Advanced Family Medicine

Anorexia Nervosa: Causes, Symptoms, & Treatments What is Anorexia Nervosa? At its most basic, anorexia nervosa is mental disorder characterized by an obsessive desire to lose weight. In fact, individuals suffering from anorexia often greatly fear gaining weight, even if they are already weigh less than their physician would consider healthy or safe. As such, anorexia sufferers hold distorted body images about themselves (e.g. they feel fat when they’re actually very thin), which is what pushes them continue losing weight.  In order to force their bodies to do this, individuals suffering from anorexia can employ a variety of methods, including excessive calorie restriction or exercise, vomiting (also known as purging), as well as the use of laxatives or diuretics. In most cases, individuals with anorexia can’t control this behavior, even when It becomes life-threatening. What Are Some Signs or Symptoms of Anorexia? Unlike many other mental conditions, the onset o...

Dr. Vaiman’s 4 Keys to Sustainable Weight Loss Although weight loss battles seem to be a recent phenomenon, the fact of the matter is that individuals have been trying to lose weight for one reason or another for centuries. However, patients often visit the  Advanced Family Medicine  office concerned about how to lose weight, and stressed about how they can keep it off once they do. Because of this, we thought we’d discuss the 4 most important factors you can apply in order to lose weight and keep it off for the long run. Tip #1: Minimize Carbohydrate Intake Carbohydrates are an essential nutrient that is vitally important for each and every one of us. This is because carbohydrates are processed by your body into glucose, which is a universal energy source that your body needs to thrive. Despite this fact, the reality that the more carbohydrates (flour and sugar-based foods) you eat, the hungrier you’ll be, and the more carbohy...

The Most Effective Methods to Losing Weight You Can Put to Immediate Use Did you know that during 2013 alone, the  American weight loss industry  made almost $61 billion? This is largely because, as the media is constantly reminding us, we are a nation of overweight individuals. In fact, according to the  National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases  (NIDDK): More than 2 in 3 adults are considered to be overweight or obese. More than 1 in 3 adults are considered to be obese. More than 1 in 20 adults are considered to have extreme obesity. With numbers like these, it’s no wonder that the weight loss industry is as big as it is. But here’s a not-so-hidden secret:  Nearly all of the products, programs, and fad diets offered by weight loss companies simply don’t work,  which is why—much like an addiction—many Americans find themselves in a seemingly never-ending cycle of weight loss, only to regain their weight (and then some)...

Obesity: The Silent Epidemic Did you know that between 1980 and 2000, obesity rates doubled among adults in the U.S? This means that today, about 60 millions adults (or 30% of the adult population) in this country are now classified as obese. But it doesn’t stop there: Since 1980, the number of overweight children has doubled, and the number of obese adolescents has tripled. Clearly, obesity is an ever-increasing health concern for men, women, and children in this country. But what is it, and how does it impact your quality of life? And perhaps most importantly, what can you do to prevent it? What is Obesity? According to the  Obesity Action Coalition , obesity is defined as “a condition that is associated with having an excess of body fat, defined by genetic and environmental factors that are difficult to control when dieting.” Obesity is measured using Body Mass Index (BMI), which is calculated by dividing a person’s weight in kilograms by his or her height in meter...