets almost always offer non-GMO products and a chance to talk to farmers directly about their methods.

The jury’s still out on GMOs, but to keep from kicking yourself later, it may be a good idea to avoid GM foods. Regardless of their almost guaranteed GMO content, shunning today’s processed foods will certainly be healthy for your diet, as will eating organic whenever possible. Genetic modification may be helping us produce food to keep up with a growing population, but until the impact of GMOs on human health is certain, steering clear may be the best option.

It’s not! If you aren’t prepared as a beginning runner, it can be easy to cause yourself injury through lack of preparation. If you’re a patient of gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy or LAP-BAND in Dallas, incorporating exercise into your daily routine is vital to weight loss, but understanding what to do before you lace up your shoes is equally important. From picking the right shoes to picking the right pace, here are the first steps to making running a healthy part of your everyday life.

• Gear up. It’s crucial to build your running routine from the ground up, which means picking the right pair of shoes. Running shoes are designed to handle the specific stresses of running while staying light enough to keep you unencumbered, so if you really want to run right, cross-trainers or walking shoes won’t cut it.
• Determining which pair is right for you will hinge on a variety of factors like price and support needs, but for the best options head to a store that specializes in running gear and ask for a recommendation. Though less important, it may also be a good idea to grab some athletic clothing that will be comfortable and lightweight enough to run in.
• Walk before you run. Running uses muscles and tendons that may not be prepared to handle the impact if you don’t ease in carefully. Walking is the best way to prepare those parts of your body for the strenuousness of running, so try this process to build into a running routine.

1. Walk for 30 minutes two to four times a week, increasing your pace by a little bit each day until you’ve worked up to a brisk walk after a few weeks.
2. Once you feel comfortable just walking, alternate between running and walking—5 minutes running, 1 minute walking—while again getting out two to four times a week for the next few weeks.
3. Once you feel comfortable mixing running and walking, increase your amount of running—9 minutes running, 1 minute walking—or take a shot at running continuously for 30 minutes.

Even if you feel comfortable with other forms of cardio, you may not be prepared for the unique stresses of running. To prevent injury, start slow and build to running regularly over several months. This step is especially important for patients of bariatric surgery.

• Maintain proper form. Bad form can often result in injury for runners, so keep an eye on how you run to save yourself a lot of pain in the long run. As you’re running, try to relax, but maintain good posture. Your shoulders should be down, your chest up. Your body should be positioned in a straight line from top to bottom, feet landing directly under your hips as you take each step.

• Many runners have a tendency to lean forward, which can cause back problems. Avoid swinging your arms too much and try to take soft steps—    landing hard on your feet will slow you down and cause strain to your joints. To ensure that you’re using proper form, the best strategy is to work with a trainer or have your form critiqued by a fitness professional.

• Keep building. Though it’s important to build slowly, you’ll stop seeing results if you don’t increase the amount you run. Try adding 10 percent of your run time each month to maximize the benefits—if you walk/run four times one week at 30 minutes apiece, or 120 minutes, try adding an extra 12 minutes to the next month.

•  Patience is the key to building up your running regimen, but to avoid boredom you may need to switch up your running route. Running the same path through your neighborhood three or more times a week will quickly get boring. Instead, try switching running routes regularly or finding a running partner or group to keep you company. Changing terrain will keep your senses stimulated day to day, while running with others is bound to keep you motivated.

Running is great exercise, but only if you do it correctly. If you’re thinking about adding running to your fitness routine, be sure to build towards it and as always, ask Dr. Stewart before adding any kind of strenuous activity to your daily life.

Eggs have been historically demonized for their high cholesterol content, but it may be time to leave the witch hunt. Absolved of claims that they increase the risk of heart disease, eggs are now highlighted by dietary experts as an excellent source for many of the nutrients our bodies need most. They contain myriad vitamins (D, A, E, B12, B6) and minerals (potassium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, calcium) as well as a high protein, antioxidant and healthy fat content.

This doesn’t mean you should start downing raw eggs like you’re preparing for a big boxing match, but studies have shown that eating one egg a day (a maximum of seven per week) can be of great benefit to any diet. You should always ask Dr. Stewart before incorporating new foods into your weight loss diet, but if you’re a patient of a bariatric procedure like LAP-BAND in Dallas, it may be time to stop avoiding eggs and start using them as a healthy source of protein.

