Many people considering gastric surgery focus only on the weight they’ll lose once the surgery’s over. And while weight loss is the key goal, there are other, often overlooked benefits of the procedure that results can save a person’s life, and make it worth living!
- Easing depression – Research has shown a seemingly never-ending cycle in relation to obesity and depression. In a study of bariatric surgery patients diagnosed with this mental health condition prior to surgery, symptoms appeared to ease considerably within the first year post-surgery. This is great news to anyone who understands how serious depression can be.
- Improving quality of sleep – According to the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, 18 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea – and many are either overweight or obese. As reported by the American College of Physicians in 2013, weight loss should be the first treatment option, since less neck fat means less pressure on the windpipe. Once sleep apnea clears up, so does daytime sluggishness, fatigue, brain fog and other nasty symptoms.
- Reversing Type 2 diabetes – Obesity plays a major factor in the development of Type 2 diabetes – but unlike Type 1, Type 2 can be treated through weight loss. In fact, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, research has shown that gastric surgery can manage and even reverse the course of the disease. With all of the side-effects that diabetes carries, having surgery that could help the condition makes a lot of sense.
- Increasing energy – We’ve all heard a million times how weight loss leads to more energy. The fact is, anyone at the point where bariatric weight loss surgery is an option knows how exhausting it can be just to get through the day – forget mustering up the energy to lace up a pair of sneakers and work out. The post-surgery increase in energy that results from losing weight makes exercise easier and more enjoyable. Plus, since working out is known to improve everything from physical health to brain function, exercise could end up having a positive effect in every area of life.
- Making more activities possible – People considering bariatric surgery likely know the feeling of being limited by the size of their bodies. From being uncomfortable in an airplane, movie theater or concert seat to worrying whether an amusement park’s rides will accommodate their size, life can start looking more and more limited. Losing excess weight after surgery can open doors to a lot of activities that were once off-limits, and even encourage people to try something completely new.
- Extending lifespan – In July 2014, the National Institutes of Health reported a link between obesity and shortened life expectancy – anywhere from 6.5 to 13.7 years, in fact. So it makes sense that the weight loss a patient experiences after having gastric sleeve or other gastric surgery would increase his or her chances of living longer.
If you’re considering bariatric weight loss surgery and have any questions about the procedure and how it can save your life, don’t hesitate to learn more about our team at BMI of Texas. Let us show you how different your life can be!