Weight Loss > Health Concerns

The loss of even a small amount of weight can significantly decrease numerous health problems. Getting yourself to a healthy weight can also eliminate some health issues you may already have.  

The MinDshape plan includes more than just guidance on weight loss. Improved health—as measured by lower blood pressure, improved blood sugar control, reduced levels of triglycerides and LDL, increased energy and greater self-confidence—are all part of the MinDshape transformation.  

Type 2 Diabetes & pre-diabetes

Joan, a 45 year-old mother of 2, knew she could stand to lose 30 lbs. Her mother and sister both have Type 2 diabetes, and she was recently diagnosed with hypertension and warned to change her diet and lose weight so that she does not develop diabetes herself. But being told "just do it" wasn't enough. Joan had no idea how to successfully break the bad habits she had learned from childhood on. Through MinDshape, Joan says, "I got a clear plan of attack so I could lose weight and keep diabetes at bay. I also got a lot of emotional support and motivation that was invaluable. I could never have done it on my own."

Perhaps your doctor has told you that you have "pre-diabetes," or maybe you are dealing with Type 2 diabetes already and even taking insulin, Glucophage®, Avandia®, Glucotrol® or another medication to control your blood sugar.  

Type 2 diabetes is often caused or made worse by being overweight. Too much weight puts serious stress on your body, causing blood glucose levels to fluctuate more than they should. Extra weight causes cells to not take in the insulin as they should or causes the body to not produce as much insulin as needed. Losing weight reduces these body and cell stressors, so the body can better metabolize sugar as it should.  

Diabetes can affect your kidneys, eyes, cause numbness in your limbs and can lead to heart disease. But you may not have symptoms until the disease is very advanced.  

More cases of type 2 diabetes are being found in children because of the rise in childhood obesity. Often parents pass along bad eating and nutrition habits to their kids. Parents also often don't see their own children as being overweight or obese even though they are. 

Just a 10% weight loss can help shrink your diabetes risk. Healthy nutrition and exercise habits can also cut your reliance on medication and increase your energy level.

You can PREVENT getting Type 2 diabetes with corrective actions like healthy eating and exercise and MinDshape can help you to do it. Avoiding Type 2 diabetes is one of the most important things you will ever do for your health.  

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Hypertension/High blood pressure

High blood pressure, also known has hypertension, affects 25% of adults. It is a major cause of heart and kidney disease, stroke and heart failure, but is treatable through weight loss, good nutrition, exercise and other food and lifestyle changes.  

If your blood pressure is greater than 120/80 we can assist you in making the changes necessary to lower your blood pressure to the best level possible, including:

• Attaining and maintaining a healthy weight
• Finding and participating in an exercise program that you will enjoy
• Making dietary changes such as reducing salt and alcohol while adding beneficial things like potassium, calcium and magnesium without the need for a lot of expensive or questionable supplements
• Reducing stress  

Our staff is very experienced in treating patients with this problem and will work with you and your primary care physician to put you on the road to wellness. We'll teach you a new way of thinking about weight and wellness. One that is positive, healthy and pleasurable.  

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High cholesterol or triglycerides

Many of our patients are referred by their family doctor or primary care physician because of high cholesterol or triglycerides—these are lipid disorders also known as hyperlipoproteinemia, hyperlipidemia, dyslipidemia and hypercholesterolemia. Left untreated high cholesterol or triglycerides, which are fatty substances in the blood, can lead to blocked arteries which can then cause heart attack and stroke.  

High cholesterol and triglycerides can be caused by genetics or family history, a variety of other conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, pregnancy, hypothyroidism or metabolic syndrome, or even some medications like estrogen and birth control pills. Poor eating habits, excess weight and not enough exercise contributes to this problem too.  

This is a condition that is very treatable through diet, exercise and, as needed, medication. Our staff is very experienced in treating patients with high cholesterol and triglycerides and will work with you and your primary care physician to put you on the road to wellness.  

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Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal problem that causes women to have a variety of symptoms, including weight gain, high blood pressure, abnormal rise in blood sugar levels, irregular or sparse menstrual cycles, difficulty in getting pregnant or maintaining a pregnancy, dark hair growth on the face and acne. Being overweight can make these symptoms worse by impacting a woman's hormones.

Good nutrition can help ease the symptoms of PCOS by helping balance a woman's hormone levels and bring her blood sugar down. But eating for blood sugar control takes a structured diet. That's where MinDshape experts can help!

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Menopause

Brenda, 43, had gained a few pounds a year over the years. She's lost weight in the past with prepared-food programs but the weight came back each time she went back to fixing her own meals. Now she sees menopause coming on and she knows that if she doesn't overcome this now it will be doubly hard later. On the advice of a friend she met with our registered dietitian and instantly felt a weight lift and a bit of her old energy return. It wasn't too late for Brenda to lose weight, and she didn't have to deprive herself of what she enjoyed in order to do it.  

Menopause is a natural process that every woman goes through. There are lots of physical and emotional symptoms of menopause, but excess weight gain is not directly tied to menopause.  

But as a woman ages, the metabolism slows and she tends to lose muscle mass, making extra pounds easier to gain and more difficult to lose.  

That's where MinDshape comes in. Losing weight after menopause is more difficult, but not impossible! We can help determine your metabolic rate and appropriate calorie level to encourage weight loss.  

We're here to teach you a new way of thinking about weight and wellness. One that is positive, healthy and pleasurable.

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