Weight Loss Benefits

Research shows that the high protein content in eggs can make you feel full faster. Eaten in the morning, the satiety provided by eggs can help you reduce the number of calories you eat throughout the rest of the day, making them an excellent help in weight management and curbing the desire to snack or overeat. Protein also has a hand in just about every essential function of a healthy body—just be sure to balance your intake, as overloading on protein-rich foods can contribute unnecessary fat and calories to your diet.

Though it does contain about one-fifth of the egg’s protein content, the yolk is also where most of the egg’s fat resides, while the white is composed mainly of healthy protein. Eating the yolk won’t do you any harm—the majority of egg fat is the healthy kind—but to cut down on fat while maximizing protein, try separating the whites or combining one whole egg with extra whites when cooking.

Other Benefits

Eggs contain about 23 percent of your body’s needed daily intake of choline, which is crucial for cells that contribute to nutrient distribution, nerve and metabolism function and memory. They also contain 27 percent of needed selenium, as well as other antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin which help to protect cells from damage via foreign agents in the body called free radicals. With these nutrients and others like phosphorus, vitamin B12 and riboflavin, eggs have been shown to boost energy levels, regulate cell function and improve the health of bones and teeth.

Chock full of all these dietary benefits, the egg is nature’s proof that good things come in small packages. With so many nutrients and different ways of preparation—try an egg white veggie omelet or throw some hard-boiled slices on top of your next salad—eggs can be a great addition to any weight loss diet, so get cracking!

After going to work or taking care of the kids it is important that you manage to fit in a workout and pay attention to your own health needs, and for this you are going to need more energy. Before stopping for a cup of coffee to get you through the evening, think about where you are expending energy throughout the day. Chances are there are a few places in your life where you are exerting way too much energy for few results. Changing these habits can help you to have more energy throughout your day to get done what you need to get done.

Social Media

Step away from the laptop, smart phone and tablet. Think about all of the places where you are now connected with other people. A lot of people check their Facebook and Twitter accounts every hour of the day. Cell phones are left on the night-stand, and status updates are frequently the last thing read at night and the first thing checked every morning. Think of all of the stress that you are inducing onto yourself. Do you really need to know what your second cousin’s friend had for lunch today?

If you are one of those people who are attached to their Facebook account, then maybe it is time to set a few rules. Managing your Facebook time to once a day or a few times a week can take away a lot of the mental burden that you are expending throughout the day.

Hang up the Phone

Being by yourself doesn’t have to be lonely. Too many times we lose golden opportunities to relax and enjoy some peace and quiet because we go straight to the cell phone to catch up with our mothers, friends and co-workers who we haven’t spoken to in half a day. Instead of spending so much time talking on the phone, hang up and have a bit of designated you time. Turn off the TV too and enjoy the serenity of a quiet home.

By cutting out these common interferences every day, you may discover that you have a few extra hours that you can use to tend to yourself. Don’t waste energy on activities that are leaving you anxious or upset. As you are losing weight, make sure that you are expending energy in positive ways.

They come in every color of the rainbow, in every shape you can imagine. They’re sour, sweet and savory with tastes varied and diverse enough to reflect their vast multinational origins. Some even have a history that stretches back to the dawn of man.

The produce section of your local grocery store likely carries a staggering array of different fruits, but about 80 percent of Americans fall short of the recommended two cups of fruit per day. It can be easy to get apathetic about the usual suspects (who really wants to eat an apple a day?) but with no shortage of options, there’s no good excuse to suffer from fruit fatigue.

Rich in essential vitamins and fiber and capable of improving cardiovascular health and memory, fruit is an important part of any diet, especially when focused on weight loss. After a bariatric procedure like LAP-BAND in Dallas, balancing your diet is more important than ever. Here are some places to get the fruit you need beyond just apples and oranges.

• Kiwi. With even more vitamin C than the same amount of orange, the succulent little kiwifruit offers a tangy and refreshing flavor and a delicate, creamy consistency. First grown in southern China, and still that country’s national fruit, the kiwi is now grown all over the world and available in produce sections year round. Also a great source of dietary fiber, kiwi makes for a great snack or fruit salad addition.
• Papaya. Rich in vitamins C and A, the papaya is a native of Central and South America and can grow up to 20 inches long, though the ones you’ll find in the supermarket will likely only reach about half a foot. They develop a vibrant orange color as they ripen and contain tons of small, black seeds that can be eaten, though their taste is significantly bitterer than the fruit’s sweet flesh. Papayas are excellent for digestive health, as they contain more fiber than the average apple—about 20 percent of daily intake—and an enzyme called papain that helps your body digest proteins.
• Pomegranate. Rich in antioxidants, the pomegranate has a history of cultivation that spans more than 5,000 years and more ancient societies than an introductory anthropology course. Though sometimes difficult to find in stores, the pomegranate is chock full of vitamin C, fiber, potassium and folic acid. It is getting increasing attention as a health food due to the effects of its high levels of antioxidants, which can help maintain blood flow and reduce levels of the body’s bad cholesterol. You can eat the seeds or extract the juice, but take care when cutting open a pomegranate—the fruit’s blood-red juice can easily stain just about anything.

Fortunately, these are things that most happy couples already have in their partners, and working out as a couple gives you a great opportunity to spend time together while also encouraging each other to maintain a healthy lifestyle. As you grow older, exercise becomes increasingly important for both you and your spouse, especially if you’ve recently undergone weight loss surgery—recent studies show that people over 30 tend to gain a significant amount of weight after marriage and that married people tend to be less fit in general than their single counterparts.

Here are some great activities you and your spouse can do together to keep the pounds off:

• Go on a bike ride. Biking is a great way to get a cardio work out and spend some time outdoors. You can plan your own route and pick your own pace. Whether you feel like racing your partner to your favorite coffee shop downtown or just taking a leisurely ride through the park, biking gives you and your partner a lot of choice without it feeling like a boring workout. For even more fun couples cycling excursions, try a tandem bike.
• Take up a racket sport. Tennis, badminton, racquetball, squash, even ping pong—these are all activities that are fun, fast-paced, and only require two people to play. For a little friendly competition, try keeping track of your scores week to week, or setting up a double date match with another couple.
• Go for a walk. Simple, yet effective, walking is an easy, low-stress exercise. Like biking, walking allows you to set your own pace and pick your surroundings. Try getting out to explore with your spouse every once in a while—taking in the sights, breathing the fresh air, and getting in a good conversation with your significant other can help take your mind off the fact that you’re exercising at all. For an even better workout, try speed walking or going for a quick run together.

Working out with your spouse can be fun, but patience and understanding is key in a workout relationship, just as it is in your marriage. If something isn’t working for you, be honest, and tell your spouse to do the same.

Too many people have an ill-conceived “work ‘till I die” mentality that is potentially damaging to their health. After weight loss surgery, it is important to carve time out of your schedule to focus on your health. It just may be that taking a vacation is a missing step in your weight loss plan.

Chances are, when you are caught in a stressful situation one of the first things that you tell yourself to do is to step away and take a deep breath. Picture your lifestyle on a larger scale. The repetitive actions, the repeated stressors and the lack of sleep all add up to one stressful situation. Taking a vacation is the equivalent to one big deep breath, but not all vacations are equal. It is important to plan a vacation that is right for you.

Here are a few tips for de-stressing and taking a time-out with a relaxing vacation.

• Set a budget. If you try to plan a vacation that you cannot afford, then it may become even more stressful than just staying home. Vacations can be taken on any budget level, you just need to find one that is right for you.
• Find silence. If not for your entire vacation, spend at least a day or so of your time off somewhere that you can enjoy silence. Our worlds become too filled with noise. While amusement parks are fun, it is better to take the time to rejuvenate your mind by giving it a little bit of peace and quiet.
• Keep it small. It can be very tempting to invite your family to vacation with you, especially as they drop hints about how fun your trip sounds. However, the more people you invite the less of a vacation it really is. If your in-laws stress you out, then you do not want them on a cruise ship with you.

After bariatric surgery, your diet restrictions can make traveling a bit difficult. Don’t become trapped in a bad situation where you have nothing to eat or no way to move around.

Set yourself up for success as you travel after weight loss surgery by keeping these simple tips in mind:

• Chances are you will be able to get a bottle of water wherever you go, but getting the right amount of protein can be a challenge. Bring powdered protein along with you in your carryon, especially for long flights.
• Call ahead to resorts or cruise ships where you plan on staying and ask what type of dining options are available. Let them know what you will be in need of and ask if there is any way that they can accommodate you.
• When going on vacation following bariatric surgery timing is everything. Check in with your weight loss surgeon to ensure that your gastric band has the proper fill and you are safe to travel away from the office. Planning a vacation immediately following your operation is not a good idea; make sure to wait until everything calms down before jetting away!
• Though you may be ambitious, be realistic when planning your outings. If you are not yet able to walk more than a few miles, then planning a walking tour of a city may not be your best bet yet. Plan activities ahead of time that you know you are up to. Aim for spending at least thirty minutes every day walking or exercising in some fashion so that you can stay on track with your weight loss goals as you are traveling.

Taking a vacation after bariatric surgery is a great way to spend time with your loved ones and de-stress. Follow these friendly precautions to really get the most out of your vacation experience!

Over the course of a year, the study compared obese patients who had received bariatric surgery to those who had not. Both groups were subjected to a series of cognitive assessments before surgery was performed, 12 weeks after surgery, and one year after surgery, with investigators measuring changes in cognitive function over time. What they found was that post-surgical patients performed better on memory tests than nonsurgical patients, showcasing the profound effect that weight loss can have upon the mind.

Though the exact mechanics of the improvement are unclear, doctors speculate that it could have something to do with the changes in hormonal and neural signaling that occur between the gut and the brain following surgery. Other factors could include a reduction in sleep apnea and hypertension after significant weight loss, though the positive mental effects seem to stem more from the surgery itself than the reduction of comorbid conditions.

Research continues, as those responsible for the study will continue to follow the patients for five years after surgery to determine whether or not the effects will be long-lasting. Though some patients in the study received gastric bypass surgery and others underwent gastric banding, the scale of the study was too small to determine if one of the procedures had more beneficial effects on memory and didn’t take into account myriad other surgical weight loss procedures. But having raised these questions, the study has opened the door for a great deal more attention to the subject in the future, as researchers in the medical community will work to determine the precise source of these cognitive improvements and how best to use them to the advantage of weight loss patients.

Social pressures play a huge role in how we motivate ourselves. For some people, basic tasks like getting out of bed in the morning would be optional if it wasn’t for the social responsibility of maintaining a job or socializing with your family. A new study used these principals of social interaction to find out if making weight loss a competition really works, and found that for many people it does!

This study evaluated the weight loss efforts of over 3,000 individuals and found those who participated in a weight loss competition were more likely to experience a 4.2% reduction in their weight level over a 12-week period. Those who engaged in more fulfilling relationships during the completion and allowed for their peers to influence their weight loss efforts experienced an even higher weight loss rate of 5% in 12 weeks. For those who really got involved in the competition and filled the role of team captain, the likelihood for enhanced weight loss became even higher.

This type of team spirit could be helpful for post-bariatric patients. After weight loss surgery, getting involved in a long-term support group can help you to keep your spirits up as you begin experiencing drastic changes in your health and weight level. These types of weight loss competitions are great for short-term thrills, but your commitment to improved health and well-being needs to be life-long. Wanting to lose weight for the glory of a competition is not enough to help you keep it off long term, but it is enough to help you get a head start on your weight loss goals.

Outside of getting involved in a competition, the emotional support that comes from being involved in a weight loss support group can be extremely beneficial. If you are not the competitive type, or you are not up to the challenge of competing against others as you lose weight, then get involved in a different type of support network. While peer competitions work for many people to lose weight short-term, your commitment to lifelong health and well-being could benefit from the ongoing care and motivation of a weight loss support group.

A food desert is a community in which food stores sell high-fat, high-salt prepackaged foods. Instead of offering a colorful produce department, stores in food deserts will sell canned vegetables and perhaps a few frozen nutritional items. For the most part, people who are left to purchase food in these communities are left with fast-food restaurants and items like hot dogs or potato chips.

The lack of readily available healthy food options can be a challenge to many people who have undergone obesity surgery. Dallas residents should be especially careful about finding nutritious sources of foods, as there are a number of communities within the city that are classified as food deserts by the U.S Department of Agriculture.

In addition to the lack of nutritious foods in many communities, another factor that is impacting the health of Americans is the reduction of neighborhoods that are safe for children to play in. When children are playing outside together they are developing healthier, active habits, which can help them to maintain a healthier weight as they become adults. In addition, when children are playing outside their parents are more likely to be out in the yard, walking around with neighbors or even getting involved in a game of catch. When communities are no longer set up for children to play outdoors with one another, the parents often migrate to the couch as well.

The majority of communities that are subject to both of these developments are low-income, but the habits that are wide spread in these communities are relevant even in affluent neighborhoods. Even if you do not live in a food desert or your street is perfectly safe for your children to play ball in, are you taking advantage of the produce section or your local farmers market? Or, are you sitting inside on the couch keeping an eye on the kids through the window instead of getting active and spending some time outdoors? Taking advantage of the healthy resources around you is an important factor in reaching your weight loss goals.

Food deserts are found across the United States. Have a look at how your community shapes up according to the U.S Department of Agriculture with this interactive map.